Jane 21, 189i. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
497 
- Bibmixgham Amateub Gabdenebs’ Association. —This 
Association appears to be flourishing, there being now 230 members, 
who had their annual excursion on the 9!,h inst., the destination being 
Eagley Hall, Alcester. Mr. Christie, head gardener to the Marquis of 
Hertford, kindly conducted the party through the gardens. The follow¬ 
ing programme has been prepared for the ensuing six months:— 
July 4th, impromptu discussion, Mr. W. H. Wilks ; Aug. 1st, ‘ Hyacinths, 
Narcissi, and other Ordinary Bulbs,’ Mr. Wm. B. GrifBn ; 15th, questions 
and discussions, Mr. Geo. Pressly ; Sept. 5th, ‘ Hardy Plants, particularly 
those suitable for Parks and Public Places,’ Mr. W. B. Child, F.R.H.S. ; 
19th, impromptu discussion, Mr. C. Shotton ; Oct. 3rd, a paper given by 
Mr. F. Nash of Bath on ‘ Lilies and Irises’ before the members of the 
Bristol Society, to be read by the Secretary ; 17th, questions and dis¬ 
cussions, Mr. W. H. Peake ; Slst, impromptu discussion, Mr. E. D. Clark ; 
Nov. 7th, ‘Judging,’ Mr. T. P. Cope ; 21st, discussion and queries, Mr- 
A. Roe ; Dec. 5th, lecture (subject to be announced), Mr. Herbert Stone’ 
F.L.S.” These meetings commence at eight o’clock prompt, and each 
member has the privilege of bringing a friend. Mr. W. B. GrifBn, 
Wychbury, Alcestei Road, Moseley, is the Hon. Secretary. 
- Messbs. Sutton & Sons’ Annual Excubsion. — The first 
day of perfect summer weather, Thursday in last week, was, fortunately 
for those who took part in it, chosen as the date of the excursion which 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons annually provide for their employes; and the 
charming climatic conditions, being all that were needed in addition to 
the arrangements made by the firm, put the finishing touch to a day of 
thorough enjoyment. Starting at 7.50 A.M., the heavy special train, 
which had been provided by the S.E.R. Co., conveyed nearly 600 happy 
persons to Brighton, which has been visited twice before, and was this 
year again selected by the general wish ; and “ London-by-the-Sea ” was 
reached by 11 A.M. The attractions of Brighton were fully enjoyed by 
the excursionists, the Aquarium (for which tickets of admission were 
given by Messrs. Sutton to every one of the party) was much patronised. 
The return journey was completed about 11 p.m., when the happy party 
dispersed, expressions of thanks being heard on all hands for Messrs. 
Sutton’s liberality, which was, as usual, of the most complete character. 
In addition to providing the special train, &c, every married man 
received an invitation for his wife ; every employ^ was before starting, 
as usual, given a sum fully adequate to the day’s needs in the matter of 
refreshments and amusements; and, still more, all four partners— 
Mr. Martin J. Sutton, Mr. Herbert Sutton, Mr. Arthur W. Sutton, and 
Mr. Leonard G. Sutton, as well as Mrs. M. J. Sutton and Mrs. A. W. 
Sutton—accompanied the party, and, as on every other occasion, by 
their personal and kindly exertions promoted the happiness and 
enjoyment of all.—(“ Reading Mercury.”) 
- Wakefield Paxton Society. —A lecture on “ Summer Treat¬ 
ment of Fruit Trees ” was delivered by Mr; T. Pitts, head gardener to 
Mr. D. B. Kendell, J.P., of Thornhill House, Walton, at a recent 
meeting of this Society. Mr. Pitts dealt with his subject in a practical 
and interesting manner, pointing out the great importance of treating 
fruit trees in a proper manner in their infancy, because they could not 
expect good fruit from bad stock. He clearly and fully explained the 
proper mode of planting fruit trees, showing that the young roots must 
be carefully preserved and spread out, and the trees must not be planted 
too deep. If a tree was of a good stock, was properly planted, and the 
weather was seasonable, it would thrive. He expressed himself strongly 
in favour of the free use of the pruning knife amongst young fruit trees 
in summer, saying that it was a case of spare the knife and spoil the 
tree. He also warned his hearers against the practice of working young 
fruit trees too much, or allowing them to bear too much fruit in their 
infancy. He said fruit trees require well feeding in the summer monthsi 
and he recommended liquid manure. Raspberry canes, he said, require 
free manuring between the rows, which should be 4, 5, or 6 feet apart. 
In doing this they must be careful not to damage the young and fibrous 
roots round the canes. After fruiting the old canes should be removed, 
and not left until the following spring. He preferred wood stakes or 
wood laths to galvanised wire supports, and the ground should be top- 
dressed in spring and not in autumn. He was in favour of growing 
Currant trees in the standard form ; they should be judiciously pruned, 
and if when bearing the trees were covered with old muslin the fruit 
could be preserved on the trees until October or November. He was 
also in favour of making shrubberies useful as well as beautiful by 
mixing fruit trees with the shrubs. In all their work amongst fruit 
trees they must exercise patience, and not expect good results at once. 
