March 16, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
217 
- WOOIiTON GARDEKEKS’ MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.— 
A meeting of the above Society was held on Thursday last at the 
Mechanics’ Institute, Mr. R. Todd presiding. A paper on “ Ferns ” was 
read by Mr. F. Ker, who gave a good selection of exotic Ferns with 
hints as to their respective treatment. The paper was rendered doubly 
interesting by a large number of dried specimens which Mr. Ker had on 
view. The usual vote of thanks terminated the proceedings.—R. P. R. 
- A Good Narcissus.—W hen paying a visit to the well kept 
gardens at Hasely Manor a short time since, Mr. Clements pointed with 
justifiable pride to some well-grown Narcissi. I noticed many fine spikes, 
but one in particular stood out as a veritable giant among them all. The 
flower stem was of extraordinary thickness, but still more remarkable 
were the individual flowers which composed the spike ; counting these, 
fully expanded and opening, there were twenty-two. It would be 
interesting to know if other cultivators have grown or met with a 
similar instance of prolific flowering in any of the Polyanthus Narcissi. 
The variety in question was Prince of Wales. 
- Dielytra spectabilis. —In the same garden I noticed some 
especially good specimens of this grand plant. The fine arching flower 
spikes were of great length, and the growth having developed 
regularly on all sides rendered the plants especially suitable for arrang¬ 
ing singly in vases, placed in a somewhat elevated position, and I can 
imagine nothing more useful or beautiful for the purpose.—D. 
-- Beddington, Carshalton, and Wallington Horti¬ 
cultural Society. — The annual Exhibition of this enterprising 
Society will be held on August 7th. Numerous classes are provided in 
the schedule, and liberal prizes are offered for various exhibits. A novel 
feature is the class for the best dinner to be produced at a cost not 
exceeding 23. The dinner must consist of meat, and at least two 
distinct kinds of vegetables, and be sufficient for a man, his wife, and 
three children. The value of each article must be clearly stated. The 
prizes of, first, £2 ; second, £1 10s. ; third, £1 ; fourth, lOs., are pre¬ 
sented by Mr. A. Smee, who also offer awards for home-made jams. 
The classes are open to wives and daughters of all subscribers and 
members, 
- Austrian versus Corsican Pines. —Like Mr. Parker (page 
192) I have found the value of “ Austrians ” for shelter from wind. I 
have also found that Corsican Pines are better wind-resisting trees 
than many persons think. We have a number of both growing side by 
aide in a rather exposed situation, and they seem to withstand the force 
of the south-westerly gales equally well. Although the Corsican is 
credited with being of much quicker growth than the Austrian Pine I 
do not find it so. Several hundreds of each were planted side by side 
ten years since, and at the present time both are of the same height— 
12 feet. The Austrians promise quite as well as do the Corsicans in 
the matter of growing into timber. In both cases the growth is clean 
and straight, and indeed all that is desirable.—E. Molyneux. 
- The Gordon Boys’ Home. —I should very much like to sup¬ 
port the appeal made by Colonel Walker, the commandant of this home 
for boys at Bagshot, for plants that may be spared for the lads who 
have gardens. The boys are gathered from all parts of the kingdom, 
and are in no sense associated with crime or improper conduct. Rather 
good conduct allied to poverty is the chief recommendation for admis¬ 
sion into the Home. Several of the elder boys under the charge of the 
bailiff and gardener (Mr. Hale) attended my horticultural lectures at 
Chobham early in the winter, walking a couple of miles for the purpose 
regularly. They were very patient, attentive, and interested listeners, 
and I am sure present first-rate constituents for the making of well 
trained garden lads, should any readers need such assistance.— Alex. 
Dean. 
- The National Dahlia Society.— The annual general meet¬ 
ing of this Society was held recently at the Hotel Windsor, Mr. 
B. Mawley presiding. According to the report, the season of 1892 was 
not one of the best for Dahlias, though, notwithstanding this, the annual 
Exhibition was a fine one. The Committee deplore the loss of the late 
Mr. J. Downie, of Edinburgh. The financial statement showed that 
the subscriptions amounted to £56 Os., there being also £50 from the 
Crystal Palace Company and other items. Against this £122 ISs. had 
been distributed in prizes, a small balance remaining in hand. The 
Rev. Charles Fellowes was re-elected President; Mr. T. W. Girdleston, 
Secretary; and Mr. E. Mawley, Treasurer. Mr. W. Frost and Mr, 
R. Dean were added to the Committee, the former in the place of the 
late Mr. G. W. Phippen. The other members of the Committee were 
re-elected. 
