326 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 23, 1886. 
work, but is most decidedly too much dependent upon 
the “ Commissioners.” Then why not sever that 
connection ? “ A Fellow ’ ’ says it is of little use “ waiting 
for something to turn up,” and I would like to add 
“ let us be up and doing.” Could not something be 
done in the way of preparing a suitable site for land 
and building ; surely a fund could be started in aid of 
this, and to which all horticulturists would, I believe, 
contribute. This question has often been before the 
readers of your contemporaries, and I should be delighted 
to find that from the pages of The Gardening World, 
the question resolved itself into something practical— 
a temple and grounds suitable for the requirements of 
the horticultural profession.— J. S. T. 
-- 
FLORAL FASHIONS IN AMERICA. 
A New York correspondent of The American 
Florist states that the pressed leaves of Salisburia adi- 
antifolia, which are lemon-coloured in autumn, are 
used by florists sufficiently fortunate to secure them to 
produce Japanese effects in designs for the table. They 
are curious and elegant, standing with their fans at all 
angles in a basket of old gold and garnet-coloured Mrs. 
C. W. Wheeler Chrysanthemum, or among Sunset 
Roses. Table centre-pieces are made in plateaus, the 
flowers being put in in bands where an assortment is 
used. Three plateaus are placed on a long table. A 
decoration made for a dinner last week was of yellow 
effects. There were three plateaus of Perle des Jardin 
Eoses, surrounded by pure yellow Pansies, and a band 
of Pansies 12 ins. wide around the table, leaving space 
for each cover. The plateaus and bands were fringed 
with Adiantum cuneatum, the most popular Fern this 
season. Some fine effects are made with A. Farleyense. 
The plant is removed from the pot, mossed around 
■until Lycopodium, and clusters of large Eoses are 
nestled among the fronds. 
Smilax apparently has had its day in choice deco¬ 
rations. Uses will, of course, be found for it ; but 
Ivy, Asparagus tenuissimus, and Lygodium scandens 
are demanded for fine work. Begonia metallica and 
B. Louis Chretien make exquisite contrasts for edging 
the flat centre and end pieces for table adornment. 
Narrow Croton leaves, some yellow and curling, others 
like variegated pennants, are placed in loose bouquets 
instead of Ferns, as high colours is the freak of fashion¬ 
able preference. Small Ivy leaves of a variety called by 
the metropolitan florists “Heidelberg Ivy” are intro¬ 
duced in clusters in bouquets, or tied on to the stems 
■with a knot of white Violets. 
Eoom decorations are very artistic this month, taking 
the form of drapery in private houses and of elaborate 
wall-pieces in large saloons. Camellias in panels are 
arranged so that their colours shade from white through 
the pinks to crimson, and on each tint there is a 
festooning of roses, or fine flowers, such as Stevia and 
single Bouvardia. Large wall plaques of foliage have 
a blooming plant in the centre, and a wreath of trailing 
vines instead of cut flowers. The Asparagus grows in 
favour ; long garlands are very desirable and find ready 
sale. These are draped over lace curtains and mirrors, 
and are formed in screens for wedding designs. The 
“screen” is now the most fashionable arrangement for 
nuptial parties to stand before, instead of in an arbor 
or under a bell. This screen is about 8 or 10 ft. high, 
is of foliage and rose clusters. From its back bends 
over it a tall drooping palm. Frequently the plants 
are placed on a pedestal to give them height. Orchids 
are much in vogue for hand bouquets, combined with 
lilacs ; Cattleyas and purple-tinted lilacs make a rich 
bunch. Bouquets are made very large for weddings 
and other occasions. Orchids and orange-blossoms 
compose the most fashionable wedding bunches, except¬ 
ing for very young brides, who carry Lily of the Valley. 
A leading florist has orange flowers and lilacs forced in 
rotation for his use. 
All the most stylish gowns for evening wear are 
embellished with natural flowers. These are made 
into a spray of twelve roses with their own foliage, 
which is fastened to the left shoulder and allowed to 
droop to the belt, with an occasional pinning to the 
corsage. Sashes of roses extend from one shoulder 
across the waist to the side of the skirt ; this sash is 
finished by a tassel of Lilacs or Lily of the Valley. 
