536 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ December 15, 1892. 
have also to acknowledge the kindness and liberality of the Right Hon. 
Lord Penzance, who has not only presented the Society with a donation 
of £15 (a portion of which will be expended next year on a cup for 
garden Roses), but who has also promised to offer a 5-guinea cup for the 
same class of Roses in future years. 
Propositions and Alterations of By-Laws. 
Following the reading of the report and financial statement, which 
were unanimously adopted, Mr. T. B. Haywood remarked that he wished 
to resign his position as Treasurer of the Society. This regrettable step 
he took for various reasons, amongst others being the difficulty of getting 
members to pay their subscriptions. The announcement, however, was 
received with so much regret by the meeting that ultimately Mr. Hay¬ 
wood promised to remain as Treasurer for one more year. 
The Rev. J. H. Pemberton then proposed that the following words be 
added to Regulation 1 :—“ That the metropolitan Show shall be held on 
the Saturday nearest to the 6th of July.” In putting forward this 
motion Mr. Pemberton said that he appealed, in the interest of northern 
growers, to the National Rose Society to consider the advisability of 
altering the date of their metropo'itan Show. This must not be regarded 
as a northern show, but the representative show of the N.R.S., and it 
ought not to be held too early or too late. They ought to strike the 
happy medium. The Show this year was a grand Exhibition, but it 
was not a representative one. Many growers, a week before it took 
place, were afraid they would have no Roses. Many of the early 
districts—such as Croydon, Bath, Bagshot, and others—held their Shows 
after the National, which, to his mind, proved that the latter took 
place too soon. There were thirty-six affiliated societies, and only 
nine of these held their shows preceding that at the Crystal Palace. 
He had received letters from many well-known northern growers who 
were anxious that a later date should be decided upon. It was the 
opinion ot many growers this year that their Roses were much better at 
a later date than the Show. Mr. Bateman supported the movement, and 
said that they had been losing sight of the fact that they were a 
National Rose Society. The past experience proved indisputably that 
for the “ warm corners ” the date of the Crystal Palace Show is suitable, 
but not for general districts. Mr. Grahame, on the other hand, said 
that the Crystal Palace Show of this year was one of the largest on 
record. ^ There were sixteen counties represented at the Exhibition. 
It could hardly be said, therefore, that the date was too early. Rev. 
H. H. D’Ombrain pointed out that the Amateurs’ Challenge Trophy 
had been won twice each by northern and southern growers, and the 
same applied to the nurserymen. He thought it would be a pity to 
disturb a system that had worked so well. Mr. Mawley remarked that 
he had gone carefully into the matter, and as a National Show he 
thought as near to July 6th as possible would be a good date. The 
proposition, on being put to the meeting, however, was lost, the votes 
being 19 for and 26 against. 
The Rev. J. H. Pemberton also made the following proposition :_ 
“ That the affairs of the Society be managed by one Committee, consist¬ 
ing of forty members (exclusive of the officers), to be annually elected 
by ballot at the general meeting of the Society, and that the by-laws 
and regulations be altered as suggested on the circular calling this 
meeting.” This motion was seconded by Mr. Bunyard, and carried by a 
large majority. 
The Rev. Foster Melliar proposed, “ That at the general meeting all 
members be allowed to vote by proxy on matters of which due notice 
has been given.” In moving this Mr. Foster Melliar pointed out the 
inconvenience to which it put country members, when attending the 
meetings for the purpose of voting. Mr. Grahame said he had long been 
in favour of members of the Society being allowed to vote by proxy. 
He thought country members should have a voice in the matter. The 
Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain, however, was not in favour of a change. Other 
societies, that which their Chairman was connected with for instance, 
had important matters to carry out, but they did not think voting by 
proxy necessary. The proposition was, on being put to the meeting, 
lost by ten votes. 
The Rev. F. Burnside, in regard to the selection of the medal blooms, 
made the following proposition “ That in order to assist the Judges in 
the selection of the medal blooms, it be an instruction to the Judges of 
all the other classes to mark in some way, to be decided by the Com¬ 
mittee, all blooms in the stands in their classes which in their opinion 
ought to be brought to the notice of the Judges for the medal blooms.” 
The Rev. Foster-Melliar seconded this motion, which was carried by a 
majority of twenty. J 
The result of the ballot as to the election of the Committee was then 
announced. It was moved and carried, and Mr. Cranston’s name be 
substituted for that of Mr. W. H. Fowler, whose official duties as Mayor 
of Taunton would prevent him attending the meetings. 
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings. 
HILL GROVE, 
GRAPES AND TOMATOES AT 
KIDDERMINSTER. 
During the past two or three years it has been my good fortune 
in f 3 w C l the Gra P e8 growing at Hill Grove, Kidderminster, the residem 
or w. Hatton, Esq. The garden is not a large one, but Mr. Poole, tl 
gardener, acts up to the principle of whatever is worth growing is worl 
fnZTJj W ^ n ’^ e ^ fl 7 0wers or He is also an old reacler of tl 
nab of Horticulture, and anything pertaining to Vine cultu 
he takes the keenest interest in, and very pleasant chats have I had 
with him on this his favourite fruit. 
