December 20, 1688. ] JOURNAL 
OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
557 
scalding, but, now that he has been invited to do so, we may look 
forward with interest.—W m. Bardney. 
THE NATIONAL AURICULA AND CARNATION AND 
PICOTEE SOCIETIES.— December 14th, 1888. 
Is it not a somewhat unusual proceeding to report the minutes of the 
-committee of any society unless by authority of its officers ? An annual 
meeting is a different matter, being open to all, and I think it is a pity 
■that the notice of the last Committee meeting should, have been inserted 
as it is inaccurate both in its statements and omissions. The statement 
that a new class for yellow ground Picotees was made to include seifs is 
a mistake. It was to include, not seifs but Carnations, as it was felt that 
some of the striped flowers were as worthy of recognition as the edged 
ones. The balance in hand was not £40 but £30, nor had I or Mr. 
Douglas anything to do with it. It was to be invested by Messrs. Hibberd 
and Leonard. The writer omitted to state that £5 was taken off the 
■classes for twenty-four Carnations and twenty-four Picotees, and that an 
additional class was made by dividing scarlet and rose-edged Picotees — 
H. Honywood D’Ombrain, Chairman of Committees. 
[The question of reporting the transactions at committee meetings 
appears to us to be entirely one for committees to decide. When°a 
report is received by us from a member of a committee, we take it for 
granted its publication is desired, and that is our justification for its 
insertion.] 
DIANTHUS GLACIALIS. 
A CHARMIXG little alpine gem, which is admirably adapted for any 
moderately elevated nook in a rockery, or crevices between slabs of 
FIG. G2.-DIANTHUS GLACIALIS. 
stone. It foims a neat compact little tuft of leaves, and produces its 
comparatively large rose-tinted flowers freely when the situation suits it. 
'■Some of these small alpine plants are rather fastidious and difficult to 
manage under cultivation, but this is not the case with Dianthus glacialis 
if care is taken to protect it from enemies and to provide a position free 
from stagnant moisture. The latter is essential, and more of such plants 
suffer from neglect in this matter than in any other respect. 
MANURE AND MOISTURE. 
Mr. Igguldex’s very instructive article on Pear trees brings to 
light a system of feeding which is but little treated upon in 
gardening literature. It is a common fallacy that manure must 
not touch the roots of the plant which it is intended to nourish, 
but should only be applied as a top-dressing, this being in many 
cases several inches from the roots. Now in the case of young or 
newly planted trees the latter method is without doubt the proper 
way in which it should be applied ; but when trees are old and 
■showing signs of barrenness, there is nothing like baring tbe roots 
and placing it thereon, covering this with a portion of the soil 
again, as stated in the article referred to above. No one who has 
seen the cordon wall at Marston on such an exceptionally bad Pear 
season as the past can doubt the soundness of Mr. Iggulden’s 
remarks. The general evenness and quality of the fruit when I 
had the pleasure of seeing it on the trees during a hurried visit 
was remarkable. Unfortunately, the time was too short for me 
to inquire into many details—which I am sure would have been 
freely told me—so that I have read with double interest the facts 
about Pears. 
But it is not fruit trees alone which I have seen beneSted by 
this treatment. A successful Rose-grower was showing me his 
favourites several years ago, and as we walked round I could not 
but admire the general condition of the plants, remarking at the 
same time that the soil must be of the nature to suit Roses. 
“ Quite the opposite,” was the reply, as he stirred the gravel, for 
it was little better ; “ but every year I clear away the soil down 
to the roots, and give each one a good thickness of manure, facing 
it with the soil again, and you see how they like it.” They liked 
it so well that I gave those under my charge the same treatment 
the next winter with such a satisfactory result that I still continue 
the practice. 
