January 10 ,18 0 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
31 
November 12th and 13th. The Annual General Meeting will be held in 
the library on February 12th at 3 p.M. National Auricula Society’s 
Show, April 23rd, Drill Hall. Great Summer Exhibition, May 30th and 
and 31st, Temple Gardens, E.C. Great National Rose Conference, July 
2nd and 3rd, Chiswick. Chiswick Flower Show, July 9th, Chiswick. 
National Carnation Society’s Show, July 23rd, Drill Hall. Great 
Vegetable Conference, September 24th, 25th, and 26th, Chiswick. 
Chrysanthemum Centenary Conference, November 12th and 13th, 
Chiswick. 
- The annual meeting of the members of the Rugby and 
District Chrysanthemum Society was held at the Eagle Hotel 
last week under the presidency of Mr. J. G. Satchell, the Chairman of 
the Society. In their second annual report, which was read by Mr. W. 
Bryant, the Secretary, the Committee tender their sincere thanks to 
subscribers and friends for their liberal support, and were pleased to 
state that the Exhibition held on November 21st and 22nd was a 
complete success, both as regarded the number and quality of the exhibits. 
The balance-sheet showed a s’ight decrease in the balance compared 
with 1887, owing to the much larger amount paid in prizes, the extra 
cost of the band, and other incidental expenses incurred in making the 
Exhibition worthy of patronage. The number of subscribers was 184, 
an increase of thirty-five. The balance-sheet showed that the total 
receipts for the year were £99 os. 10d., and the expenditure, including 
about £50 for prizes, was £94 12s. 5d., leaving a clear balance in hand 
of £4 13s. 5d. A small balance, like the present, was just as it ought to 
be, because it showed that they j ust paid their way and gave the sub¬ 
scribers full value for money. He did not think anything could be 
more satisfactory than the Committee’s report. The proposition was 
carried unanimously. The next business was the appointment of 
officers. Mr. J. G. Satchell was again proposed for Chairman, but 
having occupied the post for two years he thought a change was de¬ 
sirable, and would rather retire in favour of Mr. Cumming. In accord¬ 
ance with Mr. Satchell’s wishes Mr. Cumming was then elected Chairman. 
The Rev. W. 0. Wait was elected Treasurer ; Mr. W. Bryant, Secretary; 
and the following were chosen for the Committee—Messrs. J. Parker, 
B. Robinson, G. W. Batchelor, T. H. Goodman, H. King, J. Morris, 
J. Bottrill, H. Bandy, A. J. Kilborn, E. Andrews, J. Arnsby, W. Shepherd, 
J. H. Pepperday, and C. W. Whitbred. The next Show was fixed for 
November 20th and 21st, 1889, and votes of thanks to the Committee 
and Chairman having been passed, the meeting terminated. 
WINTER GREENS. 
CHOU DE BURGHLEY. 
The value of this much-abused winter and spring vegetable 
can only be known by giving it a fair and impartial trial. This 
I have repeatedly done, and can safely say no garden ought to be 
without a good breadth of it. It has been contended by some that 
it is not worth growing on account of its not being either a Cabbage 
or a Broccoli. Be that as it may, Chou de Burghley is highly 
appreciated where a constant supply of high-class vegetables is in 
demand. We usually sow it in March with the rest of the Broccoli 
and Kale. This plan of early sowing is not approved of by some, 
but it has always answered our purpose, because we cut away the 
main head during the autumn, and then during the spring there 
comes a plentiful supply of tender sprouts, just at a time when 
they are most needed. 
COTTAGER’S KALE. 
I had a few plants of the true sort sent me for trial last year. 
It came from Mr. J. Smith, Wellauds Park Gardens, Lewes, 
Sussex. The plants did not reach me till the end of October, and 
were at once planted in fairly rich ground a yard apart each way. 
They did not grow till about the middle of March. After that they 
started away and gave us a supply of delicious and tender greens, 
and these in great quantity, i have planted a good quantity this 
year, and hope to see it benefit those who are spared till about May 
next. It is quite distinct from any other variety of Kale that has 
come under my notice, and should be largely grown for market and 
home consumption as well. It is during the early spring that a 
good hardy Green is wanted, before the Cabbages have time to turn 
in. This can be had by planting Chou de Burghley and Cottager’s 
Kale. 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
Of these we have only grown Veitch’s Paragon and Exhibition 
for several years besides Ne Plus Ultra, Veitch’s, are both good in 
their way. Especially are they liked for their fine flavour, but the 
best Sprout in cultivation is, without doubt, our old Ne Plus Ultra. 