Berthe capes around the low-necked dresses and 
bretelles are made of smaller flowers, daisies and 
Polyantha roses being worn by misses and debutantes. 
These latter pieces are first formed by a soft lace netting 
to which the flowers are caught. The American Beauty 
rose is extremely popular for dress garniture. 
Tall tree stumps are utilised in decorations for cover¬ 
ing with growing orchids. Fine collections are shown 
in this way. The stump is sometimes garlanded with 
Ivy, and looks very handsome in a wide window. 
Passiflora rubra appears in altar decorations, and 
was ordered for choice Christmas designs in churches. 
It is very beautiful when standing in relief from fine 
evergreens. 
-- 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY AND ITS COMMITTEES. 
As this is a subject that is certain to receive some 
amount of attention at this season of the year, it may 
be remarked that the first meeting of the floral com¬ 
mittee of the society took place on July 5th or 6th, 
1859. The National Floricultural Society, which was 
founded in 1851, did, up to the end of 1858, form a 
tribunal to which was submitted all the new florists’ 
flowers of the day. A little later the British Pomological 
Society was formed, which took the same oversight of 
fruits, and especially those claiming to be new, that 
the National Floricultural Society did of flowers. In the 
early part of 1859, the Boval Horticultural Society having 
announced that it was the intention of the council to 
form a floral committee for the purpose of making 
awards to new flowers, it was resolved in consequence 
to dissolve the National Floricultural Society. Of the 
two committees of the Eoyal Horticultural Society, the 
fruit committee was the first formed in the order of 
time; and it may be said of the British Pomological 
Society that it was merged in the new organization, and 
this body began to hold meetings previous to those of 
the floral committee. 
We are not quite clear as to the conditions under 
which the first floral committee of the society was 
formed, but in 1S67-68 and 69 it was a permanent body, 
with the Eev. Joshua Dix as chairman, a London 
clergyman, who had been associated with floriclture 
for many years. By a permanent body is 
meant that it was not subject to annual dissolution 
at the end of the year as in the present day, 
and the constitution of the committee was at that time 
in the hands of the members of the committee. The 
course adopted was to read out at the last meeting in 
the year a list of the attendances of the members, the 
names of those who had attended least—generally about 
three or four were struck out, and the committee nomi¬ 
nated others to fill the vacancies thus created, such 
nominations being accepted by the council as a matter 
of course. This regulation of striking off the names 
of the committeemen who had made the least at¬ 
tendances was calculated to work somewhat unjustly, 
inasmuch as members who lived at a distance who did 
not attend regularly, but only came up when they 
thought subjects would be presented in which they 
were specially interested, but who were desirable mem¬ 
bers, were struck off without much regard to their 
peculiar position. 
But at the end of 1869, without any notice being 
given to the committee, a new procedure was intro¬ 
duced—it was resolved to dissolve the committees at 
the end of each year and re-constitute them, such re¬ 
constitution as well as the nomination of new members 
being placed in the hands of a sub-committee of the 
council. That this change was brought about from 
questionable motives there can now be no doubt, and 
at the first meeting of the floral committee in 1870, a 
strong protest was entered by the late Mr. Charles Lee 
and other members of the committee at that time, but 
no action was taken beyond a protest. Thus it was 
that a number of horticuituralists who gave up much 
valuable time, and, in not a few cases, at considerable 
expense, to discharge certain useful functions of a 
honorary character, were superseded by an irresponsible 
and much less qualified body in the work of re-consti¬ 
tuting the committee. And the change has worked 
disastrously in this way—that it placed in the hands 
of members of the council and officials of the society 
the means of keeping from the committee an) 7 persons 
who might be personally obnoxious to themselves, how¬ 
ever well qualified to discharge the functions of a 
committeeman, and there can be no doubt that this 
power has been frequently used for this purpose. More 
than that, it gave opportunity for persons being placed 
on the committees who were generally unknown in the 
horticultural world, and whose qualifications were of 
the slenderest character. In this way the power to 
appoint on the committees has been abused. 
