148 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



colour, and that is yellow — a colour needing to be employed 

 with caution in all decorative works. 



In grouping these flowers it will be found that while rosy 

 tones may predominate, an unpleasant effect is the certain 

 consequence of a predominance of yellow. We have a parallel 

 case in Koses, and nature has taken some care that the golden 

 colour shall not spoil the Rose-garden or the exhibition table, by 

 making rosy Roses plentiful, and yellow Roses few. We are less 

 in need of further developments of the yellow tones than of the 

 reds and purples in the Chrysanthemum, and we see in Progne 

 and Julie Lagravere material of a promising nature for newer 

 and richer tones of red. 



Perhaps more than anything, the odour of the Chrysanthe- 

 mum needs improving. There are varieties that are said to emit 

 the odour of the Violet, the Rose, and the Musk ; but the senses 

 of all are not equal to the discovery of them. Considering that 

 the composites are often highly aromatic, and that our flower 

 inclines to the manufacture of a Camomile odour, there is some 

 ground for hope that varietiesj)ossessed of an agreeable fragrance 

 may be secured, and if these appear with flowers of less than the 

 highest merit, they should be preserved for the inauguration of 

 a new feature that in time may become characterised by the 

 highest floral qualities. 



Discussion. 



Dr. Masters, F.R.S., in proposing a vote of thanks to the 

 Chairman and to the readers of papers, said : The whole Exhibi- 

 tion and Conference to-day have been a triumph of the evolu- 

 tionary theory. If Darwin, Herbert Spencer, or any of the 

 modern apostles of the doctrine of evolution, had been here to-day, 

 they would have been delighted at the exposition of their princi- 

 ples' which we have just heard. We have heard also a great deal 

 as to the survival of the fittest. But what is the fittest ? I am 

 sure you will all agree with me in saying that in our Chairman 

 to-day we have an illustration of such survival. I must say 

 also that we have another example in this grand old Society, 

 which the papers read to us to-day show to have taken such a 

 leading part in introducing, and to have since done so much to- 

 wards establishing the growth of the Chrysanthemum in this 

 country. Wonderful things has the old Society done in the past, 



