96 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
["February 3, 1887. 
the summer. The old plants after flowering should be placed out of 
doors in a sunny position to ripen the wood of the current year’s growth, 
water being gradually withheld so that the plants get a thorough rest 
for about two months, but they should be examined occasionally and 
not allowed to become withered. Cuttings ought to be taken soon after 
the plants are placed out; some of them may be grown in an intermediate 
house as near the glass as possible, and they can be had in flower early 
in the following spring. The old plants should be pruned to within 
2 inches or so from the old wood, and then well watered, which will 
cause them to break into new growth. At this stage turn the plants 
out of the pots, shake the soil away from the roots, and cut a few of the 
largest off, especially any that are entwined together. Repot into the 
same sized pots, or smaller if the roots will allow it, as the plants will be 
benefited by so doing, a quantity of sour soil being very injurious to 
them during the winter months. 
The compost suitable for Pelargoniums I find is three parts good fibry 
loam, one part leaf mould and sand, with a liberal sprinkling of char¬ 
coal, and a 6-inch potful of soot to every barrowful of compost. I prefer 
to give manure in a liquid form during the spring months ; soot water 
given once a week will prove beneficial. Repot as the plants require 
it. The longest growths may be pinched once or twice to give symmetry 
to the plant, and will also obviate the necessity of using too many 
stakes, which always spoils the appearance of any plant, whether it is 
grown for exhibition or home use. Better plants will be produced if 
grown in a cool house, and on the first appearance of green fly fumigate 
twice or thrice in succession with tobacco paper. It is of great import¬ 
ance to have the plants free from insects before the flowers open, other¬ 
wise the bloom will be ruined if fumigation is used. There arc at pre¬ 
sent many varieties in cultivation ; I will only name a few which are 
good ones—viz., Dr. Masters, Beauty of Oxton, Queen Victoria, Claribel, 
Sappho, Volontfi Nationale album, Devastation, Queen of Whites, Lord 
of the Isles, Decision, Sylvia, and Duchess of Lancaster, this is a very 
good variety, white, with two deep red blotches on upper petals, and 
beautifully fringed.— G. Garner, Amberrvood Gardens, Hants. 
THE ANCIENT SOCIETY OF YORK FLORISTS. 
There is little doubt that the Ancient Society of York Florists has a 
strong claim to the distinction of being one of the oldest societies of the kind 
that is now in existence in the country. Though its origin is involved in 
obscurity, it is a well authenticated fact that in the years long past a com¬ 
pany of gentlemen who had conducted an exhibition of flowers formed 
themselves into a society which was named the York Society of Florists. 
The anniversary of the Society was held recently, and in connection 
with it the following particulars will be read with great interest. They 
are taken from a book published in York in 1813, entitled “ Rules and Re¬ 
gulations of the York Society of Florists, tog-1her with an abstract of the 
properties of the flowers shown in the Society, and a brief analysis of the 
manner of cultivating them as adapted to the climate of the city of 
York.” 
The preamble is as follows—“ Happiness being the ultimate end pro¬ 
posed by society, it is necessary that all proper, lawful, and effectual means 
be made use of to procure it. Two points appear essentially necessary to 
the constituting and supporting of every meeting founded on 6ueh a plan— 
the first showing the pleasure and advantages to be reaped—the second the 
evils to be avoided. First, the pleasure that the cultivation of flowers affords 
sufficiently appears from their being the taste of the curious of all ages and 
countries, not only from their beautiful forms, lively tints, and grateful 
odours, wherewith they so highly regale the senses, but also from their real 
use. Flowers so forcibly strike the eye that they never fail to inspire us 
with a certain joy, and when we have sufficiently examined the fairest we 
are sensible they are designed to refresh tbe sight, the prospect they afford 
is pleasing, and we experience their power to be so effectual that the 
greatest number of those arts which are ambitious to please appear most 
successful when they borrow their assistance. Sculpture imitates them in 
its softest ornaments. Architecture bestows the embellishment of leaves 
and flowers on those columns and fronts that would otherwise be too naked. 
The richest embroideries are little more than foliage and flowers. The 
most magnificent silks are almost covered with these charming forms, and 
are thought beautiful in proportion as they resemble the lively tinge of 
natural flowers. For these reasons great numbers both at home and abroad 
have employed their leisure hours in the delightful and healthful employ¬ 
ment of propagating them with the greatest diligence. And as the taste 
for flowers and the pleasure of disclosing them to the view of others are 
almost inseparable, we consider their cultivators as an agreeable band or 
society who communicate to each other the observations their experience 
has enabled them to make. With these intentions a Society assembled at 
York on Wednesday the 20th of April, 1708, and afterwards at a general 
revision of the rules on Monday the 8th of February, 1813, which brings us 
to the second part—namely, the evils to be avoided. 
“ In all companies that have been formed to encourage any art or science 
it has been found absolutely necessary to frame certain orders or rules for 
the better conducting thereof, and also for the preventing disputes, parti¬ 
cular opinions, and self interest; evils that have always utterly destroyed 
and brought into confusion the best designs, unless prevented by some 
speedy remedy. We, the present members of this Society, having seriously 
considered these matters, and being truly desirous and, to the best of our 
power, willing to promote the cultivation of flowers, have, from experience, 
been sufficiently enabled to draw up, and likely clearly demonstrate, the 
necessity and utility of the following rules.” Then follow the rules rela¬ 
tive to the election of officers, the concluding one of which states that 
“ Any member refusing to take upon him >he office of President, Steward; 
Secretary, or Judge shall forfeit the sum of 2s. 6d., and the next in rotation 
shall be taken, or a new list shall be made if necessary.” Proceeding, the 
rules set forth that any gentleman desirous of becoming a member must 
be supported by two-thirds of the members present, and “ he shall, after 
signing his name to these regulations, and paying 2s. 6d. unto the stock, be 
deemed a member, and have a copy of these rules delivered; unto him.” 
