14 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
fulness of these meetings, which are a common 
ground on which scientific and practical men 
can meet and interchange their views, and 
many interesting facts are thus elicited; 
moreover last year the display of flowers and 
fruit at some of the meetings was very large, 
and the room was crowded by many who at 
an ordinary exhibition would have seen, ad¬ 
mired, and gone away no wiser than they 
came as to the nature, history, or uses of that 
which they had seen. 
Southampton Horticultural Society.— 
The monthly meeting of this Society was held 
on Monday the 11th of December; the Rev. 
Dr. Cary in the Chair. There was a large 
attendance of members and friends. Among 
the subjects exhibited were blooms of that 
splendid climber the Ipomoea Horsfalliae, as 
also a plant of the Calanthe vestita rubra, 
both of which were shown by Mr. Boyce, 
gardener to H. J. Buchan, Esq., who gave an 
interesting description of the characteristics 
of each, and his method of cultivation. 
Messrs. Windebank and Kingsbury sent 
some beautiful double Primulas of various 
shades of colour, among which was one of the 
original double white, so that the great ad¬ 
vance made in them might be seen. In a 
choice collection from Mr. Hayes was a 
plant of the Poinsettia pulcherrima, the 
floral bracts of which, being fully expanded, 
rendered it an object of great admiration. 
Mr. Blandford, gardener to — Standish, 
Esq., sent a collection of twelve sorts of 
Apples, many of them very fine. Mr. Dean 
read a paper on spring flower-gardening, in 
which he adverted to the objection made to 
the modern system of parterre flower-garden¬ 
ing, that everything was sacrificed for the 
sake of obtaining gay bloom for a few 
months; pointed out how by a judicious 
arrangement of certain hardy blooming plants 
during the winter months, and especially in 
the spring, this objection might be overcome ; 
gave a list of plants suitable for the purpose, 
with instructions as to their propagation; 
and concluded by asking the members to put 
the system he had advocated into practice. 
Mr. Whitehorn then read an interesting 
paper on that inexhaustible subject the Potato 
disease, in which he attributed the disease to 
our having departed from nature in our treat¬ 
ment of the plant, and pointed out the 
mode of cultivation which he considered 
most in accordance with its true character, 
and best calculated to ward off the attacks of 
the disease. After a sharp passage-of-arms 
between Messrs. Whitehorn and Kingsbury 
on some of the points advanced in the paper, 
Mr. Higgs referred to the labours of Mr. 
Paterson in improving the stamina of the 
Potato, and said that he looked forward to 
such an improvement in its constitution 
eventually that it would become impreg¬ 
nable to the attacks of the disease. Mr. 
Dean gave some information respecting a 
number of Paterson’s and other Potatoes 
which he had grown during the past season, 
showing that the newer varieties had with¬ 
stood the attacks of the disease whilst older 
sorts had succumbed, and laid great stress 
upon the importance of thoroughly exposing 
the seed before storing for the winter.—A. D. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion. —His Royal Highness the Prince of 
Wales has graciously consented to accept the 
Presidentship of this Institution, vacant by 
the death of the Duke of Northumberland, 
and has made a donation of twenty-five 
guineas to the funds. The chair at the next 
anniversary dinner is to be taken by Sir C. 
Wentworth Dilke, Bart., M.P. 
Caledonian Horticultural Society.— 
The proposition for the amalgamation of this 
with the Edinburgh Horticultural Society, 
mentioned in our last Number, was adopted 
on the 6th December, and a Council elected 
from the two bodies under the presidency of 
the Duke of Buccleuch. The Experimental 
Garden has been transferred to the Board of 
Works, and will be converted into an arbore¬ 
tum in connection with the Botanic Garden. 
Mr. Weir. —A circular has been issued 
by the Royal Horticultural Society inviting 
subscriptions in aid of Mr. Weir, their plant 
collector in South America. He was attacked 
by fever on his return from Bogota to Santa 
Martha, in October, 1864, and on the fever 
leaving him he was found to have lost the use 
of his limbs. Although he has been for some 
time in this country he is still suffering from 
almost total paralysis, and Dr. Seymour Haden 
reports most unfavourably of his case. The 
Council state in the circular, that they feel 
they cannot for any length of time apply the 
funds of the Society to Mr. Weir’s support, 
but express confidence that the Fellows who 
have benefited so much by the beautiful 
plants which he sent home will not be un¬ 
willing to subscribe to provide for him. 
Subscriptions are received by Captain 
Cockerell, Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Offices, South Kensington, W. 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
stove and orchid-houses. 
No attempt should be made to excite a pre¬ 
mature growth at this season by keeping a 
high temperature. From 55° by night to 63° 
by day should be the highest limits. At the 
same time the atmospheric moisture should 
be reduced considerably; water with great 
caution. Ixoras, Allamandas, &c., if wanted 
