February 19, 1898. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



no 



1. «* Mr Tones proceeded to describe the various shifts from four-inch pots 

 throughout Mr Jones ^ dom b use d. 



S° Ihout overpotting must be avoided, as it is found that chrysanthemums 



T^mos fteelyand most perfectly in rather small pots, the latter being crowded 

 flower most trewya ^ ^ ^ suffident food of water a( . any time> but difficult, 



TlJTmnossible, to remove any excess of soil from the roots. 



rhSthemums must never be allowed to suffer or flag for lack of water nor 

 he SSSteSd. These plants suffer most from dryness at the roots in wet 



?w Fach fine leaf becomes an umbrella to shade the water off the roots. 

 In examining pots to test their water state it is needful to tap them lower down. 

 For the last shift add a fourth portion of sweet horse manure, such as is used for 

 form ng mushroom beds, to the compost. Mr Jones gave much practical advice as 

 o me toe and mode of taking the buds, helping weakly leaves timing buds for 

 exhibition, showing successfully, &c. As to the latter perfect self-possession, hard 

 work, perseverance, experience, were needful. Mr. Jones was listened to with 

 close attention throughout, and received a hearty vote of thanks at its close. 



1 J • A. ■ JL m 



HIGHGATE AND DISTRICT CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 



The annual general meeting of this society was held on the 2nd inst, the 

 President, Mr. H. W. Birks, presiding. The Treasurer, Mr. J. W. McKerchar, 

 read the financial statement, which showed receipts for the past year amounting to 

 /165 6s. 6>£d., of which the principal items were : Subscriptions, £63 7s. 6d. ; 

 special prizes, £72 14s. The expenditure for the year amounted to ;£i6i 2s. 7j^d., 

 of which £87 2s. had been awarded in prizes, leaving a balance in hand of £4 

 3s. 1 id. The Secretary, Mr. W. E. Boyce, read the annual report for 1897, 

 which, after relating the success of the last exhibition over any previously held, 

 went on to say that the committee had decided to hold the exhibition for 1898 at 

 the Holloway Hall, and they had every reason to believe that it would be the best 

 -exhibition ever held in the north of London. The President, in moving the 

 adoption of the balance-sheet and report, said he thought that they might con- 

 gratulate themselves that, as a society judged by every test, they had fulfilled their 

 mission. They had not contributed, perhaps, to the " gaiety of nations," but they 

 •certainly had contributed to the gaiety of Highgate in providing residents with a 

 two days' exhibition, which, coming as it did in the month of November, proved 

 very acceptable. It was acknowledged on all hands, even by the judges, whom 

 he knew as critical men, that the exhibition was entitled to all the praise bestowed 

 upon it. There was also another test to which many societies would not submit 

 —that of finance — and they had to congratulate themselves that, judged by that 

 test, they came out well ; and instead of the statement terminating with the 

 ominous remark that so-and-so was owing to the treasurer, their's showed that 

 there was a small balance in hand. Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring 

 president and officers, also to the vice-presidents and special prize donors. Mr. 

 Birks then introduced Mr. C. F. Cory- Wright, D.L., J. P., M.C.C., as the 

 president for the ensuing year. Mr. Cory-Wright said he did not wish to begin 

 his presidency by finding fault, but he thought they had made a mistake in letting 

 their late president go. Mr. Birks had made it very difficult for anyone to follow 

 him, but, at the same time, he would endeavour to promote the interests of the 

 society as far as possible, and hoped at the end of the year they would be in no 

 worse position. They would even try to be a little better off. The election of 

 •officers then took place, Mr. McKerchar and Mr. W. E. Boyce being re-elected 

 treasurer and secretary respectively. Mr. Boyce stated that the schedule was well 

 in hand, and, in fact, ready for the committee to finally settle. The schedule 

 would be larger than last year's, and there was every prospect of a very successful 

 year. The new president gives special prizes to the amount of nearly ^12, Mrs. 