“ The admission money, or fine, paid by every member is Is. on the Auri¬ 
cula, and 6d. on every other day of the show. The sum of 6d. must be paid 
by the owner of every flower shown for a prize unto the receiving Steward 
at the time it is entered. There shall be annually five shows. . . . Each 
member to be allowed to show one flower in evtry class in each show, and 
no more, and to weigh one Gooseberry in each colour.” 
Detailed directions to exhibitors are then given, and in regard to the 
judging it is stated “every flower shown to be privately numbered by the 
receiving steward at each show, and a sealed paper containing the numbers 
and owner’s name of each flower to be delive ed by him unto the President, 
who sba'l, after all the flowers are adjudged, open it and declare the prizes. 
Any member claiming a prize, or naming the owner of any flower shown 
before the President has declared all the prizes, shall be fined two shillings 
and sixpence, to be immediately paid. The Secretary, under the direction of 
the President, shall nominate six persons at each show, and the members 
showing flowers shall choose three of them for judges.” Following this 
are several rules for protecting the Society against offences, such as “any 
person presuming to find fault,” of a winning prize being “ fraudulently 
made up,” or of “cutting or clipping any part of a flower shown for a 
prize,” the penalty in such cast s being fines of one shilling, two shillings 
and sixpence, or deprivation from the privilege of showing a flower for 
twelve cal ndar months ; while for the more se ious offence of “any mem¬ 
ber using false pods or petals, putting the interior in place of the exterior 
pi tals of Tulips, or practising any similar fraud in making up or dressing a 
flower for show ” he should te immediately expelled the Society. A nota 
bene states: “ The evil consequences of political or religious disputes 
being self-evident, it is earnestly desired, and indeed presumed, that no 
member will introduce them, as such a dispute would compel the President 
to be peremptory in enforcing the above regulation ”— i.e., in the event cf a 
dispute to impose a fine of a shilling, or to expel the parties from the room. 
Then follow instructions to the judges. These stipulate conditions as to 
pots and phials wherein flowers are shown, and state that “All flowers, 
which the judges are convinced contain clipped or cut petals, must be 
delivered unto the President, and the cause stated. Should any flower 
ever come under the inspection of the judges which is artificially made up 
as being pasted or glued, or containing false leaves or petals, bells, pips, 
pods, or any part thereof, or Tulips with the leaves transposed, or which 
they are convinced are in any respect fraudulent, such must also be delivered 
unto the President, and the reason why explained unto him publicly. As 
it very seldom happens that any flowers are shown which can be considered 
perfect, the judges will have to decide which approach the nearest unto that 
state, and will no doubt examine strictly, first the form of such as are 
under their inspection, and secondly the colouring, and they will, it is pre¬ 
sumed, always decide that those flowers are the best which, along with the 
best formation, carry the highest and purest colour, and the best distributed 
according to the nature of the respective flowers they have to decide upon.” 
Detailed descriptions are given of the properties of the Auricula, the Poly¬ 
anthus, the double Hyacinth, the Tulip, the Anemone, the Ranunculus, the 
Pink, the Carnation, the Picotee, and instructions are added for the culti¬ 
vation of most of the above named flowers. The directors of the Society 
in 1813 were “Mr. Henry Smith, President; Mr. Geo. Brown, Senior 
Steward; Mr. Geo. Tireman, Second Steward; Geo. Healey, Esq., Junior 
Steward ; Mr. John Rippon, Secretary and Treasurer.” Mr. Charles Meynell, 
who became a member in 1768, was Senior Florist, next to whom in 
seniority were John Telford, Esq. (1768), George Telford, Esq. (1771), Mr. 
William Tate (1781), Mr. William Blanchard (1786), Mr. Thomas Harper 
(1795), Mr. William Ardington (1795), the last of whom in 1829, when con¬ 
siderable alterations were made in the rules, occupied the position of Senior 
Florist.—( York Herald). 
THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
A WELCOME change in the weather has rendered it possible in m >st 
gardens to make good progress with seasonable work among the fruit 
trees. Nor for various reasons should it be delayed more than can pos¬ 
sibly be avoided. Pruning, nailing, and manuring old trees and the 
planting of young trees yet remains to be completed in many instances, 
and a few brief hints bearing upon these important details arc appended. 
ArRlCOTS.—These are the first to bloom, and ought at once to be 
attended to. The fruit is borne principally upon the short spurs formed 
on two-year-old wood, and also in some instances on the last season’s 
well-ripened growths. The latter, if sturdy, may be laid in to its full 
lengih wherever there are vacant spaces yet to fill, but if it is at all 
weakly or badly ripened it should be shortened considerably. All long 
lateral growth to be cut back to within about 2 inches of the old wood, 
and round these will eventually be formed a cluster of blossom buds. 
Long spurs, or say about 6 inches and upwards from the walls, are 
objectionable, and where these prevail a number of them may well bi 
freely shortened, cutting where possible to a back growth or spur. It is 
almost useless to p'ant Apricots on cold badly drained land. In such 
cases rather high planting will preserve them for a time, but good drain¬ 
age is preferable. Old trees, especially those under copings, ought to 
receive good dressings of partially decayed manure, but on no account 
should a rich compost be given to young trees, this encouraging a very 
rank growth, to be followed by gumming and otl er evils at: n early date. 
Turkey, Moorpark, and Hemskirk are all desirable varieties. 
