August 14, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
791 
HORTICULTURISTS IN COUNCIL. 
On Thursday, the 5th inst., a pleasant social 
gathering of Yorkshire gardeners took place at Sheffield, 
on the occasion of the second annual meeting of the 
Yorkshire Association of Horticultural Societies. The 
meeting took place in the Church Institute, and the 
president, the Yen. Archdeacon Blakeney, occupied the 
chair, supported by the Master Cutler Elect, Mr. G. E. 
Lockwood. Delegates were present trom Barnsley, 
Leeds, Rotherham, "Wakefield, and Sheffield, and the 
honorary secretary, Mr. E. Austin, having read the 
minutes of the last meeting, the chairman, as president 
of the Sheffield branch, offered a hearty welcome to those 
members of the association who had come from a dis¬ 
tance, and remarked that one of the most hopeful signs 
of the times was the combination which was now taking 
place among the various classes of people throughout the 
land. It was a combination for mutual benefit, and as 
that increased he believed the nation would become 
stronger and stronger. What they wanted in this great 
country was more self-reliance. Thank God they had 
it even now to a very great extent, and there was nothing 
like men and women depending on their own exertions 
and the talents which God had given them. When people 
combined, as that association had combined, he believed 
it would be for the improvement of the nation in every 
way. Combination for mutual aid was good, but when 
used for resistance it was sometimes very mischievous. 
The combination, however, such as they had brought 
together could only result in unmixed good. The 
general public were benefited by their general exertions, 
and at the same time they were advancnig their pro¬ 
fession. Of course, every member of that association 
could not become a Joseph Paxton, but still he thought 
that they all felt that good must result from an as¬ 
sociation of that kind. He took a deep interest in all 
that affected the working classes, because he believed 
the future of this great country was more or less in 
their hands, and therefore wished that society every 
success and blessing. 
The Leeds Paxton Society were admitted into the 
association, after which the hon. sec. read the annual 
report, which stated that during the eighteen months 
the association had been in existence it had been a suc¬ 
cess, and its future prospects were hopeful and encourag¬ 
ing. It was trusted that by the united action of the 
members generally a deeper interest would be taken in 
horticulture. The report also suggested that a registry 
should be opened for gardeners out of employment, and 
that a library should be formed. The total number of 
members now on the books of the association is 780. 
The report was adopted, and after the alteration of cer¬ 
tain of the rules had been discussed, it was decided 
unanimously that the next annual meeting should be 
held at Barnsley. The officers for the ensuing year 
were next appointed as follows :—Mr. West (Rother¬ 
ham) and Mr. Ball (Sheffield) vice presidents, Messrs. 
Henry Oxley and T. Garnett trustees, Mr. Henshall 
(Barnsley) treasurer, Mr. Sydney Ballinger (Barnsley) 
hon. sec. Mr. Ball, in a humorous speech, proposed a 
vote of thanks to the retiring officers, and spoke par¬ 
ticularly of the kindness which the association had 
received from the president. Mr. G. F. Lockwood 
seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. 
A hearty vote of thanks to the hon. sec. concluded the 
business. 
At the conclusion of the business meeting, the mem¬ 
bers present partook of luncheon, Archdeacon Blakeney 
again taking the chair. The usual loyal toasts having 
been duly honoured, the Rev. A. G. Tweedie, vicar of 
Ranmoor, proposed the toast, “Success to the York¬ 
shire Association of Horticultural Societies,” and in 
doing so he apologised for being an amateur in horti¬ 
culture, and congratulated them upon the work they 
had done. He was not surprised the clergy took a deep 
interest in the association, for this reason, that it 
seemed to him that there was none of God’s works 
which were so beautiful as the flowers which it was 
their care and work to produce. He was not by any 
means a Ritualist ; but if there was one thing more than 
another in their churches which he looked upon with 
favour, it was the introduction of those beautiful flowers 
which God had given to beautify the earth. Mr. Wood¬ 
cock, Mr. Cook, and Mr. Wright responded. 
