February 10, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
113 
work proceeds with the soil in which the plants are to grow. 
The top when finished should be slightly rounded. 
The compost they thrive best in is loam, peat, and leaf soil in 
equal proportions, with sand enough to insure perfect drainage. 
The compost should be moderately moist at the time of planting, 
and the baskets should not be watered until the plants have fairly 
started into growth, which they usually do in the case of ten days 
or a fortnight. They should be frequently syringed at this stage, 
and if possible slightly shaded for a week or so, afterwards they 
should receive all the light and sunshine possible. While in active 
growth, up to the time they commence flowering, they should be 
syringed twice daily during bright weather if grown in light airy 
houses, but if grown in houses partially shaded and damp the 
syringing is not necessary, but they must have abundance of water 
at the roots. When the plants are in bloom the atmosphere of the 
house must be kept dry, airy, and fairly warm ; indeed the air of 
an ordinary conservatory will suit them well at this stage. Damp¬ 
ness at this time is the greatest danger. If this can be kept away 
the baskets should continue in great beauty for two or three months. 
Fig 1 * 19.—A basket of Achimenee. 
Our largest baskets (fig. 19) when at their best, are from 4 to 6 feet 
through, and one mass of bloom. It is often difficult to see even 
a leaf for the great abundance of the flowers. 
As to varieties, most growers will have their own fancies, but 
I may remark that shy weak-growing varieties are no use at all for 
their purpose. The following are our standard sorts for bas kets :— 
Ambroise Verschaffelt .—A well known and popular sort. This 
makes a grand light-coloured basket. 
Carl Woolfarth .—A strong grower ; makes a magnificent basket 
of enormous size. Colour, purplish crimson ; flowers large. 
Harry Williams .—This does not make a large basket, but one 
of medium size and compact form. It is of a most pleasing colour, 
bright cerise with yellow eye and spotted with maroon, the lower 
part of the eye pale mauve. This makes a very telling basket. 
Longiflora major and the old longiflnra .—Both make beautiful 
baskets. The former has larger flowers, but the old variety, to my 
mind, produces quite as pleasing an effect. 
Dazzle .—Bright scarlet, a shy grower compared with some of the 
others, but if planted thickly makes an effective basket, the colour 
being so bright. 
Margaretta .—A pure white variety, a good grower, and the best 
of its colour for basket work. 
Many other varieties are grown here, but the above are sorts 
which can be depended on, and will give an interesting diversity of 
colours. 
Achimenes may be grown in various ways, and when well grown 
are always interesting. We have them in pans, the finest growing 
varieties often 3 feet through. We also plant them freely on a 
rockery among Ferns, and also on carpets of Moss (Selaginella 
Kraussiana), where they have a very pleasing and refreshing 
appearance ; but the method of growing them in suspended baskets 
is incomparably superior to any other ; indeed I will go so far as to 
say that there is not another plant to be found which will surpass 
the Achimenes (for the summer months) in beauty and interest, 
when they are grown in this way. 
The success in managing this plant will be in proportion to the 
care and intelligence exercised in handling the tender plants at 
planting time, and placing them in position without unnecessary 
damage to the roots or soft stems, and to the methodical and 
timely attention to all the details of culture above described. 
—0. T. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
February 8th. 
The annual general meeting of this Society was held in the East Crush 
Room of the Royal Albert Hall, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the 7th inat., the 
President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., in the ebair. There was an 
unusually good attendance of Fellows, and the following members of the 
Council were present :—Baron Schroder, Major Mason, Dr. Robert Hogg, 
W. T. Thiselton Dyer, G. F. Wilson, Michael T. Foster, E. G. Loder, 
Colonel Beddome, S. Courtauld, William Haughton (Treasurer), William. 
Lee (Secretary), and Captain Bax (Assistant Secretary). 
The proceedings were commenced by the Secretary reading the notioe 
calling the meeting and the minutes of the last annual general meeting. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence then proceeded to make a few comments upon the 
annual report and to explain the position of the Society. A question had 
already been asked as to whether the time at which the notices of alterations 
in the constitution of the Council was in accordance with the bye-laws, and 
the following explanation of the departure from the usual course was then 
furnished. The Council met on December 7th, 188G, when there was so 
much bn siness to be tran sacted that some had to be postponed until January 
11th. Then there would have been time to issue the notices by the 15th ult. 
had not some difficulty occurred as to whether the gentlemen proposed to 
fill the vacancies on the Counoil would accept the position, and before this 
could be determined the requisite time had laps a. They therefore could 
not proceed with any election until the due notice had been given before 
another meeting is held, the Council and officers remaining in the meantime 
as before. The President observed that the Council had to regret the death 
of Mr. West, who had rendered the Society most valuable services as 
auditor, and they wished to express their hearty condolence with his family. 
Referring more particularly to the leport, Sir Trevor Lawrence regretted 
that he was unable to give a definite statement as to their prospects. The 
negotiations with the Albert Hall Corporation had fallen through because 
the terms proposed by the Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition to the 
latter were of such a nature that they declined them unanimously. The 
position now is that the Commissioners would place alternative terms 
before the Albert Hall Corporation, and in the event of these being unac¬ 
cepted they would be prepared to enter into direct negotiations with the 
Royal Horticultural Society. He could not conceal that the position of the 
Society is very unsatisfactory, but it could not establish itself in an inde¬ 
pendent position without considerable expense. It was very desirable that 
the Society should have a home of its own if a way could be seen to 
obtaining the necessary funds. He thought it was desirable if possible to 
make an arrangement to the mutual advantage of South Kensington 
Fellows and horticulturists generally, but they could not sacrifice the 
interests of the Society to the former element. Their recent position had 
not been creditable to them, but their grateful acknowledgments were due 
to the Commissioners for their terms of occupation. They had permission 
to use the offices they now occupy by accepting all liability as to rates and 
taxes, but the use of the conservatory for shows and meetings had been 
declined unless some arrangement could be effected with the parochial 
authorities by agreeing to pay a stipulated sum for rates each time it might 
be employed for that purpose. This, it was thought, might be accom¬ 
plished, and the matter would be decided as quickly as possible. 
As regards the Liverpool Show, upon which the accounts show a con¬ 
siderable loss, he wished the Fellows to understand that the matter was 
fully considered before it was undertaken. The Mayor of Liverpool and 
other local authorities were consulted, who represented it as an exception¬ 
ally favourable opportunity, and in matters of this kind they were neces¬ 
sarily chiefly dependant upon local information. Happily, however, the 
Show was a great success horticultu ally, and they must a'so express their 
acknowledgments to the guarantors for the promptness with which this 
fund was paid. The work at Chiswick had been carried on in the usual way, 
but they hoped during the year to make more use of the Gardens than 
before, as much space and time had been occupied during the past season 
with the plants for the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. Sir Trevor Law¬ 
rence referred to the meeting of the Horticultural Club recently (noticed on 
age 94 last week), and stated what a strong feeling existed that the 
ociety should establish itself in a home of its own. He could not believe 
that a Society which has done so much good work as this would appeal in 
vain for support if they could see a clear course. Mr. H. Turner was 
nominated as auditor in the place of the late Mr. West. 
