542 



THE GARDENERS' CHI? ONI CLE. 



[November 10, 188?. 



consciously, love to see in a flower some mani- 

 festation of its origin and history, some expression 

 of its adaptation to circumstances and to the 

 purposes it is adapted to fulfill. Abstract 

 beauty is one thing, and men will differ very 

 materially as to what it is, and of what elements 

 it is constituted, but beauty of appropriateness 

 and adaptation is another matter, and one that 

 all can appreciate. To those who know what 

 a flower is, what it has been, why it is 

 as we now see it, and what may fairly 

 lie expected of it in the future, the interest 

 is enhanced tenfold. A flower that may be 

 successfully imitated in wax or paper is not much 

 of a flower after all. It has the same relation 

 to other flowers as the wax models at Madame 

 Tussaud's to the living men. But all this, as 

 we have said, is very much a matter of taste 

 and individual appreciation, and the National 

 Chrysanthemum Society shows its wisdom in 

 catering for all. 



The details of this great show are given in 

 another column ; here we can only express our 

 general impression that the cut flowers were 

 superb, while the groups were not so fine as we 

 have seen them on former occasions. The season, 

 no doubt, has much to answer for in this par- 

 ticular. Many growers were surprised by the 

 sudden severe frosts in the early part of Octo- 

 ber, and the effects of this are visible in the 

 bare leafless stalks, and in some cases by the 

 crippled flowers. These latter were, of course, not 

 noticeable in the exhibition room, but they are evi- 

 dent enough in the collections of the growers, and 

 they go far to emphasise the fact that the Chry- 

 santhemum is not quite hardy, and that the 

 cultivator must be wary and get his plants under 

 cover in due season. 



As far as novelties are concerned the French 

 are inundating us with flowers, which differ 

 from what we have already as tweedle-dum from 

 tweedle-dee, but our American cousins are send- 

 ing us plants of a distinct and valuable character 

 so far as regards robustness of habit and dwarf 

 stature. These are desirable qualities, for, however 

 beautiful and extraordinary cut blooms may be, 

 the like flowers seen like mops at the top of a 

 long stem are not quite so attractive. Another 

 point is worth notice, and that is the foliage. 

 The leaves of a Chrysanthemum are distinct and 

 handsome in appearance ; moreover, they are 

 exceedingly variable, and this is the more inte- 

 resting, in that it is a natural variation, which 

 has not been (consciously at least) selected by 

 the florist. The philosophers should take heed 

 of this, they attribute the variation in the flowers 

 to the processes of selection and protection exer- 

 cised by the gardener, or, in Nature by insects 

 or otherwise, but there is nearly as much 

 variation, though no one has observed it system- 

 atically, in the foliage ; and this, as we have 

 said, has not been selected by the florist. To 

 what, then, is this variation attributable P Verily 

 there are many things not dreamt of in our 

 philosophy ! 



Royal Horticultural Society.—" a specUl 



meeting of the Council was held on Wednesday, 

 October 31, at 1 p.m., when it was resolved that 

 a cordial vote of thanks be sent to all those who 

 were kind enough to read papers, or to exhibit fruit, 

 or in any other way to assist in making the late 

 Apple and Pear Conference at Chiswick a success. 

 It was resolved that a report of the Conference be 

 forthwith prepared with a view to its publication 

 as a number of the Journal of the Society. The 

 two resolutions passed at the Chiswick Conference 

 were then read and considered, and with reference to 

 the suggested Sub-Committee ou Law and Parlia- 

 mentary Matters, it was resolved, " That the Govern- 

 ment having, at the suggestion of the Council of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society and others, expressly 



included horticulture in the bill for the establish- 

 ment of a ministry of agriculture, it would 

 be unadvisable to appoint a separate Law and 

 Parliamentary Committee, the Council considering 

 itself to be in a position to fulfil the duties of 

 such proposed committee more advantageously 

 than a subsidiary body." "With reference to 

 the second Conference resolution, relating to 

 the Society's garden at Chiswick, the following 

 resolution was passed, viz. : — " That the Council of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society fully appreciate the 

