JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 14, 1892. 
2i 
totally devoid of the faculty of ingenuity. It is very well to state that 
good crops of Grapes have been obtained from Vines forty years old 
when closely pruned and other details of cultivation well carried out, 
but there are plenty of instances in which gardeners take charge of 
Vines which are not in a thriving state, and which have to be improved 
as quickly as possible. 
Then, again, my courteous critic says, when speaking of the long 
spur system, “For large bunches it may be necessiry, but I consider for 
home use, or even for exhibition purposes, medium-sized bunches with 
large well-coloured berries are much better than large bunches, which 
are so often small in berry and deficient in colour.” Just so ; and if 
“ H. S.” will read my previous remarks more carefully he will find an 
anticipated answer to his remarks which I have just quoted. To produce 
perfect examples of Grapss we must have either young Vines or adopt 
the long rod or long spur system with certain varieties of Grapes. 
—H. Dunkin. 
Mrs. Robinson King Chrysanthemum. 
Although some people claim to have had this variety in their 
possession long before Mr. Hotham, they have as yet given us no 
definite proof of their claim. Perhaps, after all, I know as much about 
the certificated variety as anyone, for I was the first to draw the 
raiser’s attention to the “ good thing ” he had in his possession. At 
that time he called it “ Golden Queen,” but I at once told him it was 
very different from Golden Queen of England, and as then he had not 
that variety it was impossible that it had sported from it. 
In,^all probability it is a sport from Golden Empress of India, but 
Mr. Hotham continued to exhibit it as Golden Queen until the Judges 
disqualified him at the Hull Show in November, 1890. It was then 
that I took the matter up; with the consent and at the request of the 
raiser arrangements were entered into with Mr. Robert Owen to bring 
it out this spring. In the meantime plants were sent to Mr. Blair, Mr. 
G. Hotham (the raiser’s brother), and myself, all of us pledging ourselves 
not to betray the confidence placed in us, but to grow it well and 
exhibit it wherever we could. This we did, and were successful in 
obtaining six first-class certificates, including one from the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, in November last. 
What I cannot understand is this : What have those people been 
doing who claim to have had this variety long before Mr. W. H. Hotham ? 
Where have they exhibited it ? what certificates have been awarded 
them? and to whom have they sold their stock? These are questions 
that Chrysanthemum growers have a right to ask. Only at one Show 
(and that was at Hull in 1890) have I seen [any blooms anything like 
Mrs. Robinson King. During the controversy arising out of the 
disqualification of Mr. Hotham’s stand two blooms on another exhibitor’s 
stand were pointed out as being the same as Mr. Hotham’s sport, but in 
the opinion of several good Chrysanthemum growers, also that of myself, 
the two flowers were much smaller and considerably paler than those of 
Mr. Hotham’s. This year I have not seen any like the true variety, 
although I have closely scanned hundreds of stands. 
In conclusion, allow me to say that I have not the slightest wish to 
cast any doubt upon anyone. Let everyone speak for himself. My 
hands are clean. I also know what plants I have are of the true stock. 
—Chas. Lawton, TAe Gardens, Welton House, Brough, East Yorkshire. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
January 12th. 
The first meeting of the Committee was well attended by the 
memoers, which included several welcome recruits, notably Mr. J. 
Laing, jun., on the Fruit Committee ; Mr. Norman Davis, Mr. F. Bause, 
and Mr. C. J. Salter on the Floral Committee ; Mr. C. J. Lucas and 
Mr. T. W. Bond on the Orchid Committee. Exhibits, however, were 
few, and a very small portion of the table space was occupied, though 
with the severe frost prevailing that morning it was a surprise to find 
any plants there. 
Fruit Committee —Present : Philip Crowley, Esq , in the chair ; 
Dr. Robert Hogg, and Messrs. J. Lee, R. D. Blackmore, Harrison Weir, 
T. Francis Rivers, J. Cneal, G. Taber, T. J. Saltmarsh, W. Warren, 
G. Bunyard, A. H. Pearson, W. Bates, G Wythes, J. Willard, 
H. Balderson, J. H. Laing, A. Dean, and G. T. Miles. 
The chief exhibit before this Committee was a remarkable collection 
of fruit from Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, for which a silver 
Banksian medal was awarded. This comprised 110 dishes of fine 
Apples and Pears; the fruits large, of good colour, and extremely 
fresh. 
Mr. C. Leach, Albury Park Gardens, Guildford, showed fruits of a 
seedling Apple named Albury Park Nonesuch, for which an award of 
merit was granted. It is a large, conical, solid heavy Apple, the eye 
deep, and the stalk very deeply inserted ; the colour yellowish, with a 
tinge of red on one side. It was said to have been in cultivation for some 
years. Mr. Leach also sent three bunches of Grapes, two of Mrs. Pearson, 
and one of Gros Colman from a Vine grafted on Lady Downe’s. Mr. 
H. Dean, Kingston, showed four dishes of Canadian Apples. Mr. 
G. Wythes, Syon Gardens, Brentford, sent a seedling Tomato ; and Mr. 
Deverill of Banbury had nine dishes of fine Onions of the Royal 
Jubilee, Cocoa Nut, Ailsa Craig, and other types, securing a silver 
Banksian medal. 
