January 20, 1912.1 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



45 



been down in grass at least a dozen years ; the 

 bulk of the trees were planted 30 years aoro. No- 

 where can finer-coloured examples be seen of such 

 sorts as Cox's Orange Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, 

 Mere de Menage, and other varieties. Seldom, 

 indeed, do the trees obtain any manurial aid, 

 neither is the fruit thinned ; consequently, 

 the specimens are not large, but they are of 

 capital quality. These brief descriptions of 

 two -orchards will illustrate my point of 

 observation, which I have not seen men- 

 tioned in the discussion that has taken place 

 on the subject. I allude to the manner in which 

 the sites of orchards were prepared before the 

 trees were planted. I do not know what was 

 done at Ridgmont in preparing the soil before 

 planting, whether the whole of the ground was 

 trenched or whether stations for the trees only 



At Aldenham and at Swanmcre 



deeply trenched. 



in land wholly 



no fear about 



not allowed to 



20 years after 



stations 

 trees 



were prepared, 

 both the orchards were 

 Where trees are planted 

 trenched, there need be 

 success if the grass is 

 grow over the surface for, say, 



In the 



planting. 



at first were 



case of Aldenham, 

 prepared, in which the ^^ 

 flourished for a time, but when the roots had 

 fully taken possession of the prepared, circum- 

 scribed area they began to show signs of 

 failure. Then Mr. Beckett decided it was neces- 

 sary to trench the whole of the orchard not pre- 

 viously done, and we all know what Mr. Beckett's 

 ideas of trenching are— so we may assume 

 the work was well done. I have seen the 

 results in the marked improvement in the 

 growth of the trees and the increase in 

 crops. Let me say, then, that I think Apple 

 trees on grass can be made a success by a proper 

 preparation of the land beforehand, but to plant 

 the trees in stations onlv and allow the grass to 

 grow close up to the trees within two or three 

 years of planting is bound to result in failure. 

 Examples of this unsatisfactory treatment are 

 numerous. E. Molyneux, Swanmore, Hants. 



SOCXETIE 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 



Scientific Committee, 



Bowles, 



0. 



January 9. — Present: Mr. E. A _ 

 M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S. (in the Chair); Dr. <j. 

 btapf, Messrs. A. Worsley, A. D. Michael, W. 

 Hales, J. T. Bennett-Pog, W. C. Worsdell, E. M. 

 Holmes J. O'Brien, W. E. Ledger, and F. J. 

 Chittenden (hon. sec). 



Dracaena Goldieana.—Mv. J. T. Bennett-Poe 

 showed an inflorescence of this tropical African 

 species the flowers of which open at night, are 

 whitish, jessamine-scented, and produced in a 

 dense head. It is figured in Brt. Mag., t. 6,630. 



Malformed Cypr'i pedium.— -Mr. Gurney Wil- 

 son showed flowers of a Cypripedium seedling 

 without a labellum from Messrs. James Veitch 



Tfc!?K n GaCh year P rodu <*d similar ones. 



only WaS re P res * nted % a minute spike 



a ^^r^^^n S0MEES RlVERS s * nt 

 !w g S fc - Michael" Orange, produced on a 



plant which three years before had been cut 

 down. It had the « navel " form seen usually 



l P l' J A P? arentl y the extra vigour of the 

 growth had induced its formation. 



Odontoma x Firminii.-Mr. James O'Bbien, 



V.M.H drew attention to a bigeneric hybrid 

 shown by Messrs. Firmin Lambeau under this 

 name. Its parentage was alleged to be Odonto- 

 glossum crispum x Miltonia vexillaria, but soma 

 doubt was felt as to whether one parent may not 

 have been M.ltonia Phalamopsis, on account of 

 the colouring and form of the flower. The Com- 

 mittee expressed a desire to see further seedlings 

 of the cross and for further information regard- 



m^^o^^^'T/^'- 811, Jehemiah Col- 



man Bart showed this uncommon soecies and 



£ m m Xl ° f M " V- "-a*"* second d 

 hv Mr. Holmes. * Botanical Certificate was 



by Mr. Holmes, a 

 unanimously awarded. 



