Pebrnary 4, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
85 
- GARDBNiNa Appointments. —The following appointments 
liave been made through Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill 
Nurseries, 8.E. :—Mr. Ledgerton, from Lord Brooke’s garden, Easton 
Lo'^ge, as head gardener to L. E. Powell, Esq., Brooklands, Lyndhurst, 
Hants ; and Mr. J. Child as head gardener to W. S. Forster, Esq., Gore 
Court, Maidstone, Kent. 
- The total Rainfall at Cuckfibld, Sussex, for January was 
0 69 inch, being I Sd inch below the average. The heaviest fall was 
016 inch on the 16th. Rain fell on ten days. The maximum tempera¬ 
ture 51° on 29th, the minimum temperature 15° on the 10th; mean 
maximum 40°, mean minimum 29°, mean temperature 34'1°. Partial 
shade readings 3° above the average.—R. I. 
- The Whathbk at Ripley, Yoek 3, DiiBiNa January.—T he 
first four days were very promising, bright and fine ; between the 6th 
and 19th snow fed upon ten days, yielding when reduced to water 
O'90 of an inch of rain. Frost occurred daily up to the 26th, the moat 
severe being 22° on the 16th and 21° on 8th and 12th. Rain and snow 
fell upon twenty days ; total fall for the month 1'62 inch ; greatest daily 
fall 0'19 on 17th. Mean reading of the barometer for January, 29'91 ; 
mean maximum temperature, 39 8° ; mean minimum temperature, 25 4° ; 
mean temperature, 32 6°. The soil is very wet, and ground work is very 
backward in this district. So far as we can discern at present the frost 
bas not done much damage. Increased sunshine is sadly needed.— 
J. Tunnington, Ripley Cattle Gardens, Yorlis. 
- We are informed that Mr. George MaoBey, who was for 
forty years gardener to the late Richard Ellison, Esq., at Sudbrooke 
Holme, near Lincoln, died on the 2lst ult. at Bd-by, near Alford, 
Lincolnshire, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and was interred in 
Alford Cemetery. He was a good all-round gardener, a good fruit and 
plant grower, and had many opportunities of showing his skill in the 
exhibition tent in the palmy days of the Lincoln Horticultural Society, 
when the names of Lumsden, Frisby, Harris, Jones, and others were 
familiar as competitors. He gave up his charge at Sudbrooke some 
years ago, and established a flor st’s business at Bilsby, where he spent 
his last days, and was much respected by a large circle of friends. He 
was for forty years an annual subscriber of £1 Is. to the Gardeners’ 
Royal Benevolent Institution. 
-Mrs. Robinson King Chrysanthemum.—M y only interest 
in tbe above is to show the true state of the case, and if others do not 
follow the example of Mr. Backhouse I shall feel it my duty to en¬ 
lighten Mr. Lawton a little further later on ; but for the present it will be 
sufficient to review the case of Mr. Backhouse, who admits he had a 
supply of cuttings in the autumn of 1890, and without doubt his com¬ 
panion a'so had all he could get. Supp>8ing these were the only two 
instances of persons having, say, only a d jzen cuttings each, it is quite 
sufficient to show the absurdity of the statement that the whole of the 
genuine stock is in the hands of one person for distribution. Since my 
last note I have been shown a statement of Mr. Blair, who says, “ Dur¬ 
ing the last season I have seen several spurious examples of Mrs. 
Robinson King exhibited,” without mentioning a single instance where 
he saw them. On the contrary, we are told by Mr. Lawton that he 
visited several exhibitions and scanned many a stand without observing 
one example. I think these contradictory statements only go to show 
the division in the camp.—A. Jones, Wavertree. 
-Liverpool Horticultural Association.—T he thirteenth 
annual meetinjr in connection with the above Association was held last 
Saturday evening in the lecture hall of the Free Public Library, 
William Brown Street, Liverpool. Owing to the Chairman, Mr. White, 
not being able to be present, Mr. T. E. Powell, Vice-Chairman, ably 
fulfilled tbe duties of Chairman. Mr. Bridge, the Secretary, read the 
Committee’s report, which stated that the result of their work during 
the year had been a reverse of the previous year, as £86 had to be drawn 
from the balance of last year. It was with the deepest regret they had 
to mention the great loss of the late Mr. Fletcher Rogers, who was Hon. 
