Fobraary 17, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



127 



fortunes of South Kensington and Chiawick are uniteJ, and 

 unito4 they will remain unless you obtain a chanRc in the 

 Charter. Now, supposing this vote calling on the Council to 

 resign is passed, I do not know what may be done. As you 

 know the Council need not resign their seats unless they wish 

 to do so, you cannot compel them to resign. Of course a Council 

 acting after such a vote would have but little power, and would 

 only be a Council in name. The only way a Council can be got 

 rid of is to serve a notice of incapacity against each individual 

 member seven days before the annual meeting. But I shall 

 leave the Council to act as they think fit ; I can only speak for 

 myself, and cannot say how they may feel disposed to act. My 

 opinion, however, is that whether they remain after an adverse 

 vote, or whether they get a vote enabling them to remain, the 

 difficulties of the Society will be immeasurably increased, and 

 they will find their position far from being a pleasant one. If 

 they do retire, the succeeding Council need not hope to have 

 an unanimous constituency. Indeed, I am of opinion that the 

 removal of the Council of 18V3 brought on disunion and disorder 

 [hear, hear]. It will not be until our large constituency agree 

 to act together with unanimity that we can hope for any success 

 in altering the position of the Society. For myself I am not 

 afraid of any vote, and would be quite content to give up the 

 onerous position I now hold, but I should be ashamed of myself 

 did I think of leaving the Society in its present difficulties. 

 Admiral Hornby has said that the Council was not unanimous 

 on the question of the privileges ; but I must say that when I 

 was asked to join the Society in order to help in doing some- 

 thing to retrieve its fortunes, I was told that there was a strong 

 spirit of self-sacrifice on the part of the Fellows, so that the 

 desired end might be obtained. When, therefore, with the 

 present Council I accepted office, I found it to be the almost 

 unanimous opinion of my colleagues that the transferable tickets 

 were the cause of much loss to the Society, and ought to be 

 done away with. It is quite true that Admiral Hornby and 

 myself would have preferred a modification commonly called a 

 family ticket, but we were overruled, and bowed to the will of 

 the majority. After the discussion at the last general meeting 

 which took place on the new scale of privileges then submitted 

 to the Fellows, Admiral Hornby and Mr. Grote were of opinion 

 that some very important modification should be made in 

 order to meet the views of the general body of the Society. It 

 was, however, the decision of the majority that the general 

 principles of the amended code of privileges should be retained, 

 and the two gentlemen referred to consequently retired. I will 

 now make a suggestion just as if I were in the body of the ball 

 — simply as a Fellow, and not as your President. It is, that 

 instead of declaring warfare between the Council and the 

 Fellows, some attempt ought to be made to agree on some form 

 of action which will command general consent. With that 

 view I would farther suegest that this meeting be adjourned, 

 and that the list of members whom Mr. Hardoastle is about to 

 propose as a new Council be formed into a committee, who can 

 associate themselves with the Council, and endeavour to agree 

 to an attempt being made to find a mode of harmonious action, 

 BO that we may all work altogether. I trust after throwing out 

 these suggestions that the resolution will not be pressed. Already 

 the half year's rent is due, and I confess we are rather anxious 

 as to how the money is to be obtained. In the present unsettled 

 state of our Society those who are inclined to lend money are 

 almost afraid to do so, though of course they have the Commis- 

 sioners to see to the repayment ; and then, too, the February 

 interest on the debentirres is overdue. I am quite satisfied that 

 a momentary triumph over the present Council will lead only 

 to greater difiionlties in the future. Let the meeting be ad- 

 journed, and a fresh series of propositions can he made from 

 the Council to the Fellows. I make all these suggestions not 

 on my account, because, for my own part, I should be very glad 

 indeed were I relieved from my somewhat difficult position ; 

 but, as I have said before, I really do not wish to leave the 

 Society in its difficulties. I earnestly trust that Mr. Hardcastle 

 will not press his motion [applause]. 



Mr. Hardcastle would not consent to withdraw his 

 motion. The key of their financial position was the increase of 

 local Fellows. The policy of the Council was opposed to such 

 an increase and would effectually prevent it. The vote of the 

 meeting should be taken as to whether the present Council 

 ought to remain in office or not. If they were successful it 

 would be for the Fellows to say whether they should adjourn. 



The Chairman. — Then it only remains for me to put the re- 

 solution. The amendment can be put as a substantive motion. 

 Those for the motion could say Aye and hold up their hands. 



His lordship then put Mr. Hardcastle's resolution to the 

 meeting with the foUowiog result : — 



For the motion 32 



Against 43 



Majority 13 



The result was received with cheers. 



Mr. Godson moved the adjournment of the meeting. 



The Chairman thought that his suggestions with regard to 

 the appointment of a committee ought to be considered. Had 

 Mr. Hardcastle left the room 1 Perhaps he would act on a 

 committee. 



