February 3, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



101 



man Colman, J. P.; chairman, Mr. Balcliin; 

 treasurer, Mr. George Mixcs; vice-cliairman, 

 Mr. Frank AVoollard; secretary, Mr, A. J. 

 <;ast-on; members of committee (elected by 

 ballot), 'Messrs. Steers (42 votes), Tebbs (41), 

 ShruUsole (36), Pelley (34), Pratt (31), Howell 

 {2\)), Greenfield (24), G. A. Miles (24), and 

 Watson (24). In tlie course of the election 

 <n officers, Mr. Georg-e Miles tlianked the 

 society for the honour they had conferred 

 upon him by allowing him to hold the posi- 

 Mnn of chairman for so long. It was his 

 lilee in connection with the society, and 

 liad without exception had something to 

 di) with the shows for fifty years. He had to 

 give up the position of chairman, and 

 tlianked tliem for giving him a little to do 

 1<> keep in touch with the society as treasurer. 

 At the close of the meeting a vote of thanks 

 was accorded the chairman. 



orth of Scotland Hort. and 



Arb. Association. 



The third lecture of the 1911-1912 series, 

 luider the auspices of this association, wa« 

 ^iven in the Botany Classroom, Aberdeen 

 I'niversity, on Wednesday evening, 17th 

 ill^t., by Mr. J. G. White, head gardener. The 

 Orphanage, Aberlour. The subject was 

 *' Vegetables and Fruits : Their Dietetic 

 Value." There was, as usual, a very good 

 tendance, the president, Mr. John McKin- 

 II, head gardener to the Earl of Aberdeen, 

 iddo House, occupying the chair. To illus- 

 ite his lecture, Mr. White had on view 

 ^ne thirty-two different varieties of common 

 i den vegetables, all grown in the north of 

 '»tland. Commencing with the classifica- 

 11 of the ordinary vegetables into the 

 i>ses, pulses, roots, and tubers, green vege- 

 *ai»les, etc., Mr. White detailed their 

 (juahties both from a dietetic and medicinal 

 ]MMnt of view. Although not a Scotsman him- 

 >eU, he upheld, he said, the Scottish oatmeal 

 lor purposes of diet, and humorously re- 

 marked that the old saying, " Waterloo was 

 on on the cricket field," should have been 

 Th niore truth, " W^aterloo was won on the 

 ■akfast table.^^ Scientists agreed that in 

 Lretables and fruits there were all the ele- 

 iits necessary to supply the needs of the 

 •nan system. Tlie diet of vegetarians who 

 stained from flesh meat of every form, 

 'ved the truth of the statement. llie 

 •etic value of onions w^as perhaps greater 

 iji that of any other vegetable. Coming 

 <l^al with fruits, Mr. IVhite said the great 



' {''•'''^ ^'^^ fact that 



* <l^g^stive organs were greatly 



-^nea. Ihe consumpton of fruit per head 

 he present time was greater than ever 



it fio r^i^ "^T^ beginning to understand 

 it .^^.f-it was very high. 



a healtli- 



1 



■om^f-^'^^r™^"'^^ a luxury, but 



V t"?.^^'"^ sustenan^. Apples espe- 

 H uere now mucli in demand, as proved 



^ country'""""' ^"^"tit.ies imported into 



.i'sev'J^'' ^.-^'^^^t discussion followed 

 '''e\oial questions w ^ - - 



vj-irino. + J. ^ asked by mem 



oS,^ P°^^.t<^«' some of the 



^ogetables mentioned in the lecture, aJl 



' lote' of ^lTr'T%\^^ answered . A 



^ ion 



ni>trn('tive evenin 



France, concluded 



a 



g 



'<in+ AT^ T-» 



the chair n Ji'- " ^^^^'fitt, oc- 



,6n)arture from the \, , occasion a de- 



1^^'" a strictly horttrnu''^ fortnightly lecture 

 J^^' through the k^^^^ 



1^^- 'T- PovSl hL^^ ^ntermediacy of Mr. 