Floral Committee. —Present: W. Marshall, Esq., in the chair, 
and Messrs. G. Paul, H. Herbst, H. B. May, F. Ross, W. C. Leach, 
C. J. Salter, W. Furze, C. Noble, H. Turner, B. Wynne, J. Fraser, 
N. Davis, J. T. Bennett-Poe, and G. Gordon. 
A beautiful group of Primulas came from Messrs. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley, comprising rare, distinct, select varieties, for two of which 
awards of merit were granted. The others were Swanley Purple, 
Cannell’s Pink, White Perfection, and Swanley Mauve (silver Banksian 
medal). Mr. W. C. Lcac’o, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, 
Albury Park, exhibited fifteen pots and baskets of Lachenalias, bearing 
abundant spikes of their attractive flowers, and amply proving the 
utility of such plants for decorative purposes at this time of year (silver 
Banksian medal). Mr. A. Bishop, Westbnry Hall Gardens, Bury 
St. Edmunds, sent some graceful sprays of Asparagus. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea, showed specimens of 
several species of Hamamelis from the open air, their peculiar yellowish 
flowers attracting much attention ; also Daphne mezereum grandiflorum, 
a very large flowered variety (vote of thanks). 
Orchid Committee. —Present: H. J. Veitch, Esq., in the chair; 
Baron Schroder, and Messrs. C. J. Lucas, J. O'Brien, H. M. Pollett, 
T. W, Bond, J. Douglas, H. Williams, H. Ballantine, F. Sander, E. Hill, 
S. Courtauld, T. B. Haywood, and Lewis Castle. 
Messrs. Sander & Co., St. Albans, had an interesting collection of 
cut Orchid flowers, comprising some handsome seedling Cypripediums 
and varieties of the Leeanum type, also some beautiful Lselia anceps 
varieties. Baron Schroder sent some cut blooms of Cypripediums 
and Odontoglossums ; the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, Highbury, 
Birmingham, showed Laslia anceps Sanderiana ; the Earl of Cork, 
Frome (gardener, Mr. W. Iggulden), showed a raceme of Vanda Cath- 
carti with three large and richly coloured flowers, the curious lines 
being very closely placed and dark (vote of thanks) ; Mr. T. Crook, 
Chard, Somerset, sent a box of Orchid flowers ; Mr. H. M. Pollett, 
Fernside, Bickley, had two hybrid Cypripediums, for one of which an 
award of merit was granted; Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, 
also had two hybrid Cypripediums ; and Mr. Norman C. Cookson, 
Wylam-on-Tyne, sent a new Cypripedium (certificated) and two 
seedling Calanthes, to be seen again. The following awards were 
granted, but the official list gave the names of several other plants, 
which were removed, apparently, for the Scientific Committee. 
Certificated Plants. 
Cypripedium enjieldense (Mr. H. M. Pollett).—A hybrid from C. 
Hookerim and C. Lawrencianum, the flowers of good form and pleasing 
colour. The dorsal sepal is broad and rounded, tinted with rich purple 
with dark veins, and a slight white margin. The petals have a greenish 
eentre and a purple margin, the lip being of a polished purple hue 
(award of merit). 
Lcelia anceps var, Ballanthiiana (G. Douglas, Esq.).—A handsome 
variety with white sepals, very broad petals tipped with rich crimson, 
but the lip is quite lexceptional, being of the deepest velvety maroon, 
almost blaek, with a gold crest and veins in the throat (first-class 
certificate). 
Odontoglossum Rossi aliens (Charlesworth, Shnttleworth & Co.).— A 
distinct variety of a well known Orchid, the sepals with yellowish spots, 
the petals pure white, as also is the lip (awards of merit). 
Cypripedium Calypso Oahwood variety (N. C. Cookson, Esq.).—A cross 
from C. Boxalli aratum and C. Spicerianum, a bold, distinct, and 
effective form. The dorsal sepal broad, white, spotted and streaked 
with crimson, the central vein very dark and clearly defined. The 
petals are greenish, and the lip crimson tinted (first-class certificate). 
Cypripedium, hyirid^m gig as (C. Ingram, Esq.).—One of the largest 
flowered hybrids yet obtained. It is the result of a cross between 
C. Lawrenceanum and C. Harrisianum nigrum, and shows the characters 
of both parents. The dorsal sepal is 2^ inches across, very broad a>d 
round, veined with dark purplish crimson, edged with white and tipped 
with green. The petals are broad tinted purple, with a dark central 
vein, the lip glossy and purplish (award of merit). 
Canna Alphonse Bouvier (G. Paul & Son).—A rich scarlet variety, 
with broad petals and of dwarf haliit (award of merit). 
Primula sinensis Peach Blossom (Cannell & Sons).—A single variety, 
with large, flat, deep rose flowers, the leaf round, and the habit good 
(award of merit). 
Primula sinensis Pmh Queen (Cannell & Sons).—Another single 
variety, with large fringed bright pink flowers, one of the Fern-leaf 
type, of strong free habit (award of merit). 
A NEW BERTOLONIA. 
The family of the Melastomacere includes many plants with orna¬ 
mental foliage, but none equals the superbly marked Bertolonias, and it 
is a source of regret that so few are now seen in gardens. They are to 
some extent difficult to grow satisfactorily—that is, they require more 