It is stated that at the end of 1SS4, members of the 
floral committee were asked to nominate those whom 
they thought qualified to occupy a seat on that body, 
but, though this was done by request, there is scarcely 
a case known of one of these nominations having been 
accepted. One thing is quite certain, that whether or 
no the committees be permanent or only yearly bodies, 
the privileges of nominating to’ vacancies on that body 
should be vested in them—this is only fair. The chair¬ 
man of each committee, who is a member of the council, 
should, in conjunction with Mr. Barron, have a veto on 
any nomination, with the understanding that the veto 
should not be exercised except where circumstances 
absolutely just if}’ it.— Florist. 
-- 
Scottis h Car denihg. 
Strawberries in Pots during Winter. —Cul¬ 
tivators have often expressed their views as to the safest 
and best method of preserving their Strawberry plants 
which are to be forced under glass. Various methods 
have been lucidly propounded but it frequently hap¬ 
pens that the advice given cannot be accepted, simply 
because means are not at command to do as one would 
wish. The advice as to plunging the pots to their rims 
among ashes, old tan, or sawdust under the protection of 
glass in pits or frames, only using the lights during 
severe frost, heavy snow, and rainfalk keeping an 
abundance of air on at all times, except when bad weather 
prevails is good. Strawberry storing effected in 
this way is all one could wish (but few can spare the 
glass), and is better than the ordinary system of stand¬ 
ing the pots over the floor of a cool orchard-house, as 
in the latter the roots are subject to fluctuations of 
damp and drought; but plunged in the cool pits or 
frames the roots are always under the same conditions, 
and in a similar manner other plants for forcing, 
such as bulbs, Kalmias, Ehododendrons, Azaleas, and 
•a host of other favourites now in stock at this season 
should be treated. Pot Vines are decidedly in safer 
quarters when plunged and not left with their pots 
exposed, as we have seen in some nurseries (very few, 
however), and it is wondered when such fine canes 
are subjected to the fruiting test why they grow away 
and become what is known as “blind.” 
With regard to Strawberries it is often a difficulty to 
find quarters for them apart from glass protection, and 
they may be seen in ridges stacked on their sides, 
forming walls 3 ft. high, the pots placed bottom to 
bottom, tightly fitted in ashes or litter. This plan is 
not so popular as it was a quarter of a century ago, and 
no wonder, as the roots so treated invariably suffer, 
especially if February should become dry and frosty 
winds prevail ; although the plants may not entirely 
fail by being subjected to such unnatural treatment, 
they are certainly crippled, and their fruiting powers 
severely weakened. There are various other systems of 
“ storing” which we have practised on the make-shift 
principle, but the one which has answered our purpose 
best is to plunge the pots in ashes, tree leaves, or litter, 
closely and tightly, keeping kinds separate from each 
other, and in batches consecutively to facilitate order 
when periodical removals of the plants are made to the 
forcing structures ; the space for the pots to rest 
upon should be dry, and as little exposed to drying 
easterly winds as possible. If frost is unusually severe, 
a number of stakes may be driven into the ground 
amongst the pots, and cords crossed over them from one 
to another, over which mats may be thrown and 
removed when a thaw has taken place. Our stock is 
being protected this season in the manner referred to 
above ; they stood last winter in this way, evidently 
without the loss of a root, as when the plants were 
unplunged the roots were white and in a dense mass. 
The crops and quality were on the whole the most 
satisfactory which we ever had to do with ; at present, 
after 17° degrees of frost, the roots are such as we 
delight to see. The kinds we have found suitable for 
our purpose are President and Sir Harry for main crops, 
and 400 Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury for first 
gatherings.—J/. T. 
Beading Horticultural Societt. —At the last 
moment an alteration has been made in the fixtures 
of the Reading Horticultural Society for the present 
year. The exhibitions will take place on Wednesday, 
June 2nd, and Wednesday, August 25tli ; not Thurs¬ 
day, August 26th, as previously announced. For years 
past the flower shows at Reading have taken place on 
Thursdays, but this year they take place on V ednes- 
days, and, as usual, in the picturesque Abbey ruins. 
