263 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ September 22, 1892. 
cannot be of any service until the nitrogen which they contain is trans¬ 
formed into that state of chemical combination known as the nitrate. 
Hence the aptitude of organic manures to undergo the process of 
nitrification by means of the nitrifying organisms which are present 
in the soil may be taken as a measure of their activity as manurial 
dressings. 
A great many kinds of animal matter were examined by MM. Muntz 
and Girard, and their relative value as nitrogenous dressings compared, 
with the result that all commercial manures are divided by them into 
three classes—viz., 
A. Dried blood, dried flesh, bone refuse, and guano. 
B. Burnt leather, woollen waste, dried night soil. 
C. Unburnt leather waste. 
These different substances were examined by ascertaining the propor¬ 
tion of nitrate formed during a given time by the method of mixing 
quantities of each substance under similarly comparable conditions, and 
containing each an equivalent quantity of nitrogen with soil containing 
nitrifying organisms. 
With regard to the members of Class A, MM. Miintz and Girard find 
that they all undergo the process of nitrification rapidly. Dried blood, 
dried flesh, bone refuse, and guano are nearly as active as the manures 
of mineral origin, and they have almost the same effect on the crops 
that are treated with them as the mineral manures. 
The manures which appear in Class B do not undergo the process 
of nitrification so rapidly as those in Class A, and the result is that 
their action is usually extended during more than one season, thus 
nourishing the crop of the next year, though not to such an extent as 
in the first year. 
The third class, which is occupied by unburnt leather waste, only 
sustains the nitrification so slowly that during the first year there is no 
appreciable effect upon the crop that is dressed with it. It is 
evident that unburnt leather should only be used in compost heaps, 
for the conversion of its nitrogen into nitrate by the nitrifying organism 
proceeds far too slowly for it to be directly available in nourishing 
the crop. 
Experiments made upon a practical scale (not in pots—a method 
which agriculturists often view with suspicion) have yielded the 
following numerical results for the various manures :— 
Amount of nitrogen utilised j ^ lass A . ^ P er cent > 
in two vears. 1 » _ . » 
MM. Miintz and Girard conclude that the unit weight of nitrogen 
often costs more when purchased in the form of organic manure than 
when purchased as saline manures ; and they are of opinion that it 
would be much more reasonable to pay the higher price at which saline 
manures are placed upon the market, because in this case the nitrogen 
they contain can be immediately made use of, and—which is by no 
means the least important consideration—the quantity of manure 
applied can be fairly accurately arranged according to the particular re¬ 
quirements of the crops which are to be dressed with it. 
A rather humiliating confession is made by these investigators when 
they say that the ordinary chemical methods used in the laboratory 
cannot be relied upon to give any useful information respecting the 
relative value of animal manures ; in fact, they say that no practical 
value can be attached to them.—1ST. T. J. (in The Agricultural Economist'). 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
September 20th. 
The meeting at the Drill Hall on Tuesday was one of the best of 
the ordinary gatherings of the season. Orchids were not, it is true, very 
largely represented, but there were a few of exceptional beauty, while 
the general display of plants and flowers was quite above the average. 
Fruit, too, was splendidly showD, the collections from the Royal 
Gardens at Windsor and from Sawbridgeworth being very fine. Potatoes 
from Chiswick were of considerable interest. 
Fruit Committee.— Present : Philip Crowley, Esq. (in the chair), 
Messrs. T. Francis Rivers, R. D. Blackmore, W. Wilks, George Taber, 
T. J. Saltmarsh, A. Dean, J. A. Laing, G. Cliffe, W. Bates, G. Wythes, 
James Hudson, H. Balderson, G. Norman, W. H. Divers, J. Willard, 
A. Moss, G. W. Cummins, and Dr. Hogg. 
A magnificent contribution came from Mr. Owen Thomas, Royal 
Gardens, Windsor. It comprised about forty dishes of Peaches and 
Nectarines, splendid examples gathered out of doors. Barrington, Sea 
Eagle, Walburton, Princess of Wales, and Prince of Wales Nectarine 
were particularly fine. There were also excellent dishes of Stone’s, 
Brown’s Codlin, Lord Grosvenor, and Frogmore Prolific Apples; Doyennd 
Boussoch, Autumn Josephine de Malines, and Beurrd d’Amanlis Pears ; 
two baskets of Morus nigra, a large conical Mulberry ; a dish of Quinces, 
and Nottingham Medlars, twenty dishes of Plums, including one of the 
Frogmore Damson, a large oval-shaped fruit ; fourteen Melons, a dozen 
grand Smooth Cayenne Pines, fine clusters of Alicante and Raisin de 
Calabre Grapes, also a basket of Black Hamburghs cut from the Cum¬ 
berland Lodge Vine, another from the Hampton Court Vine, and a third 
of the Strawberry Grape, a diminutive fruit. A silver-gilt medal was 
recommended. Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, had a very 
fine contribution, comprising splendid fruit of Sea Eagle, Albatross, 
Princess of Wales, Nectarine and Gladstone Peaches, also two fine 
seedlings, both large and very handsome fruits ; Pond’s Seedling, Late 
Transparent, Monarch, and a seedling Plum, Ribston Pippin Apple and 
a seedling Pear. A silver Banksian medal was recommended for this 
fine display. Mr. Willard, Holly Lodge, Highgate, was accorded a vote 
of tharAs for a splendid dish of Barrington Peaches grown out of 
doors ; and Mr. Mortimer, Farnham, received a similar recognition for 
a dish of fruit of Ribes sanguineum. The Rt. Hon. Lady Theodore 
Guest, Inwood House, Henstridge (gardener, Mr. Wilkins), exhibited 
a dish of Mangoes (Mangifera indica), and was awarded a cultural 
commendation. Mr. Molyneux, Swanmore Park Gardens, Bishop’s 
Waltham, was accorded a vote of thanks for Worcester Pearmain 
Apples, large and very full of colour. Mr. J. Tegg, Beardwood 
Gardens, Wokingham, exhibited a good seedling Melon, a round pale 
yellow evenly netted fruit, orange fleshed, and of excellent flavour 
(award of merit). 