In the evening, a lecture on Hardy Herbaceous 
Flowers, of which there was a grand display of cut 
blooms, was delivered by the Rev. R. Upcher, who, in 
the course of an able address, called the attention of 
the meeting to the nature of herbaceous plants—to the 
less woody character of their growth, their hardiness, 
utility, and peculiar charms. He then alluded to the 
various links in the chain of floral beauty, and explained 
their individuality and romance. The arrangement of 
the flowers in borders and shrubberies was, he said, a 
most important item in lending charm, and involved 
the study of height, locality, habit, and season of 
blooming. He warned them against the “jobbing 
gardener,” and, in conclusion, gave some useful hints 
regarding the cultivation of plants. 
• A discussion followed, and an unanimous vote of 
thanks was accorded the lecturer. 
- ►>&<— - 
Scottish Gardening. 
Mignonette. —This much admired plant, when 
well grown, seldom receives the treatment which it 
deserves, and except a few specimens which are seen on 
exhibition tables at spring shows, it seldom has an 
important position in private places. The great num¬ 
bers grown for Covent Garden Market show how much 
Mignonette is in demand for window and room decora¬ 
tion. The excellence of the small pots, 6 in. or so, full 
of strong growth and large flowers shows what care and 
proper attention can accomplish. The question of 
light and air must always be of moment, and we have 
no knowledge of any plant which is more impatient of a 
close stagnant atmosphere than Mignonette. There are 
several kinds in commerce with some degree of dis¬ 
tinction attached to each kind ; but for small pot-work 
none has ever been grown finer, or has flowered more 
freely than the old kind which everyone is so familiar 
with. 
From this period, early in August, and onward is a 
suitable time for seed sowing, to grow stock for winter 
and spring use. The system adapted by market men, 
one of whom I worked under at Chelsea, when a boy, 
is to fill up a pit or frame near to the surface with old 
tan (ashes do very well), making all smooth and firm ; 
pots of the desired size are crocked and filled with good 
loam to within less than an inch of the brims, the soil 
is made moderately firm, seed sown, lightly covered 
with soil, watered and pots stood close together ; the 
lights are put on and a little air is given at first, but 
abundantly for some time before the plants appear ; so 
important is air considered that the seed itself receives 
no coddling. When the plants are large enough they 
are thinned to several inches apart, the surfaces of the 
pots are kept quite free from weeds, and never allowed 
to become close or adhesive—the frequent use of a small 
pointed stick keeps this right; lights are kept off all 
day, put on at night, only to throw off rain when it 
may come, they are off again early in the morning— 
during showery weather they are put on and tilted up 
front and back, generally with brickbats. It would 
seem almost to appear inconsistent with truth were I 
to relate how often these lights, during showery weather, 
are pushed on and off in one day. 
It is a strict rule that the lights must never be on 
when the state of the weather will allow them to be 
off, and the tilting up at front and back always follows 
the immediate covering with the glass lights. The 
thousands of plants I have seen in December, stiff 
like quills, and with perhaps not the loss of one pot of 
plants in the whole of the long ranges of pits, have 
fixed on my mind the success which attended this 
simple but very efficient means of growing Mignonette, 
which many years have not effaced. The watering now 
is never left to the youths, but always done with the 
greatest care, it being considered that if a pot becomes 
sodden it was next to useless. More water was never 
given than would keep the soil barely moist, especially 
between October and February, and the grower was 
always anxious to see dry surfaces, both of pots and 
structures, after watering had been performed. In 
course cf time, the plants grew up to the glass and re¬ 
quired removal to other pits ; thinning was also neces¬ 
sary, and the whole stock was re-arranged with great 
alacrity. The few stakes put round the sides of the 
pots, with the strip of matting to keep the plants to¬ 
gether, is too well known to require description ; but 
this work was done so expeditiously—ivomen being by 
far the best at the work—that the “smart journey¬ 
man” or “good nursery hand,” when brought into 
contact with this work, had new lessons to learn. The 
fine specimen Mignonette one often secs at Edinburgh 
spring shows requires a deal of attention to bring them 
to such perfection, and in our way of thinking, these 
specimens are among the most creditable exhibits 
which arc tabled. Specimen single plants are got by 
sowing a few seeds in small pots, then thinned to one 
plant (the strongest) and potted on, giving small shifts 
into well-drained pots. The airing business of these 
must not become any secondary matter. 
