516 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t December 15, 1887. 
The most important of the evening gatherings was, however, the 
annual dinner of the National Chrysanthemum Society at Anderton’s 
Hotel, Fleet Street, which attracted a large number of members and 
friends. 
- Many of our readers will be glad to see the announcement that 
the Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rev. 
Canon Hole, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, to be Dean of 
Rochester, in the place of Dean Scott, recently deceased. 
- We are informed that the flokat, decorations at the 
People’s Palace on the occasion of the Prince of Wales’s visit on 
Saturday last were supplied by Messrs. John Laing & Sons of Forest 
Hill. 
- Deferring to Calanthes in Baskets at Baby, a corre¬ 
spondent writes:—Having seen the Calanthes at Raby, just at the 
time they were throwing out their flower spikes, I can fully believe all 
that is written about them on page 490 of last week’s Journal. Such 
pseudo-bulbs I never saw before, and I can readily imagine that the 
display they are now making is simply extraordinary. Evidently the 
culture of these Orchids, as well as fruit, Chrysanthemums, and other 
things, is well understood and carried out at Raby, Mr. Westcott giving 
much ot the credit to his intelligent and trusted foreman, who so faith¬ 
fully carries out his instructions.” 
- We regret to learn that a well-known horticulturist, Mr. G. 
Eyles, died rather suddenly at Kew last Thursday. Mr. Eyles was 
formerly with Sir Joseph Paxton at Chatsworth, and was subsequently 
Superintendent at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, which he left to take 
charge of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick and 
Sputh Kensington, the latter being laid out under his direction. Mr. 
A. F. Barron was appointed to the charge of the Chiswick Garden in 
1866, Mr. Eyles retaining the superintendence of the Kensington 
Garden, and in 1875 he resigned this appointment. Since then he has 
been chiefly engaged in landscape gardening, and was for a short time 
Secretary of the Richmond Horticultural Society. Mr. Eyles was 72 
years of age. 
- A meeting of the Horticultural Club was held on the 
evening of Tuesday last, when the chair was taked by E. G. Loder, Esq. 
There were present—Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, Dr. Hogg, Messrs. H. J. 
Veitch, Rivers, Philip Crowley, II. Pearson, A. Pearson, H. Turner, J. 
Walker, George Paul, &c. The evening was spent in discussing the pre¬ 
sent condition and future prospects of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
and the result was to approve of the proceedings that had taken place 
that day at the general meeting at South Kensington. 
-- Wakefield Paxton Society.— What is termed “ the Potato 
night ” was observed at the last meeting of the Paxton Society. There 
was a good gathering of the members at their rooms at Councillor 
Lupton’s, the Saw Hotel. Mr. W. Hudson, gardener at Sandal Grange, 
presided, and Councillor Fryer occupied the vice-chair. Mr. J. P- 
Carter, nurseryman, Cowick, and formerly gardener at Outwood Hall 
and Portobello House, read an interesting paper on “ The Potato.” A 
long discussion ensued on the subject, and whilst a number of speci¬ 
mens were carefully examined, a quantity of well-cooked specimens, 
some in their “ jackets” and others in the peeled state, were thoroughly 
enjoyed. As showing the interest evinced by some of the members of 
the Society in its proceedings, it may be mentioned that Mr. J. W. Simp¬ 
son, an active member of the Committee, who lives near Walton railway 
station, brought with him a quantity of capitally cooked Potatoes pre¬ 
pared at his own home, and placed them on the table at the “ Saw ” 
“ steaming hot.” In the course of the discussion Mr. Simpson fully and 
clearly explained the manner in which the Potatoes were prepared for 
the table, and no doubt many of the members would carry home some 
useful hints. Not only was “ the art of cooking the Potato ” fully dis¬ 
cussed, but also the best means of growing a good crop. Amongst a 
number of specimens exhibited was a variety known as “ The Ohio,” 
which had been brought direct from America. Councillor Fryer pro¬ 
posed a vote of thanks to Mr. Carter for his interesting paper. Mr. H. S. 
Goodyear seconded the motion. On the motion of Mr. Calvert of 
Wrenthorpe, seconded by Mr. G. Parkin, photographer, a hearty vote of 
thanks was given to Mr. Simpson and Councillor Lupton for supplying 
cooked specimens. Mr. Simpson replied, and gave some further hints as 
to the best mode of preparing Potatoes for the table. 
