February 23, 1688. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
149 
Nicholson. When the usual loyal toasts had been given by the Chair¬ 
man, he proposed “ Success to the Horticultural Club,” and mentioned 
that it had been able, during the past year, to offer a place of meeting, 
not only to the National Rose Society, but to the Nursery and Seed 
Trade Protection Society, the National Dahlia Society, the National 
Carnation and Picotec Society, and the National Auricula Society, and 
had thus shown its value to the horticultural world in general. The 
Secretary, in responding, announced that the Committee had that day 
voted a donation to the Gardeners’ Orphanage Fund, as they had done 
some years ago to the Gardeners’ Benevolent Institution. The toast of 
the “ Royal Horticultural Society ” was responded to by Mr. Harry 
\eitch ; the “Horticultural Press” by Dr. Hogg; and the “Visitors” 
by Mr. Barron and Mr. Nicholson. Some magnificent bunches of Gros 
Colman Grape were kindly sent by Mr. Thomson of,Clovenfords, and 
some beautifully coloured Apples by Messrs. Rivers and Geo. Bunyard, 
the former also contributing a dish of fine samples of Knight’s Monarch 
Pear. A very pleasant and agreeable evening was spent, and hearty 
wishes expressed for the prosperity of the Club. 
- Gakdening Appointment. —Mr. Robert Titterington, late 
foreman at Dallam Tower gardens, Westmoreland, has been appointed 
head gardener to H. T. Welsh, Esq., Leek Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale, 
Westmoreland, in place of the much-respected Mr. F. B. Brookes, 
deceased. 
- We learn that Mb. T. W. Helliwell, 5, Westminstee 
Chambees, London, S.W., has been awarded the gold medal from the 
Jubilee of Railways Exhibition at Paris, 1887, for his patent system of 
glazing. 
- Me. H. Swift, Balrath Burry, Kells, Co. Meath, sends us some 
fine flowers of Feeesia eefeacta alba, five and six to a scape and 
extremely fragrant. Our correspondent remarks that “ They have been 
grown on the shelf in a cool house near the glass, only keeping the frost 
out. I have thirty pots of them and they are much admired.” 
- Gaeden Liteeatuee and Aet.—“ From the very earliest 
times,” writes Mr. F. W. Burbidge in “ Harper’s Magazine,” we find 
gardening illumined and directed by the pen. Bacon’s celebrated essay 
‘ On Gardens ’ will recur to those interested, and George Herbert, the 
divine, quaintly tells us that ‘ of gardening and building no man know- 
eth the cost ”—a shrewd observation which is likely to find an echo in 
the experience of many who have ventured on either pursuit. I have 
purposely avoided many allusions to ancient or what are properly called 
classical authors, but I cannot resist pointing out the fact that some of 
our most successful writers of to-day, and of those whose works are 
read in these pages, are literally anil truly gardeners. Who has not 
lingered over ‘ Christowell,’ by R. D. Blackmore, who Virgil-like, devotes 
much of his time to his fruit trees at Twickenham ? And have we not 
noted the true instinct of fruit and flower culture in ‘ Nature’s Serial 
Story ’ and in the ‘ Home Acre,’ by Mr. E. P. Roe, or laughed at Charles 
Dudley Warner’s ‘My Summer in a Garden;” Even the artists share 
the fate of .the writers, and become bond-servants to Flora. I have 
never seen Mr. W. H. Gibson’s garden, but I am quite sure he has a 
good one, for it is only true and practical gardeners who can draw leaves 
and petals as he and Mr. Alfred Parsons do draw them. Everyone fond 
of flowers and gardens should read Alphonse Karr’s ‘ Tour Round My 
Garden :’ also ‘ Days and Hours in a Garden,’ by Mrs. Boyle (E.V.B.) ; 
and every work written by the late Mrs. J. H. Ewing is alive with sym¬ 
pathy for garden blossoms, as is also a little volume entitled ‘The Six 
of Spades,’ a book about the garden and the gardener, by the Rev. Rey¬ 
nolds Hole, the genial pastor and rosarian, who formulated the aphorism 
that‘he who would grow beautiful Roses in his garden must first of 
all have beautiful Roses in his heart.’ Charles Kingsley had a charm¬ 
ing little garden near the Pine trees at Eversley, and both he and his 
brother, Henry Kingsley, the novelist, always wrote feelingly on flori¬ 
culture. There is scarcely a single work of John Ruskin’s that docs 
not enlighten us as to the exquisite fitness and grace of vegetation, and 
in his ‘ Proserpina ; or, a Study of Wayside Flowers,’ there arc minute 
studies and much subtle reasoning as to their anatomy and nomen¬ 
clature.” 
-We referred briefly to the annual meeting of the United 
HoeticdltueAl Peovident and Benefit Society last week. 