 value attaching to Chiswick Garden, and are anxious 

 to extend and develop its resources to the greatest 

 possible extent in every direction for the advance- 

 ment of horticulture, as far as the means placed in 

 their hands will allow." It was resolved to invite 

 the members of the present Fruit and Floral Com- 

 mittees, and, also the principal exhibitors, to attend a 

 meeting in the Council-room on Tuesday, November 

 13, at 1L30 a.m., to discuss as to the best place in 

 which to hold the fortnightly meetings for 18S9. 

 It was further resolved to hold a general meeting of 

 the Fellows of the Society iu the Council-room on 

 Tuesday, November 13, at 2 p.m., in order to submit 

 to them the draft of new bye-laws with a view to 

 their adoption. It was determined that at the two 

 next meetings of the Society on November 13 and 

 December 11, any tender plant may be placed ia the 

 Council-room where they will be free from exposure 

 to cold. JBy kind permission of the Treasurer and 

 Benchers, a grand flower show will be hell by the 

 Royal Horticultural Society, in the Inner Temple 

 Gardens, on May 30 and 31, 1839. It was resolved 

 to contribute £10 to the funds of both the Auricula 

 and Carnation Societies, if their exhibitions are held 

 under the auspice of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 in the year 1889." 



National Auricula Society (Southern 

 Section), National Carnation and Picotee 

 Society (Southern Section). — We have 

 received the following disclaimer from Mr. J. 

 Douglas, Barkingside, Ilford, for publication: — 

 "The annual general meetings of the above Societies 

 were held on October 23, and inaccurate reports of 

 these meetings were sent to the gardening papers. 

 In certain papers articles have been written founded 

 upon these erroneous paragraphs, and I, as Honorary 

 Secretary of the above Societies, beg to say that not 

 a line was either written or prompted by me con- 

 cerning the meeting. The inaccuracies I complain 

 of are — first, the statement that it had been decided 

 to hold the annual displays at the Crystal Palace ; 

 whereas nothing of the kind was decided at the 

 meetings. The Societies are also termed ' national 

 societies,' but, to be correct, the meetings were of 

 the ' southern sections ' only. As some of the criti- 

 cisms are adverse, it is only fair to the Northern 

 Sections to say that they are not included. I 

 decidedly object to the publications of the proceed- 

 ings of any societies such as have appeared in the 

 gardening papers, even when they are not inaccurate. 

 It was decided at the meeting this year, as it was 

 also last year, to communicate with the Directors of 

 the Crystal Palace to ascertain on what terms they 

 would receive the Societies, and at the same time it 

 was decided that a similar application should be 

 made to the Council of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. I thought it best while negotiations were 

 pending to make no public statement, but other 

 persons evidently differed from me in this respect ; 

 but when it bad been finally decided where the exhi- 

 bitions would be held, I should have sent the usual 

 report to the gardening Press." 



MlNA LCBATA, or, more properly, according to 

 Bentham and Hooker, Ipomoca versicolor. The spe- 

 cific name of this beautiful climbing plaut is very 

 applicable to shades of colour that the flowers pass 

 through. It is considered by some to be rather tender, 

 but it stands in the open at Cambridge, growing and 

 flowering profusely. Seeds should be sown in February 

 or March in heat, and grown on singly in pots with 

 a small stake, hardening them off, and finally plant- 

 ing them out into the border or elsewhere, When 



planted in the open a few twiggy branches are very 

 suitable for them to trail over. 



Bertolonia Comte de Kerchove. — This is 

 one of Mr. Bleu's seedlings, with cordate ovate 

 acute leaves, with an olive-green velvety ground 

 traversed by brilliant rose-coloured nerves. It was 

 exhibited with others at the last Ghent Quinquen- 

 nial, where they naturally excited great admiration. 

