2CC 



JOURNAL OF HOKTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ AprU 6, 1876. 



18 inches through, some over 2 feet, and some of them have 

 tour hundred flowers on them, besides what are cut for indoors. 

 The leaves are like Khubarb. 



At first I saved seed from one of Veitch's, a large deep bine ; 

 that was four years ago, and I have since saved seed from my 

 own plants, and this year the flowers are the best I have had. 

 Do you think some of the best are worth saving seed from this 

 year, and would be worth puttmg in the hands of one of our 

 seedsmen for distribution ? I have one plant (which ia in the 

 house) with flowers 2J inches across— a deep blue beauty. — 

 W. Wells, Turner s Hill, Craiclcy, Sussex. 



[The flowers are some of the finest we have seen. We think 

 them quite worthy of being saved and sold. — Ens.] 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS 

 HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY fok the TEAR 1875. 



Pabt 2. 



Theough the kindness of Mr. Bnswell, the Librarian of this 

 old and flourishing Society, I have received the report of its 

 Transactions, and a perusal of it suggests one or two thoughts 

 bearing upon the state of horticultural societies both there 

 and amongst ourselves. 



I notice that the same chequered state of existence befals 

 horticultural societies in America as well as amongst ourselves ; 

 for while this Society seems to be in a most flourishing con- 

 dition, has upwards of a thousand members, is gradually 

 gathering together an excellent library, allocates six to eight 

 hundred dollars for prizes during the present year, publishes 

 two very respectable pamphlets in the year, awarding a thou- 

 sand dollars to their editor and spending 1700 dollars on 

 printing, and has an available balance of assets over liabilities 

 of 200,000 dollars, its sister Society of Cambridge has come to 

 grief and has handed its library over to it. Now it is not too 

 much to say that we have no society in England that does 

 this. We all, alas ! know what the Boyal Horticultural Society 

 has done in times past ; how its Transactions came out by fits 

 and starts, like a sort of epileptic seizure, which seemed to 

 mark activity but soon subsided and left the patient only the 

 more exhausted. The Lindley Library remains in statu quo, 

 few of the Fellows seem to know its rules and there are no 

 means of adding to it, while the assets of the Society are all en 

 the wrong side of the ledger. The only very flouriehing Horti- 

 cultural Society that I know of is, strange to say, the Koyal 

 Horticultural Society of Ireland : it has a large balance in the 

 bank, but then it does nothing more than hold exhibitions and 

 award prizes. 



I notice that the Society offers prizes for essays on certain 

 subjects, and that the successful ones are read at their meet- 

 ings, and that then discussions take place on them. Kow, as 

 the Royal Horticultural Society has— (amongst its plans for 

 reviving its drooping fortunes, and in order to show that it is 

 really desirous of being what it ought to be, the leader in every 

 practical effort to advance the science) — announced the inten- 

 tion of lectures to be given at South Kensington and Chiswick, 

 would not this plan be advisable ?— Let subjects of a popular 

 character be chosen (for scientific ones may be left to the 

 Committee of that ilk), let a competent sub-committee of these 

 read over any that may be sent in, and let tho successful one 

 be chosen for the meeting and be read by somebody who knows 

 how to read. By this means we should not have either musty 

 dry-as-dust or semi-philosophical diatribes inflicted on the 

 audience. Nor would it be necessary to carry ear-trumpets to 

 catch the mumbUngs of some clever writer ; for let it be borne 

 in mind that it is not every clever man who can write a popular 

 essay, or who can read it so that it can be heard when it is 

 written. 



The Society adopts the plan which the present Council of 

 the Koyal Horticultural Society have through want of funds 

 been obliged to abandon, but which is, I am sure, calculated 

 to advance horticulture — that of offering prizes at their various 

 meetings. For what is the result now ? — there are no prizes 

 offered from March until June, or from July to November. 

 The growers of florists' flowers are thus shut out, and many 

 plants which might make an effective display are held back ; 

 for, after all, people will consider whether they are to get any- 

 thing for their trouble. The mistake that was made was in 

 calling those minor exhibitions shows and charging absurd 

 prices for admission. People naturally said, " Do you call 

 this a show ?" and then declared it to be all humbug ; whereas 

 if they had been merely regarded as an adjunct of the Com- 



mittees and for tho benefit of the Fellows and their friends 

 they would have been appreciated, and the few shillings that 

 were taken were a poor compensation for the growls of disap- 

 pointment heard on every side. 