- The Royal Western Horticultural Society. — This 
Society held its annual meeting last week at the Plymouth Guildhall, 
under the presidency of the Mayor, Mr. W. Law, The report stated 
that the subscribers were to be congratulated on the good work that had 
been done. There was expended in prizes £118 189,, and there 
remained a balance to the credit of the Society of £128 9s. 9d. Whilst 
regretting the resignation of Mr. E. J. Winter Wood as Hon. Secretary, 
the Committee were glad to report that Mr. John Walling had accepted 
the office. 
- Presentation to Mr. George Dickson, J.P. — On the 
4th inst. the Committee of the Newtownardg Horticultural Society 
presented Mr. G. Dickson, J.P., the head of the firm of Messrs, A. 
Dickson & Sons, with a testimonial in recognition of the valuable 
services he has rendered the Society during the past thirty-seven years. 
The presentation consisted of a silver salver, with silver tea and coffee 
service, weighing over 300 ozs., and accompanying the gift was a taste¬ 
fully designed volume, containing the address and signatures of the 
officers and members of the Committee. 
- Kirkstall Abbey Grounds.—A t a recent meeting of the 
Corporate Property Committee of the Leeds Corporation, plans for the 
laying out of the grounds adjoining Kirkstall Abbey were considered. 
Thirty-seven sets of plans were originally submitted. These were 
reduced to half a dozen by a sub-Committee appointed for the purpose. 
The Committee eventually resolved to pay the first premium of £20 
to Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, nurserymen and landscape gardeners of 
Crawley, Sussex. The design submitted by this firm has numerous fine 
features, and when carried out will render the Abbey and its grounds 
an attractive resort. The carrying out of this design will involve an 
estimated expenditure of £3000. The second premium of £10 was 
awarded to Mr. T. H. Mawson of Windermere. 
- Wakefield Paxton Society.—T he programme of meetings 
for the first quarter, session 1893, is as follows :—March 11th, “ Bees and 
Bee-keeping,” Mr. J. Eastwood ; 18th, “ Legends Respecting Trees and 
Plants,” Mr. A. Batty, Rothwell ; 25th, “ Plant Adaptation for Fertili¬ 
sation ” (illustrated with lantern diagrams), Mr. J. W. Macpherson, B A. ; 
April 1st, “ Depression in Agriculture,” Mr.T. Pitts ; 8th, “ The Camellia,” 
Mr. J. G. Brown ; 15th, “ Body and Mind, their Relations,” Mr. G. W. 
Fallas; 22nd, “Deep Cultivation (Importance of),” Mr. W. Hudson; 
29th, “ Soils and Manures,” Mr. H. Crowther ; May 6th, “Nature Notes,” 
Mr. G. Bott ; 13th, “ Garden Pests,” Mr. J. Wood, Kirkstall; 20th, “ The 
Rhododendron,” Mr. G. Hudson ; 27th, “ Place Names,” Mr. James 
Reyner. The meetings are held at the Society’s room, Westgate, Wake¬ 
field, each Saturday evening, commencing at eight o’clock prompt. 
JOTTINGS FROM MEMORY—EARLY LONDON 
FLOWERS. 
Some time during December in last year a correspondent wrote from 
South Devon in the pages of “our Journal” elating on the extreme 
mildness of the season there, at the same time naming several varieties 
of summer flowers then in bloom. What thoughts for reflection that 
note conveyed to me 1 
Although the end of 1892 was generally mild throughout England 
until Christmas day, still there were times and districts where un¬ 
expected onslaughts had been made on vegetation even in “ favoured ” 
localities. Mr. T. J. R. Chalice of Plympton, South Devon, told me 
that he had experienced more extreme cases of destruction to vegetation 
by frost in the spring and summer of 1892 than in any year during 
the twenty-seven years he had been established there as a nurseryman 
and florist. The warm bright weather of early April had caused most 
of the nursery stock of shrubs and Coniferm to commence growth, when 
on the night of Good Friday they were visited with such a frost that 
crippled everything, and all new wood was checked for the remainder of 
the year. Both in June and July he said they had had other frosts, 
and at 5 A.M., September 17th (I had been up all night watching by 
the bedside of a dying parent) I saw Kidney Beans with icicles hanging 
from the points of the foliage, and the leaves of Savoys completely 
covered with thick hoar frost, which caused them to hang down, as is 
customary on a severe winter’s day, and this was about thirty miles 
south-west of your correspondent, and within five miles of Plymouth. 
All Dahlias and similar tender plants w'ere quite blackened and 
destroyed, and this I found was by no means an isolated case, but 
extended over a very large area of that beautiful county. At the same 
time the plants under my charge in the neighbourhood of London, 
240 miles distant, had net suffered in the least, and Dahlias (we grow 
two thousand) and other tender summer occupants of the garden, 
remained gay until October had far advanced. To me this was a most 
singular and exceptional climatical contrast. 
While crossing from Cowes to Southampton by an early morning 
boat on November 9th last, there were three passengers on board with 
