556 
JOURNAL OF EORTIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 18. 1884. 
members wbo did not attend the meeting to continue the payment of their 
subscriptions to him as usual. But although this information has been 
conveyed to us, we dre reluctant to admit its accuracy, and more especially 
since by taking an active part in the discussion of the draught rules and 
making suggestions that were adopted in perfecting them, Mr. Dodwell 
admitted in a very practical manner the validity of the votes that had been 
previously recorded. 
The late senior Secretary and Treasurer of the two Societies was quite 
justided in refusing to accept the verdict of the meeting held in October, 
where the resolutions recommending the changes were adopted, on the 
ground that the whole of the members h.ad not been apprised of that 
meeting and its objects; and he was consequently equally justified in 
securing as many adherents as possible to his view of the case. Not the 
slightest objection was made to the action he took in securing all the votes 
he could obtain for gaining a decision in his favour at the meeting held 
last week ; but since he failed in his object, and acquiesced in the decision 
of the majority by taking part in framing the rules, he cannot either 
with propriety or consistency t pursue any such course as that above 
suggested. After he failed in his object it was open to him to retire from 
the meeting, but instead of doing so he permitted himself to act as a member 
of the special Committee,and as such he advanced propositions and voted,thus 
recognising in the most formal manner the authority of that meeting to pass, 
beyond question, the resolutions that had just been signed by the Chairman. 
Whether the October meeting was informal or not, no rules were certainly 
infringed ; while precedent was entirely in its favour, as the Committee had 
full power to act, and had always acted as the sole directorate of the 
Societies. The absence of rules that gave that power may have been a mis¬ 
take, and the error is now rectified. Nor can it be contended that the last 
formal and authoritative decision has been the result of hasty action. The 
whole circumstances have been before the members for nearly two months, 
yet notwithstanding the strenuous exertions of an untiringly active 
ex-official of the Societies the disputed rules have been adopted with emenda¬ 
tions suggested by Mr. Dodwell and his supporters at the general meeting. 
By that decision no_ members who accepted it, as did all who were 
present by acting under it, can, so long as they continue members of the 
Societies, take any action inimical to the interests of either one or the 
other of them, nor place any impediments in the way of the regular trans¬ 
action of business, without laying themselves open to a charge of disloyalty 
and placing themselves in a position that is quite indefensible.' As to the 
retention of property, of which Mr. Dodwell announced his intention at the 
meeting and thereby merited a rebuke from the Chairman, that is a matter 
that cannot be further discussed here; and it is not to be supposed that 
many persons could be found to act so rashly as to make payments to the 
Societies otherwise than through the officers properly qualified to receive 
them, as by doing so they would place the receiver in an unfortunate and 
uneviable position. It is to be hoped that no ill-considered action on the 
part of anyone will lead to further difficulties now that rules have been 
made and ratified for their avoidance, but that wise counsels will prevail 
and harmony will be restored in the cause of mutual goodwill and the 
interests and well-being of the Societies, which none but their enemies can 
desire to see in other than a flourishing condition. 
And, after all, what reasonable objection can be taken to the formulation 
of rules that are equally fair to all ? It is scarcely conceivable that they can 
be regarded with suspicion except by persons who desire privileges that are 
not accorded to others, and such persons are happily so rare as to be almost 
phenomenal. It is true organisations of individuals may work for a common 
object without rules for guidance when mutual trust is firmly established 
amongst them that no one of the number would think of doing anything 
not conformable to the wishes of the entire body. But when differences 
arise of whatever nature, and conflicting views are tenaciously held, rules 
become imperative. They have been found necessary for the governance of 
the National Rose Society, and are certainly not less needful for the Socie¬ 
ties under discussion; indeed, taking a broad view of the matter, a national 
society without rules may almost be described as a national anomaly. 
But Mr. Dodwell has made no secret that the rules are distasteful to 
him because it has been determined to hive only one Secretary instead of 
two, and that Mr. Douglas has been elected. It is not difficult to apprehend 
that the Committee had good reasons for recommending the change apart 
from any personal consideration whatever, except that of personal fitness for 
the office. So long as the two Secretaries practically resided in London 
and could consult together without inconvenience, business could be 
transacted without any material difficulty; but when circumstances placed 
them seventy miles apart the dual control has been admitted by Mr. 
Do 1 well to be irksome, and it was not advantageous to continue it. Wher¬ 
ever the exhibitions of the southern section of the Societies may be held it 
will not be disputed that London is the proper place for the head-quarters, 
and there cannot be many persons who regard the matter solely from a 
business point of view, which can hardly be the wrong one, who will 
not perceive that where the head-quai t-rs are th ro the officers 
should be also. That is sufficient to settle the matter; but there 
is another element in the case. All who know the late senior Secretary 
are fully aware that he is very far from enjoying the good health his friends 
desire to see. He has confessedly attended meetings when not in a fit 
stito tobe present; indeed, at the meeting of last week, when he rose to 
.‘^peak he was some moments before he could do so. His first words were 
that he was quite unfit to be present,” and the Chairman and members, in 
sympathetic unanimity, invited him to resume his seat and therefrom 
j It is not necessary to say more than that if 
Mr Dodwell desires to maintain and strengthen the Societies for which he 
professes such great regard, he can, when his health permits, take part as an 
ex-officio^ member in the deliberations of the Committee, and he knows he 
iv ill receive all the re.sp ct that is due to him from the members ; but if, on 
he contrary, he be so ill-advised as to pursue the course he announced at 
he meeting, there can only be one result, and that result we have no desire 
o see. 
THE INSECT FOES OF THE ROSE. 
