858 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 6, 1886. 
an Orchid society should he formed, but what should 
be its object, its organisation, and its means ? 
First of all, what should be the objects of the society ? 
To keep a national herbarium and register of all known 
species ; to settle the nomenclature which is daily 
becoming more and more puzzling ; to take cognizance 
of all new kinds, and fix a proper name without ex¬ 
clusive reference to foreign authorities ; to check the 
importation of old species under new names ; to keep a 
technical library for reference ; to investigate, and make 
known, the best methods of cultivation ; to hold 
meetings, to enable members to give and receive in¬ 
formation ; to popularise the culture of Orchids by 
holding shows, not one, but several yearly shows, &c. 
Professor Reichenbacli has hitherto been our great, 1 
may almost say, our only authority ; should health fail 
him, what are we to do unless the society is prepared to 
train competent men for the kind of work he has done ? 
Secondly, how should the society be organised 1 
Should it be a sub-committee of the R. H. S. ? I 
hardly think this is advisable. The editor of The 
Gardening World points out that the president, the 
secretary, and a few members of the council and the 
floral committee are Orchid-growers ; but these Fellows 
may vacate their office at any time, and what then ? 
He says, that it would diminish the costs; but I am not 
aware that the R. H. S. has large funds at its command. 
He may be better informed than 1 am ; but my belief 
is that a society,.in order to succeed and perform good 
work, should be independent and above want. This 
leads me to the 
Third and next important consideration, the financial 
one. A meeting-place is to be secured ; the herbarium 
is to be kept by a competent and responsible person ; 
the expenses for the preparation and maintenance of 
this herbarium must be provided for ; a technical 
library must be provided ; funds must be obtained to 
grant prizes at shows ; a paid secretary, who might be 
herbarium keeper, must Ije engaged, &c., &e. 
Ho doubt a few liberal patrons would assist the 
formation of the society with their donations ; but 
there are limits to liberality, and the society must rely 
on its subscribers. A large number of members must 
therefore be enrolled, otherwise the subscription would 
be too heavy. 
Having so far sketched the outline of these require¬ 
ments, may I suggest that this subject be mooted and 
discussed on the 9th ? A small fund could then and 
there be raised for preliminary expenses ; they would 
be advertising and sending circulars to known growers 
and amateurs, thereby ascertaining what donations 
could be relied upon, and the number of members likely 
to join. This done, we ought, by the end of the 
month, to be in a position to know whether there is a 
prospect of success or not.— A. F. L. 
-- 
PARSLEY AND ONIONS. 
I noticed iu the interesting paper which was read at 
the Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society by 
Mr. Atkinson, on the 21st. ult., and printed in your last 
issue, p. 345, that not only Mr. Atkinson, but also seve¬ 
ral other gardeners, who took part in the discussion, 
have experienced some difficulty in growing Onions and 
Parsley by reason of their being attacked by maggots. 
I beg to say that if a good surface-dressing of fresh soot 
is laid on the ground prior to drawing the drills (1 ft. 
asunder and 1 in. deep), and scratched into it with a 
rake, afterwards sowing the Onion seed therein, covering, 
rolling, and raking over the bed in the ordinary way, 
there will be no cause to complain of crops thus treated 
suffering front the attacks of the maggot or any other 
insect at the roots. The presence of insects injurious 
to vegetable life in the ground indicates that the latter 
requires purifying, and for this purpose there is no 
better agent than fresh soot put sufficiently thick on the 
ground to completely cover it; it is also a capital fertiliser. 
The application to be successful should be repeated 
every year for all crops of Onions, Turnips, Carrots, 
Parsnips, Lettuce, and Parsley when being transplanted. 
We use cartloads of soot every year, fresh and dry ; it 
being had up from the Castle every time the sweeps are 
at work (every week or two during the winter), and 
kept in a house in the dry to preserve its virtue until 
required for use. Parsley, as a rule, we raise in boxes 
in February for early summer use, afterwards trans¬ 
planting in rows 1 ft. apart, and 6 ins. or 7 ins. in the 
row. We transplant direct from the boxes with a 
small setting stick when the ground is moist, and 
afterwards water when necessary until the roots have 
taken to the soil ; in this way the plants only ex¬ 
perience one check in the process of being transplanted. 
