110 



THE GARDENERS 9 CHRONICLE. 



[February 17, 1912. 



that more attention might be devoted, both 

 in public and private gardens to winter 

 flowering plants. ^ This would relieve the 

 monotony of the Pines, Laurels, Hollies, and 

 other evergreen trees and shrubs so commonly 

 met with. The subject is capable of consider- 

 able development. Next to Hellebores, or 

 Christmas Roses, I would give the first place to 

 the hardy heaths. There are about twenty at- 

 tractive varieties that commence to bloom in 

 autumn and flower during nearly every month 

 in the year. Erica codonodes, the bell-bearing 

 Heath, with its beautiful soft-green foliage and 

 pure white flowers, is truly a winter plant. It 

 is in bloom from December to March. Erica 

 carnea, the red winter Heath, when in bold 

 masses, or in well-placed borders, diffuses on the 

 coldest and bleakest days a warm glow of colour, 

 and helps us to forget it is winter. There 

 are also white dwarf and rosy-pink varieties of 

 this winter Heath. The tree Heath, with its 

 Asparagus -like foliage and fragrant flowers, 

 blooms early in March. Other winter -flowering 

 plants that may be mentioned are the Holly- 

 leaved Barberry, the glaucous Coronilla, Daphne 

 Mezereum, the yellow-flowered Forsythias, the 

 Balearic Clematis in beautiful flower just now 

 at Southbourne, and Garry a elliptica, a singular 

 plant with graceful drooping tufts of pale green 

 catkins. The Japanese Witch Hazel (Hama- 

 melis) is an interesting plant for borders. Its 

 bright yellow spider-like flowers give a charming 

 effect if several plants are placed in a 

 clump. The yellow winter-flowering Jasmine (J. 

 nudiflorum), the fragrant Honeysuckle, the Cor- 

 nelian Cherry (Cornus Mas), vie with Magnolia 

 etellata with its pure white waxy flowers, with 

 the Japanese Quince (Cydonia japonica), an old 

 winter favourite, and Chimonanthus fragrans, 

 another Japanese winter flower. There are at 

 least four good winter-flowering Rhododendrons, 

 -namely, R. dahuricum (March), Early Scarlet 

 (January to March), R. nobleanum (January to 

 March), and R. prsecox (March). 



MANCHESTER AND NORTH OP 



ENGLAND ORCHID. 



January 25. — Committee present: Rev. J. 

 Crombleholme (in the Chair); and Messrs. R. 

 Ashworth, W. R. Lee, C. Parker, H. Thorp, 

 Z. A. Ward, J. C. Cowan, J. Cypher, J. Evans, 

 W. Holmes, A. J. Keeling, D/McLeod, F. K. 

 Sander, and H. Arthur (secretary). 



Silver-gilt Medals were awarded to W. R. 

 Lee, Esq., Hey wood (gr. Mr. Branch), for a 

 group of plants; Z. A. Ward, Esq., Northen- 

 den (gr. Mr. Weatherby), for a group, 

 composed principally of Odontoglossums. Silver 

 Medals to S. Gratrix, Esq., Whalley Range 

 (gr. Mr. Brown), for a small group of 

 choice plants; Col. J. Rutherford, M.P., 

 Blackburn (gr. Mr. Lupton), for a mixed 

 group in which Odontoglossums were well 

 represented in species and hybrids ; J. 

 McCartney, Esq.. Bolton (gr. Mr. Holmes), 

 for a varied group ; and J. Cypher & Sons, 

 Cheltenham, for a group of Cypripediums. 

 Bronze Medals to W. J. Hargreaves, Esq., 

 Burnley, for a group of Cypripediums; G. H. 

 Peace, Esq., Monton Grange (gr. Mr. C. 

 Mace), for a small group of Cypripediums ; Rev. 

 J. Crombleholme, Clayton-ie -Moors (gr. Mr. 

 Marshall), for a small group. Other exhibitors 

 were : O. 0. Wrigley. Esq., Bury (gr. Mr. 

 Rogers) ; J. J. Holden, Esq., Southport (gr. Mr. 

 Johnson); J. H. Craven, Esq., Keighley (gr. 

 Mr. Corney) ; H. J. Bromilow, E^q./Rann Lea 

 (gr. Mr. Morgan) : R. Ashworth, Esq., New- 

 church (gr. Mr. Gilden); F. A. Hindley, Esq., 

 Bradford; Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., Hay- 

 ward's Heath; Messrs. Hassall & Co., South- 

 gate; Messrs. Stuart Low & Co., Enfield; Mr. 

 J. Evans, Congleton ; Mr. W. Shackleton, 

 Bradford. 



AWARDS. 

 First-class Certificates. 