I REGRET that I can identify at this mommt the grub referred to by 
Y. B. A. Z.” as infesting the bu is of the Rise. T may be the larva of 
a weevil as he suggests ; it might be, however, that of a fly. We have 
an example of an injurious fly larva in that of Trypetra continua, which 
is found at times lying concealed in the fruit of the Rose, the result 
being that it crumbles to dust after the seeds have been eaten up by the 
insect. The list of species affecting the Rose is a long one, far longer 
than indicated by the recent correspondence ; but then no horticulturist 
through personal observation is likely to come across all the insects which 
have been reported as Rose enemies, so much depends upon seasons and 
localities. Some of the specially annoying foes of the Rose belong to 
the moth tribe. Most persons know the Rose-leaf roller, Argyrotoza Bergman- 
iana, the larva of which haunts the flower heads, twisting round the young 
blooms with the leaves around them, and for which when seen there is 
no remedy except cutting away the shoots attached. A somewhat similar 
method is pursued by the larva or caterpillar of the brown clock (Spelo- 
nota aquana), a less abundant species. These larvm are at once distin¬ 
guishable from the grubs of beetles and flies by their cylindrical bodies 
and the possession of legs and claspers. One of the correspondents of 
this Journal reported last year that his Roses had suffered severely in the 
twigs from a species of beetle which turned out to be the familiar Pea 
weevil, Sitones lineata. This probably must be regarded as an exceptional 
instance.— Entomologist. 
DUNFERMLINE CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW. 
The third annual Exhibition of the Dunfermline Chrysanthemum 
Society was held in St. Margaret’s Hall on Satnrday the Gth inst., and was 
undoubtedly from every point of view the best which the Society has yet 
held. Owing to the stormy nature of the day the attendance of visitors was 
much less than the merits of the Show deserved, and is much to be regretted, 
as the Committee deserve every encouragement and support in their spirited 
efforts to bring together such rich floral display as was provided on the 
occasion, more especially as this is one of very few, if not the only Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society, as yet established in Scotland, and as such entitled to 
special support. 
In the number of exhibitors there was a considerable increase, as well as 
in quantity of plants and cut flowers staged for competition, while the 
improvement in the quality of both plants and cut blooms, as compared with 
former years, was so marked as to be the subject of general comment, and 
was highly creditable to the growers, gardeners and amateurs alike. 
Besides the departments of plants and cut blooms for competition, several 
handsome groups were contributed for exhibition only. Notable among 
these was a large and representative group of cut blooms from Johu Reed, 
Esq., Old Clock House, Winchmore Hill, Enfield, embracing all the different 
sections. Owing to a want of proper staging conveniences this admirable 
collection was not displayed to such good effect as it might have been. 
From Messrs. Cannell, Swanley, were some splendid blooms. Hero of Stoke 
Newington, Mrs. Sharpe, and Antonelli among the incurved being particu¬ 
lar! v good. 
The source of greatest attraction among the cut blooms was decidedly 
the grand box of eighteen contributed by Mr. William Comfort, Knowle 
Hall, Birmingham, each bloom being remarkable for size, build, and finish. 
This formed by far the best stand of specimen blooms which has yet been 
staged at this Show, and was deservedly admired of all. Unfortunately 
through some oversight they were staged without names, thereby causing 
much disappointment to many anxious inquirers. Mr. Campbell, Pilmuir 
Street Vineries, exhibited an extensive and varied collection of stove and 
greenhouse plants, which had the effect of causing a pleasing diversity in 
the profusion of colour around. In the class for six plants in pots the 
competition was very close, Mr. J. Grahame, gardener toW. & J. McLaren, Esq., 
securing first place with neat well-flowered examples, Mr. W. Garrett being 
second, and Mr. P. Cameron third with plants very little behind those in the 
first lot. In the threes Mr. Garrett was first, Mr. James Coventry, gardener to 
Provost Donald, taking second place. In Pompons Mr. Garrett again 
secured first with three beautifully flowered specimens, Mr. J. Grahame and 
P. Cameron following in the order of their names. 
In the corresponding classes for amateurs the principal winners were 
Messrs. R. Boag, Peter Marshall, and Hugh Foote. The competition in cut 
blooms was both large and good, Mr. E. Johnstone, Batmule, showing very 
creditable blooms for his first in eighteens, as did also Messrs. J. Walker and 
John Jackson for their second and third respectively. For twelves Mr. 
E. Johnstone was again first, Mr. A. Comfort, Aberdour, being second, and 
also obtaining the special prize for the best bloom in the Show with a 
grandly finished bloom of Mrs. Dixon in the same stand. Among the 
amateurs many really good blooms were exhibited, the principal winners 
being those already named. 
ON THE AUTUMNAL TINTS OF FOLIAGE. 
After the fine display of autumnal tints which we have lately seen it 
may, I trust, be of interest if I give an account of the chief conclusions to 
which I have been led by carefully studying the subject for many years. 
As a general rule the colour of leaves in their normal condition depends 
on a variable mixture of two perfectly distinct green pigments and of at 
least four perfectly distinct yellow substances. The development of the 
autumnal tints is mainly due to the disappearance or change of the green 
constituents and to the production of highly coloured pigments by the 
oxidisation of previously existing very pale or colourless substances. It is, 
in fact, due to a more or less complete loss of the vitality which previously 
counteracted these chemical changes, and the order in which the tints are 
developed can be easily explained if we assume that the death of the leaves 
takes place somewhat gradually. The first visible effect of the reduced vitality 
is thechange in the green pigments. Inmanycasesthey appear tobeconverted 
into colourless products, since the resulting bright yellow leaves differ from 
the normal green in the absence of chlorophyll, and merely contain the 
usual previously existing yellow pigments. At the same time it is quite 
possible that an increased quantity of some of these yellow substances may 
be formed as a product during the change, but of this there is no positive proof. 
In the case of such trees as the Alder, the chlorophyll does not thus disap- 