Treasurer for a number of years, and who always advocated the claims 
of the Society whenever an opportunity occurred. The attendance at the 
summer and autumn Shows was greatly below the average, and showed 
a financial decrease from the previous year of £66 on each Show, At 
the three exhibitions there were the average number of entries, the 
competition being very keen. The silver challenge vase, valued 
at 20 guineas, with £10 in cash, presented by Messrs. Ker & Son, 
Aigburth Nurseries, had provided a most successful class, and the wish 
was expressed that after the vase had been finally won some influential 
firm in the City would keep up the standard set by Messrs. Ker. The 
members’ meetings at the aeries of lectures had, considering the weather, 
been well attended. The accounts having been adopted, the Mayor of 
Liverpool, J. de Bels Adam, Esq., was elected President for the coming 
year, a number of influential gentlemen being added as Vice-Presidents 
of the Society. The selection of Hon. Treasurer was left to the Com¬ 
mittee, Mr. Geo. Blackmore was re-appointed Sub-Treasurer. Regret 
was expressed that the courteous Secretary, Mr. E. Bridge, would not 
seek re-election, and by a substantial majority Mr. William Dickson, 
Chartered Accountant, 25, Victoria Street, L'verpool, was elected Secre¬ 
tary. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman were re-elected, Messrs, 
Kaeale, Rainford, and Blomily were placed on the Committee, and 
the usual vote of thanks terminated the proceedings. 
- Cirencester Chrysanthhmum Society. —The first annual 
general meeting of this Society was held at the Fleece Hotel, 
Cirencester, on Jan. 26th, when J. Rawlings, Bsq., was voted to the 
chair. The Committee presented their report to the members, which 
was most satisfactory. The Show was held on the 11th and 12th of 
November last, the weather on the first day being most unfortunate. 
The second day was much more favourable, and about 2000 persons 
attended. There is a small balance in hand, and the second exhi¬ 
bition will be held on the 9th and 10th of November next. It was 
resolved to ask Lord Bathurst to become President for the coming 
year. Mr. J. Rawlings was elected Hon. Treasurer, and Mr. Bare 
as Secretary. It ought to be stated that it is owing in a great 
measure to Mr. Sare’s labours and courtesy that the Show was such 
a' succ&?8 last November. It was suggested that a summer show 
should be held, but at present the Socie'y cannot see its way in this 
matter. A Committee having been formed, the meeting separated, 
after thanking Messrs. J. Rawlings and Bare for their help. — 
COTSWOLD. 
-Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland. —The annual 
general meeting of the Royal Horticu tural Society of Ireland was held 
on Friday, January 22nd, in the Central Lecture Hall, Westmoreland 
Street, Dublin, under the presidency of the Duke of Leinster. In their 
report for 1891, compiled by the Secretary, Mr. W. P. North, which was 
read and adopted, the Council congratulated the members upon the very 
satisfactory improvement in the financial position of their Society. The 
year opened with a deficit of £194 ISs. 6d., but against this can now be 
placed the sum of £127 11s. raised by special subscription. Another 
improved feature in the prospects of the So-ciety is the large increase in 
the number of its members, no less than 164 new names having been 
added during the year. This increase is largely due to the action of the 
Council in suspending the rule which required an admission fee of 
1 guinea in addition to the annual fee, and in consideration of so satis¬ 
factory a result the Council now propose to make their temporary 
arrangement permanent. 
- The report continues The Council have great pleasure in 
calling very special attention to the greatly increased prize list offered in 
the new schedule, and especially to the almost new feature of challenge 
plates. For those thanks are due Messrs. W. Thomson & Sons of Gala¬ 
shiels, Messrs. T. Waterhouse & Co., an anonymous member of the 
Society, and to the horticultural seed trade of Dublin. To encourage the 
public interest in the growing of small fruits in Ireland the Council 
have introduced for the August Show a competition which is restricted 
to growers of fruit for market purposes. The thanks of the Society are 
cordially tendered to Lord Ardilaun, Right Hon. Ion Trant Hamilton, 
D.L.; John G. Nutting, Bsq., J.P.; Hamilton Drummond, Esq.; and 
Messrs, W. Drummond & Sons for their prize donations. To Lord 
Iveagh, D.L., the Society is deeply indebted for so kindly giving the use 
of his grounds for the Exhibitions, and also to Mr. F. W. Moore, the 
Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, for the great interest 
he has taken in the Society.” 
- The Thrifts.—A s a class of free-blooming perennials of neat 
habit the Thrifts, or Armerias, are possessed of much merit. All are 
tufted in growth, forming dense, hemispherical masses of evergreen 
foliage, while the flowers are borne in round heads on clean, long, wiry 
stems. Their season of blooming extends over most of the summer and 
early autumn, and in several of the varieties it is almost oontinuoua 
throughout the growing season. Used in groups in mixed borders, in 
rockeries, or as edging plants, they are clean, and give a variety of 
foliage and flower. Soil is a matter of small importance to them, pro¬ 
vided it is not excessively wet. A. vulgaris, the most common form, 
