14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Januarv 3. 18‘ 4. 
not lower the temperature beyond a safe degree, nor dry the atmo¬ 
sphere so as to cause the foliage to flag. It may cause the cuttings to 
be a little longer in producing top growth—an evident advantage, as 
this can be of no value until roots are present to support it. In fact, 
the rooting of cuttings depends on extremes in heat, moisture, and 
light being avoided. 
There is great difference between making a cutting of a plant 
to root and growing a plant from a cutting into a specimen. If 
top growth takes place before the cutting has rooted it will never 
make a plant. Take, for instance, a Pelargonium, Fuchsia, or any 
other common plant; strike a batch warm, close, and dark. They 
will root most quickly no doubt, but they will be lank, tender, 
and need coddling to bring them round, during which they will 
have lost all that forms the nucleus of a well-formed healthy 
specimen. Strike another batch in the same condition as regards 
the cuttings, and give them no more top heat than is necessary to 
grow the plants, with a slight bottom heat to accelerate rooting, 
with moisture sufficient only to keep them fresh, and as much light 
as they will bear without flagging. They will remain stationary 
until roots are formed, and then grow quickly. Compare the results. 
Or take a more familiar example in the Chrysanthemum. Insert 
cuttings in December, place (hem in a position that top growth will 
not take place whilst roots are forming ; and strike others in heat so 
that whilst roots are being made top growth has taken place to the 
extent of several inches. Take note of the results at blooming time, 
but there will be no need, as the difference will be marked all through 
growth. Plants that are to be grown into specimens should never be 
selected from ihose that have made considerable length of stem 
whilst roots are being formed, as it is a consequence of insufficient 
light, and growth made whilst this is excluded never after become 
sufficiently solidified to make good plants or flower satisfactorily. 
Much of the lank growth in cuttings would be obviated were the 
cuttings kept near to the glass. Light solidities the growth. Shade i3 
of course necessary with most plants whilst striking, but the less they 
have the sturdier will be the resulting plants.—G. Abbey, 
(To be continued.) 
one or two leading growers sweep off all the leading prizes of the 
National Auricula, Carnation and Picotee Societies. “ X.” wants some 
regulation to prevent this. Pray what is that but creating a monopoly ? 
Certain “ daring spirits ” have taken the highest prizes for a number of 
years. Say two or three individuals have done this. Of course it is 
very annoying to those who have only fourth, fifth, or sixth-rate plants. 
I mention these lowest scales, for the second and third-rate men make no 
complaint as a rule. How is it that all this complaint about the “ big 
guns taking all the prizes ” is only made about the special shows ? Let 
us take the Royal Botanic Society for instance. I could point to classes 
in that Society’s schedule where the same exhibitor has taken the first 
prizes in the same classes for at least a dozen years in succession. The 
only way to prevent such a glaring offence in future would be to say to 
such an exhibitor, “ Friend, we have had enough of you and your exhibits ; 
you had better keep them at home for the future.” It would be a 
suicidal thing for any society to do this, nor did I ever hear of it being 
done ; but it would let second-rate productions take a first prize if the 
judges thought them good enough. 
Lest the remarks of “ X.” would lead some people to believe that the 
schedules of the National Auricula, Carnation, and Picotee Societies are 
arranged in the interests of one or two individuals, I enclose you schedules 
in order that you might see it is not so. The ordinary scale of prizes is 
first, second, and third, whereas the National Societies give six prizes in 
each class, and in that of the single specimens as many as eight prizes are 
given in one class. Further, in order to keep the great growers from 
comoeting against the smaller ones, exhibitors in classes A and B cannot 
compete in C and D. Perhaps you will hand the schedules to “ X.” to see 
if he can suggest any amendment. I do not know what else can be done, 
unless we tell the successful growers to keep their plants at home, and 
thus preserve a monopoly for inferior productions.—J. DOUGLAS, Great 
Gearies, Ilford. 
