•January •), isno. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
25 
until within the past few years these two bodies were entrusted 
with the whole of the awards for novelties, but a short time since 
when the Daffodils became so numerous a nd popular, a special 
Committee, or rather a sub-Committee, was appointed to deal with 
them, and as it included several members of the Floral Committee, 
with some specialists added, the meetings were appointed to be hell 
after the Floral Committee had performed their duties. This was 
found to answer well, and led to a suggestion that more sub¬ 
committees should be formed for special plants ; the only result, 
'however, was the somewhat hurried institution of an Orchid Com¬ 
mittee after the arrangements for the year were announced. 
Doubts have been expressed as to whether this was needed, but in 
many respects it was very desirable that a special body should deal 
with these plants, and it was thought that members possessing an 
dntimate knowledge of Orchids being in a minority on the Floral Com- 
'mittee, they were likely to be outvoted upon some occasions, though 
they were unanimous among themselves. At least there was as 
much justification for having a separate committee for Orchids as 
for Daffodils, but it was unfortunate that the same plan was not 
adopted with both—namely, having the meetings after the Floral 
Committee instead of at the same hour. It has been contended that 
the Floral Committee was weakened by this course, and when, as 
tiappened at several meetings, there was not sufficient to engage the 
Orchid Committee for more than fifteen minutes, it is obvious that 
members who give their services, and in some cases travel a long 
•distance, might excusably wish their time had been better 
employed. Such difficulties would be readily overcome by altering 
the times of the meetings of the two Committees, it has been fre- 
■qently suggested. Many are in favour of it, and I can see no 
reason why such a plan should not be adopted. Now the Fruit and 
Floral meetings are to be held at twelve o’clock instead of eleven 
as previously, it would be quite easy to let the Orchid meeting 
follow the Floral, the Society would utilise the services of more 
members, and be able to maintain the full strength of the Floral 
Committee. 
Last year a new method was also tried in the registration of 
certificates, and with some slight improvements suggested by a 
year’s experience, it will no doubt be an improvement upon the old 
system. The innovation consisted in recording the number of 
votes for and against each plant certificated, or proposed to be so 
honoured, so that the public can form some idea as to the relative 
merits of the plants brought before the Committees. Unfortu¬ 
nately a difficulty occurs in this respect, that while one plant may 
lose a certificate by a single vote, another of no greater merit might 
gain the award by one vote, depending perhaps upon the number 
of members present. It has been suggested that some definite pro¬ 
portion of those present should he required to vote in favour of a 
certificate before it be granted, but this would be difficult to carry 
out in practice, though it certainly does not seem fair that one vote 
■should either give or prevent an award. It would not be unreason¬ 
able to require a majority of at least three votes to carry a 
certificate. 
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Committees and methods 
have been dealt with tlius fully because they are rightly regarded 
as the leading authorities in these matters ; but there is another 
Floral Committee—that of the National Chrysanthemum Society, 
which, in its own special department, performs as important service 
a,s any of the others. Nearly all the leading Chrysanthemum 
■novelties of each year are now submitted to its inspection, and its 
decisions are invited upon critical matters of judgment. It is pro¬ 
bably due to an oversight that “ D., Deal," in his excellent leader 
last week reviewing the past year, omits all mention of this Society, 
though the National Rose Society is accorded the notice it so well 
■deserves. Any unprejudiced observer must admit that the National 
Chrysanthemum Society has done good work, and it has in this 
been aided in no mean degree by the labours of its Floral Com¬ 
mittee. 
It is somewhat strange that the larger provincial horticultural 
■societies have not adopted the plan of forming small select com- 
■mittees for certificating novelties. Such awards would possess 
more weight than those granted by judges, for in an ordinary way 
certificates are bestowed very liberally at country shows, and for 
such diverse objects that they do not bear any special value. Thus 
in some instances certificates are awarded for miscellaneous groups 
and exhibits of all kinds, as well as for novelties, and there is 
a prevailing idea that as such awards cost the societies nothing 
they can be given in lieu of prizes. There are always many 
good novelties that do not reach the London Committees until 
perhaps enterprising tradesmen have purchased and exhibited 
them, so that the institution of local certificating committees 
would not interfere in any way with the central committees. 
At the Royal Botanic Society’s shows, and those held at the 
Crystal Palace and elsewhere, similar methods might be also 
tried. 
Having devoted so much to generalities, a review of the plants 
that obtained honours during 1889 must be reserved for another 
issue.— Lewis Castle. 
Orchids on Cement Blocks. 
Mr. a. H. Smee is always either making experiments, or en¬ 
couraging his gardener to make them, in his interesting garden at 
Wallington. In one of liis houses a Lailia, if I remember rightly, 
has been hanging from the roof near the back wall for some time. 
The wall is cemented. The roots of the plant reached it, clung to 
it, and have extended in a remarkable manner. Several other 
Orchids were then attached to pieces of cement flooring an inch or 
so thick, and, without an exception, the roots have “ taken to ” it 
with the utmost readiness, and sickly plants so attached have soon 
improved considerably. Phaloenopsis and other kinds are pointed 
out with healthy roots clinging to the surface. Mr. Cummins 
mixed some csment and sand, thus making a new block, and it 
appears to be answering as well as the old. Lumps of cement are 
also being used in pots for Orchids instead of crocks and charcoal. 
A new house has been erected by Mr. E. Newton for Mr. Smee’s 
fine collection of Cattleyas. It is dry glazed on the “ reform’’ 
system, very light yet strong and drip proof, also amply ventilated. 
It is expected to answer well. A Peach house is similarly glazed, 
and by a simple contrivance boards can be fixed on the roofs of 
these houses for the insertion of a square of glass as may be 
needed, paint or putty not being required by the light yet strong 
galvanised bars.— Visitor. 
Cattleya O’Brienian.i. 
At a recent meeting in the Westminster Diill Hall, Messrs. 
Sanders & Co., St. Albans, exhibited a group of Orchids, including 
PIG, 4 .—cattleya o’beieniana. 
one under the above name, of which a flower is depicted in the 
woodcut (fig. 4). It resembles some of the small - flowered 
Cattleyas, and is probably a variety of one of these. In any case, 
however, it is attractive, the flowers of a soft rosy tint, a little 
deeper at the margin of the lip. 
YELLOW TOMATOES. 
I WAS much interested in Mr. Iggulden’s article, page 525, on 
the above, but I must take issue with him as to the quality of 
Golden Sunrise. I am quite at one with him as to its beauty, &c., 