Notwithstanding its unwieldy name this institution has done, is doingi 
will do much good to those gardeners who belong to it, or to their 
representatives. The Society is strong and gaining in strength yearly, 
and so it will continue to do with a steady accretion of new members. 
The sum invested in consols is now £4000. Though the claims of the 
benefit fund have been heavy, amounting to upwards of £C0, the fund 
has increased in round figures from £2482 to £2879 during the year. 
There have been no claims on the benevolent fund, which has risen 
from £1092 to £1183. The management fund shows a balance of £19 
over expenditure, but the outlay is quite insufficient for keeping the 
advantages of the Society before the public. This fund is inadequate 
for the important work of extension ; the benevolent fund in exc. ss of 
requirements ; and if half the contributions of honorary members could 
be turned to the management fund and more business enterprise dis¬ 
played the Society might become a great national institution. It would 
have remained almost stationary but for the eSorts of outside friends, 
yet, if we are correctly informed, even press invitations were not issued 
for the meeting. In answer to inquiries we give the address of the 
Secretary—Mr. W. Collins, 5, Martinhoe Terrace, Martindale Road, 
Balham, London, S.W. 
- Me. W. J. Muephy, Clonmel, in referring to remarks which 
have appeared concerning Caetee’s Steatagem Pea, observes that he 
has found it “ one of the best Peas ever issued. If grown in firm ground, 
even though tolerably rich, it will not exceed 3 feet high ; and if for 
exhibition, where size is imperative, thinning both side stems and extra 
fruiting flowers is desirable. Surely Mr. Swan (page 132) does not mean 
to say I he can grow the splendid specimens he describes, ‘ with forty 
pods to a plant, and from eight to ten peas in each, having his plants in 
rows only 6 inches between the rows ? ’ This Pea is an immense 
favourite with birds and vermin, so when wanted early I would 
recommend Mr. Garner to try starting in shallow zinc trays and then lift 
into the future drills. Fresh manure should be avoided.” 
- The monthly meeting of Belgian Hoeticdltueists was hold 
in Ghent on the 1 Cth inst., when the following were present :—Messrs. V. 
Cuvelier, Boelens, Ch. Spae, Edm. Story, Jules Hye, Emile de Cock, and 
A. Wallern, M. Laurent Masereel presiuing, and M. Gustave Van 
Eeckhaute was Secretary. Certificates were awarded to M. Ad. 
D'Hacne for Oncidium splendidum, to M. Ed. Pynaert for Cypripedium 
Dauthieri marmoratum, to M. J. Hye-Leysen for Cattleya Trianae 
varieties, Odontoglossum coronarium, and Cypripedium Van Houttei (see 
page 14C), to MM. Vervaet et Cie. for three varieties of Cattleya Trianae, 
Honourable mention was also accorded to M. Ad. D'Haene for Cattleya 
Trianae varieties, to M. Jules Hye-Leysen for Cypripedium Spicerianum 
magnificum, Lycaste Skinneri alba, and Cypripedium Argus; also to 
MM. Vervaet & Cie. for Cypripedium vernixium and Odontoglossum 
Wilckeanum. A cultural commendation was awarded to M. Jules Hye- 
Leysen for Cypripedium Boxalli, and a wish was expressed that Mr. 
James Bray would show his plant of Cattleya Trian® alba at the next 
meeting. 
- Relative to the report of the Liveepool Hoeticultueal 
Association, supplied by “A Committeeman,” and published on 
page 112, Mr. W. Bardney writes “ When condensed reports are 
issued from official sources we naturally expect them to be correct. It 
is clear that ‘ A Committeeman ’ was in too great a hurrj’ to amend 
the previous report (page 4) ; it would have been better if before doing 
so he had obtained the facts necessary to render his addition an accurate 
one. If he asks the Secretary (Mr. Bridge) for a copy of the resolution 
I proposed and handed to the Chairman, he will then be in a position 
to detect the error into which he has fallen, and thus make the necessary 
correction.” 
- A Noble Camellia. —A correspondent writes—“ A magnifi¬ 
cent plant of the ohl Camellia japonica alba plena, probably the largest 
in the kingdom, is thriving under the care of Mr. Toft at Eddisburg, 
West Derby, Liverpool, the residence of J. Latham, Esq. It is one of 
those imported by Burton & Higginson from China, and borght 
and planted in its present position by Edward Porter, Esq., then Mayor 
of Liverpool. The circumference of its main stem is 2 feet 7 inches, 
and the diameter and height of the tree is not less than 20 feet; indeed, 
had the house (already enlarged) been made larger the dimensions of 
the tree would also be greater. I noticed in a contemporary some time 
ago a correspondent recording the return in one year from a very large 
Camellia as £20. I am informed that the above plant has yielded in 
one year more than treble this amount.” 