[The schedules have been sent to our correspondent “X.” as 
requested.] 
LOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S COMMITTEES. 
The following are the names of the Members of the Committees for 
1884 :— 
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 
CHAIRMAN. 
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, K.C.S.I., M.D., C.B., F.R.S., V.P.L.S., Royal Gardens, Kew. 
EUCHARIS AMAZONICA. 
Not having for some days noticed your Stamford correspondent’s 
request on page 508 respecting the above prevented me sending you an 
earlier reply. The compost we grow our Eucharis in is made up of 
about equal parts of peat and loam, with a small admixture of silver 
sand. The pots are well drained, as the plants in the growing season 
require water very frequently. We give them plenty of heat and 
abundant moisture over the foliage as well as at the roots. Before the 
plants can be induced to flower they must,make a good and strong 
growth, after which there should be a gradual rest for a month or 
sometimes even more, when they should be kept dry and rather cool. I 
can scarcely state a hard-and-fast line. It is possible, and perhaps not 
an infrequent occurrence with persons who cultivate this, to have the 
plants in fine condition as regards health and vigour, but for want of 
duly resting or ripening the growth they do not flower freely. 
About the month of May last I rested a large plant for about six 
weeks in a cold pit under glass. It was then put back into the plant 
stove, giving it plenty of tepid water at the roots as well as over the 
foliage. We wanted it for our local flower show about the middle of 
August, and it just came in in time. It was about a fortnight from 
the time that the flower spikes appeared until the plant was in full 
flower. There were thirty-five spikes upon it. After the plant was 
taken home it was placed in the conservatory till the flowers were gone. 
It remained in the conservatory longer than we thought it should have 
done before it was taken back to the stove again, as it lost a few of its 
leaves. But this second rest has caused other bulbs to flower, and just 
now there are twenty flower spikes again upon it. In a large pot of 
Eucharis there are always bulbs of various stages of development in it. 
The first and most important point is to get a good growth ; then by 
forced rests they can be brought into flower at various times, though 1 
have found that the tendency is for them to flower in autumn.— 
Egbert Mackellar. 
SPECIAL SOCIETIES. 
Referring to the remarks of “ X.” at page 549 on the Pelargonium 
Society, it was first promoted and afterwards nurtured by the late Dr. 
Denny. Whether it was or was not really needed I will not stay to 
inquire, but there is no doubt that it has done a useful work and been 
the means of giving a great impetus to the culture of the Pelargonium. 
It was because of the good it was doing that I became a yearly sub¬ 
scriber to it, without any intention of becoming an exhibitor. The prizes 
were open to all the members under certain regulations, and but for the 
few, say three or four large exhibitors, the exhibitions as such would 
have been failures. The remark about prizetaking being almost a 
monopoly does not apply any more to the exhibitions of the Pelargonium 
Society than it does to those of the Royal Botanic, Royal Horticultural, 
or Crystal Palace Societies. 
I am afraid it is “ X.” that would create a monopoly. It seems that 
VICE-CHAIRMEN. 
Col. It. Trevor Clarke, Welton Place, Daventry. 
Rev. M. J. Berkeley, F.R.S., Sibbertoft, Market Harborougli. 
Dr. Michael Foster, F.R.S., Shelford, Cambridge. 
SECRETARY. 
Rev. G. Henslow, F.L.S., F.G.S., Drayton House, Ealing. 
Balfour, Professor I. Bay ley, Hillkead, 
Glasgow. 
Bennett, Alfred IV., M A., B Sc., F.L.S., 6, 
Park Village East, N.W. 
Boscawen, Hon. and Rev. J. Townskend, 
Laraorran, Probus, Cornwall. 
Boulger, G. S., 9, Norfolk Terrace, Bays- 
water, W. 
Church, A. H., F.C.S., Royston House, 
Kew. 
Elwes, H. J., F.L. 0 ., F.Z.S., Preston, 
Cirencester. 
