u 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 4, 1872. 



fountain bubbling from the rock. For purposes of ornament, 

 however, these features may be added, and they may indeed be 

 made much of by planting near them subjects adapted to afford 

 suitable garniture. But for maintaining a constantly moist con- 

 dition of soil, and reducing the temperature of the whole mass to 

 the lowest degree possible, the water should rather be spread in 

 a sheet than accumulated in rivulets or pools. It is by favouring 

 evaporation that the cooling effect is obtained ; and if the rockery 

 is constructed of a porous stone or any other suitable material of 

 a porous nature, the evaporation will be increased, greatly to the 

 benefit of the plants. All cements and vitrified masses are ob- 

 jectionable, because they neither absorb moisture nor promote 

 evaporation, and therefore should be employed as little as pos- 

 sible, and it will always be better if they are not employed at all. 



On the construction of rockeries and the selection of plants, 

 ample and trustworthy directions may be found in the books. 

 The object of this paper is to supplement the labours of writers 

 on Alpine plants by considerations that have not been enter- 

 tained by them. We may therefore pass to the consideration of 

 another method of growing Alpines, which has not as yet 

 obtained the attention it deserves, and in respect of which the 

 writer has had ample opportunity of testing its efficiency. 



It may appear paradoxical to propose to grow these plants 

 under glass, and yet when this method is properly conducted 

 the most happy results may be ensured. We need low-roofed, 

 unheated strnctures, with substantial brick foundations and 

 large beds of soil, supported by brick walls in place of ordinary 

 stages. By means of free ventilation the plants may always be 

 kept as cool as the climate will allow, and they can be protected 

 against those destructive alternations of temperature which 

 characterise the early months of the year, when, lacking their 

 proper covering of snow, they are apt to be forced into growth 

 prematurely, only to be suddenly shrunk up again by biting 

 east winds, or washed away by a deluge of rain at the moment 

 of attaining to the full display of their beauties, as though blessed 

 by the brief spring-time of their native heights. As our sum- 

 mers are too long and too warm for Alpine plants, so our 

 winters are too short and too changeable, and it cannot he 

 doubted that the visitations of genial weather we are accustomed 

 to in the early months of the year are as injurious to Alpine 

 plants in the open air as any of the many adverse influences that 

 assail them in our gardens. For the structure which we shall 

 designate the " Alpine house " selection should be made of 

 Alpine plants that are especially adapted for pot culture. Their 

 name is not Legion perhaps, hut enough may be found to afford 

 in the spring season a display at once attractive and unique, and 

 the more acceptable to the amateur because, being flowered 

 under glass, they may be enjoyed on dreary days when "the 

 winds whistle and the rains descend." This method of provid- 

 ing conditions suitable to Alpine plants is attended with the 

 advantage that it enlarges the field of spring gardening, for not 

 only Alpines proper, but a multitude of exquisitely beautiful 

 hardy plants that are usually too much buffeted by our unkind 

 springs may be cultivated with them, and the result may be a 

 widely- varied display, perfect in all its features, in a season when 

 the garden presents scarcely one green leaf or one bright flower 

 to mitigate the misery of drenching rain and easterly winds. 



Should the taste for Alpine flowers continue to extend as it 

 has done during the past few years, the Alpine house will become 

 a necessary and acceptable institution, and probably will acquire 

 an importance equal to that of any other of the many contri- 

 vances adopted in connection with decorative horticulture. 



THE HORTICULTURAL DINNER. 



On Tune 27th many of the exhibitors, gardeners, and members 

 of the Local Committee dined together at the Holte Hotel, Mr. 

 W. Marshall, F.R.H.S., presiding. 



The Chairman having given the usual loyal toasts, 



Mr. Lowe gave the toast, " The Royal Horticultural Society." 

 He had no hesitation in saying that the visit of the Society had 

 conferred upon Birmingham and the district a very large amount 

 of substantial benefit. The visitors had seen one of the most 

 magnificent exhibitions ever held in this country, and the in- 

 habitants of Birmingham generally had great reason to thank 

 the Society for giving them an opportunity of seeing something 

 which they scarcely expected ever to see in the town. The 

 Show had certainly been a great pleasure and a great benefit to 

 the inhabitants of the district ; Birmingham had long wanted 

 in its midst horticulture of a high-class character; it had obtained 

 it at last ; and, individually, he thanked the Royal Horticultural 

 Society for its visit. [Hear, hear.] That the visit was appre- 

 ciated was evident from the fact that that day (June 27th) 

 between 25,000 and 30,000 persons had visited the Show ; and 

 nearly 20,000 had paid at the gates. [Applause.] The Prince 

 had remarked, and truly, that the artisans of the locality, as a 

 rule, were fond, of gardening. The visit of the Society was cal- 

 culated to develope and foster this taste, and in this develop- 

 ment lay a great public good. [Cheers.] 