Another noticeable feature is the kindly and social feehng 

 which seems to be encouraged amongst its members. The 

 deaths of its more prominent members are noticed with well- 

 chosen words of regret, and the opportunities of friendly inter- 

 course seem to be readily made use of. It may be that our 

 stiff' and cold insular manners are against this feature, but I 

 feel persuaded it goes a long way in the furtherance of the 

 Society's objects. The Royal Horticultural Society has now 

 in its oflncers those who wish well to horticulture, and who 

 would, I am sure, be glad to see the old stand-offishness done 

 away with, and let us hope that their efforts may be crowned 

 with success. 



I gather from the report that there are many varieties of 

 fruits of which we see or know nothing on this side of the 

 water ; and the wonder is that some of our enterprising caterers, 

 who have inundated us with a lot of worthless rubbish in the 

 way of Potatoes, do not introduce some of them for trial. 

 Thus, amongst Strawberries I notice President Wilder, Jenny 

 Lind, Grace, Col. Cherry, and Hovey's Seedling. Belle and 

 General Sherman as new varieties are highly spoken of amongst 

 Raspberries, Hornet and Herstine, Clarke & Saunders; while 

 amongst Grapes there seems to be as great a contest to get 

 new varieties as amongst us, and several are highly spoken of. 

 Let us hope that the Centennial Exhibition may draw together 

 horticulturists of both countries, and tend to foster kindly and 

 brotherly feelings in a pursuit which of all others ought to 

 encourage such. — D., Deal. 



RESTING AND GROWING PLANTS IN WINTER. 



I AGREE with Mr. Peach in most of what he has said on 

 pages 171 and 172, but I differ a little in some points. 



In resting stove plants I move them into as low a tempera- 

 ture as they can bear, keeping them moist, and when the rest- 

 ing season is over I find the plants so treated grow much 

 stronger than when kept in a high temperature and permitted 

 to become dry at the roots. 



I think it bad treatment to force artificial rest by withhold- 

 ing water and keeping the plants in a high temperature until 

 the life is almost dried out of them. When those dried plants 

 are again watered, instead of growing healthy the foliage turns 

 yellow, the plants make but little growth, and they must be 

 phinged in a strong bottom heat to force new life into them, 

 and the season is gone before the plants recover their health 

 again. I know there are some stove plants that cannot bear a 

 low temperature, but many can when at rest. 



I thmk all pot plants require a rest. By keeping them 

 always growing the foliage is thin and weakly, and the flowers 

 poor. The plants that are rested in a low temperature and 

 have moisture enough to keep them fresh will when brought 

 into stove temperature produce foliage thick, strong, and 

 healthy, with flowers good and plenty of them. 



I think vineries might be made more use of than they are 

 for growing bedding plants in winter. If a vinery is started in 

 November or December at 45°, that is a proper temperature for 

 most of our bedding plants ; but the plants should be removed 

 before the Vines begin to flower, for it is very inconvenient to 

 thin the Grapes and stop the laterals with the vinery full of 

 plants ; and when good fruit is required for table and plenty of 

 it, it is difficult to give the Vines proper treatment to produce 

 good fruit without removing the plants from the houses, but 

 a few plants will not do harm if the ventilators are open early 

 in the morning, and if the Vines do not shade the plants too 

 much. 



I like to keep bedding plants growing, and the sooner they 

 flower the better, for where cut flowers are in demand I find 

 our bedding Geraniums very useful. I have some Verbenas 

 which were struck early in autumn and potted into 48-pots, 

 which have done duty on the dining table ; these will now be 

 cut down, and will make bushy plants for bedding-out in May. 

 — G. S., Gardener, Faulkners House. 



SELECT DAHLIAS. 



The following names are selected as being amongst the best 

 in my collection, which comprises upwards of loii varieties : — 



TKenty-four Sliow Jaru-fies.— Alexander Cramond, maroon 

 shaded with crimson; Acme of Perfection, primrose; Amy 



