August 24, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



65 



HORTICULTURAL SHOW ADVERTISE- 

 ME-XTS are inserted in this column at Six- 

 X>€nco per lin^. th^ minimum charg-e being Two Slhil- 

 ]iEg*!3 and Sixpence. Offices, 148 and 149, Aldensgate 

 Street. London, E.C, 



EXHIBITIONS AND 



MEETINGS. 



♦ 



Royal Horticultural Society. 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.— August 13. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M,A., F.L.S., in the 

 chair. 



CATERPILLAES ON HOPS.— Mr. Holmes 

 reported that there was no doubt the cater- 

 pillars on hops were those of Vancessa lo. 



BLACK CUREANTS SPORTING.— Messrs. 

 J. R. Pearson and Sons wrote that their 

 plants of black currants were similarly 

 affected, but that the trouble was not due 

 to pruning. A letter on the same subject 

 was read from Mr. E. Ballard, who suggested 

 that forcing by too much manure or too 

 hard pruning was the cause of the " throw 

 back " in black currants, and that the 

 trouble is common amongst the Worcester- 

 shire growers. 



HAZEL. — Mr. O'Brien showed hazel nuts 

 with very large foliaceous bracts, a condi- 

 tion he had found fairly common in the 

 neighbourhood of Hay wards Heath. 



PRIMULA PYCNOLOBA. — Messrs. H. 

 Yeitch and Sons showed a new Western 

 China primula, P. pycnoloba, a species with 

 small, dark purple flowers, very large sepals, 

 and foliage resembling a megasea. 



HEATHS DISEASED.— Some heaths with 

 partial withering of the stems were sent. As 

 the bark around the stem (at the collar) 

 was partially decayed, it was thought the 

 trouble was due to some irregularity in the 



water, probably lime or some such sub- 

 stance. 



GLADIOLUS CORMS DISEASED.— Mr. 

 Jenkins sent corms of gladiolus which had 

 failed to grow; the substance of the corm 

 was very woody, and the buds, which were 

 still sound, had failed to push through, due 

 probably to the effect of the dry heat of last 

 season. Mr. Bowles remarked 'that he had 

 occasionally noted this state of things in 

 crocus corms. 



OAK GALLS.— Mr. Odell remarked upon 

 the widespread attack of the oyster gall 

 (Neuroterus ostreus) on the Oaks, pointing 

 out that the alternate gall, Spathegaster 

 apallinus, was not so much in evidence dur- 

 ing the early months of the year as the at- 

 tack of Neuroterus last summer would indi- 

 cate. 



DINANTHE 

 showed 



—Mr. Bennett-Poe, V.M.H., 

 some open flowers of the genus 

 Dinanthe; the flowers are a deep blue, some- 

 what like Meconopsis Wallichi in form. Spe- 

 cimens of this new plant were shown at the 



^r^t^^?r^^^^^^l ^^^^ ^^iss Willmott, 



V.M.H., and Mr. H. J. Elwes, V.M.H. 



The British Pteridoiogicai 



Society. 



The ann.ual meeting of this society was held 

 this year at the Albion Hotel, Armside, West- 

 morland, on. August '5, w^hen a good number 

 ot members were present, Mr. Alex. Cowan, 

 ot Penicuik, as president, taking the chair, 

 ^aay of the members assembled on the Fri- 

 day preceding the meeting in order to 

 arrange ^ some fern-hunting expeditions in 

 xiie vicimty, but, owing to the distance which 

 It was necessary to travel to reach good 

 ^ound, and still more to the terribly cold 

 and wet weather which prevailed during their 

 «t.ay no "finds" of any special note can be 

 recorded. 



