494 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Decomber 2, 1886. 
a dwarf species, with smaller flowers, very abundant in “ the fields of the 
CrimGa about the Bosphorus,” where it is said the fragrant Jasmine- 
scented flowers are produced in such numbers during September and 
Oc'ober as to perfume the air for a great distance. 
The annual general meeting of the National Auricula and 
National Carnation and Picotee Societies will be held, by per¬ 
mission of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, in the East 
Crush Room of the Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, as soon after 
12 o’clock as possible, on Tuesday, December 7th, 1886. The business of 
the meeting will be the election of officeis and Committee, receiving the 
Secretary’s and Treasurer’s report, the election of Judges for the en- 
suing year, and any other necessary business that may pertain to the 
annual general meeting. 
- In reference to the Goshawk Peach, Mr. T. Francis Rivers 
writes : “ Mr. Ward in his 1 Notes on Peaches and Nectarines,’ ascribes an 
Americin origin to this Peach. As it is a captive of my own bow and 
spear, I must ask you to correct this statement. I raised it from an 
American Peach, the Cooledge’s Favourite, impregnated with the pollen 
of the Stanwick Nectarine, of which it possesses the flavour in a slight 
degree. I have always considered that this Peach, when known, would 
supersede some of the older midseason sorts, and the character given 
of it by Mr. Ward justifies my selection.” 
Mr. William Little, Moncrieffe Gardens, Perth, N.B., sends 
us good fresh samples of Peas Veitch’s Perfection and Bruce 
Findlay, remarking that “ Relative to the mildness of the season in this 
locality I may say we gathered Peas in the open garden on the 20th 
November. Although a little hard they are wonderfully good Peas for 
this season.” 
It has been decided by the Committee appointed for the 
purpose that the testimonial to Mr. William Holmes, Honorary 
Secretary of the National Chrysanthemum Society, shall take the form 
of an illustrated address and a silver centrepiece, and two side tazzas 
for the table. The presentation will probably be made at the annual 
dinner of the Society. 
Three lectures on the Diseases of Plants in special 
reference to agriculture and forestry will be delivered by T. L. W. 
Ikudichum, M.D., before the Society of Arts on January 24th and 31st 
and February 7th. 
The date of the next Exhibition of the Kingston and Sur. 
biton Chrysanthemum Society is fixed for Tuesday and Wednesday" 
November 8th and 9th, 1887. The annual dinner of this Society was 
held last week in the Sun Hotel, the company present numbering about 
fifty. The Mayor, who is President of the Society, occupied the chair, 
and amongst those present were : Aid. J. Mirsh, J.P., Councillors Hide 
and Gray, Mr. J no. Drewett (Treasurer of the Society), Mr. T. Jackson 
(Hon. Sec.), Messrs. T. Jones, Piper, Walker, Mineit, Benson, Slade, 
Howard, Orchard, Gulliver, sen., Woodgate, King, Woolnough, Hardy, 
Buss, Smith, Gibson, Bates, Lyne, Puttock, Child, Shephard, E. J. and 
C. H. Parham, W. A. Drewett, Coombs, Davis, Cornhill, Neave, Stevens, 
Gordon, Alderman, Clarke, and others. 
^ NE °* ^ est known Ghent horticulturists, M. Auguste 
Van Geert, died rather suddenly on November 24th, aged sixty-eight. 
M. Van Geert commenced his horticultural career very early, by serving 
in Messrs. Knight & Perry’s nursery in Chelsea, and during his stay in 
England became acquainted with the leading English nurserymen and 
ot er horticulturists. Returning to Belgium, he has until recently been 
engaged as a nurseryman, but a few years ago resigned his business 
to his son, M. Auguste Van Geert, who has since conducted it, and 
will continue to do so. The deceased gentleman had a good private col- 
ec ion of Orchids, to which he had given much attention in late years. 