If it gets named many more times it will be a hard task to find the 
next best name to give it. However, it is worth taking care of 
by those who are fortunate enough to have the true stock.— 
G. Merritt, Kimpton. 
WIGANDIA CABACASANA. 
If there are several large beds to be filled with sub-tropical or fine- 
foliaged plants, this Wigandia should be included in the list of plants 
to be raised from seed. The latter is minute and the seedlings of slow 
growth ; hence the necessity for sowing in January. It ought to be sown on 
the surface of a pan of fine light soil, and treated similarly to tuberous 
Begonias. It is unwise to sow thickly or to raise hundreds of plants 
where as many dozens are all that are needed, seedlings of any kind 
of plant when crowded being liable either to damp wholesale or to spoil 
each other before they can be moved. The Wigandias ought to be kept 
growing in gentle heat, being first pricked off in pans, then potted singly 
into 3-inch pots, and eventually shifted into 6-inch pots. In this manner 
strong plants may be had by the time they are wanted, and this will be 
effective from the first.—M. F. 
NOTES ON GRAPES. 
I was pleased to see that Mr. Duncan thought it worth while to 
take notice of my criticism on his article under this heading. I 
gladly welcome all the information I can obtain on the subject of 
Vine culture, and was pleased to see that at least one of your 
correspondents, Mr. G. Merritt, holds the same opinion as myself 
with regard to front ventilation. Just a word in answer to Mr. 
Duncan’s remarks about ventilating judiciously. It would be the 
height of folly to throw open the ventilators (whether top or 
bottom) a certain distance every day regardless of the state of the 
weather, as Mr. Duncan seems to imagine. If I did not make it 
clear in my previous notes, what I meant was this—that a little 
front ventilation should always be left on night and day, with in¬ 
creased ventilation when the external air was warmer. For in¬ 
stance, in a moderately warm night say 2 inches would be left on, 
but if a rather cold or damp night 1 inch would be deemed 
sufficient. The point aimed at is to have a free circulation of 
fresh air continually in the house. We do not go by any fixed 
temperature, and do not mind if the thermometer rises or falls a 
few degrees according to external changes. 
The Madresfield Court Vines I mentioned are not overcropped, 
not more than nine or ten bunches being permitted to ripen, of the 
weight I mentioned in my previous notes—viz., 4 to 5 lbs., and this 
crop they have carried annually for the past ten years. In our own 
case the bunches were smaller, but the Vines were not overcropped, 
and we did not see a cracked berry, while the colour was up to 
the mark. 
There is an amount of truth in what Mr. Duncan says about 
the watering of Vine borders and Black Hamburghs colouring; 
but I am under the impression that many gardeners do not give 
sufficient water to inside borders. There is no outside Vine 
borders here, and I would not recommend them in this wet cold 
district. I do not think that the Black Hamburghs in our late 
house suffered from overwatering, nor do I think the temperature 
was too high, it being seldom over 70°. I was rather afraid the 
Lady Downe’s and Gros Colman would not come up in colour. 
The former has done well, but the latter is deficient in colour, 
though good in berry. In 1887 the Black Hamburghs in the same 
house coloured jet black, and though there was a marked improve¬ 
ment both in bunch and berry last season, still they did not come up 
to the mark in colour. During my visits to several gardens in this 
neighbourhood I have observed that they lacked colour, and all 
the gardeners were complaining of the want of sun. 
I have not taken much notice of the Southampton shows, but 
am glad to know that your correspondent has been successful in 
exhibiting, and trust he may long continue to be so. I also hope 
we may be favoured with a better summer than last.—G. Hilton. 
AMONG THE NOVELTIES. 
I find I omitted several notes I should have liked to have added 
under the above heading on 13th December, so with the Editor’s 
kind permission will make good my omissions. 
Peas.— I forgot to mention William Hurst as the earliest 
wrinkled Pea. It is a long way in front of American Wonder, 
being more prolific, with better pods and more peas. This will 
be found useful to all who grow Peas for market, for it is taking 
in appearance, early, and a good bearer. The seed is rather dear as 
yet, but I would advise everyone to get a stock of it. 
Melons. —Mr. Abbey very kindly sent me a few seeds of his 
J. Wright, and I tried it in frames, finding it set freely, and carry 
a good crop of rather small Melons, netting fine, colour of skin 
