January 29, 1898. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



73 



the 



case 



will lav hold of this food and gross, barren wood will result, which in the 

 roots win my num ; n „A ;« ^ ,onL-prc For heavy soils. 



thall mnu'res, while on light land there may be heavier materials to mix with 



thC am his season it is an easy matter to replace wall trees where they are unsightly 

 o^nles and one may often plant a small tree, where space permits, that will in 

 fv^ror 'two take the place of older trees of little value. For some yean I have 

 Xwed out a system of purchasing a few trees as reserves, and by so doing one 

 SI ^ive newer varieties a trial. In common with most growers, I bewail the lack 

 3 *£d keeping pears ; there are few after this date, as in the south I find pears 

 wn hidlv and the seasons are much shorter than usually stated ; but our friends 

 ?n the north may be better off in this respect. On many walls between other 

 trees one may with advantage fill in with cordons, for instance, on a south and 

 west aspect Pears of cordon growth do grandly, and give a few fine fruits ; 

 indeed it may be well to give cordon trees a trial, where large fruit- are needed ; 

 but let me add, to be profitable these trees must have favourable positions, and 

 be worked on a suitable stock— some do much better on one stock than another. 

 On east and north walls cherries do well, and the cherry grown in a better position 

 well repays for space occupied. For years we had a difficulty in keeping our 

 dessert cherries clear of black fly, but now by winter dressings we have better 

 results. Wall trees, when free of leafage, can be so well attended to that it is 

 best to cleanse them annually after pruning, and previous to renailing. ^ For a 

 winter dressing I find soluble petroleum one of the best insecticides, and in mild 

 cases quassia extract is very good, and this used freely at this date will not injure 

 the buds. All arrears of pruning should be pressed forward, as the trees are earlier 

 than usual owing to the mild weather. Those left to the last, such as the peaches 

 and nectarines, may now be pruned, but defer renailing or tying to the latest 

 possible moment. I am aware many prune and nail-in at the same time, but 

 where summer pruning is carried out there is but little pruning in winter. Peach 

 trees having scale on the older wood should be cleansed as advised above ; many 

 paint the older branches also, but with thorough cleansing there will be less need. 

 Trees of the Royal George type which had mildew last year, would b* benefited 

 by a dressing of a sulphur solution, adding a wineglass of soluble petroleum to a 

 gallon of mixture.— G. Wythes. 



Himalayan Rhododendrons. 



At the opening meeting of the spring session of the Devon and Exeter Gardeners' 

 Association held at the Guildhall, Exeter, a paper by Mr. R. Gill, of Penryn, 

 Cornwall, on Himalayan Rhododendrons was read. 



Mr. Gill stated at the commencement of his paper that the culture of rhodo- 

 dendrons in Great Britain had birth concurrently with the publication of Sir J. L. 

 Hooker's journals. Dealing with his travels in Sikkim, the writer mentioned that 

 prior to that rhododendrons were the exception, rather than the rule, in our con- 

 servatories, and few persons seemed to have thought that these beautiful plants 

 were adapted to outdoor culture. The introduction of many of the tenderer forms 

 of rhododendrons instituted a new era in outdoor cultivation, and after a few 

 seasons not only were most parks and gardens stocked with these plants, but the 

 manner in which they showed the mildness of our winters led the owners to carry 

 the experiment to still more astonishing issues. By the side of the forests of rhodo- 

 dendrons might be seen sub-tropical plants, which the gardeners of fifty years ago 

 regarded as the aristocracy of the stove house. It was, therefore, only in the 

 southern counties of England and Wales that sub-tropical plants could be grown 

 in a satisfactory manner. The meteorological observations went to prove that 

 the two westernmost counties of England had a climate in many re pects superior 

 Jo th enjoyed by the Riviera, and plants which had been known to be killed off 

 in severe winters in the South of France passed through our own almost unscathed. 

 Whether regarded from the standpoint of landscape gardening, valued for the 

 length of their blooming season, or considered for the beauty of iorm or variety of 

 colour, they more than repaid the time and money given them. It was true that 

 ■ome of the earlier blooms were liable to be destroyed by the sharp frosts which 

 were prevalent during the early spring, but the display which followed later was 

 ■ sufficient recompense for the labour. In the West ot England and South Wales, 



in addition to the mildness of the climate, the humidity ot the atmosphere greatly 

 lavoured the rhododendron. r & * 



Rhododendrons were, Mr. Gill observed, great lovers of peat in some form 



granite sand in the proportion of one-third, might be added with good 



clav jJn* P r mS dld ? 0t Hke a lime or chalk y soil > or a &tiff water logged 

 care "i! fac f rootin B P 1 "*, they would not stand prolonged droughts, but 



The 71,r L \° PT ?T the accu ™lation of stagnant water round the roots, 

 encou™^ ° f u the .^dendron should be carefully preserved and 



encouraged, as they kept the soil around the roots comparatively moist in the driest 



or othe 

 results. 