About the middle of June we sow a patch of seed (about 
a square yard) in a warm situation out of doors, and 
subsequently transplant the necessary number of plants 
for yielding an adequate supply of this much sought- 
after herb during the late autumn, winter, and spring 
months.— H. IV. Ward\ Longford Castle. 
-«*«<—■- 
THE “R. H. S.” 
The letters of “A Fellow” and others indicate a 
healthy vitality in the “Royal ” society, and a desire 
amongst members that it should become more worthy 
of its name in the future than it has been in the past. 
For years it has only been a place of amusement for 
the inhabitants of South Kensington, and its shows a 
means of enabling the enterprising florist to “push” 
his wares with triumphant success; while the young 
fry of the neighbourhood bask and play in the warm 
sunshine of maternal smiles, or the cooler rays of the 
British nursemaid’s languid eye. Indeed, it is difficult 
to resist the conclusion that our society has been 
wrongly named, and that it should have been desig¬ 
nated the Nurserymen’s and Nurserymaids’ Mutual 
Benefit Association. During the past four years 
another element has been introduced, still less con¬ 
nected with scientific horticulture ; I mean the sort of 
Cremorne redivivus which Her Majesty’s Commissioners 
have instituted and find so profitable. 
If anyone doubts the dilettante and amateurish 
character of the societ}’, I would refer them back to the 
Orchid Conference of last May. There for nearly two 
whole daj^s the society tried to bo serious and scientific. 
I say nearly, because, as I will show, the attempt broke 
down on the second day. On that memorable occasion 
the R. H. S. went so far as to have papers read and 
attempt discussion. Even Professor Reichenbacli con¬ 
tributed a paper, which no one understood ; and Mr. 
Harry Veitch succeeded in imparting a scientific glam¬ 
our to a communication which, after all, was perhaps 
not of very general interest. Then came a pretence of 
discussion, for it was painfully evident no one present 
knew how these things were'usually managed. Thus 
far, nevertheless, things went smoothly enough, but 
during the reading of the next paper the catastrophe 
to which I have already alluded occurred, and the mask 
of seriousness was thrown to the winds. For it became 
known that royalty were about, and the announcement 
caused such a flutter of excitement amongst the 
members of the council that they quite lost their heads 
in anxiety to do obeisance to their social superiors, and 
the meeting terminated in a somewhat undignified 
manner. 
All this is sufficiently condemnatory of the old 
Society as at present constituted. What intelligent 
men want is either a new Society or the old one re¬ 
organised and removed from its present quarters. 
Also a council sufficiently influential to command the 
respect of the scientific horticultural opinion of the 
world. Such a body with suitable premises in London 
—not in the suburbs—would be the means of greatly 
advancing botanical and horticultural knowledge by 
holding meetings once or twice a month during the 
season, where papers would be read and discussed—as 
in other learned societies. These discussions would 
be published verbatim under the form of “ Proceed¬ 
ings,” and sent free of charge to every Fellow. Curious 
and interesting plants and blooms might be shown at 
the meetings, but nothing approaching to flower shows 
would be permitted and no prizes or rewards given, 
that stupendous farce a ‘ 1 Vote of Thanks ” being 
also swept away. The subscription should not exceed 
a guinea a year, and as the absurd connection between 
our Society and the Commissioners would be severed, 
free passes to the Exhibition would no longer be given. 
Were the changes I have roughly indicated carried 
out, the R. H. S. would rise like a Phoenix from the 
commercial debris at South Kensington, and then be 
able to claim that respect from scientific men— 
which it cannot command now. For who would think 
of announcing any botanical discovery to our Society, 
indeed it does not offer any opportunity, as papers are 
never sent there, and if they were the members are not 
capable of understanding or discussing them. — Vanda, 
February 3rd. 