Gilbert, J. H., Ph.D., F.R.S., Harpenden, 
St. Albans. 
Glaisher, James, F.R.S., Dartmouth Place, 
Blackheatk. 
Grote, Arthur, F.L.S., 42, Ovington Square, 
S.W. 
Houston, D., F.L.S., 179, Mayall Road, 
Herne Hill, S.E. 
Loder, Edmund Giles, Floore, Weedon, 
N ortliamptonshire. 
Lowe, Dr. Wm. Hy„ Woodcote, Inner Park 
Road, Wimbledon. 
Lynch R., Irwin, A.L.S., Botanic Gardens, 
Cambridge. 
Maw, G., F.L.S., Bentkall Hall, Brosely, 
Shropshire. 
Mangles, J. H , Valewood, Haslemere. 
Masters, Maxwell T„ M.D., F.R.S., Mount 
Avenue, Ealing, W. 
McLachlan, R., F.R.S., Lime Grove, Lewis¬ 
ham. 
Moore, Thomas, F.L.S., Botanic Gardens, 
Chelsea, S.W. 
Murray, G., Natural History Museum, 
South Kensington, S.W. 
Pascoe, F. P., F.L.S., 1, Burlington Road, 
Westbourne Park, W. 
Plowright, C., 7, King Street, King’s Lynn. 
Ridley, Henry N„ B.A., Natural History 
Museum, South Kensington, S.W. 
Smee, A. H., The Grange, Wallingfcon, 
Surrey. 
Smith, Worthington G., F.L.S., 38, Kyver- 
dale Road, Stoke Newington, N. 
Vines, Sidney H., D.Sc., Christ’s College, 
Cambridge. 
FRUIT COMMITTEE, 1884. 
CHAIRMAN. 
Henry Webb, Redstone Manor House, Redhill. 
VICE-CHAIRMEN. 
Sir C. W. Strickland, Bart., Hildenley, Malton. 
H. J. Veitch, F.L.S., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W. 
John E. Lane, Berkhampstead. 
SECRETARY. 
Archibald F. Barron, Royal Horticultural Society, Chiswick, W. 
Blackmore, R. D., Teddington. 
Breese, G„ The Gardens, Petworth Park, 
Petworth. 
Bunyard, George, The Old Nurseries, 
Maidstone. 
Burnett, J., The Gardens, Deepdene, 
Dorking. 
Crowley, Philip, Waddon House, Croydon. 
Denning, W., The Gardens, Londesborough 
Lodge, Norbiton, Surrey. 
Ellam, Joseph, The Gardens, Cliveden, 
Maidenhead. 
Ford, Sidney, The Gardens, Leonardslee, 
Horsham. 
Goldsmith, G., The Gardens, Hollanden, 
Tunbridge. 
Hogg, Robert, LLD., F.L.S., 99, St. George’s 
Road, S.W. 
Howcroft, Anthony, 14, Tavistock Row, 
W.C. 
Lee, John, 78, Warwick Gardens, W. 
Lyon, S., The Gardens, Sundridge Park, 
Bromley. 
Mason, Major F., The Firs, Warwick. 
Miles, George T.. The Gardens, Wycombe 
Abbey, High Wycombe. 
Muudell, J. C., The Gardens, Moor Park, 
Rickmanswortli, Herts. 
Paul, George, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
Herts. 
Paul, William, Waltham Cross, N. 
Roberts, J., The Gardens, Gunnersbury 
Park, Acton. 
Ross, Chas., The Gardens, Welford Park, 
Newbury. 
Rutland, F., The Gardens, Goodwood, 
Chichester. 
Silverlock, Charles, 412, Strand, W.C. 
Smith, J., The Gardens, Mentmore, Leigh¬ 
ton Buzzard. 
Stevens, Zadok, The Gardens, Trentham 
Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. 
Sutton, Arthur W., Reading. 
Willard, Jesse, Holly Lodge Gardens 
Highgate, N. 
