229 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, July 14, 18,97. 
for a moment at the animal world, I have heard, I 
think, of a lamb that had lost its dam being reared by 
| one of the cauine species, and such-like; but I fancy our 
great stock breeders would scarcely prefer such artificial 
mothers, even though the practice could he systematised 
j with facility. 
In pursuance, then, of a course suggested by such 
considerations, I should say, firstly, let the stock selected 
j he of the same genus; secondly, let it possess as near 
an affinity in habit and appearance as possible; thirdly, 
let it be of free, but firm and sound growth, and having 
j a capacity for producing abundance of fibres in almost 
any ordinary soil; and lastly, as to tender fruits, one 
that ripens its shoots well. Such a course I should 
recommend to any lady or gentleman who chooses to 
embark in this ingenious and interesting speculation— 
one, I am persuaded, which would be found to possess 
renewed interest at every move. 
The raising and rearing of stocks, even up to their 
being grafted and budded, should not be conducted on 
soils much forced with manure. I should prefer what 
is called a maiden loam, in order that the natural habits 
of the kinds should be perfectly manifest; in other 
words, that the trial be impartial, and, I am almost 
inclined to add, severe. 
I really confess to a belief that some of our ingenious 
amateurs will, before long, be induced to try their 
hand; in doing so I heartily wish them a full enjoyment 
of the pleasures it is capable of affording. Some of our 
Waltonian friends, who are notorious for that wondrous 
virtue, patience, are likely gentlemen to occupy an odd 
hour on days when they cannot fish in this kind of way. 
I much fear, however, that to carry out experiments 
of the kind in a manner equal to the just expectations 
of the age we live in will require a special arrangement, 
and a little of what is called the sinews of war. 
R. Errington. 
MEETING OF THE LONDON HORTICUL¬ 
TURAL SOCIETY. —July 7th. 
There was a full Meeting to-day without much 
crowding. Colonel Challoner was in the chair, in high 
spirits at the success of the new order of things. He 
said there was another very heavy list of candidates for 
i admission into the Society, and he made a soldier-like 
j defence of the new system of voting in new Fellows in 
the lump to spare the ladies’ patience, with the laughing 
corner of his eye fixedly set in the direction of Mr. 
Godson, and carried the day on the short-run principle; 
so we voted in pretty nigh forty new members in one 
round of the ballot-box. 
After that we had a Midsummer lecture on a large 
exhibition of fruit, some of which was “ the finest that 
was ever seen in that room.” The flowers were not so 
numerous, but were “ highly interesting.” 
After the lecture another ballot took place to decide 
who should be the fortunate applicants for the new 
Chamcecyparis from Mexico, of which forty plants were 
raised in the garden of the Society from seeds gathered 
in Orizaba by M. Bortero, the last collector sent out 
by the old Council. There were 120 applications 
for the forty plants, and the ballot was on the ancient 
Roman principle. The names of all the applicants were 
written on separate slips of paper, which slips were folded 
and put into a glass canister. One of the ladies volun¬ 
teered to draw the lots, and the Chairman handed each 
lot to Dr. Lindley, who read them to the Meeting. The 
first forty lots .or names were the winners, and Mr. 
Pouty, of Plymouth, was No. 1; but three more nursery¬ 
men were “drawn”—Mr. Backhouse, of York; Mr. 
Chandler, of Vauxhall; and Mr. Fraser, of Lea Bridge. 
! All these four will put on the steam to see which can 
make the most of it for sale. Every joint of a Chamce¬ 
cyparis will make a plant if grafted on a Thuja or 
Cupressus. Foreigners pronounce the name IShamce- 
cyparis; but Dr. Lindley pronounces it Kameciparis, 
with the accent on the y. I would undertake to go 
straight from London to Vera Cruz, and thence straight 
to Orizaba; I would scale the declivities of that monster 
peak from the east side up to the snow line, gather bags- 
ful of the seeds of this plant, be in London for the 
Christmas pudding, and in the market with seedling 
Chamacyparis, which I could sell, after paying or 
making allowance for all my expenses, at one-half the 
price that the lucky winners must charge for it. 
The last subject noticed from the Chair was certain 
alterations in the by-laws of the Society which were 
suggested by Mr. Godson, “ a gentleman who has taken 
an earnest interest in our affairs.” A new set of by-laws 
will be submitted to the next Meeting on the 13th of 
October. Meantime we shall enjoy the long vacation 
each in his or her own way; but first of all I must tell 
what was to be seen at the Meeting, and I shall begin 
with and follow the lecturer. 
He first noticed a collection of fruit from Her Majesty, 
which eclipsed every former thing of the kind. There 
were two collections included in this, one of seven kinds 
of Cherries, and the other of four kinds of Plums and 
a seedling Strawberry. The Cherries were Black Eagle, 
Werder’s Early Black , Black Tartarian , and Knight's 
Early Black, with Downton, Elton , and Bigarreau. The 
Plums were Washington , Jefferson, Greengage, and 
Goliath. Were it not for these Plums he told us that 
Mr. Blandy’s gardener would have come in for the first 
prize, his Jefferson and Victoria Plums and his Cir¬ 
cassian Cherries being very little behind the royal 
standard. The next grand collection was from the 
Marquis of Lansdown, and consisted of four Queen 
Pines between 4lbs. and 51bs. each, and four Providence 
Pine Apples from Gibs, to 7lbs. odd—ail from eighteen- 
month s’-old plants. When I was man cook it took the 
gardener just five years to fruit the Providence, and 
then we could never get them of the perfect form ; and 
Mr. Spencer, who produced these, told me that to have 
really plump, good-looking Providences on the model of 
Maids of Honour they must be fruited at that age. 
Next came an “ arbour” of Grapes in pots, with an 
arched roof over the central table—two pots of Black 
Hamburghs from Mr. Ivison, gardener to the Duke of 
Northumberland at Sion. The lecturer referred par¬ 
ticularly to the colour and number of bunches—fourteen 
on the two plants; but for a surer evidence of good 
gardening you must look first to the state of the leaves, 
and these were as green, fresh, and healthy as if the 
roots were in a border made by Mr. Errington himself. 
A dunce might fruit a Vine in a pot. If the plant was 
grown by a wise man he might then get large bunches 
and well-coloqred berries; but “ a poor tool ” can never 
carry the leaves fresh to the table, and unless they are 
so the Grapes may be as black as sloes, but they must 
lack flavour. 
From pot Grapes to Pines again, Mr. Davis, gardener 
to Lady Bridport, had two Providences, one of which 
was 7lbs. 2ozs., the other not quite so much. A Queen 
Pine, weighing 5lbs. 4ozs., from Mr. Browne, gardener 
to Mrs. Vivian, F.H.S., Singleton, Swansea, was par¬ 
ticularly noticed for its size and beauty. Mr. Browne’s 
ears must have tingled down in Wales when this was 
going on. Mr. Frost, gardener at Preston Hall, ditto, 
for his Queen of 41bs. 8ozs.; and Mr. Maher, gardener 
to Sir R. W. Bulkely, Bart., Beaumaris, sent two Queens 
hard upon 41bs. each. 
Dishes and baskets of Grapes were particularly good, 
but all the Muscats were certainly not quite ripe. Mr. 
Hill, gardener to R. Sneyd, Esq., Keele Hall, sent the 
finest Black Hamburghs, with four leaves from the Vines 
