January 24, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
79 
other of the florets. The writer proceeds to quote the following obser¬ 
vation of Mr. Burbidge :—“ The Chrysanthemum had ages ago become 
naturally adapted for cross-fertilisation, and to that fact, no doubt, is 
due its variability in Nature and our own gardens.” Mr. Ironside 
thereupon asks :—“ Why does history refer conspicuously to the varieties 
raised by their comparatively few raisers 1 Surely if cross-fertilisation 
were natural the raising of new varieties would seem a common event 
not worth chronicling ? ” This question might be asked of all other 
plants as well. The reply is that Mr. Burbidge here refers to one cause 
of variability, intercrossing, and omits the commoner one, a change of 
environment, which may give rise to it as well. With regard to the 
former there is always the antagonistic process of self-fertilisation to 
overcome. This Axes, or tends to fix, characters, while the other tends 
to alter them. Self-fertilisation, however, is the rule in Nature, not¬ 
withstanding the numerous contrivances for intercrossing. Mr. Ironside 
adds the further question :—“ Do our English authorities, when 
describing the seeding or fertilisation of flowers not indigenous to the 
soil of Great Britain, give their opinions of experiences based on their 
having seen them in their native state, or otherwise ? ” Perhaps some 
author will reply to this question. 
CLEOME HEPTAPHYLLA. 
A CORRESPONDENT has had seeds of Cleome heptaphylla sent to 
him, and desires a description of the flower and a little information 
as to the culture essential. With regard to the form of the blooms, 
the illustration (fig. 14) shows it admirably, while the colour is white 
with long purplish stamens. The plant is of moderate height with 
seven-lobed leaves. It can be treated similarly to many other annuals 
from warm climates—namely, the seeds are sown in heat, and the 
young plant* grown in light soil in the stove, or placed during the 
summer in the conservatory. It flowers late in the summer and 
autumn, and lasts some weeks in good condition with ordinary care. 
TABLE DECORATIONS. 
I AM sure this is a subject which concerns every practical gardener. 
I am interested in and should like to learn something new about 
it. Circumstances alter cases, and what is tolerated in one place is not 
allowed in another ; for instance, I have been obliged to change my plan 
of decorations from what I had learned at Trentham under those accom¬ 
plished decorators, the late Mr. L. Stevens and the present Mr. P. 
Blair. 
I have lively recollections of the decorations of the large dinner 
table there. It was fashionable in those days to have groups of plants 
on the table, consisting of Orchids, Ferns, Panicum variegatum and 
others ; also by way of change Grapes and dwarf Apple trees in pots, 
while suitable branches to make groups were employed during the 
autumn and winter months. On one or two occasions I remember an 
uncommon but unique arrangement being worked out there called the 
snowstorm, but I would not advise anyone to attempt it only on a large 
scale. It consists of light and graceful branches of Birch as specimens 
for each end of the table, to be surrounded by suitable branches and 
twigs of hardy shrubs. In the centre we used a plateau of glass, around 
which we arranged points of Conifer branches inserted in balls of clay 
mossed up, which represented specimen trees around a lake. The whole 
of the branches were wetted land dusted with common whiting before 
being arranged, and at the finish were “jack-frosted” over with a 
material obtained in town. Such an arrangement caused quite a furore 
at Trentham on several occasions when there were special visitors there. 
I am in favour of using one or two colours only for the same occasion, 
and where Orchids are grown in quantity we have an abundance of 
material at hand for table work. During the autumn and early winter 
months I make use of variegated leaves such as Maples, Ampelopsis, and 
Vines ; they work in well with Chrysanthemums, and so do long trailing 
pieces of variegated Ivy. I always aim at using material which will 
blend harmoniously ; for instance. Orchids, Maidenhair Fern, and 
Asparagus plumosus are inseparable. Boses with their own foliage seem 
to me to be the proper dressing for a display of these flowers. I could 
describe more minutely several designs suitable for round and square 
tables if necessary. I believe it was the fashion in London a year ago 
to have table decoration carried out in the way of sprays laid on the 
tablecloth with an abundance of Myrsiphyllum trailing about in vacant 
places. I shall be pleased to hear from some of our able gardeners who 
are up to date in the work in question.— Herbert May, Marhree Castle 
Gardens, Sligo, 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. 
On Thursday, January 17th, the fifty-sixth annual general meeting 
of this gardening charity took place at Simpson’s Hotel, 101, Strand, 
W.C. Mr. Harry J. Veitch presided over a fair attendance, and among 
those present we noticed Dr. Masters, F.R.S., Mr. J. H. Veitch, Mr. H, 
Williams, Mr. J. Laing and Mr. J. Laing, jun., Mr. R. Hogg, Mr. R. 
Dean, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Wythes, Mr. H. Turner, Mr. 
Thomas Manning, Mr. Munro, Mr. A. F. Barron, and other influential 
gentlemen well known in horticultural circles. 
After reading the minutes of the previous annual meeting, the 
Secretary (Mr. G. J. Ingram) read the report and balance-sheet ofithe 
Institution for 1894. We append these in full. 
Committee’s Report. 
In iubmitting the fifty-sixth report of the Gardeners’ Royal Bene¬ 
volent Institution, the Committee have the satisfaction of again con¬ 
gratulating the members and subscribers on the continued prosperity 
of the work which has now been carried on with such signal success 
for the past fifty-six years, and has been the means of conferring year 
by year an increasing amount of benefit upon a most worthy class of 
FIG. 14.—CLEOME HEPTAPHYLLA. 
society who have been compelled to seek aid from the funds of the 
charity. 
The Committee have much pleasure in stating that the annual 
festival dinner, held in June last, was most successful. They desire to 
acknowledge their great indebtedness to Sir Julian Goldsmid, Bart., 
M.P., who presided on that occasion, and whose able advocacy of the 
claims of the Institution and personal liberality conduced in a very 
large measure to the financial result which was attained. The Com¬ 
mittee also desire to tender their hearty thanks to those gentlemen who 
acted as stewards, as well as to those friends who, either by gifts of 
flowers and fruit or in other ways, contributed to make the festival a 
success. 
During the past year fifteen pensioners have passed away. The 
Committee have therefore decided to recommend an addition of fourteen 
pensioners to those now on tbe books, eight of whom they ask the 
subscribers to place on the funds without the trouble and expense of an 
election, they having fulfilled the conditions of Rule III., 5, the remain¬ 
ing six to be elected in the usual manner. It is with much regret that 
the Committee feel themselves unable to assist a larger number of 
candidates, the more so as the list of those seeking election is the largest 
on record in the history of the Institution. They deeply deplore the 
fact that there must be at least thirty-six unsuccessful applicants whose 
claims, urgent though they are, cannot be met. If “hope deferred 