Mr. H/iRDCASTLE having returned, said he should be happy to 

 do anything he could for the good of tho Society. He should 

 have no objection to serve on a committee. 



The Chairman.— Would Mr. Pinches join the committee ? 



Mr. Pinches did not object. He should, however, like it to be 

 understood that his name was not amongst the list held by Mr. 

 Hardcastle. 



A committee consisting of Mr. Hardcastle, Mr. Pinches, Mr. 

 G. F. Wilson, Mr. C. J. Freake, Mr. A. Grote, and the Hon. 

 B. W. Chetwynd, was then appointed to confer with the Council 

 on the state of affairs. 



Mr. Veitch having moved the adjournment of the meeting 

 to that day fortnight, 



Mr. Pinches proposed a vote of thanks to the noble Chairman 

 for his able conduct in the chair, and the meeting then separated. 



EOYAL HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



February ICth. 

 Fkuit Committee. — Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. Mr. 

 Pottle, the Gardens, Sudbourne Hall, sent two varieties of 

 Dandelion ; tiiat grown in France for salads, and the common 

 English type, also the Barbe de Capucin or Chicory, and the 

 variety sent to the last meeting named Witloof. Mr. Pottle 

 finds the above very useful for salads in the winter, and as 

 shown by him at the meeting were very creditable productions, 

 well deserving the cultural commendation conferred by the 

 Committee. 



Mr. Monro of Potter's Bar showed twelve fruits of his excel- 

 lent winter Cucumber Duke of Edinburgh, for which he received 

 a cultural commendation. The fruits were of good flavour and 

 of a very useful size for a gentleman's table. A dish of Onions 

 was sent from Mr. F. Bonsall, but was passed as being an 

 ordinary stock of Brown Globe. 



Harrison Weir, Esq., Weirleigh, sent a dish of a seedling 

 Potato, King Harry, second early. It is a good variety of a 

 prolific character, but was passed by the Committee. The same 

 gentleman also sent a dieh of Matthew's Eliza Pear, which 

 proved to be Josephine de Malines; a good variety for the 

 season. A cultural commendation was also voted to Mr. Weir 

 for a dish of well-kept highly coloured Blenheim Pippin Apples, 

 the finest which we have seen for some time. 



Rev. George Kemp, Sevenoaks, Kent, sent a dish of Joly de 

 Bonneau Pear. It was slightly astringent, but of a brisk aro- 

 matic flavour ; it was thought to be a good late sort, but as ex- 

 hibited did not merit special notice. 



A dish of seedling Apples was sent by Mr. J. McLaren, Ash 

 Vale. It was undistinguishable from Cellini, and was passed by 

 the Committee. Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, A Co. of Exeter sent 

 Apple Gidley's Pearmain, a seedling from Cornish GiUiflower, 

 but not so good in flavour as that variety. A German Apple 

 named Breitlicg was sent from Mr. Elvers ; the fruit had a dis- 

 agreeable flavour, owing perhaps to the way in which it had 

 been preserved. 



Floral CoMjnTTEE,— W. B. Kellock, Esq., in the chair. Two 

 noticeable groups of plants were exhibited at the meeting, and 

 both were from the nursery of Messrs. Veitch & Sons. One waa 

 a collection of upwards of fifty hybrid Amaryllises, which in 

 the aggregate had a gorgeous effect, and made more imposing 

 perhaps by the juxtaposition of a collection of well-bloomed 

 Cyclamens. Sonie of the Amaryllises were named, and first- 

 class certificates were awarded to the following : Phrale, dazzling 

 flame scarlet, with a buff st.ar, exceedingly vivid and fine; Junius, 

 deep velvety crimson-scarlet and greenish-white star, very rich; 

 Sultan, bright maroon and white, very rich, the petals also having; 

 an elegant reflex; Agatha, creamy star, scarlet petals edged 

 with white; and Rev. J. Staioforth, crimson, with white centre 

 and bands, an extra large flower and very fine. There were also 

 many other exceedingly fine varieties. It is almost impossible 

 to adequately describe the vivid colours of these plants; they 

 are intensely rich, and the petals are of good substance. Some 

 of the light varieties are also very chaste. This is probably 

 the finest collection of Amaryllises (or Hippeastrums) that has 

 ever been exhibited. The batch adds another honour to the 

 great Chelsea firm, and the plants will be of immense value to 

 decorators. The collection was highly commended by the Coin- 

 mittee. They will be further alluded to, and cultural notes will 

 be given by a successful grower. 



The Cyclamens were remarkably healthy and well bloomed, 

 the foliage of the plants being stout and distinctly marbled. The 

 colours were varied, the darks having bright glossy petals, the 

 lights being mostly shaded and spotted, a few being pure. A 

 vote of thanks was awarded to this collection. 



PriBnanthos elegans, a " cross between Parboria and Sonchus 

 laoinatus," a standard Grass-like weeping plant, suitable for 