 ^^^^k Pla^e It.^i '^'"^^^^ Noble, 

 ^'^han, the wel^^knn W 

 ^'^^ famous Tham^^^^^^ "tist, 



"^^t Colour '^^^^^^^ collection of 



^ of the aiooi^r ^""^^ fhe mem- 



-^con^nect4 with^th"'''''^^. ^'^^l^^^ing of 



^ witli the association was r.rp. 



sent, including, in addition to the President, 

 the vice-president (Mr. Leonard Sutton) and 

 Mr. and Mrs. E. P. F. Sutton. The audience 

 was augmented by an invitation extended to 

 the Reading Natural History Society, about 

 twenty members with their president (Mr. 

 W, E. Butler) being present. Several of the 

 horticultural students from the University 

 College were also among the company. 



A few business formalities, including the 

 election of six new meml)ers, having been dis- 

 posed of, Mr. Marshall at once proceeded to 

 display his lovely pictures. He informed the 

 audience that the views were almost entirely 

 taken in the grounds of Sir Frank Crisp, 

 Friar Park; Mre. Noble, Park Place; and 

 Mr. C. J. D. Eveleigh, Wilmin^ter Park, all 

 in the close neighbourhood' of Henley-on- 

 Tliames. The photographs were taken on 

 autochrome plates direct from the Howers, 

 and the exactitude with which the varied 



shades, both in the colours of the flowers and 

 their foliage, were depicted, together with 

 the wonderful accuracy of detail which ap- 

 peared in the beautiful trees, evoked the 

 wonder of all present, who showed their ap- 

 preciation by unstinted applause. Many 

 beautiful views in the grounds of Park Place, 

 showing its charming water garden and 

 wealth of lovely forest trees, were thrown 

 upon the screen, while the wonderful rock 

 garden with its replica of the Matterhorn, 

 together with pictures of the topiary and 

 water gardens, formed the subjects" of a 

 number of pictures taken at Friar Park. 

 From Wilminster came many beautiful 

 scenes, and in particular may be mentioned 

 those showing bulbs, narcissi and tuli}>s 

 naturalised on a wild slope where previout^ily 

 nothing could be induced to grow. A number 

 of miscellaneous subjects? included many 

 charming sunset and cloud effects, and pic- 

 tures portraying autiimn tints. 



A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr. 

 Leonard Sutton, and seconded by Mr. Drew, 

 with which the president also associated him- 

 self, was accorded Mr. Marshall for having 

 so kindly provided such a delightful enter- 

 tainment. 



Horticultural Club. 



On Tuesday, the 2;ird instant, this club 

 held its usual monthly dinner at the Hotel 

 Windsor, Mr. Harry J, Veitcli occupying the 

 chair, and a good number of members and 

 guests being present. After dinner Mr. Chas. 

 E. Pearson gave a very interesting lectui'e on 

 "Birds' Eggs: Some remarks on the Evolu- 

 tion of Colour," illustrating it with a large 

 number of beautiful lantern slides depicting 

 the nests and eggs of many birds rare and 

 otherwise, and also clutches of eggs minus 

 nests which are laid among stones and under 

 other conditions where their peculiar colour 

 renders them all but indistinguishable from 

 their surroundings. Mr. Peareon broached 

 the theory that all birds' eggs were primarily 

 white, as are those of the lizard and other 

 reptiles, from which undoubtedly the Birds 

 have been evolved. In course of time, what 

 may be termed accidental variation led to 

 natural selection of types, which happened to 

 be protective, and eventually in this way a 

 great variety of colouration was brought 

 about, which in these days is exemplified by 

 collectors by innumerable types so beautiful 

 and so brilliant in tint and design as to 

 render them marvels of evolutionary develop- 

 ment. Cases of such examples were exhibited 

 both by the lecturer and by Mr. Percy Bun- 

 yard, another expert in the cult, which, 

 though only relating to two species of 

 marine birds, the Guillemot and the Herring 

 Gull, represented the cream of many hun- 



of eggs collected from many sources, 

 one differing markedly, and most of 

 so brilliantly and variedly pigmented 

 fully justify the enthusiastic admira- 

 tion of everyone. The question of the pro- 

 tective character of this colouration seems, 

 however, in many cases to be an open one, 

 though the fact that the eggs of birds of 

 prey, wiiich lay their eggs in inaccessible 

 places, usually have white eggs, of what Mr. 