In order to keep fruit trees free from insects he recommended syringing 
with water in which quassia chips had been soaked. 
We regret to learn that this gentleman, who has played such an 
important part in the distribution of American seedlings, has been 
confined to his bed with a severe attack of pneumonia. The latest 
advices inform us that he is now out of danger, although still very weak, 
and we are sure we only echo the wish of all those Chrysanthemum 
growers who are interested in American varieties when we express the 
hope that he may be speedily restored to his accustomed health and 
strength. 
American horticulture could ill afford to spare one who has done so 
much to popularise it on this side of the Atlantic, and we trust the next 
advices will assure us that he is once more himself. 
A Belgian Chbysanthemuai Catalogue. 
Mr. 0. de Meulenaere, an eminent Chrysanthemum grower in Ghent 
and a prominent exhibitor at the shows of the Royal Horticultural and 
Botanical Society there, is engaged on the preparation of a very ex¬ 
haustive list of varieties that have been distributed since 1890, supple¬ 
mental to the work he published that year entitled, “ Liste Descriptive 
des Chrysanth^mes d’Hiver.” It will appear in time for next season’s 
shows, and will make the fourth Belgian book on the subject that has 
been issued since 1888, by which we may conclude that the popular 
flower is still holding its own in King Leopold’s little realm. Mr. de 
Meulenaere has adopted an entirely different method of arrangement from 
that practised here, upon which I may have something further to say 
later on. 
National Chbysanthbmum Society op America. 
The American Florists’ Directory for 1894 gives the following 
particulars about this Society. It was organised at Buffalo, N.Y., 
August 22nd, 1889, under the name of the American Chrysanthemum 
Society, which was changed to the National Chrysanthemum Society of 
America in 1893. Its aims are to supervise the distribution of new 
Chrysanthemums, and prevent as far as possible the introduction of 
worthless varieties, to ensure correct nomenclature, to promote the 
formation of local Chrysanthemum societies, and encourage better 
methods of cultivation. An official register is kept, by which duplica¬ 
tion of names is avoided. Synonyms are watched for, and when 
discovered are reported to members and the trade generally. Meetings 
of the Society are held in conjunction with the Annual Conventions of 
the Society of American Florists. 
A Japanese Nubseby in Amebica. 
The commercial enterprise of the ingenious Japanese is proverbial. 
Although the horticulturists of the Land of the Rising Sun have not 
yet favoured this country with much of their attention, yet at the 
last Paris Exhibition and at the World’s Fair in Chicago they were 
well and efficiently represented. I am informed that a Mr. Yoshiike 
has recently opened a nursery in California for the growing and distri¬ 
buting of Japanese plants in the States. His catalogue, printed in 
English, hardly compares with the more elaborate publication of the kind 
issued by the Yokohama Gardeners’ Association, but contains announce¬ 
ments of novelties in Palms, fruit trees, Roses, Pelargoniums, Chrysan¬ 
themums, and other florists’ flowers. The portion devoted to Chrysan¬ 
themums amounts to thirty pages, many of the varieties named being 
Japanese seedlings. Some of them are strongly suggestive of Japanese 
nomenclature, such as White Lotus, Golden Brocade, Morning Glow, 
Silver Waves, The Tiger, Flying Crane, Golden Pheasant, Golden Waves, 
Harvest Moon, Master of Garden, Mount Fuzi, Royal Brocade, White 
Crane and Yellow Lily. 
Chbysanthemum Salad, 
Having long been acquainted with the custom of eating Chrysan¬ 
themums as a salad in Japan I made the attempt in 1892, but the 
experiment can hardly be considered a gastronomical success, although 
I tried them raw, boiled, and dried for use in soup. In the case of 
friends desirous of imitating my example I quote the following from Mr. 
Yoshiike’s catalogue. “ Delicacy, the edible Chrysanthemum. The 
flowers of this valuable variety are large and graceful, colour the brightest 
golden yellow; petals broad, long and incurving; very early and profuse 
bloomer. One of the finest in the entire Chrysanthemum family. Atsome 
districts in Japan hundreds of acres of land are used for the cultivation of 
these edible Chrysanthemum flowers for table. Cook the flowers in 
boiling water about thirty minutes and take them out into clear, cold 
water ; let them stay there twenty minutes or longer, then take them 
out and squeeze all the water off. add salt and vinegar. They are very 
sweet and of desirable taste and flavour.” 
For my part this recipe comes to hand too late, and the only advice 
I offer to those who wish to try the so-called “ delicacy ” is to see, which 
I did not, that the blooms are quite free from green fly.—C. H. P. 