His remains were interred on Friday, the 26th ult., in the parish cemetery 
at Ghent, in the presence of large numbers of people. Toe Horticultural 
Societies to which the deceased gentleman belonged were represented by 
deputations. Many beautiful wreaths of natural flowers were deposited 
oq the coffin. M.\f. Auguste Van Geert, fils, and Pynaert Van Geert 
were the chief mourners. A troop of infantry rendered military honours 
on the occasion, M. Van Geert being a Chevalier of the Order of Leo¬ 
pold. A funeral oration was pronounced by M. le Comte de Kerchove de 
Denterghem, President of the Royal Botanical and Agricultural Society 
of Ghent. 
- Mr. Charles Toope of Stepney brought for our inspection 
last week the most beautiful small Conservatory Heater we have 
seen. It was specially made for a gentleman in the west end of London, 
who desired it to occupy a prominent position in the conservatory attached 
to his mansion. The design is the same as the Champion Heater, but the 
whole, including the hot-water pipes, made of brass and highly polished. 
It is named the Royal Kensington, and while effecting its purpose it will 
prove an ornament to the building in which it is placed. 
- A fungologist of considerable reputation, Mr. C. E. Broome 
died in London on November 15th, at the age of seventy-four. Mr. 
Br ome was associated with the Rev. M. J. Berkeley in some studies on 
Fungi over thirty years ago, and has since then, until quite recently, 
continued his researches, having paid especial attention to underground 
Fungi. 
- We learn with regret the death of a well known horticulturist, 
Mr. Charles Green, formerly gardener to Sir George Macleay, Bart., 
at Pendell Court, Bletchingley. Mr. Green was previously in charge of 
Mr. Wilson Saunders’ garden at Reigate, and had a good knowledge of 
plants, excelling in the culture of ininy diffiiult rarities. 
- Mr. John R. Box, until recently partner with Mr. John Laing at 
Forest Hill,has taken a business at Croydon, known as the East Surrey 
Seed Warehouse, formerly carried on by the late Mr. Archibald 
Henderson, also the Balham Hill and Tooting Park Nurseries, for many 
years occupied by Mr. Charles Young. 
- “B." fiads “Tom Welsh Pink a most Auriferous variety. It 
is in the way of Newmarket, but in all respects an improvement on that 
variety, the flowers being larger and more freely produced, while the habit 
of growth is sturdier.” 
- “ Has anyone,” writes a correspondent, “ tried grouping 
colours in masses when arranging Chrysanthemums for effect?” 
Nothing perhaps is finer than a large houseful of white or white and 
yellow intermixed; but in mixe 1 collections, by massing lilacs, browns, 
reds, yellows, whites, Ac., the effect is very good.” 
- Roses in Tasmania —Mr. D. Gilmour, jun., writes : “ A Tas 
manian correspondent sends me the following :—‘ The Cloth of Gold Rose 
is the Gloire de Dijon of Tasmania, just as rampant and just as full of 
flowers everywhere. It is an exquisite Rose, paler than Marfichal Niel.’ 
I well remember this lovely Rose when in Tasmania. There was an old 
tree hung over a wall near Hobart. We used to often pass by it. It was 
weighed down with hundreds of beautiful blooms. What struck me even 
more than the Cloth oE Gold were the Banksian Roses, white and yellow. 
An old building by the roadside, a deserted stable apparently, was entirely 
hidden from view, and on every side hung down long slender branches 
loaded with thousands of the most bewitching blossoms, the whole form¬ 
ing a sight I shall not soon forget.” 
- Gardening Appointments.— Mr. C. Haycock, who has been 
for some years gardener at Barham Court, Maidstone, has been appointed 
gardener to R. Smith, Esq., Goldings, Hertford, and is succeeded at 
Barham Court by Mr. Woodward. 
- The Weather.—T he first snowstorm of the season burst over 
North Wales last Tuesday, the weather having undergone a severe change 
for some weeks past. The weather has been abnormally fine and mild, 
Primroses and other wild flowers and fruits being gathered in the Welsh 
valleys. To-Iay extreme cold prevails, and the sky is overcast, indicating 
a further downfall. The lofty peaks are all capped with snow. In the 
neighbourhood of Loudon the weather has become much colder, 7° of frost 
being registered on Wednesday morning. 
- The annual dinner of members and friends of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society will be held at the “ Old Four Swans,” 84, 
Bishopsgate S'.reet Within, on Monday evening, December 13th. Chair 