 Pearson considered the primary type, speaks 

 somewhat in its favour, as did also a number of 



dred 

 every 

 them 

 as to 



slides to which we have alluded, where the 

 eggs were laid amongst waterworn stones 

 which they so closely imitated as to be dis- 

 covered on the screen with difliculty. It was 

 also mooted in the course of the discussion 

 which followed the lecture, and was partici- 

 pated in by Mea>rs. P. Bunyard, E. Bunyard, 

 ^V. R. Darlington, and others, that old 

 birds ai-e prone to lay less highly coloured 

 eggs than are young ones, losing the power of 

 l)igmentation to a greater or less degree. 

 Apart from tlie variation in the eggs them- 

 selves, the different modes of construction 

 and situation of the nests, as dej^icted 

 on the screen evoked considerable in- 

 terest, a« did numerous interpolated anec- 

 dotic of bird and egg coleeting and photo- 

 graphing experiences at home and abroad. 



A hearty vote of thanks concluded a plea- 

 sant and instructive function. 



Bristol Gardeners' 



Association. 



A largely-attended meeting wa« held on 

 January 25, at St. John's Parish Rooms, 

 presided over by Mr. A. Perry. Mr. Strug- 

 nell, Efardener to Walter Lonff. Eso.. P^ave 



interesting lecture on "Hardy Fruit." 

 The lecturer said the effects of the summer 

 of 1911 left many and varied impressions. 

 Many trees suffered, and some totally col- 

 lapsed in soils of light texture, lliere would 

 be no mistake about the ripeness of the wood 

 this season. Speaking on the colouration of 

 fruit, Mr. Strugnell said it was chiefly c.;et 

 up by sun and vapour. The following are a 

 few hints given by the lecturer : Protect fruit 

 blossom by the use of branches of yew, etc. ; 

 use lime rubble liberally for peach trees, 

 also ashes from garden fires; mulching is a 

 good practice, except on heavy lands; train 

 gooseberry bushes <m wire trellises, and en- 

 close the whole with nettint^: where raspber- 

 ries are unsatisfactory, ;i chanqf ol >i'.\rk or 

 varieties is advisable. 



For three table plants, Mr. Jennings was 

 first, and Mr. Bastin second. Two new mem- 

 bers were elected. 



SWEET PEA PERFECTION. 



When growing Sweet Pea*:, grow only the best. To 

 obtain ihe very best, send direct to KCKFORD for 

 your Seeds; but remember they are only genuine 

 when obtained direct from Wem. Kckford's are the 

 largest reiaileis of Sweet Peas in the world, and do 



not supply the trade. 



£1,000 in CASH PRIZES §rlven away. Send a 



postcard for particulars. 



SPECIAL COLLECTIONS FOR '912. 



Exhibitors' 

 (E) Collection. 



24 giant wavfd \arieties, 

 new and up-to-date fine 

 for exhibition, lo seeds of 

 each, 58. 6d., post free 

 cash with order. 



Villa (C Collection. 



12 splendid varieties,suit- 

 able for exhibition, 50 

 seeds of each, 28. Od. post 

 free, cash with order. 



Villa B) Collection. 



24 splendid varieties,suit- 

 able for exhibition, 50 

 seeds of each, 58. 6d post 

 Jiee, cash with order. 



Exhibitors' 

 (D; Collection. 



12 gi;int waved \ arieties, 

 new and up-to-date; fine 

 for exhibition, to seeds 

 of each, 28 9d. post 

 free cash with order. 



Half-Villa 

 (B) Collection. 



?5 splendid varietit*-, 

 suitable for exliibiiioti, 

 25 seeds of eacti, 38. post 

 free, cash with 'ir 



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



Villa (E) Co.lectiuti. 



T2 Splendid varieties, 

 suitable for e.\hibition,25 

 seer s of each, 8.6d. post 

 free, cash uitli order. 



-4 s/>ec aiy ivritten hook ct on Sxveet Pea Grooving 

 given tvith evet-y order. Send to H'KM to ensure 



satisftiction, 

 PH££ Send a postcard to day for large illus- 

 trated and coloured Catalo.yue. It 

 gives full particulars of ail novelties in Sweet Peas 

 tor liM2, also complete particulars of the JtlOOU 

 offered in Prizes for growtrs of Krkford's Sweet 

 Peas, and contains full list of ali l lower and 



Ve;4etai>le Seeds. 



HENRY ECKFORD, RR.H.8., 



(Dept 221) WEM, SHROPSHIRE. 