I All pleased to see that the few remarks of mine 
which you published in your issue for January 16 have 
not all fallen upon stony ground. Mr. Burbidge con¬ 
siders that I hit the nail on the head pretty fairly, and 
remarks that the dinner, which is to be held next 
Tuesday evening, is a “new move,” that inspires hope 
in the wavering mind. As to his first point, let me 
say how pleased I should be if he would help me to 
drive the nail further home. ■ Mere platitudes will not 
do it ; vigorous action is what is now required. As to 
the dinner, well, I am not so sanguine as to the good 
that will come from it, as only the members of the 
council and a few millionaires can be expected to be 
present, and it is not of such materials alone that a 
strong and powerful society such as 1 desire to see, 
and such as the rank and file of horticulturists would 
delight to support, can be made. “ J. S. T.” appears 
to be much of the same mind as myself as regards the 
guinea subscription, and the necessity of severing the 
disastrous connection with the commissioners ; and he 
may be glad to know that many others of his class— 
for I take him to be a gardener—are of the same way 
of thinking. 
“S. H. A.” also agrees with me as to throwing off 
the yoke of the imperious body, responsible only to 
themselves who rule the roast at South Kensington ; 
and also of holding provincial shows. I thank him for 
his support on these points, but cannot say that I share 
his views as to providing amusement in the form of 
shows for the majority of Fellows who find the sinews 
of war. If the council is going to continue the unwise 
policy of catering for this class of Fellows, to the neglect 
of the genuine horticultural element, of course shows, 
sweet music, and popular lectures on Fertilisation (which 
I notice always draw) must be provided for their amuse¬ 
ment, and I do not object providing the class is big 
enough ; but I contend that it is the catering for, and 
consideration that has been shown to this La-di-dah 
element for so long a period that has helped to a very 
great extent in reducing the society to its present 
deplorable condition. Then away with it, bag and 
baggage, let the loungers go to Regents Park, as 
“ S. H. A.” suggests. Devoted horticulturists care 
nothing for this class of patrons (save the mark ! ) ; they 
are strong enough to sail their own ship, and like the 
members of the Royal Agricultural Society can do with¬ 
out such “amusement.” Your correspondent need 
have no fear about the sinews of war, if the R. H. S. is 
re-organized on a popular basis, and placed under the 
management of men in whom the horticultural body 
has confidence ; plenty of funds 'will be foithcoming, 
when the work done by the society is of a more worthy 
character than providing amusement for mere drones. 
The Royal Botanic Society is the proper place for this 
class of supporters. ‘ The Royal Horticultural Society 
should cater for better fibre. 
Mr. William Paul (a man respected by all his 
fellows, for the good work he has done in promoting 
floriculture) I see alluded, at the late meeting of the 
Nursery and Seed Trade Association, to the existing 
rule of the Society, which precludes nurserymen from 
being members of the Council. The rule in question 
is certainly a standing disgrace to the practical mem¬ 
bers of the Society, but it rests only with themselves 
as to how long it shall remain so. This, if I remember 
rightly, is a legacy of the Lord Bury regime, but if 
Mr. Paul and his friends are only true to themselves, 
it may soon be swept away. Let them ask themselves 
the question, what would the Royal Agricultural ■ 
Society be like if it had no practical farmers on its 
Council ? or what would be the position of the Royal 
College of Surgeons, if its management was confined 
only to that respectable bodj’ of men who sell sticking 
plaster ? Yet both of these suppositions would only 
be on a par with the present position of the R. H. S. 
The thing is ridiculous. 
Since I last wrote you, I have received a circular 
intimating that the authorities are again about to 
commit the folly of recommending for election, and it 
practically means electing to a seat on the Council, a 
gentleman who has no claim whatever to the honour. 
I allude to Mr. Mitford, of course, for we all know that 
Baron Schroder and Mr. Sydney Courtauld have won 
their spurs in the horticultural world, and, if elected, 
may be expected to do good suit and service. But what 
are Mr. Mitford’s qualifications for a seat on the Council ? 
What has he done for horticulture ; and how long has 
he helped to provide the sinews of war, that he should 
be selected over the heads of the many abler and better 