Odontoglossum " Ear mac " (Odontoglossum 

 crispum Graireanum x Odontoglossum Vuly- 

 ste'.cei), Odontoglossum "Miranda," Sophro- 

 CattUya Welhsleyi "Lee's" variety (C. 

 labiata x Sophronitis coccinea), a good round 

 flower, all from W. R. Lee, Esq. Cypripfdium 

 Alcibiades " Gratrix* s" variety, from S. 



Gratrix, Esq, A Silver Medal was awarded to 

 Mr. Gratrix, in addition to the First-class Cer- 

 tificate. 



Awards of Merit. 



Cattleya Lady Dillon magnificum (nitens 

 11 Ball's " variety x Mrs. Mostyn), from W. R. 

 Lee, Esq. Cypripedium Black Knight (Mrs. 

 Mostyn x Thompsonii), and Cypripedium 

 Princess Wilhelmina (Salleri aureum x Leeanum 

 giganteum), both from S. Gratrix, Esq. Odonto- 

 glossum x Prince Edward " Ward's " variety, 

 Odontoglossum crispum variety " Eric," and 

 Odontoglossum ardentissimum variety " Nor- 

 man" all from Z. A. Ward, Esq. Odontoglos- 

 sum Luci-Masereel (Luciana X Franz Masereel) 

 and Brasso-C attleya Rutherfordii (Gaskelliana 

 alba x B.-C. Queen Alexandra), both from Col. 

 Rutherford, M.P. Cattleya Purity (Warneri 

 alba x intermedia alba) and Odontoglossum x 

 George V. } both from J. J. Holden, Esq. 



BIRMINGHAM HORTICULTURAL. 



February 5.— With the object of obtaining 

 increased financial support towards the prize 

 fund of this recently-formed society, a public 

 meeting was held at the Council House, Bir- 

 mingham, on the above date. 



The Treasurer (Mr. T. Silver) explained the 

 present financial position of the society. The 

 old Handsworth Horticultural Society at the 

 end of the year showed cash in hand, which had 

 since been placed to the credit of the new 

 society, to the amount of £237 9s. 7d., in addi- 

 tion to which there were properties to the value 

 of £100. In the past the Hands worth society 

 had given prizes to the value of £296 6s. Id., 

 and that sum would have to be increased 

 to make the society worthy of the city it 

 would represent. Some effort had been made to 

 raise donations to a special prize fund, and up 

 to that moment the amount received was as 

 follows: From [private gentlemen wishing to 

 give donations of various amounts, £59 2s. 6d., 

 two silver cups valued £11 lis., special trade 

 prizes £36 10s., making a total of £107 3s. 6d. 

 They could not attempt to hold a big show with 

 a smaller prize fund than that of Wolverhamp- 

 ton, and he thought there should be no diffi- 

 culty in raising the sum required. 



Councillor W. R. Bromley said he had spoken 

 to the officials of several local shows in the 

 suburbs, and they thought it would be more in 

 the nature of a local show glorified than one re- 

 presenting the whole city. It was necessary to 

 hold it in a more central position, say at Cannon 

 Hill or Calthorpe Park. There was also a feel- 

 ing among the secretaries of local shows that 

 they should have - been asked to join and make 

 the proposed exhibition one large show. 



The Chairman proposed the following motion : 

 — " That this meeting pledges itself to do its 

 best to raise a prize fund of at least £500 so that 

 the committee of the Birmingham Horticultural 

 Society may offer prizes to the value of 

 £1,000." Sir George said he did not know if 

 they could get the sum together for the present 

 year ; in fact, he was rather doubtful. It was 

 not necessary to abolish the local shows. On the 

 contrary, he inclined to the belief that local 

 shows should exist in order to foster interest in 

 horticulture and make the larger show a success. 

 The motion was unanimously carried. 

 In announcing a gift of £50 from Sir George 

 Kenrick and £25 from himself, Mr. Griffiths said 

 the committee were already in a position to offer 

 a prize list to the value of £400, but they desired 

 to enlarge it as much as possible. Up to the pre- 

 sent donations towards the prize fund amount to 

 a total of £193 0s. 6d. 



ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTTJRAL. 



Febuuart 9. — The fifty-ninth annual business 

 meeting of this Society was held in the Goold 

 Hall, 5, St. Andrews Square, Edinburgh, on this 

 date. The President, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, 

 Bart., occupied the chair. 



The report by the council showed that the 

 members number 1,411, a net increase of 42, 

 while the financial statement showed that, after 

 providing for ordinary expenditure, a sum of 

 about £470 for the publication of the Glen Mor 

 Forest survey and the expense of the Society's 

 Forestry exhibit at the Scottish National Exhibi- 

 tion at Glasgow, there was a credit balance of 



the revenue account of £51 3s. Id. The funds on 

 December 31, 1911, amounted to £1,822 18s. 41 



In moving the adoption of the report, the 

 chairman referred to the useful work done bv 

 the Aberdeen branch, and said it would be a 

 good thing if there were more of such branches. 