Subsequently, in view of the first draw- 

 back It was resolved that Devon or Dorset 

 should constitute the area for hunting- on 



ine occasion of the tipx*. niAPfinty 



only are the species there far more numerous 

 than in the north, but ferns generally are 

 far and away more abundant. At the neet- 

 ing the hon.' secretary, Mr. Chas. T. Pruery. 

 reported that the society was now repres'^^nted 

 by no less than 150 members, and that as a 

 consequence the funds were in a very satis- 

 factory position, fully justifying the estab- 

 lishment under his editorship of the " British 

 Fern Gazette," the illustrated quarterly 

 issued to members, the first volume of which, 

 representing three years' issues, having just 

 been completed. It wa-s acknowledged on all 

 hands that thi^ " Gazette,'* which now repre- 

 sented the first permanent serial publication 

 devoted entirely to our British ferns and 

 their varieties, and wag contributed to by 

 the Editor and many of the members, was a 

 very practical, valuable, and up-to-date con- 

 tribution to the standard literature of the 

 cult. 



A vote of thanks to the president and 

 officers, who were re-elected en masse, was 

 supplemented by a special one to the Editor, 

 together with a testimonial in recognition 

 of the services rendered by him to tire so- 

 ciety and to such fern lovers as contributed 

 thereto. A large number of fronds of very 

 beautiful ferns, some new finds, and some 

 improved raised varieties, were exhibited, 

 and displayed, in many cases, some most- ex- 

 traordinary advances in the development of 

 those varietal charms, which in our native 

 ferns far and away excel all exotics in diver- 

 sity, and rival the best in beauty. 



The hon. secretary, whose address is 11, 

 'Shaa Road,^ Acton , London , W. , will be 



happy to send a sample copy of the 

 " GaZ'Ctte " to any one desirous of joining 

 the society, the subscription to which is only 

 OB. per annum (August to August), and en- 

 titles not merely to fellowship with an ever- 

 increasing number of fern experts and lovers, 

 but also to four issues of the " Gazette," of 



which Volume II. will commence in Sep- 

 tember. 



Broug^hty Ferry Horticultural 



Association. 



The annual 



held under the 



excursion, 



auspices of this association, took place on 

 Saturday. 10th inst. Mount Melville St. 

 Andrew's, was the rendezvous. On arrival 

 the party was met at the East Lodge by Mr. 

 Wm. MacDonald, head gardener to J. 

 Younger, Esq. Exploring the charming 

 grounds was a delight to all. Something 

 new was noted on all sides, while original 

 ideas on the part of the landscape artist 

 were in evidence, and commented upon by 

 the visitors. It is not too much to assume 

 that when the grounds are furnished with 

 that luxuriant growth which must inevitably 

 come in the strong soil, this will be amongst 

 the most beautiful places in Scotland. Only 

 ten years since the estate was acquired by 

 Mr. Younger ; he had much to do, and has 

 done it thoroughly and picturesquely^ with- 

 out taking a single point of interest from a 

 charming old-world country seat. There is 

 beauty, charm, and substantiability in the 

 beautiful and serviceable mansion, new from 

 its foundations, to the Italian garden not yet 

 complete. The rose garden, with the newest 

 and best roses in carpets of Viola gracilis, 

 were lovely, and ramblers, too, were in rich 

 profusion, as heniges, and on the pergola. 

 Tlie formal flower garden was a mass of bold 

 and telling colours, and the vegetable and 

 fruit gardens contained supplies for all de- 

 mands. The extensive glass ranges, all com- 

 paratively new, were a delight to all, and 

 contained splendid crops of large peaches, 

 well finished, and ripening grapes. Orchard 

 house fruits were extra fine too, and carna- 

 tions were splendid. Separate houses ac- 

 commodate orchids, ferns, palms, melons, 

 tomatoes, and stove plants in choice sorts. 

 Such a garden is well worth visiting, and 

 worthy to rank among the notable places 

 of Scotland. 



The party were further honoured in being 

 the guests of Mrs. Younger, who entertained 

 them to high tea. Mr. Grant conveyed the 

 thanks of the company to Mr. and Mrs. 

 Younger for their kindness. 



Poole (Dorset). 