A variety that he takes especial interest in is Mrs. Pince’s Black 
Muscat, and he is of the opinion that when well grown and looked after 
that it is the best late black Grape in cultivation. The bunches are 
heavy and well shouldered, tapering well down to the point, and coloured 
splendidly. Another variety that he has been most successful with 
is Gros Maroc. It must not be inferred that I mean size of bunch, 
colour, and size of berry, as this is as good as the best of other people’s, 
but in flavour. This, as is well known, is the shoal in many gardens in. 
which it has been wrecked, but not so at Hill Grove. There it is grafted 
on the Madresfield Court. At the time when it first fruited there was 
°P ij°? m f° r . one roc f fh e place of two, and it was a question which 
should be sacrificed, the Madresfield Court or Gros Maroc, but it fell on 
the former. Mr. Poole says that the flavour is vastly improved by the 
union. Now many good gardeners are of the opinion that the stock 
does not influence the scion of any class of fruit as to alter the flavour 
for better or worse; but in this instance if the Madresfield Court has 
not influenced the scion for the better in flavour, what is it ? If the 
majority of gardeners were asked what should be sacrificed in the above 
instance I am sure they would have answered off-hand, Gros Maroc. 
The experiment is well worth trying in other gardens. Gros Colman, 
Lady Downe’s, and Black Hamburgh are equally well grown. 
I also noticed some good crops of Tomatoes produced on plants for 
supplying ripe fruits throughout the winter. The variety was a cross 
between the old Orangefield and Hathaway’s Excelsior. It had the 
productiveness of the former with the size of the latter, it also being 
intermediate in c laracter. The fruits were certainly not so smooth or 
round as one might wish, according to the present standard of an ideal 
Tomato, but they were weighty, and a good colour.—A. Young. 
fokthe WEEK.. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Assistance for Fruit Trees.— The application of food, in the 
shape of natural or artificial manure, is necessary at times to the roots 
ot most trees, in order to sustain them in a continuously fertile state 
The present time of the year affords, perhaps, the best opportunity for 
supp ying fertilising matter, as it also is for enabling the food thus 
supplied to have its virtues gradually washed into the ground, where 
they^can combine with the soil constituents, ready to be arailable 
for the roots in spring. Active extension of root fibres then commences, 
and rich food in suitable quantity being ready to hand they multiply 
rapidly, to the benefit of the trees and crops. ^ ^ 
When Trees Require Assistance. — Help is not absolutely 
needed every year by all trees. Judgment must be exercised in ascertain - 
ing their condition—not only at the present time, but for some months 
previous. Trees which have borne during the current season heavy 
crops of fruit will most likely be in the greatest need of manurial 
assistance. Applied now, it will help them considerably in strengthen¬ 
ing their fruit buds, which may be weakly, owing to having had to 
compete for support with a large crop of fruit. Too heavily cropped 
trees often fad to fruit the next season, because their resources have 
been taxed to the uttermost in perfecting the crop. Such trees should 
not be too heavily manured, or they will be likely to run too much to 
wood, not having that balancing or restricting power which a reason¬ 
able crop of fruit gives. Old-established trees sometimes become 
barren, from the simple fact that the roots have long since exhausted 
the food supplies within their reach, and if the roots do not descend into 
the subsoil in search of that support they cannot find near the surface- 
they will remain in a stationary condition, producing neither healthv 
wood growth nor sufficiently strong fruit buds to give good crops". 
Trees in the latter condition will be benefited by a dressing of manure, 
in either solid or liquid form. A sprinkling of bone dust and occasional 
doses of soot are also beneficial, especially on strong soils. 
Advantsigres °f ivisiniiriiig. —The chief aim of the cultivator in 
enriching the soil with proper substances which experience has found, 
to be best adapted for fruit is to maintain the trees in health, vigour 
and fertility. Annual or biennial top-dressings encourage the produc¬ 
tion of roots near the surface, where they can more easily be fed and 
partake of the natural advantages of air and warmth. To obtain com¬ 
mand of the roots, liberally feeding them with food and moisture as 
they require it, ensures, other conditions of culture being carried out 
well, regular and even crops of good fruit. 
Best Kind of Manure.— As a general rule the best manure for 
the majority of fruit trees and bushes is that from the farmyard It 
contains, if good, a large proportion of the necessary elements which fruit 
trees need, and will always be largely used. If possible, it should be 
neither quite fresh nor thoroughly decayed, but in that state in which 
its component parts are decomposed enough to be of use in supplying 
plant food, but not so decayed that the chief nutritive elements have 
escaped, leaving behind a heavy, soapy mass. In the latter case it is of 
little use. Fresh manure, on the other hand, is more beneficial, as it 
