January 22, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
333 
Mr. Samuel Perkins (1053), Mrs. Ruth Hood (904), 
and Mr. David Day (840). 
In the evening a number of the subscribers and 
friends of the Institution dined together, under the 
presidency of Mr. Russell Gole. The gathering was a 
larger one than at any previous annual meeting, and 
the evening was most agreeably spent by all present. 
During the after-dinner proceedings, Mr. Sherwood was 
presented by the committee of management with a 
handsomely illuminated address, in the following 
terms:— 
“At a meeting of the committee of the Gar¬ 
deners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, held on the 4th 
of October, 1886, it was resolved unanimously that 
the thanks of this meeting be presented to N. N. 
Sherwood, Esq., for his great kindness in presiding at 
the forty-third anniversary festival in July last; for 
the eloquent and able manner in which he advocated 
the cause of the Institution, and for his liberality and 
that of his friends on that occasion. Signed, John Lee, 
chairman ; Harry J. Veitch, treasurer ; E. R. Cutler, 
secretary.” 
In acknowledging the compliment paid him, Mr. 
Sherwood stated that for twenty years he had taken 
great interest in the Institution, and what he had 
done for it had been done with a great deal of 
pleasure. He was much gratified with the result of 
the annual festival, and he hoped, in the future, to be 
able still further to contribute of his time and worldly 
goods to the cause of the Institution. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement. 
— Jan. 13th.—Mr. Bruce Findlay, the president, in the 
chair. The president said the subject to be brought 
before the members that evening—“Fruit Trees, their 
Selection and Cultivation ”—was an important one, for 
he thought we might look upon it as a national 
calamity when the Apple and Pear crop failed, and a 
blessing when the crops of these delicious fruits were 
good. It was no uncommon thing to go into gardens 
in the neighbourhood of Manchester and other parts, 
to see trees that will not bear fruit. This is mainly 
due to the unsuitable kinds planted, and the non-ob¬ 
servance of other important conditions. The members 
were met together that night to gather some information 
from Mr. Petch on this subject, upon which he was 
well posted, and had devoted a considerable amount of 
time. We knew that the Rose is called the queen of 
flowers, and ho thought we might say that the Apple 
is the king of fruits. It was pleasing to the eye, useful 
for food, and we all desired its increase. 
Mr. J. R. Petch then read his paper, which dealt 
with four kinds of hardy fruit, namely, the Apple, Pear, 
Plum and Cherry. The Apple, he said, was the 
earliest of all fruits mentioned, and was the most 
esteemed in all temperate climates. The Apple was 
indigenous to this and almost every other country in 
Europe, but in its wild state, he believed, it was 
not found in America, though many excellent varieties 
had originated there during the present century. The 
Apple might be grown in any ordinary soil that was 
not too wet, but it succeeds best on good loam with a 
gravelly subsoil. He had seen good Apples grown 
under very unfavourable circumstances, but great care 
was required to produce the magnificent fruit that 
£4,076 10 7 
Stock in 3 per cent. Consols, £21,100. 
adorned our exhibition tables. Many of these were 
grown on single cordons on the Duocin or paradise 
stock. He could not too strongly recommend his 
gardening friends to avail themselves of every oppor¬ 
tunity of filling up each vacant place on their walls 
with good cordon Apples or Pears, more particularly the 
former in our northern climate. There were far too 
many unsuitable varieties now planted, and it was far 
better to have five or six good trees of one sort than a 
large collection of inferior or unsuitable kinds. 
Mr. Petch gave a long list of what he considered to 
be the most suitable kinds of Apples to be grown in 
this district. With reference to the Pear, he said it 
is indigenous to most of the European countries, and it 
required, generally speaking, a warmer climate than 
ours. It was, therefore, only in the southern and 
western counties and the Channel Islands, that the 
Pear obtained the highest state of perfection, but in 
fine seasons very excellent fruit might be gathered in 
the northern and midland counties. It was not until 
the beginning of the present century that the cultivation 
of the Pear became general in this country, most of the 
varieties at that time being worthless. It was to Belgian 
cultivators that we were mainly indebted for some of 
the finest Pears. Professor Yan Mons, of Brussels, 
alone raised upwards of 80,000 seedlings, and spent the 
greater part of his life in carrying out his favourite 
study. Though not the raiser he was the introducer 
in 1816 of the grand Pear known as Marie Louise. He 
should very much like to see more orchard houses in 
this part of the country than there were now, as they 
would be invaluable to many gardeners. Fine dessert 
fruit could be produced there even in an unfavourable 
season. He was surprised to find how much more 
orchard houses were used in some counties than in others, 
and generally speaking they were fewest in those places 
where there ought to be the largest number. 
