226 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r March IS, 1890. 
and we think this a good custom rather than a bad one, because variety 
is always charming, and we find people to love us in every state ; but, 
as the dark Rose sometimes says when he puts on his chameleon change 
of brown—burnt, Mr. Raillem has the bad manners to call it—and gets 
hugely admired, “ Cliacim a son gout .'’’— W. A. Richardson. 
MAEfiCHAL NiEL CANKERING. 
1 AM very pleased to hear from Mr. Biron that canker in Marechal 
Niel can be so easily cured. The usual place for it to occur is at the 
juncture of stock and scion, and the cause commonly assigned is that 
the former does not grow and swell fast enough to meet the demands of 
the latter. In such a case a cut through the canker down the bark of 
the stem, as used to the trunks of young Apple trees, seems a reasonable 
remedy, and it does appear strange that I should not have heard or seen 
it suggested before. My own Mar6chal Niels have suffered little from 
canker, as they have generally been killed by frost before they have 
become old enough, but a large plant in my greenhouse has now been 
attacked, and, with many thanks to Mr. Biron, I shall certainly use his 
remedy, and hope it may be successful. Has he ever tried it on Apple 
trees actually cankered ?— W. R. Raillem. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 11th. 
Numerous exhibits of an exceptionally interesting character filled 
the greater part of the available space in the Drill Hall, James Street, 
on Monday last, and the visitors found a spring show of considerable 
beauty. Orchids were strongly represented ; Hippeastrums formed a 
bright display. Daffodils were well shown. Camellias were uncommonly 
fine, Roses were included with miscellaneous spring flowers, and a valu¬ 
able group from Kew added much to the attractions of the meeting. 
In the afternoon Mr. H. J. Veitch discoursed upon Hippeastrums and 
their culture in a practical and popular manner, and a good number of 
Eellows and visitors assembled to listen to the lecture. 
Fruit Committee.— Present—Sir Charles W. Strickland, Bart, (in 
the chair), and Messrs. R. D. Blackmore, Harrison Weir, T. Francis 
Rivers, G. W. Cummins, J. T. Saltmarsh, W. Warren, J. Hudson, 
W. Denning, G. Wythes, F. Q. Lane, G. Bunyard, P. Veitch, J. Willard, 
W. Bates, G. Clyffe, H. Balderson, J. Cheal, Dr. Hogg, and J. Wright. 
This may be fairly regarded as the slack time of the year in the fruit 
world, and only a limited number of exhibits can be expected. The 
most notable contribution was a collection of Apples and stewing Pears 
from A. H. Smee, Esq. (Mr. G. W. Cummins, gardener), and for which 
a silver medal was recommended. 
Mr. James Moore, Seymour Cottage, Swan Road, Sutton, Surrey, 
sent a dish of a seedling Pear from Bergamotte Crassane, medium-sized 
fruits of rich flavour, but much over-ripe. The Committee desired to 
see fruits in good condition another year, with information relative to 
the character of the tree. Mr. Miller sent a dish of Claygate Pearmain 
Apple from Ruxley Lodge, Esher. A dish of the same variety was also 
placed on the table from Smee’s collection, this being the better of the 
two in quality, and votes of thanks were awarded. Messrs. R. Veitch 
and Sons, Exeter, sent a dish of Ashford’s Seedling Apple, a favourite 
Devonshire market variety, raised by Mr. Reynolds of Ashford, Pinhoe, 
medium-sized, firm, fairly well-coloured fruits, used for dessert and 
■culinary purposes. Some of the specimens were referred to Chiswick 
for testing their keeping properties. 
Splendid dishes of stewing Pears grown by Mr. Cummins for Mr. 
Smee were placed on the table, the varieties including Catillac, 
Uvedale’s St. Germain, Pius IX., Verulam, Winter Franc Real, and 
Besi Mai. A cultural commendation was unanimously awarded. Mr. 
