January 13,1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
29 
At a Committee meeting of the National Auricula (southern 
section), Primula, and Carnation and Picotee Societies, held at 
South Kensington on Tuesday last, the Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain was 
unanimously elected Chairman of Committees in place of the late Mr. 
Thomas Moore. Robert Hogg, Esq., LL.D., was appointed auditor in 
conjunction with Harry J. Veitch, Esq., F.L.S. The prizes offered by the 
Trustees of the Turner Memorial Fund were accepted with thanks. The 
suggestion that something be done to mark the jubilee year was not 
adopted. It was thought best to leave this matter to be dealt with by the 
Royal Horticultural Society, who could deal with horticulture and allied 
sciences as a whole. The balance in favour of the Auricula Society was 
stated to be £27 Is. Id.; that against the Carnation and Picotee Society 
being £16 16s. Id. 
- We are informed that the well-known nurseryman, Mr. Edmund 
Philip Dixon of Hull, died on January 2nd at Stepney Lodge, at the 
age of eighty-two years. Mr. Dixon was the founder of the firm of 
nurserymen and seedsmen so long established in Hull, and was much 
respected in the district. 
-Jubilee Appointment.— At the Quarter Sessions, held in 
Carlisle on Wednesday last, Mr. James Watt, of the firm of Little and 
Ballantyne, nurserymen and seedsmen, was elevated to the magisterial 
bench, and took the oath as a Justice of the Peace for the City of 
Carlisle. 
- Early Seed Orders. — “ A Working Seedsman ” writes, 
“ Gentlemen’s gardeners and others about to purchase seeds will confer 
an inestimable benefit upon their respective seedsmen by sending their 
orders early, especially during snowy or frosty weather, as by this means 
the terrific strain upon the seedsman’s staff that must otherwise arise 
immediately the weather changes would be considerably relieved, and 
equal advantages would accrue to the purchaser, inasmuch [as more time, 
and consequently, if possible, a greater amount of care, could be devoted 
to the proper execution of the order.” 
- With much regret we have to record the death of Mr. John F. 
McElroy, gardener to A. J. Lewis, Esq., Moray Lodge, Campden Hill, 
Kensington, which took place on Sunday last. Mr. McElroy has been 
chiefly known in recent years as Secretary of the United Horticultural 
Benevolent and Provident Society, which office he has held for eight 
years. He has gained the respect of all who have had any intercourse 
with him, and has performed the duties connected with the secretaryship 
gratuitously, having joined the Society when he was too advanced in age 
to share in its benefits. Five years ago, however, the members of the 
Society presented him with a watch as a testimonial of their esteem 
Mr. McElroy was sixty-nine years of age at the time of his death, and 
had been twenty years gardener at Moray Lodge. His father was gardener 
to a Mr. Christy, whose son, Mr. W. Miller Christy, became a well-known 
botanist, and from him Mr. McElroy in his youth obtained much of the 
botanical knowledge he possessed. At the age of seventeen he was 
engaged by a market gardener at Haywards Heath as a salesman ; he left 
there to become gardener to a Mr. Pigeon of Clapham, was subsequently 
gardener to Mr. Weeber of Stamford Hill, then to Mr. Renshaw of Erith, 
and afterwards to Mr. Lancaster of Stamford Hill, where he laid out the 
garden, and remained nineteen years until the death of his employer 
when he was engaged at Moray Lodge. Mr. McElroy was highly 
respected by all who knew him as a man of excellent princip’es and great 
kindliness of disposition. 
-TnE Secretary of the Birmingham and Midland Counties 
Gardeners’ Improvement Association has sent us a paper on Plant 
Food, read at a meeting in Society in October last by Mr. E Irnund 
Tonks, B.C.L,, and which was so well received that the members de-ired 
permission to have it printed. The author at once undertook to defray 
the cost of its issue in pamphlet form for free distribution amongst the 
members, and 275 copies have been received by the Secretary for that 
purpose. They desire to record their gratitude to Mr. Tonks for his 
enerosity. The paper is a most able production, and should be of great 
service to the recipients, who have been supplied with much sound 
scientific knowledge in a concise form and popular manner on the 
important work in which they are engaged. 
- Messrs. Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge, offer at the 
Metropolitan and Provincial Horticultural Shows of 1887 a large number 
of special Prizes for Vegetables, particulars of which will be found 
in their spring catalogue. No less than 215 prizes are provided, varying 
from 3 guineas to 2s. 6d., and these will be offered at eighty-two exhibi¬ 
tions, comprising thejleading Societies throughout the country. 