rSd na ien£ r ° P ¥if °"' he P referred raisin S P lai "* the seed, although it 

 S sornTnmi \ C P a P er . next dea,t w " h the mode of planting out, and Then 

 rhododendron Hel ^ m u °^Poxt^t ° f the ^rtythrtt species^of Himalayan 

 TVkSJS? I P p d by S,r J ' D : Hooker ' Mr - J' Abra ™> ^rdener to Mr. 

 followed IU c ^JJtJZtT*** ° CCUp!ed the Chair ' A mo£t Potable discussion 



^itCS^S°^? e t J[ ,ape,r,,p ? n < , l 5 e S , UbjeCt ° f gr3ftirg ' hod <^r:drons, 

 Pared soil in Thirh f ' grow rhododendons successfully in Devon, a pre- 



necessary. considerable proportion of peat e*kts, is abs olutely 



M 



Obituary 



« Sierra Uore £ J?***?* Wh ° haS been CUrator of the Botani ^ Station 

 *«ek. The new, mS Afr,ca ' for s ° me P**, died, we t ty h , 



■W "ot )ct ^ hand Th° eiV • , CW ° n lhc 22nd inSt > S .°. that ful1 



particulars 



one more to the al/e^t i mt S™Z d e«ase of such a promising young man adds 

 the vegetabWresour?./ l° ng S ° f those who have & one f ' om Kew to develop 

 'o do?.- ana S23S T 7& Af " Can colonies -°' to teach and help others 

 at Kew in 1802 an 1 'ulhlment of their duty. Mr. Willey entered service 



African service '«nS\Jt y T lat , er he volunteered, with others, for the West 

 d "'ing the tempomt a u S eCte r d u° , tak V har 8 e ° f lhe Botanic Station at Aburi 



Aprilf 1893, an? e u'S ? C V f lh V ate Mr " W " Cr L owther - "« Ml for Aburi in 

 '«ve ofVb^nce e ir n ed /° kew af t« Mr. Crowther had completed his year's 



of the n PU ,i.. r. * , ln October, i8<k, Mr. Willev was umoint^ , n .k» 



Leone 



service, acouitt 1 h" on at bierra „ 

 concerned. A wifcSSi £ Jfe < 2? np ? et * satisfaction of "the i governor's and all 



J* bU memory im I' i k , KeWltCS wU1 depI ° Ie the loss ° f an old comrade, 

 Hofksor Ernst I x g kept green * 



5 fe * d *ys ago. He t S a C "^ N BE ? G ' a celebrated Prussian entomologist, died 

 ,or ws popular treatiw 7, • m • • • He WlU P roba bly be b est known 



Exhibiti ons and M eetings, 

 gardeners' royal benevolent institution. 



The proceedings in connection with the annual meeting and election of pensioners 



on to the funds of this charity were brought to a conclusion on January 20 by a 



dinner at Simpsons, 101, Strand, when a few less than a hundred friends and 



subscribers sat down under the presidency of Mr. Arthur W. Sutton, who was 



supported by Messrs. Harry J. Veitch, N. N. Sherwood, Weeks, H. B. May, 



J. H. Veitch, L. Sutton, P. Kay, P. Crowley, H. Williams, de Graaft, A. 



Uarron Owen Thomas, G. Bunyard, G. Wythes, A. Outram, Glendenning, 



and others. The loyal toasts were given at the conclusion of the dinner, and 

 duly honoured. 



The toast of the evening, 4 < Continued Success to the Gardeners' Royal 

 Benevolent Institution," was proposed by the Chairman amid loud applause ; he 

 stated that it was only for about a year that he had a deep interest in the affairs 

 of the institution, for previously he had been but a subscriber, whereas now he had 

 a seat on the committee, and was able to say that all the affairs were conducted 

 in a most efficient manner. To him it appeared that the keystone of the great 

 success of the charity was the treasurer and chairman of committee— Mr. Harry 

 J. Veitch— who, in addition to his official duties, was never tired of working on 

 behalf of the institution. There was great enthusiasm at the committee meetings, 

 yet everything was most carefully discussed and examined. From its foundation 

 in 1851 the Chairman briefly reviewed the history of the charity, referring espe- 

 cially to the patronage of the Queen, the late Prince Consort, and the Prince of 

 Wales, and to the fact that both the Duke of Connaught and the 

 Duke of Teck had presided at the annual festivals of the institution. At 

 the first election of pensioners the highest number of votes polled was 

 480, whereas that day one candidate obtained 4,249. In those early days there 

 were thirty-five pensioners, costing the charity 2*5 12, while the annual subscrip- 

 tions were ^748 ; this he contrasted with the 1897 record of one hundred and 

 sixty-eight pensioners, costing over ,£3,000, and the handsome receipt total of 

 £8,575, including the Victorian Era Fund. Mr. Sutton's brief review roused the 

 enthusiasm of the gathering, for such a contrast as these figures afforded proved in 

 an admirable manner the wonderful progress made by the charity, and the growing 

 interest being taken in it. The Chairman referred to the Victorian Era Fund, and 

 the handsome manner in which the Veitch family had helped to make it a success ; 

 the interest from this fund would be annually distributed among the unsuccessful 

 candidates. The ability and tact of the secretary, Mr. G. J. Ingram, were 

 eulogised, and it was taken as a matter for great congratulation that the Duke of 