 Cory- Wright £2 2s., and in addition he (the secretary) had obtained new special 

 prizes to the amount of £i$ 9 including prizes from the leading traders. The 

 meeting closed with a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Birks for presiding. 



READING GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. 



Although ferns are among the most popular of plants with gardeners, both 

 professional and amateur, yet an evening had not been devoted to the subject by 

 the members of the above association previous to Monday last, when Mr. Powell, 

 foreman at Park Place Gardens, Henley-on-Thames, read a paper before a 

 -crowded attendance of members, presided over the President, Mr. C. B. Stevens. 



f 6 a Iub ' room > British Workman. Mr. Powell, in introducing his subject', 

 referred to the great popularity of ferns, and to their being grown by every gar- 

 dener, for no matter how small the garden they were required for, their uses were 

 •numerous They were plants that could be grown under various circumstances, 

 jor it was not only in the greenhouse and stove that you saw excellent specimens, 

 1 "ri colta S e gardens in town and country. You very often met with 

 splendid examples of the hardy varieties. After dealing with the kinds most 

 suitable for the outdoor rockery, the greenhouse and stove, and the soils best 

 aaapted for their successful culture, he impressed upon the younger members in 

 particular the great advantage and pleasure derived from making a study of the 

 vaiious classes of ferns, especially in the drying and mounting of specimens in 

 ren f which would, in after years, be a source of profit and assistance. By the 

 iSrtf • lecturer > Mr - Stanton made some very interesting remarks respect- 

 ing V*"^ varieties > the g^wth of the spores, and the fertilisation of ferns, 

 fertile remarks b y dried specimens of crested ferns ; ferns with distinct 



whp l k • fr ° nds ; ferns showin g the various kinds of spore arrangements 

 interS? to L amst ? were able to determine the genera ; specimens of peculiar 

 the sr^vu j S gold ' silver ' vari egated, and filmy varieties, some of which 

 chieflVT P 011 * 5 ^ thirty -seven years ago. A discussion took place bearing 



WcSfn 5 £ CultUre of Adiantum Farleyensis, in which Messrs. Martin, Turtoa, 

 ■cxWh S?' ' *£ ippS ' Bri 2 ht > Abridge, &c, took part. Mr. Woolford 



whilst M q C seedlln S cre sted ferns of various forms raised at East Thorpe; 

 lth» ^nton bought a beautiful specimen of Adiantum capillus veneris 



(the Brit" h \f j ^v/ugui a uc 



Ditcher q- Maiden hair), growing on the outside of an Egyptian ' earthenware 

 verier. Six new members were elected. 



MANCHESTER AND NORTH OP FNHLAND OPCHin cnriPTv 



E 



The 



chaL? CO \f d C3 f ibiti ° n of this societ y for the P r es ent year was held at the Coal 

 Messrs Th anche ^ er > on the 10th inst. The committeemen present were 

 Weather^r Cy P her > Stev ens, Schofield, Leeman, Boulton, Gratrix, John- 

 albinos were S ' 1 *f Backhouse, and Greenwood. The display was a good one, 

 number of awardTw dendrobiums es P ecialI y wel1 represented. A large 



, New Hall, Hey, showed 

 ium anthocentrum. each 



gained awards of merit. Cypripedium villosum giganteum and Denbrobium 

 nobile Ameske shorwn by Mr. Johnson, gardener to T. Statter, Esq., Stand Hall, 

 gained each an F.C.C., while the lower award was made to D splendidissimum 

 grandiflorum. Mr. Eastwood, gardener to H. H. Bolton, Esq., Height Side, 

 Newchurch, secured a F.C.C. for Dendrobium Rainbow, and also showed D. 

 melanodiscus and D. Burfordiense. Some good odontoglossums were shown by 

 Mr. Stevens, gardener to W. Thompson, Esq., Walton Grange, Stone, and of 

 these O. candidissima, O. excellens spectabile and O. nebulosum candidulum 

 merited each a F.C.C., while Cattleya amethystoglossa gained a similar award. 

