January 23, 1802. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
63 
can anybody who haa watched him deny that he has a love for 
Crocuses and other bulbs, nor does he spare the young buds of 
some fruit trees, other food being scarce.— Entomologist. 
PLANT NOTES. 
Primrose Sunfloaver. —It appears a good time just now to 
draw attention to good plants which have been tried. Among the 
most satisfactory that have passed through my hands is the 
Primrose Sunflower, which I cultivated for the first time last year. 
I put out about thirty or more young plants, which were raised 
from seeds sown in April and which in due time were dibbled in 
without any particular care. The .tallest of them rose to a height 
of 7 feet, and they proved extremely decorative. It is, however, 
as a producer of cut flowers that this Sunflower is so extremely 
useful. The flowers are single, and each plant varied in some 
particular from its neighbour. In some the central disc was very 
dark, in others light. Some flowers were large and the single row 
of florets somewhat dishevelled, others were smaller and quite 
florist-flower like in appearance, while in colour there were many 
gradations of pretty light yellow ; the leafage is also very pretty. 
The flowers were freely cut for room decoration, and were used 
•either by themselves with foliage, or in conjunction with other 
flowers of the season. 
Dwarf Miniature Sunflower, —This has been grown for 
several years,, and I only refer to it here in order to remind those 
who may like a goad plant for cutting that they will find in this 
a desideratum. The flowers are small with a dark disc and bright 
yellow florets. The foliage also is pretty, and the whole plant, 
when allowed room to develop, is as ornamental as a plant as the 
flowers and foliage are useful for decorative purposes. 
, Asters, —Last year I sowed several packets of Snowball Asters, 
and found it one of the best. Shall I say the best of its type ? 
The flowers were more like a reflexed Chrysanthemum than an 
Aster, and for certain purposes they proved very useful. Why is 
it that none of our seedsmen import seeds of single Asters ? These 
are among the prettiest of flowers for cutting, and I am certain, if 
once known, and seed is to be had, that they would become very 
popular. 
Bedding Aster.?. —I was somewhat astonished last autumn to 
find how very fine these are now to be had. I do not grow them 
for the one reason that the season of their flowering is too quickly 
over, but in many gardens this would be a drawback of slight 
importance. The beds which I saw were so fine that I took a note 
at the time. The colours, in addition to white, were scarlet and 
rose ; but I believe there is a greater variety to be had. The 
plants were dwarf, equal in height, and one mass of flower. 
Hyacinthus candicans.— This of course is not new, and I 
have grown it for a number of years ; but last year I planted 
more of it and cut it more freely than I had been able to do before. 
The entire spike was cut and set up in large flower glasses. I 
think, with the exception of the Gladiolus, that no autumn flower 
is likely to be more valuable than this. Like the above, every 
unopened bud opens in water. I have heard this flower con¬ 
demned as being of little value, but if employed as just men¬ 
tioned, l am certain those who in the past have been dissatisfied 
with it will be glad to cultivate it again. I saved a large quantity 
of seeds which will in due course be sown, and I have in the mean 
time largely increased the number of flowering bulbs. 
Cactus Dahli.a.s. —These are excellence Sixaong the best of 
outdoor flowers for cutting. But, unfortunately, they are increas¬ 
ing in a perplexing manner, and many shades of colour are being 
introduced which are of no value. The best, so far as my 
experience goes, is the old Juarezi. No variety has displaced this, 
the crimson form being not nearly so good. The best white is 
Henry Par tick, a most beautiful form of purest white. I had a 
“ better " pointed out to me one day in the autumn, but could not 
“ see” it. In yellows, William Pearce, a very dark shade, the bloom 
of beautiful form though rather small, and Robert Mayher are the 
two I like best. General Gordon, dark orange, is a useful flower. 
Two Useful Fuchsias. —Both the varieties I refer to were 
cultivated in small pots (5-iach, I think) for table work. They 
are quite distinct in habit—the one a very small flowered single 
variety, the other one of the largest of the doubles, but as a pair 
of flowering decorative plants there are few things which surpass 
them. The one variety is Countess of Aberdeen, with a small 
blush coloured flower. When grown in a small pot and flowering 
freely this is most charming. The other is Mrs. E. G. Hill, one of 
the monstrous double forms. The habit of the plant is excel¬ 
lent, the side branches being evenly placed so that the weight of 
the flowers causes them to droop in a most elegant manner.^ The 
corolla is pure white, and the sepals of a clear and rich crimson 
tint. It is altogether a most striking variety. These are by a 
long way the two best varieties I have yet had for cultivation in small 
pots, and, a thing that does not always happen, every gardener who 
s.Aw them had the same opinion, so much so, that my stock was 
reduced to a very low ebb before autumn. 