- The Winchester Horticultural Society. —The Execu¬ 
tive Committee have decided to hold their Chrysanthemum Exhibition 
next year on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 13th and 14th. They 
have not yet definitely fixed the date of the Summer Show. 
-A new journal, the Orescent, published at Portsmouth, contains 
in its issue of 9th inst. an excellent portrait of Mr. F. Tower, under 
the heading of “ The Most Useful Councillor.” Mr. Power is the 
Honorary Secretary of the Portsmouth Chrysanthemum Society, and in 
his capacity of town councillor has furthered various objects that have 
Ken of public benefit, upwards of .C1000 having been obtained for the 
hospital from flower shows that he took the lead in establishing in the 
town where he is so widely respected. 
- The issue of the Keiv Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information for 
December contains articles on Cubebs (Piper Cubeba), with an illustra¬ 
tion ; Sabicu Wood (Lysiloma Sabicu), also illustrated ; Mexican Fibre 
or Istle (Agave heteracantha) ; Food Grains of India; Brown Rooted 
Mexican Whisk (Epicampes macroura) ; Contra)erva, the product of 
Dorstenias brasiliensis and Contrajerva and Aristolochia odoratis3ima ; 
the Introduction of the Brazil Nut to the East Indies and Australia! 
and the Castilloa Rubber of Central America. As this number com¬ 
pletes the year an index is given, from which it appears that twenty- 
eight subjects of Colonial and economic interest have been treated 
upon. ' . / 
- Though by no means an unfamiliar plant in .gardens, it is 
comparatively seldom that Agathhaa ccelestis, or the Blue 
Marguerite, as it is sometimes called,’is cultivated in pots for the 
decoration of greenhouses or conservatories in winter. That for this 
purpose it is well adapted is proved by the groups of plants in the 
greenhouse at Kew, where they produce an excellent effect. The 
plants are grown in 48-sized pots, and are compact bushy little speci¬ 
mens, flowering freely, the flower,heads being of a bright clear blue, 
quite refreshing at this time of year. 
- Another plant that is employed in a similar way is Amberboa 
MOSCHATA, and arranged in groujs this is a vclcome addition to the 
plants available for such structures, as although the flower heads are 
not brightly coloured, being of a soft mauve tint, they possess an agree¬ 
able musky fragrance. With them is associated plants of Arctoties, 
arborescens, also a member of the Composite, with irregularly cut 
thick leaves, and large rayed orange-coloured flower heads. 
- Mr. B. S. Williams’s excellent “ Orchid Album ” is pro¬ 
gressing well, as the number of plates that have now appeared exceed 
300, and include representations of all the largest genera, with their 
most beautiful species and varieties, remarkably well executed, and 
faithfully coloured. The recent issue contains the following—Plate 305, 
Odontoglossum Pescatorei Germinyanum, a very beautiful 
variety which flowered in the collection of the Comte de Germiny j 
Chateau de Gouville, France, and it is from that plant the drawing was 
prepared. The flowers are of moderate size, but beautifully formed, 
with broad sepals and petals, the former, especially the two lower ones 
being stained with rose and a few dots, the petals pure white with a 
small crimson dot near the apex, the lip white with a few dark crimson 
spots, and the side lobes are crimson. The plant depicted is a strong 
one, with a long panicle of eighteen flowers. It is said that “ The 
system adopted at Gouville is to keep them in small span-roofed houses, 
having central paths and tables on each side. The range is a long one 
and has divisions of about 30 feet in length, each kind being grown in 
separate divisions. O. Pescatorei and O. Alexandras, however, are culti¬ 
vated together, and the plants are kept near the glass.” 
—;— Plate 306 represents Lycaste plana Measuresiana, a 
variety figured from the collection of R. H. Measures, Esq., The Wood¬ 
lands, Streatham. The sepals are greenish brown as in type, but the 
petals and lip are rounded, pure white, with very numerous circular 
bright rose dots, which have a very'pretty effect. They are much smaller 
in the lip than on the petals. 
-— In plate 307 is depicted the Brazilian Cattleya sororia, 
one of the C. bicolor type in habit, and a rare species, as the plant figured 
is the only one Mr. Williams has seen, and this flowered at Upper 
Holloway in July last year. It has long slender pseudo-bulbs, with 
two leaves each, and a raceme of about three flowers, the sepals and 
petals nearly equal in size, of a fine rosy tint, the lip magenta in the 
centre and lighter at the margin. 