 Portland had promised to preside at the festival. The loss by death of Dr. Hogg 

 was mourned, and Mr. Lees' resignation owing to advancing years was regretted, 

 and the hope expressed that he might be spared for many years yet. In conclusion, 

 Mr. Sutton showed that while they had cause to be thankful for so much success, 

 especially financially, their liabilities were great, and he urged all who interested 

 themselves in the institution to take even fuller advantage of opportunities that 

 might offer for the advancement of the charity than they had previously done. 

 The toast, coupled with the name of Mr. Harry J. Veitch, was enthusiastically 

 received. 



Mr. Harry J. Veitch, in response, thanked the chairman for his presence and 

 the assistance he had rendered the charity. He agreed that 1897 was the best 

 year they had had, in spite of the fact that many charities had suffered as a result 

 of the Jubilee festivities. In making a few remarks, he referred to the invested 

 funds, which now amounted to nearly ,£25,000. This many considered a very 

 large amount, but Mr. Veitch showed that, should subscriptions decline — he did 

 not expect them to do so — the pension could only be continued for ten years. In 

 1897 twenty candidates had been elected, and the same number that day ; forty 

 in two years was a larger number than had been put on the fund in any previous three 

 years, so, if their invested funds were slowly accumulating, so also were their 

 liabilities. He spoke highly of the auxiliary branches, and made special reference 

 to the untiring eftorts of Mr. White, of the Worcester branch. The castle he had 

 built in the air some years ago had become tangible ; the fund he had hoped to 

 raise for the relief of non-successful candidates had been raised, and, by permission 

 of her Majesty, had been called the Victorian Era Fund, a title suggested by Mr. 

 Ingram. The Diamond Jubilee year had offered an opportunity lor making this 

 effort, especially as her Majesty had signified her approval of commemorative 

 funds that had for their object " works of mercy among the sick and the suffering." 

 With reference to the election during the afternoon, Mr. Veitch deplored the loss 

 of 1,035 votes, these being unsigned, and he also expressed a hope that practical 

 gardeners would in future materially assist the charity. He supplemented the 

 remarks made by the chairman anent the relief of unsuccessful candidates by 

 stating that only those who had previously been subscribers, or were widows of 

 subscribers, would be entitled to relief from the Victorian Era Fund, and 

 these would receive sums calculated pro rata for the years during which 

 subscriptions had been paid by the candidate or her husband. There was about 

 £130 to divide, and one candidate would receive £\o, another £8, another 

 ^,6 8s., and so on. Mr. Veitch concluded by hoping to see the Victorian Era Fund 

 soon completed, and then, if they still flourished, he had another idea for the 

 furtherance of the cause they were all interested in, and for drawing more money 

 from their pockets. 



Mr. G. Bunyard proposed 8 ' The Committee JJ in a few able remarks, alluding 

 especially to the trying work of sorting out the cases of candidates so that none 

 but the most deserving should come up for election. Mr. Owen Thomas 

 responded, and said that though the members worked harmoniously, they were all 

 independent, and carefully scrutinised all bills, cases, &c, that came before them. 

 Eight committee meetings had been held, and there had been an average attendance 

 of sixteen- He spoke highly of the commercial horticulturists who so ably con- 

 tributed to the funds, and thought that practical gardeners might do much more 

 to help their helpless brethren. In the absence of the Rev. \V. Wilks, Mr. H. B. 

 May proposed **Our Country Friends and Supporters," which was duly and ably 

 responded to by Mr. J. H. White, of Worcester. "The Health of the Chair- 

 man," proposed by Mr. N. N. Sherwood, was received with cheers and great 



enthusiasm. 



Throughout the evening vocal and instrumental music w r as ably rendered by 

 the Red Band, kindly provided by the Chairman, Mr. E. J. Monro, Mr. J. N. 

 White, Mr. F. Bevan, and Mr. Mel. B. Spurr of the Egyptian Hall. 



SHIRLEY GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. 



A meeting of the above society was held recently at the Parish Room, Shirley, 

 Southampton, the President, W. F. G. Spranger, Esq., conducting the business 

 of the evening. Mr. E. T. Mellor, B.Sc. (London), Lecturer in Biology at the 

 Hartley College, gave a lecture, illustrated by lantern slides, on " Fungi, their 

 Mode of Life and Reproduction." The Lecturer at the outset stated that, like the 

 hwoflr; and i hievps of humanity, fungi lived on the labours of others, at least the 