Cecil Hooper sent a variety of small baskets for packing fruit, and 
a vote of thanks was accorded. Mr. Mil'er, Ruxley, sent a bushel 
basketful of very fine Mushrooms, and a cultural commendation was 
awarded. 
Mr. Smee’s fruit, for which the silver medal was recommended, com¬ 
prised about thirty varieties of admirably grown and well kept Apples, 
Including a dish of the Gooseberry Apple "grown in 1888, and the Pears 
above referred to. The recommendation of the medal was unanimous. 
Floral Committee.— President, W. Marshall, Esq., in the chair, 
and Messrs. R. Dean, B. Wynne, W. Holmes, T. Baines, C. Jefferies, 
C. T. Druery, H. B. May, G. Nicholson, H. Herbst, James Walker, 
H. Cannell, E. Mawley, T. W. Girdlestone, C. Noble, J. Fraser, 
G. P.aul, Harry Turner, and the Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain. 
The group contributed from the Royal Gardens, Kew, comprised a 
number of rare and interesting plants, and the attention they attracted 
proves how much such collections add to the importance of meetings. 
Several members of the Aroid family were included, amongst them 
being Godwinia gigas with an enormous deep purple spathe, and 
Arisfema speciosum, one of the smaller Aroids, of an ornamental appear¬ 
ance, the deep purplish brown spathes being regularly streaked with 
white, and the trifoliate leaves also give a bold appearance to the plant. 
Very remarkable was Tacca artocarpifolia, with flower stems 5 or 6 feet 
high, and bearing a cluster of flowers and long drooping filaments like 
the better known Attaccia cristata. Another curiosity was Strelitzia 
Nicolai, which has flowers similar in shape to S. Reginse, but the colours 
are white and purple, and it is consequently less showy. The Poison 
Bulb (Buphane toxicaria) was represented by a plant in flower—a dense 
umbel-like head of dull crimson flowers, in the style of a Hoemanthus. 
It is from this bulb that the bushmen of South Africa are said to pre¬ 
pare a poison for use on their arrows. yEchmea glomerata may almost 
be counted amongst the curiosities, though it is also decidedly orna¬ 
mental, the closely set bracts being scarlet tipped with purple. Rhi¬ 
zomes of the Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) were exhibited, and 
excited some interest in those who, though familiar with the preparation 
sold as arrowroot, had never seen the plant from which it is obtained. 
Of strictly ornamental plants several Rhododendrons were the most 
notable. R. arboreum and the variety roseum, together with R. grande 
(argenteum) were represented by fine heads of flowers ; Brownea arhiza 
has somewhat similar dense trusses of flowers ; Acacias retinoides and 
verticillata, with yellow flowers, are useful species, the former very 
fragrant. 
From Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons came an excellent historical group 
of Hippeastrums (Amaryllises) representing the gradual advance effected 
since the old Acramanni pulchella was sent out. This vaiiety, with 
Crocea grandiflora, Johnsoni, Graveana, and others of the early im¬ 
provements were shown, and there were also plants of reticulata 
Leopold!, King of the Crimsons, Empress of India, and a grand new 
variety named Champion (certificated). In another group were plants 
of Azalea mollis varieties, Andromeda japonica, Boronias megastigma 
and heterophylla, and Primula obconica. 
Camellias are annually expected about this time of year from Messrs. 
W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, and at this meeting the yearly contri¬ 
bution comprised twelve large boxes of handsome blooms, for which the 
Committee awarded a silver Banksian medal as a recognition of their 
merits. Numerous varieties were represented, most of the best old and 
new varieties being included. 