Croton, “Golden Ring.” —I have not grown this variety, but 
it was very conspicuous among the table plants shown at the 
International Show in Edinburgh last autumn. Most of the plants 
bore the appearance of having been distributed from a common 
centre at a period not long prior to the date of the Show, and 
were charming little examples of beautiful colour and the most 
graceful habit. Croton growers would do well to add this to 
their collections, and rather dispense with inferior sorts in order 
to find room for it.—B. 
THE BRITISH FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The annual general meeting of the above Association was held in 
the Horticultural Club, Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, S.W., on 
Thursday, January 21st, at 6 P.M., Dr. M. T. Masters presiding. There 
was a small muster of members owing to the prevailing illness, and 
over fifty letters were read from those who were unable to attend in 
consequence. The business comprised the reception of the Committee’s 
report and financial statement for the past year, and after some 
discussion the Chairman moved that they be adopted, printed, and 
circulated, remarking that a great amount of good work had been 
accomplished at an extremely small cost. He referred to the satis¬ 
factory increase in the number cf members, and wished the Associa¬ 
tion a prosperous year. The resolution was seconded, and supported by 
several members, and carried unanimously. 
The officers of the past year having been re-elected and several 
additions made to the Committee, some attention was devoted to the 
programme for the present year, and it was announced that arrange¬ 
ments were being undertaken for three provincial conferences and one 
in the metropolis, but the exact places and dates could not be 
determined, as applications had been received from several important 
societies. 
Annual Report. 
In presenting their Report for 181)1, the Committee congratulate 
the members upon the increased attention now being paid to the special 
objects of the British Fruit Growers’ Association— i.e., the extension of 
profitable fruit culture in Great Britain and Ireland. Attention has 
been prominently drawn to the fact that, when conducted upon right 
lines, fruit grow'ing is an important industry, which has been too 
long neglected, and abundance of evidence is forthcoming that the 
interest being aroused is productive of much benefit. 
The greatest care has been exercised in the appointment of lecturers, 
and in the revision of the papers, to avoid extravagant or misleading 
statements, and to supply what intending cultivators need—practical 
reliable information respecting the best methods of rendering land under 
fruit culture a profitable employment for labour and capital. That some 
effect has been produced is shown by the agricultural returns. In 1888 
there was a decrease of land under orchards of 3056 acres ; in 1889 an 
increase of 719 acres is recorded ; in 1890 the increase was 2408. The 
increase of acreage under small fruit in 1889 was 5209 acres, in 1890 it 
was 4301 acres, showdng a total increase under fruit for two years of 
12,637 acres. 
Such a rapid advance as this renders the dissemination of reliable 
information and the guidance of an association of practical men the 
more necessary to counteract the effects of incompetent advice and 
excessive estimates of the profits derivable from this important industry. 
For good British grown fruit there is an unlimited demand, and the best 
market authorities stale that they can never procure sufficient first class 
fruits. For inferior samples there is no demand except at very low 
prices. The points cultivators have to bear in mind, therefore, are to 
select the best varieties adapted to their districts. Plant and treat the 
trees well, gather, sort, and pack the fruit carefully, send it to the best 
markets, and they may safely count on fair returns. 
The work of the Association continues to increase in importance, and 
during the past year the Committee has been consulted upon several 
public matters connected with fruit culture and horticulture generally. 
By special request a sub-Committee was appointed to prepare a scheme 
for the introduction of horticultural teaching into national schools, and 
this has been favourably received by the Education Department. 
Later in the year the Committee was also consulted by the Agricul¬ 
tural Department of the Irish Land Commission concerning the 
extension of fruit culture in Ireland. 
Having regard to the action taken by the County Councils in pro¬ 
moting technical education the Committee prepared and issued a 
synopsis of a series of lectures on fruit culture as recommended by the 
Association, and this was forwarded to the chief officials throughout the 
country. Many communications have been received concerning this, 
and the Committee has been consulted by the chairmen and secretaries 
of some of the more important counties where horticultural education 
has been taken up. Several members of the Association have been 
engaged as instructors, and the Hon. Secretary has been appointed in a 
similar capacity by the Hampshire County Council. 
