February 5, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Ill 
it two years before I had my stock. If this be so, it is remarkable that a 
firm so noted for their energy, and having such a stock of trees, should 
be two years behind me in publicly exhibiting their produce. Mr. 
Bunyard and I agree in thinking that Alexander may be one of its 
parents, but Ihe other must he a solid, heavy, long-keeping variety. 
With me Bismarck is one of the largest, heaviest, long-keeping Apples I 
have.— J. McIndoe, Hutton Hall Gardens, Guisborougli. 
Events op the Week. —To-day (Thursday) the Eoyal Society will 
meet at 1.30 p.m., and the Linnean Society at 8 p.m. On Friday the 
'Quekett Club meet at 8 p.m., and on Saturday the Royal Botanic 
Society meet at 4 P.M.. Next Tuesday, February 10th, will be a 
rather busy day for horticulturists at the Westminster Drill Hall. The 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees 
will meet at 12 noon, and at 3 p.m. the annual general meeting will 
take place in the Bindley Library, 117, Victoria Street. The same 
•evening the annual dinner of the Horticultural Club will be held at 
the Hotel Windsor at 6 P.M., and the Wimbledon Horticultural Society’s 
annual dinner takes place at the Dog and Fox, Wimbledon Hill, 
at 7 P.M. 
- The Royal Hoeticultueal Society.—W e have received 
the balloting lists of the Royal Horticultural Society, which it is pro¬ 
posed are to govern the proceedings at the annual meeting to be held on 
the 10th inst., but we confess to be somewhat puzzled as to the way 
In which the election is to be conducted as therein set forth. In accord¬ 
ance with the Charter one-fifth of the Council are to be removed 
annually. This year those recommended by the Council for removal 
are Sir C. W. Strickland, Bart., Col. R. H. Beddome, and T. Francis 
Rivers ; and the three Fellows recommended by the Council to fill their 
place are Sir John Llewelyn, Bart., George Bunyard, and D. Morris. Let 
MS assume that these three gentlemen will be elected to fill the 
vacancies ; but is not Mr. Morris already a member of Council, and will 
remain a member, notwithstanding his rumoured resignation, till after 
his resignation has been accepted by the annual meeting ? If, as has 
been suggested, Mr. Morris only resigns the treasurership, no matter : 
his resignation must still be accepted by the annual meeting. How can 
Mr. Morris be recommended to fill a vacancy on a Council of which he 
is already a member, and from which it does not appear he is to retire ? 
Then if Mr. Morris remains a member, how is Mr. Crowley, who is 
recommended for the office of Treasurer, to be dealt with ? for if he is 
elected as Treasurer that will make four new members of Council 
instead of three, for the Treasurer must be elected “ from among the 
members of the Council ” by the Fellows then present at the annual 
meeting; so says the charter. Mr. Crowley is not nominated in the 
balloting list for election on the Council, nor is there now time for 
his nomination, and if the Society is to have the benefit of Mr. 
Orowley’s undoubted ability for the office of Treasurer it appears to 
us that one member of the Council must after the election resign, and the 
Council can then appoint Mr. Crowley to fill the vacancy till the annual 
meeting in 1892, when his appointment may be confirmed by the 
Fellows. 
- The Weathee in the Meteopolitan Disteict has been 
generally open and comparatively mild during the past week. Moderate 
frost has occurred on two or three mornings. Rain fell rather heavily 
on one or two days, but bright sunny weather has prevailed. The soil 
in gardens is becoming more workable, but is still very soft in many 
places. 
- The Hoeticultueal Club.—T he annual house dinner of 
this Club will be held at the Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, West¬ 
minster, S.W., on Tuesday, February 10th, when the chair will be taken 
by Mr. John Lee, Chairman of the Club. Dinner will be on the table 
at six o’clock ; tickets us. GJ. e.ach, not including wine, &c. Mr. Geo. 
Bunyard and Mr. Harry Turner have kindly arranged for a selection of 
vocal and instrumental music to be given during the evening. 