 Mr. J. Cypher, Cheltenham, had a large display showing Odontoglossum Rossi 

 rubescens, Cypripedium Exul, Zygopetalum crinitum superbum, Cattleya Trianas 

 Gratrixae, C. T.isuperba, Dendrobium Ainsworthi Cypher's var., and D. A. hybrid 

 between D. phillipinense and D. nobile, the latter five gaining awards of merit. 

 An award of merit for Cymbidium eburneum, one of the most popular of orchids, 

 was made to Mr. Robson, Bowdon, who also staged several choice forms of 

 Cattleya Trianae ; Mr. Rendall, gardener to F. W. Swinburne, Esq., Winchcombe, 

 sent several cypripediums, a form named C. Mons. de Curte gaining an A.M. 

 Mr. Edge, gardener to F. Leeman, Esq., West Bank House, Heaton Mersey, 

 had a good show of choice orchids ; his Cypripedium Haynaldianum merited a 

 cultural certificate, while an F.C.C. was awarded for Dendrobium nobile 

 Sanderianum. Awards of merit were made to Cattleya Trianse, Ci T. alba, 

 Lselia anceps Williamsi, Denbrobium nobile Ballianum, and Odontoglossum 

 Andersonianum. Mr. Rogers, gardener to O. O. Wrigley, Esq., Bury, contri- 

 buted cypripediums, C. aureum giganteum gaining an A.M. Messrs. F. Sander 

 and Co., St. Albans, were large exhibitors, and their example of Cypripedium 

 Calyso gained a F.C.C ; this firm also secured an A.M. for the following : Cypri- 

 pedium Fascinator nobile, C. Harrisianum albens, Cattleya Trianse nobilior, and 

 Lycaste Mooreana. First-class certificates fell to Mr. Hey, gardener to G. S. 

 Ball, Esq., Wilmslow, for Cattleya Trianae alba and Dendrobium Wardianum 

 ochroleuchum ; a white form of the latter gained an A.M. Mr. McLeod gardener 

 to G. Gratrix, Esq., Old Trafford, sent several choice orchids, an A.M. being 

 granted for Cypripedium signatum. Messrs. Peeters, of Brussels, sent specimens 

 of Zygopetalum Perrenondi and Odontoglossum Wilckeanum, both^ gaining a 

 F.C.C. Mr. Bolton, Wilderspool, Warrington, gained awards of merit for Den- 

 drobium Robinsonianum and Cattleya labiata Boltoni ; while the higher award 

 was made to both Dendrobium Wardianum candidum and Cattleya Trianae. 



Mr. Stafford, gardener to Fred Hardy, Esq., Tyntesfield, staged an excellent 

 collection of miscellaneous orchids ; these were a great attraction, though none 

 were entered for awards. Mr. H. Greenwood, Haslingden, put up Dendrobium 

 Schneiderianum ; as also did Mr. D. B. Rappard, Liscard, Cheshire. Cattleya 

 Trianae, in variety, came from Mr. G. Allen, Sale. 



nedi.™ r? ar( ;f? er to G - W - Law Schofield, Esq 

 pedium G. W. Law SchofielH. ™<\ Dendrot 



Cypripedium Lathamianum 



READING HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY* 



The forty-first annual meeting was recently held at the Abbey Hall. The 

 deputy mayor (F. J. Ferguson, Esq.) presided, about a dozen other members 

 being present. The secretary (Mr. W. L. Walker) read the report which stated 

 that the past year* proved the most disastrous the society had experienced, entirely 

 owing to the stormy weather prevailing on the occasion of the autumn show. The 

 receipts of admission to the two shows only reached ^"128 ios. (an amount far 

 below the average of the summer show alone) ; the smallness of this item will, in 