Like the Apple and Pear, the Plum was indigenous 
to this country, where several of our best sorts had 
originated, including Coe’s Golden Drop, Prince of 
Wales, Woolston Black Gage, Victoria and Early 
Prolific. Scotland had also added to the list of useful 
varieties, and some of our best cultivated sorts claimed 
their origin from that country. The Cherry in its culti¬ 
vated state was first introduced into Britain by the 
Romans in the second century. In 1415 the fruit was 
sold in the streets of London. In 1842 the Horticultural 
Society’s catalogue contained eighty sorts, and many 
more had since been added to the number. The paper 
was of a very practical nature, and contained many 
hints and suggestions for the benefit of gardeners who 
might feel a desire to cultivate any of these four kinds 
of hardy fruit. On the table were laid some exceedingly 
fine specimens of Apples, all of which, said Mr. Petch, 
might be grown in Lancashire. 
Some members present differed with Mr. Petch as to 
the suitability of all the Apples he had named for 
cultivation within a radius of some three miles of the 
Manchester Town Hall, and a suggestion of Mr. Robert 
Tait on the subject was received with great favour by 
the meeting. It was that gardeners employed within a 
radius of five or ten miles of the Town Hall should hand 
in to the society a list of the Apples which they knew 
from experience could be cultivated in this locality, and 
that the president and secretary (Mr. W. B. Upjohn) 
should select the minimum number of the very best 
kinds for practical use in the district. A vote of thanks 
was passed to Mr. Petch for his paper. 
£4,076 10 7 
l JOHN LEE aaSB== “ 
Audited 10th January, 1SS7. J. F. MESTON 
( JESSE WILLARD. 
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS. 
CUPRESSUS NUTK-EN'SIS v. Thujopsis BOREALIS. — If. C. C. (p, 
317): Cupressus nutkaensis is certainly a better name than Thu- 
jopsis borealis, of Fischer, and a more correct one. Its nearest 
relations in gardens is represented by Cupressus Lawsonianus, 
and this type has a much more distant affinity with the true 
Thujopsis, represented by T. dolobrata, from Japan. Like many 
other members ofthe Conifer family, this species has a very per¬ 
plexing synonymy. The Genera Planlarum uses two other names, 
making this plant Thuja (Chamsecyparis) nutkaensis; but for 
garden purposes Cupressus ought to have preference to Thu- 
jopsis.— A. G .—This Cypress is generally known in gardens 
under the name of T. borealis, which is really a synonym of 
C. nutkasnsis. It was discovered by Archibald Menzies in 
1794, at Nootka Sound, Vancouver's Island. It was first intro¬ 
duced to European gardens by the late Dr. Fischer, of St. 
Petersburg, under the name of Thujopsis borealis. It is com¬ 
monly called the Nootka Sound Cypress.— B. Q. 
Gooseberry Bushes.— ff. C. (p. 318): In Scotland, where the 
climate is cool and comparatively moist, preference is given to 
the spur system of pruning, which enables the operator to keep 
the bush open in the centre, favouring the ripening of the fruit. 
In the south of England, however, where the air is drier and the 
sun acts much more powerfully, the fruit would be poor in 
flavour if exposed to so much sunshine. By merely shortening 
the shoots large bushes can be obtained in a shorter space of 
time, more fruit during that period, and that of better flavour. 
This latter mode of pruning seems to be gaining in favour, and 
certainly might receive a trial, by operating on a few young 
bushes to see how it answers in any particular locality.— Z. 
Nepenthes. — I shall feel greatly obliged if you will give me 
information as to the best time for potting Nepenthes; also most 
suitable soil, and should they be cut back annually?— Pilcher. 
[ The most suitable or convenient time to pot Nepenthes is during 
the end of February or March, when they are about to start into 
fresh growth. They should also be headed down about this 
time, and if the old soil is in a sour or exhausted condition, 
remove it with the utmost care from the apparently dead, fragile 
roots, by cautiously loosening and washing it away in a bucket 
of tepid water. A mixture of good fibrous peat, chopped 
sphagnum, and potsherds broken to the size of hazel nuts, or 
smaller, will form an excellent compost in which to grow them. 
Put in pots with ample drainage, and hang them up close to the 
glass. They should be cut back annually within 6 ins. or S ins. 
of the base, which induces them to make bushy plants, and form 
the largest and best-shaped pitchers.] 
Peas.—I find that after William the First, Laxton's Fillbasket 
and Harrison’s Glory does best here. Would any correspondent 
say, from his experience of these varieties, whether they would 
furnish a good succession for a general and late supply if sown 
in succession t—Omicron. 