Daffodils and hardy flowers furnished a beautifully bright and fresh 
group as staged by Messrs. Barr & Son (bronze medal). Double and 
single Narcissi of many varieties were there with the brilliant Anemone 
fulgens, Chionodoxas, Crocuses, Iris reticulata, and Snowdrops. A group 
of foliage plants and Ferns from Mr. H. B. May (silver medal) ; and 
Messrs. Paul & Son, besides the Coelogynes already noted, had some 
boxes of fresh and beautiful Rose blooms and a pyramidal plant of Rosa 
polyantha grandiflora. Mr. H. Porter, Freshfield, Liverpool, sent a plant 
of an Adiantum named Porteri, said to be the result of a cross between 
A. cuneatum and A. gracillimum, but it seemed to be a variety of the 
former with slightly smaller pinnules. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley, were adjudged an award of merit for a collection of well grown 
Cinerarias bearing richly and diversely coloured flowers. Mr. J. T. 
Gilbert, Dyke, Bourne, Lincolnshire, showed some Crown Imperials and 
a large flo (zered Primrose named Primrose Dame. From the Society’s 
garden also came plants of the peculiar Billbergia nutans with green 
flowers edged with purple and pink bracts. 
Orchid Committee, —Present: Harry J. Veitch, Esq., in the chair ; 
and Messrs. F. G. Tautz, F. A. Philbrick, Lewis Castle, Henry Williams, 
E. Hill, J. Douglas, J. Dominy, H. Ballantine, H. M. Pollett, F. Sander, 
James O’Brien, and Dr. M. T. Masters. 
From Messrs. Sander & Co., St. Albans, came a handsome group of 
choice Orchids, for which a silver Banksian medal was recommended, and 
several certificates were also adjudged for novelties included in the 
group. Very notable were well grown plants of the beautiful Phaius 
tuberculosus on rafts or in baskets, and bearing fine spikes of its 
remarkable flowers. At St. Albans this Orchid is grown in a warm 
house, suspended above a tank, and flourishes there in a surprising 
manner. Dendrobium lituiflorum superbum is a fine variety, with large 
flowers and deeply coloured. A curiosity was noticeable in Oncidium 
heteranthum, having two forms of flowers, one with the ordinary rounded 
sepals and petals, yellow, and brown, and white ; the other small, with 
linear creamy white segments. Several large specimen plants of Den¬ 
drobium nobile varieties were shown, and a large D. Wardianum ; a 
new species of Lycaste in the way of L. aromatica, but distinct and 
wanting its fragrance ; Oncidium cruciatum, Selenipedium Sedeni vir- 
ginale, several Maxillarias, and the certificated plants described at the 
end of this report. 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, also contributed a 
beautiful group of Orchids most tastefully arranged with Palms, Ferns, 
and other foliage plants. The Odontoglossums were especially note¬ 
worthy, several varieties of 0. crispum being remarkable for the size 
and excellent shape of the flowers. 0. cirrhosum was well represented, 
as were also 0. Andersonium, 0. odoratum, and 0. facetum. There were 
capital examples of the fragrant and graceful Dendrochilum gluma- 
ceum, the peculiar Phaius maculatus, and the greenish flowered 
Dendrobium macrophyllum, with several plants of the pure white 
Ccelogyne cristata alba. Amongst other plants the fragrant Boronia 
megastigma was admired, the neat salmon coloured Azalea rosEcflora, 
and the double form of Sparmannia africana. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, exhibited a small group of 
valuable and beautiful hybrid Orchids from their extensive stores, and 
in addition to these, certificated and described, the following were 
noticeable :—Cymbidium eburneo-Lowianum, with buff coloured flowers, 
attracted attention, but it has been previously certificated ; D. Wardiano- 
japonicum, from a cross between the two species expressed in the name, 
was considered to be in the way of D. transparens, and the effect of 
D. Wardianum was not very evident; D. micans, from D. Wardianum 
and D. lituiflorum, partakes of the colouring distinguishing the last 
named, and is a decidedly pretty Orchid ; Cypripedium Othello, from 
C. hirsutissimum and C. villosum Boxalli, is an interesting cross, but 
not sufficiently developed at present to merit an award. Messrs. J. 