The fourth annual show of the Borough of 

 Poole Allotments Association, Lim., was held 

 in Poole Park on August 14, and proved a 

 great success. In the various centres there 

 are about seven hundred allotment holders, 

 and at the show nearly 400 entries were 

 made. In many classes there were more 

 than twenty entries, and the produce 

 throughout was very good indeed. 



The Longfleet schoolboys, who have a gar- 

 den of their own, had a nice collection of 

 vegetables, which added considerably to the 

 interest and attractiveness of the show. 

 Cabbages, turnips, carrots, beet, parsnips, 

 onions, potatoes, and marrows were staged 

 in large numbers, and were of high quality. 



Table decorations, sweet peas, roses, hardy 

 cut flowers, including some very beautiful 

 arrangements of them in baskets ; and dah- 

 lias were also features of the show. 



A complete arrangement of plants suitable 

 for a window was a novel feature, and the 

 various collections, tastefully arranged, were 

 very attractive. Mr. W. Evans, gardener 

 to G. J. Fenwick, Esq., was first in the class 

 for a group of plants in semicircular form 

 in the o]>en division. Dr. Crallan and Mr. 

 G. C. Richards were second and third respec- 

 tively. Dr. Crallan was first, and Mr. 

 Palmer (head gardener to the Poole Cor- 

 poration) second, in the class for eight vases 

 of sweet peas. Mr. Palmer had the best 

 roses, followed by Mr. Evans and Dr. 

 Crallan. 



Non-competitive exhibits added much to 



the attractiveness of the show. Mr. T. K. 



Ingram, Parkstone, had a lovely circular 



group of miscellaneous greenhouse plants. 



Mr. H. W. M. Elford, Bournemouth, had 



seedling dahlias; Mr. R. Aireton, Longfleet, 



greenhouse flowering plants; Mr. C. W. Hill. 



sweet peas; and Mr. A. Piercy, Parkstone^ 

 plums. 



Ang:lian Horticuitu 



Club. 



ral 



At the August meeting of this club, held 

 at the Boar s Head Hotel, Norwich, Mr. W. 

 Rush, the president, read an interesting 

 paper upon " Stove and Greenhouse Foliage 

 Plants." Mr. Rush has a varied collection 

 of these under his charge, and is thoroughly 

 versed in the subject, consequently he was 

 able to give some very practical advice upon 

 propagation and cultivation. Tlie good dis- 

 cussion which followed showed that the 

 members interested themselves in the sub- 

 ject. There was a fine exhibition of flowers, 

 fruits, and vegetables. A special feature 

 here was the well-conditioned apples of 1911 

 growth, which Mr. Frank Neave, Lingwood, 

 staged side by side with those of 1912 growth. 

 The collection of fruit from Mr. W. Shoe- 

 smith, gardener to F, W. Harmer, Esq., 



Cringleford, was striking evidence of good 

 cultural skill. 



■i' . 



United Horticultural Benefit 

 and Provident Society. 



The monthly committee meeting of this so- 

 ciety was held at the Royal Horticultural 

 Hall, Westminster, on Monday evening, 

 August 12, Mr. Thomas Winter in the chair. 

 Ninety-one new members were elected, mak- 

 ing about 300 since July 8. Mr. W. Collins 

 resigning the secretaryship on September 

 9, and Mr. A. C. Hill^ of 35, Alexandra Road, 

 West Kensington, W., has been appointed 

 secretary pro tern. 



GARDENING ENGAGEMENT. 



Mr. Harrv Foster, who succeeded the late 

 Mr. Charles Foster as Director of the 

 *' Times " Experimental Station, Sutton 

 Green, Guildford, has been appointed assist- 

 ant to Mr. Walter P. Wright, Horticultural 



Superintendent and Instructor in practical 

 gardening to the Kent Education Committee. 

 Mr. Foster's many friends will wish him 

 every success in the duties upon which he 

 enters about the middle of September. 