- We are requested to insert the following note from “ A Scot,” 
for eliciting information on Grapes :—“Intending to replant a vinery I 
have been looking over various lists of Grapes, and amongst others that 
of Mr. Rivers of Sawbridgeworth. Amongst Muscats Mr. Rivers recom¬ 
mends (and on looking back I see he has done so for years), one called 
Ryton Muscat. Somebody must have tried it, yet its name is never 
mentioned. Can anyone say anything about it ? Mr, Rivers also recom¬ 
mends a white Grape, General della Marmora, and has also done for yearn. 
Is it good, and worth growing ? ” 
- The same correspondent also wishes us to insert his experience 
on the Loss of Heat from Pipes in Mains, on which subject he 
writes :—“ Having put in one boiler to do the work formerly done by 
two, the pipes have to travel for some distance under ground in a built 
drain. During the recent frost the snow and ice have been melted for 
5 or 6 feet above the pipes, showing that I am losing much heat. Can 
any correspondentjobligingly favour me with the best remedy for this ? ” 
- The twenty-ninth issue of Mr. Shirley Hibberd’s Garden 
Oracle (London : 4, Ave Maria Lane) for 1887 contains as a special 
feature a list of show Auriculas, corrected to the present time, giving 
names, raisers, characters, dates,[and colours. The lists of plants figured ; 
descriptions of new plants,Jflowers, and fruits ; selections of the best of 
everything in aid of purchasers, and notes on new inventions, &c., are 
also given, together with the usual calendarial information. 
-The Annual General Meeting of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society will be held on Monday evening, 
January 31st, at the Old Four Swans, S3, Bishop-gate Street Within, 
when the chair will be taken at 7 p m. The principal business will be 
to receive the report and balance sheet for 1886, to elect officers and 
committees for the ensuing year, and transact such other general business 
as may be desirable in the interest of the Society. Immediately after 
this meeting the preparation of the schedules for the shows of 1887 will 
be proceeded with. Mr. William Holmes, the Hon. Secretary, states 
that “ very many suggestions have already been received from members 
respecting alterations and additions to the classes and prizes for the 
coming year, but the possibility of carrying out any of these proposals 
depends entirely upon the amount of support accorded this year to the 
special prize fund.” 
- The Valuable Series of Prizes offered by Messrs. J. 
Carter & Co„ High Holborn, during 1886 to their customers who 
secured the greatest number of prizes at horticultural exhibitions have 
been awarded as follows :—First prize, £10 10s., for seventy-six prizes, to 
Mr. J. McLean, head gardener, to E. H. T. Crawford, Esq., Auchenames, 
West Kilbride, Ayr, N.B. Second prize, £5 5s., for sixty-nine prizes, 
to Mr. W. Chettleburgh, head gardener to Colonel Rous, Worstead House, 
Norwich. Third prize, £3 3s., for forty-five prizes, to Mr. J. Davis, head 
gardener to Rev. H. Arkwright, Bodenham Vicarage, Leominster. Fourth 
prize, £2 2s,, for forty-four prizes, to Mr. T. Toggin, head gardener to 
Mrs. Wilson, Tapton Hall, Sheffield. Fifth prize, £1 Is., for thirty-seven 
prizes, to Mr. H. L. Sell, Windsor Street, Luton. This year seven prizes 
are offered on the same terms, consisting of £6, £4, £3, £2, £1 10s., 1£, 
and 103 , the three first being either in silver plate or cash. A number of 
prizes will also be offered at the meetings of the Royal Horticultural 
Society this year. 
-Gardening Appointments.—M r. Harry Mustow, late foreman 
at Bicton, Devon, has been appointed head gardener to H. Norris, Esq.. 
Swatcliffe Park, Banbury. Mr. Albert Saunders, for two and a half 
years foreman at East Dene, Isle of Wight, has been appointed head 
gardener to Col. Cornwallis West, M.P., Newlands Manor, Lymington, 
Hampshire. Mr. Robert Leslie, la e of Munches, has been appointed 
gardener to] Hugo Haig, Esq., of Ramornie, Ladybank, Fife. Mr. R. 
Laing, late of The Bank, Linlithgow, has been appointed gardener to 