 order to meet the year's liabilities, necessitate the appropriation of the whole of 

 the reserve fund, the loss on the year being about £141. The wreck of the tent 

 by the gale of September 1, is a still greater misfortune, as it can only be replaced 

 at a cost of £250. The society had to regret the loss by death of several of its 

 most prominent benefactors, including Richard Benyon, Esq., Geo. Palmer, Esq., 

 A. Sutton, Esq., and Mrs. Marsland. Thanks were offered to the Deputy-Mayor 

 for the gratuitous use of the Town Hall on the occasion of the autumn show, 

 whereby many of the visitors were enabled to enjoy the music of the two military 

 bands which had been engaged. The accounts, as compared with 1896, showed a 

 decrease in the working expenses of about £80. One of the judges has generously 



returned his fees. _ , , _ . , _ . - r> 



Herbert Benyon, Esq., Englefield Park, was elected president ; Messrs. K. 

 Hewett, and J. O. Taylor, vice-presidents ; the following , to constitute the execu- 

 tive for 1898, viz. : Revs. Alan Cheales, and F. L. Weale ; Messrs. H. G. Cox, 

 H. Dunlop, F. J. Ferguson, R. C. Mount, A. Palmer, J. T. Strange, L. G. 

 Sutton, T. E. Hewett, R. Webb, G. W. Webb, and J. Woolford ; a sub-com- 

 mittee to arrange schedule of prizes, date of shows &c, to be drafted from the 

 general committee. To save their New Zealand £100 bond, it was decided to 

 make an appeal for donations to enable the society to keep on its legs ; Mr. K. 

 Hewett starting the list with £10.: Messrs. Sutton and Sons contributing £21. 



EXETER AND DEVON GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. 



There was a large attendance at the February meeting of this society, when 

 Mr. F. W. G. Shrivell, F.L.S., gave an address on the experimental culture of 

 vegetables with and without artificial manure. The chair was occupied by Mr. 



W ' InTJopening remarks, Mr. Shrivell said chemicals in horticulture were an 

 unknown quantify at present, and all he could do was to give them some 

 S^ q rfS h a d P been done in Kent in the 



sometimes fruit. Up to four or five years ago very little was .known of theetot 

 of chemical manures upon vegetables The matter was taken up 1 by Dr Jter^ 

 Dyer, who with himself had conducted a series ^. ex P*^ 

 most interesting results. With regard to this subject they were far ah^d o fthc 

 Germans or the French, and the French Government ^J^*^™^ 

 money for their cultivators to obtain instruction m the Kent ^ "P™^ 

 was not there to tell them that dung was no good, ^^^ u ^^^ 

 that dung in itself was a most expensive manure, and that by the use o chem cais 

 n coScdon with dung they would raise the greatest possible crops at the least 

 ZSbk ^ exSndkure. The experiments in the first place had been commenced 

 Sa gfdSwig of dung^ The constituents ^^^^^^ 

 phosphoric acid, potash, and limt, which were the basis of plan . foods 

 The/wanted to get these substances from chemicals, and ^ «urrf th^&at 

 chemical manures did not run the ground out if properly a PP^;^ 

 form of chemicals were nitrate of soda for ammonia, »P«:P^^ 

 basic slag for phosphoric acid, and kaimt for potash. Mr. Shrivell then Proceeded 

 to give the result of experiments made with dung and with ^J^^*J 

 case of rhubarb considerably more was grown with £3 worth of chemicals than 

 rifo £io worth of manure. With regard to strawberries, the result showed 

 Sat l£yond a certain limit manure was not only thrown away, but ^ 

 instead of fruit. In an experiment with fifty loads of dung, less weight of fruit 

 wS obtled than with Iwenty-five loads but there was an increase when 

 chemicals were used in conjunction with the twenty-five loads. Beyond Aat there 

 was a loss. With cauliflowers the use of chemicals had given them a larger crop, 



