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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



OUR AFFILIATED SOCIETIES. 



Lindsay. — At the monthly meeting of this So- 

 ciety on the 13th of February a very interesting 

 paper was read by Mr. W. M. Robson on the work 

 of Horticultural Societies and especially that at 

 Lindsay. He showed the double advantages of 

 affiliation with the Ontario Society and figured out 

 that in return for each member's subscription of 

 $1.00 he received in return at least $3.00 in the 

 value of (i) The Monthly Journal, (2) The Report, 

 (3) The Plants (4) The privileges of the meetings. 



The Evening Post gives two columns to the re- 

 port of the lecturer sent by the Ontario Society, 

 Mr. Martin Burrell, of St. Catharines, in the Coun- 

 cil Chamber, Lindsay, March 8th. The hall was 

 crowded with ladies and gentlemen to hear his 

 address on Birds and Horticulture. The evening 

 was opened by some gramaphone selections, after 

 which Mr. Robson introduced the lecturer, who 

 united the instructor and the entertainer in a 

 most remarkable manner. 



Hamilton. — The schedule of premiums (not 

 money) offered and list of exhibits asked for the 

 flower show, is out for the month of June. There 

 are three classes of exhibits : L — Amateur class. 

 n. — Amateurs with Greenhouses. IH.— Commer- 

 cial Gardeners and Florists. At the bottom the 

 following note is added: "The plants in the 

 Amateur classes will be sent for and returned at 

 the close of the exhibition." The following is the 

 sub-division Class I : 



L Amateur Class — Roses: The best six Roses, 

 distinct. Three Roses, distinct. One vase of 

 twelve blooms, any varieties. One vase of six 

 blooms, any varieties. 



Paeonies — Six varieties, distinct. Three varie- 

 ties, distinct. Largest and best collection. 



Herbaceous Plants — Perennials (Cut bloom) — 

 Best collection of Perennials, not less than six 

 varieties, named — two spikes of each. Best three 

 varieties. Best vase of cut bloom — Perennials. 



Plants in Pots (Grown in Dwelling House, — i 

 Palm, 2 Begonias, 3 Geraniums, 1 Amaryllis, i 

 Dracena, 2 Fuchsias, i Geranium, 2 Coleus, i 

 Fern, i Fuchsia, i Cactus. The best House-plant 

 of any variety. 



Toronto Junction— On the evening of Jan. 23 

 the members of the Toronto Junction Horticultural 

 Society met and listened to a very interesting ad- 

 dress upon the "Care of House Plants," by Mr. 

 A. Gilchrist. The very difficult problem of water- 

 ing was fully gone into. The eflectof atmosphere 

 in the house and outside was dealt with in a 

 masterly manner, and indicated that with an east 

 wind, when the atmosphere was damp, water 

 should be used sparingly while with a west 

 wind and dry atmosphere more water might be 

 used. All, however, requires judgment. In sum- 

 mer plants dry from the top. In the house they 

 are likely to dry from the bottom. By empty 

 flower pots soaked and dry, Mr. Gilchrist illus- 



trated, ringing a sound from each, the condition 

 of the roots within. Re-potting plants, potting 

 palms, the soils to be used, feeding plants and 

 dealing with insect pests, were matters Mr. Gil- 

 christ dealt with, and his exposure of large growth 

 by means of nitrate of soda solution was a deter- 

 rent to nurserymen to produce immense plants 

 with small flowers. To produce flowers, the bone 

 dust had been found to be very beneficial, and 

 summer heat, to purify soils, he thought even 

 better than the winter frost. 



London. — The first public meeting of the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Society was held in the Audi- 

 torium last night. About one hundred and fifty 

 horticultural enthusiasts were present. The plat- 

 torm was artistically decorated, being hung with 

 flags and bunting, and set with graceful palms and 

 other plants. The chair was taken at 8:30 by Mr. 

 John Balkwill, the president, and with him on the 

 platform were Rev. Dr. Bethune. Very Rev. Dean 

 Innes, and Mr. T. H. Race, of the Mitchell Re- 

 corder. The proceedings opened with the singing 

 of "Soldiers of the Queen," by Miss Winnie 

 Hooper and Mr. A. G Stevens, with accompani- 

 ment by Miss Smallman. 



In his opening remarks. President Balkwill 

 referred to the recent organization of the society 

 and the encouraging outlook for its future success, 

 and enumerated the advantages which member- 

 ship in the society gives. He regretted that there 

 were not more ladies on the membership roll. 



On rising to deliver his address on "The Moral 

 Influence of Floriculture in the Home," Mr. Race 

 humorously impressed upon the audience the fact 

 that his own somewhat attenuated build was not 

 to be attributed to the fact that he was a horti- 

 cultural enthusiast, but rather to t le fact that he 

 was an editor of a country weekly, a position 

 which entailed considerable worry. He referred 

 to London as being a favored city in its own 

 natural advantages, and the fact that its sur- 

 rounding agricultural district was one unsurpassed 

 on the continent, and perhaps in the world. The 

 horticultural exhibit at the Western Fair is one un- 

 equaled by any other exhibition. Mr. Race's ad- 

 dress was received with close attention, and 

 tended to inspire the Society with a high concep- 

 tion of the possibilities which were within the 

 reach of the members. 



Miss Hooper sang " A May Morning," followed 

 by Mr. A. G. Stevens in a stirring patriotic ballad. 

 Mrs. A. A. Campbell gave three enjoyable reci- 

 tations. 



Rev. Dr. Bethune's address concluded the even- 

 ing's interesting programme. He spoke instruct- 

 ively on the many insects which are such a source 

 of annoyance and loss to the horticulturists, and 

 showed how horticultural societies had done good 

 work in providing remedies for their extermina- 

 tion, either by the use of chemicals or by the pro- 

 pagation and introduction of other insects, which 

 were not injurious to plant life, but preyed upon 

 the insects which were. 



The meeting closed with the "National An- 

 them." — The Advertiser. 



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