- The schedule of the Yoek Floeal Gala is to hand, and 
announces the dates of the Show as June 17th, 18th, and 19th next. The 
classes number 106 for plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables, the prizes 
ranging from £20 to 5s., liberal provision being, as usual, made for 
specimen stove and greenhouse plants. The Secretary is Mr. C. W. 
Simmons, 13, New Street, York. 
- On Monday evening last Me. Geoege Phippen entertained 
his staff to a supper in the large room of the British Workman, Abbey 
Square, Reading. Over seventy sat down to the repast. An important 
feature of the evening was that of the employes receiving a participa¬ 
tion in the profits of the business of the past year. 
- A New Peimula.— Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Victoria 
and Paradise Nursery, Upper Holloway, send us an example of what 
they term “a sport from our Primula sinensis alba magnifica.” 
Unfortunately it was packed in cotton wool and arrived in a withered 
condition that did not permit its true characters being seen. It appears, 
however, to be a good double variety, the flowers white with a blush 
tint. 
- A Paeisian Seed List.—T he list of seeds available for 
distribution from the Natural History Museum of Paris (Jardin des 
Plantes) has come to hand from M. Maxime Cornu, and includes a 
very large number of names. The catalogue comprises seventeen large 
pages, four columns to a page, and with a total of over 1000 names ; 
these are arranged on the natural system, commencing with the Ferns 
and terminating with the “ Gymnospermm.” 
- Spaeeows and Feu it Buds.— As usual the sparrows in one 
day made sad havoc with the buds of the Gooseberries. On January 13th, 
with a mild rain, they came in great numbers, and in some cases scarcely 
a bud is left. Sparrows never interfere with buds here unless the 
weather is moist. The only hope we have of securing fruit is to prune, 
so that plenty of new wood is thrown up. If we were to prune on 
the spur system we would never get fruit.—W. T. 
- We learn that a valuable addition has recently been made to 
the Kew Herbarium by the purchase of an extensive collection of dried 
plants from West Sze-chuen and the Tibetan frontier, at elevations of 
9000 to 13,500 feet, lately brought home by Mr. A. E. Pratt, who 
travelled and collected ornithological and other specimens of natural 
history at the expense of Mr. J. H. Leech. It is said that the botanical 
specimens are excellent, and promise many novelties of Himalayan 
affinities. 
- Fiee at a Seedsman’s. —Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Hounds- 
ditch, write :—“ As we have received several letters from sympathising 
friends respecting the fire which recently occurred on our premises, 
we beg to state that fortunately it was but a slight one. It is true 
it was alarming at the time, and would probably have proved serious 
had it not been promptly discovered and extinguished. The damage was 
confined to a very small space. It occurred in the basement of one of 
our shops, and quite apart from the warehouses, and has in no way 
interfered with the conduct of our business.” 
- Sheewsbuey Geeat Floeal Fete.—T he annual meeting 
of the members was held at the Music Hall, Shrewsbury, last week, 
when a large number were present. The account showed that 1890, in 
spite of the unfavourable weather, was the most successful Fete ever 
held. The receipts amounted to nearly £3000, and the profits of the 
Fete itself to £878. After deducting the cost of the spring and autumn 
Shows, which are free to all subscribers and families, the net profit on 
the year is £709. As will be seen by an advertisement, the Society 
have greatly augmented their prize list ; the total amount offered in 
cash prizes, and open to all, is no less than £640. The Right Hon. 
Lord Harlech was elected President for 1891. 
- A Peolifeeous Oeange.— Mr. G. Steel sent us with the 
curious Potato figured on page 114, a proliferous Orange, with the 
following note relating thereto:—“At a festive gathering on New 
Year’s Eve my little boy got an Orange which he did not quite 
approve ; on looking at it I found part of the skin decayed, and on 
commencing to take it out what seemed to be a young Orange 
appeared. Is such a freak of Nature usual or possible ? I have sent 
the Orange for your inspection, and would be pleased to have your 
opinion.” [The small Orange within the large one and near its apex 
was about an inch in diameter. We have seen similar examples, and 
two specimens were examined by the Scientific Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society last month, the opinion of tbe savants 
being published in our report of the meeting on page 64, the issue of 
January 22nd.] 