Forcing: Asparagus.— R. A. S. (p. 318): To form fresh beds 
with roots that have been forced, would not be very remunerr. 
tive. If you have other beds that require renovating, the 
strongest of these forced roots might be inserted when top 
dressing them in the spring. Where Asparagus is forced 
annually, new beds are generally formed in the spring for that 
purpose. With reference to sowing, I prefer sowing the seed 
about the beginning of April in drills about 1 ft. apart, in ground 
that has been deeply trenched, and had a heavy dressing of well- 
rotted manure mixed with the soil. When the seedlings are 
about 6 ins. high, thin them to 9 ins. apart in the row. Re¬ 
move them the following April to their permanent quarters.—P. 
Grevillea robusta. — W. Glover: Plants of this class are pri - 
pagated by cuttings undera bell glass, but require nice manage¬ 
ment. G. robusta is so much easier raised from seeds, that it is 
not worth the trouble and waste of time to raise them from cut¬ 
tings. Seedling plants grow into fine shape very quickly, and 
are fit for general decorative purposes when they are from 12 ins. 
to 24 ins. high. Sow the seeds early in February in shallow 
well-drained pans, in a compost of finely sifted peat and sand, 
scattering them thinly and covering lightly; they will soon ger¬ 
minate in a temperature of 60° Fahr., and should then be kept 
near the glass till they are firm enough to pot off. 
Senecio pulcher.— /. T. B. (p. 317): You need not experience 
any difficulty in raising a stock of this gay and useful late autumn¬ 
flowering border plant. It can be readily increased by means of 
root cuttings in the spring. The cuttings should be made about 
an inch long, scattering them on the surface of a pan of sandy 
loam and leaf soil, just covering them with sand. Place them 
in a cool frame, or on a shelf in a greenhouse. It is figured in 
the Botanical Magazine, vol. xcviii., t. 5,959, and described as an 
annual, which description is quite wrong, as it is a hardy 
perennial.— B. Q. 
Lilium auratum. — Should these bulbs have water when 
planted? Mine so treated last year moulded away. Would they 
suffer if planted like Hyacinths, without water till growth 
appears ?— Violet. [ The bulbs of Lilium auratum should be 
treated exactly the same as Hyacinths with regard to watering 
when newly potted. Cover up the bulbs entirely with the soil, 
and allow them to push a little way before supplying any w-ater 
whatever. There is, or should be, sufficient- moisture in the 
bulbs themselves to commence growth ; and after that they 
will require an increasing supply of water, as the temperature 
rises and the plants develop in size.] 
Ericas.— R. S. O. : For winter and spring flowering, the fol¬ 
lowing aie useful, well-known and easily-grown Heaths, viz.-— 
Erica hyemalis, E. Wilmoreana, E. melanthera, E. gracilis, 
E. ventricosa or some of its numerous varieties, and E. caflra. 
The last named flowers in autumn, E. ventricosa in spring, while 
the others are flowering now, more or less. 
Heliotrope. — R. S. 0.: We fear you will be unableto procure 
seed of Heliotrope ; the plant is universally propagated by 
means of cuttings. If, however, you can procure seed, sow them 
STATEMENT of the RECEIPTS and PAYMENTS of the GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT 
INSTITUTION for the Year ending December 31st, 1886. 
Dr. 
£ s. d. 
1,311 2 0 
To Balance, 1885 . 
„ Annual Subscriptions.. 
„ Donations at and in 
consequence of Annual 
Dinner . 1,4S6 16 10 
£ s. d. 
£ 
387 
s. d. 
5 9 
,, Advertisements 
,, Collecting Cards 
49 13 
185 15 
2,797 IS 10 
235 8 9 
„ Dividends on Stock . 633 0 0 
„ Interest on Deposits ... 22 17 3 
3,033 7 7 
655 17 3 
3,619 4 10 
Cr. 
£ s. d. 
. 1,950 0 0 
. 160 0 0 
. 43 15 0 
. 26 14 6 
. 130 0 0 
_ o . 3 19 0 
,, Stationery. 21 12 7 
,, Book of Cheques. 3 9 2 
,, Expense of Annual Dinner . 60 14 8 
,, Postages, Travelling Expenses, and sundry petty 
Expenses. 1 10 
2,496 6 9 
. 1,200 0 0 
By Pensions . 
,, Secretary's Salary . 
,, Rent of Offices. 
,, Furniture, Fittings, &c. 
„ Printing . 
,, Advertising 
,, Amount placed on Deposit 
Balances— 
At Bankers. £368 12 5 
With Secretary . H 11 5 
3,696 6 9 
3S0 3 10 