Messrs. Sutton and Sons received a first class certificate for their 
Prizewinner Runner Bean (see below). Mr. G. T. Bodley, 99, Lough¬ 
borough Park, London, S.W., sent a collection of Apples grown in a 
London back yard, some being excellent examples, and a cultural com¬ 
mendation was awarded. Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co. received a first 
class certificate for Runner Bean, Hill’s Prize (see below). Forty varieties 
of Potatoes came from the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden, and 
four received first class certificates (see below). Awards of merit were 
made to Crawley Prizetaker (Cheal), a large handsome kidney likely to be 
good for general use and show ; King of the Earlies, a medium sized 
kidney ; Paul’s White Round, an excellent round of good size, even and 
an excellent cropper ; and Harris’s White Russett. Messrs. Carter and 
Co. sent growths of the fine Tomato Blenheim Orange, well clothed with 
fruit (award of merit). 
Floral Committee. —Present : J. Fraser, Esq. (in the chair), 
Messrs. 0. Thomas, B. Wynne, R. Dean, R. Owen, G. Phippen, H. B. 
May, Chas. T. Druery, F. Ross, W. C. Leach, C. F. Bause, J. Walker, 
W. Bain, C. Jefferies, N. Davis, E. Mawley, T. Baines, C. Noble, 
H. Turner, G. Paul, W. Watson, H. H. D’Ombrain, and T. W. Girdle- 
stone. 
Some excellent exhibits were placed before this Committee. Messrs. 
Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N., sent a splendid collection of Fancy, Show, 
Cactus, and Pompon Dahlias, also a number of Fuchsias, Violas, 
French and African Marigolds, and Antirrhinums (silver-gilt Flora 
medal). The Dahlias were exceedingly good, and among them were 
some fine varieties. Two Show sorts, Canary Bird and Conquest, sent 
out this year by Messrs. Dobbie & Co., were specially good; the first- 
named is a rich yellow, and the latter a light magenta. An award of 
merit was adjudged for the strain of French Marigolds shown by 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., who also exhibited blooms of a “new” type of 
single Dahlias, which were passed. Messrs. G. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, 
had a collection of hardy flowers bright and fresh in appearance 
(bronze Banksian medal). An effective group of Crotons was staged 
by Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son (silver Banksian medal). The plants 
were richly coloured, and made a pleasing contrast to the hardy and 
other flowers shown. Messrs. J. Laing & Son, Forest Hill, had a 
group of miscellaneous plants tastefully arranged (silver Banksian 
medal). They also exhibited blooms of a neat double Begonia named 
Wm. Allen Richardson made up in sprays. In colour the flowers 
somewhat resemble the Rose of that name, and are most effective 
arranged with Asparagus plumosus and Fern fronds. Some fine blooms 
of other double Begonias were likewise shown. 
Messrs. F. Ross & Co., Merstham Nurseries, Surrey, staged a plant of 
Aristolochia gigas var. Sturtevanti, for which a first-class certificate was 
awarded. This is referred to elsewhere. Mr. Quarterman, gardener to 
C. E. Smith, Esq., Silvermere, Cobham, sent a collection of Pine cones, 
for which a vote of thanks was accorded. Mr. R. Owen, Maidenhead, 
showed a white Chrysanthemum named Princess May, a seedling from 
Madame C. Desgranges, and an English seedling designated Harvest 
Home. Messrs. Perkins & Sons, Coventry, staged several Dahlias, one 
of which named Matchless was adjudged an award of merit. This is 
described below. A small group of Ferns came from Mr. H. B. May, 
Dyson’s Lane, Edmonton, and amongst them some choice varieties were 
noticeable. One named Pteris nivalis was awarded a first-class certi¬ 
ficate, and is referred to elsewhere. A silver variegated Elder (a sport), 
shown by Miss Alice de Rothschild, Eythorpe, Bucks (gardener, Mr. 
Gibbs), was adjudged an award of merit, the foliage being exceedingly 
pretty. A vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Royal 
Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, for a box of their hybrid Streptocarpus. 
Dahlias were well represented. Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, staged 
a few bunches of single varieties. W. Keith, Esq., Cornwalls, 
Brentwood (gardener, Mr. J. T. West), had a splendid collection of 
Show, Fancy, Cactus, and Pompon types. Among the latter, two, named 
Arthur West and Tommy Keith, were adjudged awards of merit. These 
are described below. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, had a stand of Show 
Dahlias, and another of Pompons, of sterling merit. One of the Show 
varieties, named Kathleen, was adjudged an award of merit, and is 
referred to elsewhere. Mr. A. Rawlings, Romford, staged a fine 
collection of Show and Fancy varieties, for which a silver Banksian 
medal was recommended. The flowers were bright in colour, R. T. 
Rawlings, Queen of the Belgians, George Rawlings, Mrs. Vagg, and 
Arthur Rawlings being specially good. Mr. S. Mortimer, Swiss Nursery, 
Rowledge, Farnham, also had a collection of Dahlias, and a bronze 
medal was recommended. The best of these were Majestic, Maud 
Fellowes, Lord Salisbury, and John Walker. 
Messrs. Reid & Bornemann, Sydenham, showed a white hairy-petalled 
Chrysanthemum named George Jones, which was apparently passed, 