 The plant is now figured iu the November number 

 of the Revue de l' Horticulture Beige. 



Botanical Department, Natural History 

 MUSEUM. — Mr. Alfred Rendle has been appointed 

 Assistant in the Department of Botany in place of 

 Mr. Ridley, who has been chosen as Superintendent 

 of the Botanical Department, Singapore. 



"Familiar Trees."— This work, published 

 by Messrs. Cassell, continues to merit praise, 

 both for the information it contains and the way iu 

 which the numbers are got up. The paper, print, 

 &c, are good, and there are pretty and numerous 

 illustrations. The value of the coloured plates 

 (which are issued every month), is enhanced by the 

 fact that the German and French synonyms of the 

 trees figured are given, iu addition to the English 

 names. Mr. Bodlger, the Editor, knows how to 

 combine accuracy of statement with facility of ex- 

 position. 



W1anch£ster Horticultural Improve- 

 ment SOCIETY.— The first meeting of the pre- 

 sent winter session of the Manchester Horti- 

 cultural Improvement Society was held on 

 Thursday evening, October 31, at the Prince's 

 Cafe, Oxford Street, Mr. Bruce Findlay, the 

 retiring President, iu the chair. Mr. R. Tait, 

 Treasurer, submitted his aunual statement of ac- 

 counts, which showed a balance in hand of about 

 £5. The balance was, he said, not a large one, but 

 they must remember thit the subscription fee was 

 only a small one. The President addressed a few 

 words of encouragement, and the Honorary Secre- 

 tary (Mr. W. B. Upjohn) congratulated the mem- 

 bers on the prospect of a pleasant session. Papers 

 had been promised by Mr. Gleeson on the Pine- 

 apple, Mr. M'Keller on vegetables, Mr. R. Plant 

 on the Horse-radish, Mr. J. Booth on " Modern Gar- 

 deners and Gardening," Mr. Birkenhead on " The 

 Functions of Leaves under the Influence of Sun- 

 light," Mr. R. Tait, jun., on " Liliums and Cycla- 

 mens ;" Mr. W. Elkin on " Floral Decorative Work," 

 Mr. Wallace Adams on " The Mixed Border," and 

 Mr. Samuel Barlow on " Garden Gossip." The follow- 

 ing were elected officers for the ensuing year: — Pre- 

 sident, Mr. Bruce Findlay ; Vice-President, Mr. A. 

 Stansfield ; Treasurer, Mr. R. Tait ; and Honorary 

 Secretary, Mr. W. B. Upjohn. Messrs. J. Briddon, 

 W. Elkin, G. Lunt, W. Plant, and F. Rooinson, 

 were elected members of the committee. 



Mr. D. T. FlSH has been elected member of 

 the Town Council of the town of Bury St. Edmunds. 



Royal Horticultural Society of Aber- 

 deen. — At a recent meeting of the acting directors 

 of this Society Mr. James Murray Garden, Advo- 

 cate, Aberdeen, was appointed chairman, and Mr. 

 Alexander Robson (of Messrs. W. Smith & Son 

 Vice-Chairman. The annual supper was fixed for 

 Friday, December 11. It was unanimously agreed 

 that an illuminated address be presented to Coun- 

 cillor Lyon, late Chairman of the Society, thanking 

 him for the warm interest he has taken in the 

 welfare of the Society. It was resolved to have 

 auother meeting soon to prepare a prize schedule 

 for 1889. 



Fringed Cyclamen.- -Mr. Cooper sends us 

 from the garden of the Right Hon. J. Chamrerlain 

 the finest specimen we have yet seen of this curious 

 and beautiful anomaly already figured by us. From 

 the inner surface of each petal arises, not one single 

 petalline lobe, but a whole tuft of them. The five 

 stamens are opposite to the petals. The whole 