 Continuing, he said that the Glen Mor survey 

 had been carried out by Lord Lovat and Captaiti 

 Stirling, and had cost the Society a considerable 

 sum of money, but it was extremely well spent 

 money, and when the Highland hills came to be 

 covered with forests, as no doubt they would be 

 within the next half century, it would be a great 

 satisfaction to the Society to know that it had 

 taken the lead in the matter. Lord Pentland, 

 said the chairman, had announced that there was 

 to a Department of Forestry attached to the 

 Board of Agriculture in Scotland. 



Sir John Stirling Maxwell was re-elected 

 President ; Lord Lovat and Mr. Chas. Buchanan, 

 vice-presidents; and the new councillors chosen 

 were Messrs. A. T. Gillanders, F.E.S., Alnwick. 

 Jas. Whitton, Glasgow, Wm. Davidson, Pan- 

 mure, W. H. Massie, Edinburgh, Lord 

 Balcarres, M.P., Captain Archibald Stirling, of 

 Keir, and Mr. A. D. Richardson, Edinburgh. 

 The Right Hon. R. C. Munro Ferguson, M.P., 

 of Raith and Novar, was re-elected hon. secre- 

 tary, and Mr. Robt. Galloway, S.S.C., secre- 

 tary and treasurer. 



On the conclusion of the business, an address 

 (illustrated by lantern views) was given by Mr. 

 John F. Annand, Lecturer in Forestry, Arm- 

 strong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne, on " Some 

 Uses of Demonstration Forests in Forestry 

 Education." 



KENT COMMERCIAL FRUIT SHOW. 



February 8. — A general meeting of the Kent 

 Commercial Fruit Show Association was held on 

 this date at Maidstone. The chairman of the com- 

 mittee, Mr. M. J. R. Dunstan, Principal of Wye 

 College, presided. The accounts of the fruit 

 show held in connection with the fat-stock show 

 at Ashford on December 11 and 12, showed a 

 balance of £2 18s. 



It was decided to hold a show at Maidstone 

 during the last week in October, and to throw 

 open the majority of the larger classes to fruit- 

 growers in Great Britain, and to introduce 

 several fresh classes, especially for Pears. 



Mr. F. S. W. Cornwallis was elected presi- 

 dent in succession to Lord Northbourne, who 

 was cordially thanked for his services, as were 

 also Messrs. Lobjoit, Martin, and Poupart, the 

 judges, Mr. R. Jacobs, the auctioneer, whilst 

 a special vote of thanks was accorded the sec- 

 retary, Mr. Wellington, to whom much of the 

 success of the show was due. 



THE WEATHER. 



THE WEATHER IN WEST HERTS. 



Week ending Febtuary U. 



A return to mild and wet weither — For the past eight 

 days and nights the weather has remained very warm 

 for the time of year. On three consecutive days during tne 

 past week the temperature in the thermometer screen rose 

 to or above £0°, and on one night the exposed thermometer 

 did not fall below 39°— the average for February being & • 

 The ground is now at about an average temperature 

 3 feet deep, but 3° warmer than is seasonable at 1 foot deep. 

 Rain has fallen on all but one of the last nine days, ana w 

 the total depth of 1J inches. Of that amount 6 gallons, oi 

 virtually the whole of the rainfall, has come through tne 

 bare soil gauge, and 4& gallons through that on whicA i snw 

 grass is growing. The sun shone on an average tor in. 

 28 minutes a day during the week, which is three quarte xs 

 an hour a day short of the average duration for the sec : 

 week in February. Light airs prevailed during the wee» 

 and they came almost exclusively from some point betv 

 south and east. Yesterday, however, the atmospn ie ^ . t< 

 mained calm throughout the \\hole day and following n»k ^ 

 The mean amount of moisture in the air at 3 p.m. exce ^ 

 a seasonable quantity for that hour by seven per cent. • 

 selected patch of double Snowdrops came first into no ^ 

 in my garden on the 9th inst., which is its average -oa"* 

 blooming for the previous 25 years, but a f° rtn ]£?; 

 than last year. E. M., Berkhamsted, February U< 19U- 



SCHEDULES RECEIVED. 



Cheadle and Cheadle Heath (Stockport) HorticuU i^ 



Society's ninth annual show, to be held on F r, a«^ th 

 Saturday, July 26 and 27, in a field near Cheadle ^ 

 Station. Hon. secretary, Mr. L. C. Lake, Bank n^ 

 Gatley, Cheadle, Cheshire. t0 



Killarney Sweet Pea Society's second annud&P*> at$ 

 be held in Killarney, on Thursday, July 26. Cottage, 

 may be obtained from Miss Godfrey, Aghadoe w 

 Killarney. 



