THE ELOEAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] FEBRUARY, 1874. [No. 26. 
THE GARDEN IN WINTER. 
It is commonly supposed that because all around us seems 
dark and dreary in winter, trees devoid of leaves, the 
ground wet and uncomfortable, and paths muddy, that 
a lover of flowers must, like some of his favourites, go to 
rest during the long winter months ; but there can be no 
greater mistake : we have even then a busy time, and, 
indeed, we may say a pleasurable time also. Much of 
our pleasure here lies in anticipation, and we are now 
looking forward to the achievements of another season. 
We look at our rose trees, they show nothing but bare 
stems ; but to our fancy they are clothed with foliage, 
bright buds are peeping out here and there, and we see 
a grand Charles Lefebre or a lovely Madame Yidot 
before us. We look to our gladiolus boxes, they contain 
but dry roots ; but already we see in our mind’s eyes 
grand spikes of Meyerbeer or Jupiter; and then all the 
new ones we have never seen ; we wonder what they 
will be — will they surpass those of former years, or shall 
vve be doomed to disappointment ? Our stands are already 
arranged, and we are standing before them with admiring 
eyes. Then looking at the more practical side of matters, 
we have our ground prepared for peas, for many new 
vegetables we hear a great deal of, and their merits we 
are about to test. Have we a small greenhouse, with 
what pleasure do we look at the bursting buds of the 
Cyclamens, or the Camellia’s shining colour, and how 
delightful to gather a few trusses of geranium, and con- 
vey them in for our specimen glasses. Then we have 
stakes to get ready, labels to write, and all sorts of little 
matters to arrange, so that we have no idle time ; and 
now we are preparing to topdress our favourite auri- 
culas, and are wondering what sort of a bloom we shall 
have. Oh, no ! winter is not to the gardener a dreary 
time, and he is no true gardener who thinks thus of it. 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The counsels that are given for the management of this 
Society seem only to make “ confusion worse con- 
founded.” Members of former councils, which certainly 
did not extricate the Society from its difficulties, now 
wish to alter the whole manner of deciding questions 
brought before them by allowing votes by proxy ; but it 
seems to us, of all untenable propositions this is the 
most so. It is very easy for any one of ordinary ability 
so to represent a case that he shall appear to have 
right on his side, and, indeed, as we know, to “ make 
the worse appear the better reason,” and by thus having 
a number of votes in his pocket, to virtually decide a 
question before it is argued ; whereas, were those persons 
to hear the other side, they might be induced to alter 
their decision. We know that this method of voting 
has virtually ceased in the House of Lords ; and although 
it is allowed in Joint Stock Companies, grave doubts 
have arisen whether it is, after all, advantageous to their 
right management; and surely, after all, those who live 
in London are those most interested in the cause of the 
Royal Horticultural Society. The privilege, such as it 
was, of obtaining plants and seeds by ballot, is worth 
nothing now, and never was worth much, and 
those who can visit the trials at Chiswick, or attend 
the shows at South Kensington, are the persons who 
can feel the most interest in the Society. It is useless 
to talk about the pure love of horticulture, and such like 
high-flown notions ; mixed motives enter into all things, 
and we do not doubt it is the same here. The present 
Council has entered on its work loyally, and it is a great 
jjity that things cannot be let alone, to see whether they 
are able to effect what they have laid out as their pro- 
gramme for the benefit of the Society, and the good of 
horticulture generally. 
HONEY’S VAPORIZING STOVE. 
The difficulties which the owners of small greenhouses 
have to contend with in keeping out 
frost has been the frequent subject of 
complaint, and we have ourselves ex- 
perienced it ; any flue or boiler heater 
generally being much more than is 
required, and consequently a great 
waste of fuel is the result. Gas is so 
deleterious in its effects on vegetation 
that it is out of the question ; and 
hence anything that is inexpensive 
and cleanly must be hailed as a great 
boon. The new patent vaporizing 
stoves which have been brought out 
by Mr. W. H. Honey, of 263, Regent 
Street, and of which we give an illustration, seems fully 
to meet the difficulty ; they have duplex or double crib 
frames, are free from smell, give off no sulphurous 