The Chairman, in response, said that the visit of the Society 

 to the town had been undertaken purely and entirely with a view 



to promoting the interests of horticulture in all its branches. At 

 the commencement of the negotiations there was some differ- 

 ence between the Society and the Local branch, but he was glad 

 to say that when it was pointed out that it was impossible for 

 the Society to do anything in the way of implements, the Local 

 Society readily accepted the explanation, and all the arrange- 

 ments had been carried out with the greatest satisfaction to 

 everybody. He was compelled to say that the Society occasion- 

 ally had a good many hard names thrown at it, names which 

 were not deserved ; but he could truly say that the object of the 

 Council had throughout been to advance the interests of horti- 

 culture, and to meet, if possible, the wishes of exhibitors of all 

 classes. They could not expect that a Society which, very few 

 years ago, had been in straitened circumstances, should be as 

 liberal as everybody might desire ; but he was glad to say that 

 the Society was now in a much better position than was the case 

 some time since, and he had no doubt that, in the future, it 

 would he able to offer much more liberal terms to exhibitors. 

 He, for one, should be the first to propose this. [Cheers.] He 

 need scarcely say to an assembly so well acquainted with the 

 matter as that which he was then addressing, that but for the 

 assistance rendered by the Local Committee the success of the 

 Show would have been very much curtailed. [Hear, hear.] He 

 believed something like £4000 had been received up to the pre- 

 sent moment; of course the expenses, in consequence of the 

 weather, would be considerable, and would appreciably reduce 

 the amount in hand, but at the same time there was very little 

 room for dissatisfaction. In conclusion he proposed " The 

 Health of the Local Committee." 



Mr. Lowe, in responding, said that the Local Committee was 

 one of which the Society might feel justly proud. Its members 

 were satisfied and gratified if, as the result of any exertion of 

 theirs, the Exhibition of the Society had been made a success, 

 believing as they did, that such exhibitions did very much to 

 advance one of the most intellectual and beneficial pursuits in 

 which men could engage. 



The Chairman proposed the "Exhibitors and Gardeners of 

 Great Britain." In looking round the room there would be 

 some difficulty in selecting anyone who was not an exhibitor. 

 This was very gratifying, but the only misfortune about it was 

 that exhibitors did not always recognise the advice of Dr. Watts, 

 to the effect that birds in their nests should agree. He really 

 could not see why there should be any hair-splitting or squab- 

 bling about small matters amongst horticultural men; and re- 

 cognising the harmony with which the arrangements of the 

 present Exhibition had been conducted, he trusted that the 

 precedent now set would be followed in years to come. 



Mr. Badgeb, who was received with cheers, proposed the 

 health of .Mr. Richards, the Assistant Secretary to the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. He spoke in eulogistic terms of the 

 ability, courtesy, and efficiency of Mr. Richards, saying that he 

 (Mr. Badger), in all his communications with the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society and its officials, had been met with the utmost 

 fairness and goodwill. In fact, his connection with the Society 

 Jiad been one of unmitigated pleasure. 



The Chairman proposed the health of Mr. Badger, and 



Mr. Badger, in responding, said that the Birmingham Horti- 

 cultural andBotanical Society, from which the Local Committee 

 might fairly have expected to have received active aid in the 

 arrangements for making the Show a success, had thrown every 

 possible obstacle in the path. From the very moment that the an- 

 nouncement was made that the Royal Horticultural Society in- 

 tended to visit Aston Lower Grounds this local society raised every 

 possible objection to it, and it would therefore be seen that the 

 Local Committee, in carrying on their work, had at least one 

 serious obstacle to contend with. The Local Committee was 

 one such as he ventured to say had never been associated with 

 any horticultural exhibition before. It included representatives 

 of almost every class of society in the midland counties, and 

 amongst those who had written to him expressing their cordial 

 sympathy with the objects of the Society was Mr. John Bright. 

 [Applause.] From his connection with the Society he could 

 say in all sincerity, that it fully deserved the unswerving support 

 of all horticulturists. 



Mr. Bragg proposed " The Press," and Mr. Moore, co-Editor 

 of the Gardeners' Chronicle, responded ; Mr. Schofield gave 

 " The Health of Mr. Thiselton Dyer, M.D., Professor of Botany 

 to the Royal Horticultural Society," and Mr. Dyer responded ; 

 the Chairman proposed " The Health of Mr. Quilter," and Mr. 

 Quilter appropriately replied. 



[In our next number we shall give a report on the imple- 

 ments, &o. — Eds.] 



POLES.— No. 2. 



Seat op Robert Hanbury, Esq. 



Leaving the plant houses to take care of themselves — and 



they can take care, of themselves, or, rather, are well cared for 



— we will now pass to the rosery, of which the accompanying 