TT™?™* l Vith { WO or three radicles.— m t . *j M 

 Holmes showed some Acorns produced with two 



fJrmerJi dlClea - ?\« mb ™ of which the? 

 formed part were not, however, fully developed. 



Mr. E. M. 



m 



Daphne odora.—Dr. Otto Staff drew atten- 

 tion to the fact that most of the figures 

 botanical works under this name represented 

 Daphne sinensis, the true D. odora being very 

 rarely figured, and apparently onlv of compara- 

 tively recent introduction into this country. In 

 times past, at any rate, it would appear that 

 D. sinensis was the more common plant. It dif- 

 fered from D. odora, a Japanese species, in hav- 

 ing the calyx tube externally hairy. Messrs. J. 

 Veitch & Sons exhibited the true D. odora at 

 the show on this day. Dr. Staff showed a figure 

 trom the Garden, which was named D. odora, 

 but which differed markedly from that species in 

 the arrangement of its flowers. 



Yucca with curious outgrowths . — Mr . Bowles 

 showed leaves of Yucca filamentosa flaccida from 

 his garden, with curious, short, hollow, horn- 

 like lateral growths near the top of the leaves. 

 He had seen the same thing in the same variety 

 in the gardens of Trinity College, Dublin, and all 

 the plants of this variety, but of this variety only, 

 showed the peculiarity in his garden every season. 



EOYAL CALEDONIAN HORTI- 



CULTURAL. 



January 10. 



The annual general meeting of 

 this society was held on this date. Mr. McHattie, 

 the senior vice-president, occupied the chair, and 

 there was a small attendance of members. 



The report by the council stated that the mem- 

 bers were to be congratulated on the quality of 

 the spring and autumn shows, but the attendance 

 was disappointing, especially at the autumn exhi- 

 bition, and the financial result was, therefore, not 

 satisfactory. The hope was expressed that the 

 heating of the Waverley Market might have a 

 beneficial effect on the attendance at future 

 spring shows. The accounts showed an increase 

 the funds of £23. 



m 



Mr. J. Stewart Clark, of Dundas, was re- 

 elected president, and Mr. D. W. Thomson, Edin- 

 burgh,^ was elected a vice-president. The 

 vacancies in the council were filled by the elec- 

 tion of Messrs. W. Galloway, Gosford ; J. Phil- 

 lips, Granton Road Nursery, Edinburgh; and 

 Robert Craig Cowan, Eskhill, Musselburgh. 



A member drew attention to the fact that cer- 

 tain ground belonging to the Heriot Trust, which 

 was now under nursery crop, was likely to be 

 utilised otherwise, and he thought that the 

 society should endeavour to encourage the esta- 

 blishment of allotments on the site by bringing 

 the matter to the notice of the Town Council and 

 otherwise. The chairman stated that the council 

 would keep the matter in view. 



STIRLING CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



January 13. 

 the above 



—The annual general meeting of 

 society was held in Stirling on this 

 Kinross, the president, occupied the 

 there was a good attendance. The 

 balance-sheet were submitted respec- 

 the secretary and treasurer, and 

 adopted. The society commenced the year with 

 a deficit of more than £7, but this had been made 

 good, and for the first time for several years the 

 accounts showed a profit. The officers, including 

 the members of the committee, were elected Mr* 

 Geo. Petrie, The Gard 



date, 

 chair, 

 report 

 tively 



Mr. 



and 

 and 



by 



ens 



27, Park Terrace, 

 Stirling, was appointed secretary. 



NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



January 15. — A meeting of the Executive 

 Committee of the above Society was held on 

 Monday last at Carr's Restaurant, Strand. Mr. 

 Thomas Bevan occupied the chair. 



A prize of two guineas will be offered for the 

 best seedling plant of Anemone. Anemone Pom- 

 pon, or Pompon Chrysanthemums submitted to 

 the Floral Committee during 1913. The competi- 

 tion for the Affiliated Societies Shield will be ar- 

 ranged so that societies at a distance from the 

 Metropolis will compete on equal terms with 

 those nearer to the place of exhibition. In 1912 

 the class will consist of three vases of Japanese, 

 three of Incurved, and three of Single varieties' 

 In 1913 the class will be the same, with the addi- 

 tion of three vases of Pompons. 