That insufficient moisture at the roots is in a great measure the 
cause of many failures amongst Avail trees is an opinion which I 
have held for some time, especially as regards Apricots, and that 
opinion was strengthened considerably in my run through Marston 
Gardens. My time was too short to note with exactness, but as 
nearly as I can remember, running parallel with the cordon Pears 
were some of the most perfect specimens of Apricot trees which I 
have seen—not a gap anywhere, nor a decaying branch. But on 
another wall, where they were under the protection of a glass 
coping, an occasional gap could be seen, as is so frequently the 
case. It is not to be inferred from this that the protected trees 
were neglected Avith water, but those which were exposed must 
have had it far more continuously. I have noticed that there is a 
greater absence of dead branches on Apricot trees than usual this 
year, and it seems to me that the wet has something to do with 
that result. Mr. Iggulden’s views on this subject would, I am sure, 
be appreciated by many readers of the Journal.—M. D. 
THE NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW. 
The usual annual meeting of the supporters of this Exhibition took 
place by kind permission at the Horticultural Club, Hotel Windsor, 
Victoria Street, Westminster, on the 14th inst., Mr. Harry Turner in the 
chair, present also—Messrs. E. Mawley, T. W. Girdlestone, W. H. Wil¬ 
liams, J. Burrell, Geo. Harris, A. Rawlings, R. Dean, J. T. West, and H. 
Glasscock, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. The balance sheet showed 
subscriptions for the past year amounting to £59 10s. 6d., with the 
usual gift of £50 from the Crystal Palace Company. The expenditure 
amounted to £114 10s. Gd., inc’uding £103 10s. paid as prize money, 
and the balance was made up by a pro rata deduction from the prize 
money of the trade exhibitors in accordance with the provisions of 
Rule 10. The accounts were duly passed. A conversation then took 
place on the advisability of forming a permanent society with proper 
rules and regulations and a properly constituted executive. It was 
thought that if this step was taken several of the exhibitors who do not 
now subscribe to the prize fund might be'willing to do so. Eventu¬ 
ally the matter was left in the hands of the Committee. Mr. H. 
Glasscock reported that he had received a communication from Mr. 
W. G. Head, on behalf of the Crystal Palace Company, to the effect 
that the Directors would give the same amount of money as last year 
towards the compilation of a prize schedule, and also supply as heretofore 
the necessary staging, take the entries, and print the schedule of prizes. 
This offer Avas accepted with hearty thanks to the Crystal Palace 
authorities, and the first Friday and Saturday in September Avere named 
as the most suitable days for the Show in 1889, subject to the approval 
of the Manager of the Crystal Palace. 
It Avas resolved that for the future the Judges should be selected 
from the exhibitors, the amateurs to judge the traders’ flowers, and 
vice versa, the luncheon to the Judges to be discontinued as a charge 
in the balance sheet. The schedule of prizes as offered last year Avas 
passed as that for the Show in September next. The Hon. Secretary 
stated that he had been in communication with the Trustees of the 
Turner Memorial Fund Avith a view of obtaining a grant for the Ex¬ 
hibition next year, but he had been informed that the money had 
been voted for "the promotion of Tulip culture. Mr. Glasscock inti¬ 
mated that o'wing to age and increasing infirmities he should have to 
relinquish the post of Tlon. Secretary and Treasurer, and he proposed 
that Mr. T. W. Girdlestone should be elected in his stead. Mr. Girdle- 
stone having consented, the nomination was seconded, and the election 
carried unanimously, A cordial vote of thanks Avas passed to Mr, 
Glasscock for his past services. In revising the list of officers and Com¬ 
mittee the name of Mr. Glasscock was placed among the Vice-Presi¬ 
dents The folloAving were added to the Committee Messrs. W. Hap- 
thorpe and J. Burrell, Cambridge ; J. Cheal, Crawley; J. Gilbert, 
Ipswich ; W. Holmes, Hackney ; Geo. Paul, Cheshunt; I. J. Saltmarsh, 
Chelmsford; J. Tranter, Henley-on-Thames; and J. Walker, Thame. 