Stock Growing for Spring Flowers is 
much on a par with the Mignonette, but Stocks being 
less amenable to injury, do with less attention, but 
coddling them is tantamount to failure. Now is a 
good time to sow for this purpose, and a few dozen 
well-grown Stocks in pots in private places during 
early spring and onwards are no mean objects. These 
can be grown for spring planting in beds, and very 
effective they are during April and May. The ordinary 
intermediate Stock is used for this work ; East Lothian 
Stocks, in the various colours, are excellent, and may be 
grown so that—in the northern and cool districts 
especially—they can be had in flower from May to 
October. Our lot are now a mass of bloom. They 
were sown last August and pricked-out under hand- 
lights, where they remained during the winter, and 
were transferred to their flowering quarters during 
spring. The latest plants can be lifted during October 
and potted for spring flowering under glass.— M. T. 
-—- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
The majority of the ordinary occupants of this house 
will now be out-side, such as Azaleas, Heaths, and the 
more robust species of hard-wooded plants, as previously 
advised ; but they must be very carefully attended in 
the supply of water, and there will be much less risk of 
injury if they are plunged in ashes. No plants of tender 
growth or weakly habit should be exposed in this way, 
as a cool north house is by far the best place for them, 
and in submitting them to the same treatment as the 
others they are often irrecoverably damaged. The 
principal object of the exposure is to get the growths 
well matured, and this should be borne in mind, for 
some seem to think that it is part of the routine to dry 
the plants, a mistake that is fully perceived at a later 
date, when the flowers are being expected. For any of 
these plants it is a great advantage to have a stout 
canvas blind on rollers running on a skeleton frame, as 
this can be run over the plants when the weather is 
either excessively hot or unduly wet, affording them 
protection of the two extremes that they are likely to 
feel the most. All extra care given to Azaleas in this 
way, preventing their becoming too wet or dry at the 
roots, will be well repaid in the future. 
There is not a great variety of plants in flower in the 
greenhouse just now, but a good display can be pro¬ 
vided with such plants as Celosias, which cannot be too 
highly valued for the purpose at this time of year, their 
graceful plumes of rosy and yellow flowers having a 
charming effect arranged with other plants, either on 
the stage or in groups on the floor of the house. The 
ordinary Cockscombs are also just now at their best for 
the same purpose, and where they have been grown 
in small pots they are very serviceable, owing to their 
distinct appearance and rich colours. Both these plants 
require liberal feeding, and supplies of liquid manure 
will assist them greatly, enlarging their flower-heads 
and prolonging the period of their attractions. Car¬ 
nations in pots are also very beautiful in this house 
now, and though not necessarily of the finest named 
varieties, they produce equally as effective a display, 
the principal quality needed being a floriferous habit and 
bright or clear colours. There are plenty of varieties 
possessing these characters to select from, and it is only 
necessary to avoid all formality in securing the flower- 
stems to stakes, using slight sticks and not too long. 
Many stove plants will thrive in the greenhouse at 
this season, and can be advantageously employed for 
improving its floral beauty. Amongst these, Gloxinias 
are particularly useful, and a few tasteful groups with 
Adiantums are charming, the large rich flowers of the 
Gloxinias, and the delicate graceful fronds of the 
Adiantum seem to suit each other admirably. 
Seed of Calceolarias, Cinerarias, and Primulas, may 
still be sown for succession, and the plants from previous 
sowing should, if they have made good progress, be 
transferred into 48-size pots if that has not already been 
done. Still grow them in cool frames, arranging the 
plants on a base of coal ashes, attend to them regularly 
with water, and ventilate liberally, all after success with 
these plants depending upon keeping them in a vigorous 
thriving condition now.— Scolytus. 