A supplementary show will be held at the Essex 

 Hall, Strand, on November 20, 1912, when the 

 competition for the Holmes Memorial Challenge 

 Cup for 36 cut blooms of Incurved varieties will 

 take place. At this show prizes amounting to £10 



10s., subscribed by members of Covent Garden 

 Market, will be offered for market Chrysanthe- 

 mums. Special prizes at this show are also 

 offered by Mr. Bevan and Messrs. W. Wells & 

 Co. During 1911 no fewer than 38 First-class 

 Certificates, 33 Commendations, and 1 Award for 

 colour were granted by the Floral Committee 

 The annual meeting will take place at Carr's 

 Restaurant on February 5, at 7 p.m. 



EDINBUEGH MAEKET GARDENERS'. 



January 12.— The annual dinner of the mem- 

 bers of the above association was held in the 

 Imperial Hotel, Market Street, Edinburgh, on 

 this date, under the chairmanship of the pre- 

 sident, Mr. David King. 



In proposing the toast of the "Fruit Growers/' 

 Mr Thomas Russell, Glasgow, stated that the 

 truit which came to Glasgow from the East 

 Lothian market gardeners was of very fine 

 quality. Some of the land in the east of Scot- 

 land, however, was rented at £10 an acre, while 

 fruit farmers in Ayrshire paid £2 10s. to £3 an 

 acre for land for similar purposes, and the re- 

 sults were quite as satisfactory as regards the 

 quantity grown as in the case of the higher- 

 priced land. Mr. Russell said that the labour 

 question also was a serious one, and unless thev 

 had ordinary agricultural rents thev could not 

 compete with growers who rented cheaper land 

 Mr. George Sinclair, East Linton, who replied, 

 thought the opportunity should be taken under 

 the Scottish Small Holdings Act to increase the 

 area for growing fruit, and he would prefer to see 

 some of the best land in Mid and East Lothian 

 used for that purpose, instead of sending growers 

 to the Highlands. 



GAEDENEES* EOYAL BENEVOLENT 



INSTITUTION. 



January 18. — The seventy -second annual 

 general meeting of the subscribers of this Insti- 

 tution is being held at Simpson's Restaurant, 

 101, Strand, under the chairmanship of the 

 treasurer and chairman of committee, Mr. Harry 

 J. Veitch, as these pages are being prepared for 

 the press. The annua] report read by the sec- 

 retary is a record of good work done during the 

 past year, and reviews the great benefits con- 

 ferred by the Institution in the past 72 years. 

 Although the voting list contained the names of 

 71 candidates, all of whose claims have been care- 

 fully considered by the committee, the committee 

 was only in a position to recommend the election 

 of 20. 



RESULT OF THE BALLOT. 



• • • 



• • * 



Field, Jane ... 



Auton, James 



Payne, Henry 



Bolton, John 



Hill, John 



McMaster, Samuel 

 Dunstall, David 



Baillie, Marie 



Baker, Julia 



Elworthy, Maria 



Lamkin, Emma 



Todd, Richard W. 



Goldsmith, Elizabeth 



Watson, Richard J. 



Osborne, Thomas 



Frost, Thomas 



Charlton, James 



Keen, Amos J. 



Mackay, Maria 



Hobbs. William 



• • • 



■ • • 



• * 



• • • 



• * 



• • 



• • • 



• • • 



No. of 

 Votes. 



3,670 



3,501 



3,386 



3,233 



3,205 



3,176 

 3,128 



3,087 



3,054 



3,039 



3,009 

 2,899 

 2,823 

 2,677 

 2,674 

 2.611 

 2,599 

 2,563 

 2,561 

 2,527 



Pensioners elected after the Poll* 



*Barnes, Henry, age 72. 

 *Garratt, Mary A., age 66. 

 tChisholm, George D., age 58. 



* These candidates were elected by the annual 

 general meeting by virtue of the privilege given 

 the Committee in Rule III., Clause 10. 



t This candidate was selected to receive a 

 year's pension (£20) kindly given by Mr. Arthur 

 W. Sutton. 



