872 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 11, 1888. 
new life can only come to the society when 
removed from the chilling, strangling environ¬ 
ment of a locality which has never been other 
than antagonistic to horticulture. If the 
society cannot experience a new lease of life 
when removed from South Kensington, certain 
it is that it could not exist much longer under 
that locality’s deadening influences. 
But to the Fellows chiefly the coming 
meeting will probably be regarded as im¬ 
portant, because of the real effort noiv being 
made—though it comes so very late—to pro¬ 
vide some sort of governing body, which, whilst 
more truly representative, shall also be the 
more closely allied to horticulture. The 
question of remaining at South Kensington can 
no longer crop up, if, as we understand is the 
case, the Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibi¬ 
tion—the ostensible owners of the Gardens— 
intend, ere long, to lay violent hands upon the 
fine conservatory in which so many inter¬ 
esting gatherings and shows have been held, 
and level it to the ground. The Fellows 
when they meet will therefore have the 
ground so far cleared that they can devote 
their undivided attention to the subiect of the 
election of officers and Council, and also to 
the future policy of the society, wherever its 
habitation may be fixed. 
That future policy is already, to some 
extent, being shaped through the action of 
the hybrid committee appointed at the recent 
general meeting, and which has since been 
considerably added to in a fairly representative 
sense. Still, it is obvious that the Council, 
once elected, may, if so disposed, become the 
masters of the situation; and, therefore, it 
should be the aim of every Fellow, not merely 
to attend Tuesday’s meeting, but also to vote, 
as far as possible, in favour of men who are 
known to be anxious to maintain the society’s 
independence, its ancient prestige, and, above 
all, its strictly horticultural character. For 
these objects we have contended all along, we 
contend for them still, and shall continue to 
do so ; and if in so doing we seem to be in 
strong personal antagonism to the more purely 
botanical section of the Council—for, strictly 
speaking, there are very few purely botanical 
Fellows — it is because we believe that they 
are wrong, and that we are right. Kay, 
more, we aver that the society will become 
worthless as an institution unless its opera¬ 
tions he strictly and purely horticultural, and 
carried out in the main by practical horti¬ 
culturists. It is reassuring to find that 
recently greater interest seems to be manifested 
in the provinces, as to the fortunes of the 
society, than was evident a few weeks since. 
There seems to harm been interest shown even 
then, but it was of a quiescent form, gardeners 
and horticulturists generally apparently wait¬ 
ing to see what turn matters would take. 
That awakened and now manifested interest 
is a hopeful sign, and if allied to that a desire 
should be evinced on the part of the Fellows 
first, and then of their new Council and the 
Committee of Advice, to cater for provincial 
support in a bold and democratic fashion, only 
good can result. 
Having regard to these considerations we 
earnestly urge the Fellows on Tuesday next 
to sink every personal desire in favour of 
the great object of promoting the reorgani¬ 
sation of the society on strictly horticultural 
lines, and thus help to create for it a popular 
national reputation. Of this we are convinced, 
that the society cannot exist for any lengthened 
period except it be made national in its aims, 
and to secure this, practical business men are 
wanted on the Council, and the dominating 
influence of the Director of Kew must be 
overthrown at once and for all. The society 
must secure the confidence and support of 
horticulturists in every part of the kingdom 
if it is not to sink still further into insignifi¬ 
cance, but that it will never do while its work 
is conducted on such lines as would meet the 
views of Mr. Dyer and his deputy. 
The Fellows must show a bold and united 
front, favourable to broad views, and animated 
by generous conceptions. Squabbling and 
wrangling will but damn the society in the 
estimation of the provinces, but earnest 
unanimity, good feeling, and a bold front 
against cliques and officialism may, indeed 
will, hardly fail to be productive of a yet 
glorious future. That wisdom, unanimity, and 
general horticultural sentiment may guide the 
decisions of the coming meeting is our earnest 
desire. --- 
Reading Horticultural Society.-The spring ex¬ 
hibition of this society will take place on June 6th, 
and the summer show on August 15th. The usual 
exhibition of Chrysanthemums will be held on 
November 9 th. 
Nottinghamshire Horticultural and Botanical 
Society.—Mr. S. Thacker, of Nottingham, has offered 
three prizes for the best essay “On the Duty of the 
Gardener to his Employer,” to be competed for by 
members of this society. The essays must not exceed 
fifteen minutes in reading, and must be sent in to the 
secretary, Mr. Steward, not later than April 10th. 
Lambeth and Southwark Amateur Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society.—The fourteenth annual general meeting 
of this society was held on Saturday evening last at 
the Albion Hotel, Union Road, S.E. ; Mr. Ellis in the 
chair. The report and balance-sheet for the past year 
having been read and accepted, it was decided to hold 
the fourteenth exhibition on November 13th and 14th 
at the Horns Assembly Rooms, Kennington Park. 
The schedule is now ready, and may be had on 
application to the hon. secretary, 9, Union Square, S.E. 
Tree Pruning at Turnham Green.—We understand 
that arrangements have been made, and the contracts 
agreed to and signed, for the pruning of the unfortunate 
trees surrounding the common or recreation ground at 
Turnham Green. It is to be hoped that whoever takes 
the job in hand will employ experienced men, that is 
to say, men who have acquired some knowledge of the 
art of pruning, and have a definite aim in view when 
using the saw or knife ; and furthermore that they 
should at least exhibit some evidence of their knowledge 
of the natural habits of the different kinds of trees upon 
which they will operate. It would be a pity, with the 
space at command, to hack and destroy the trees, 
making them assume a most unnatural and stunted 
appearance. 
Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Associa¬ 
tion.— On February 22nd, E. W. Badger, Esq., 
Birmingham, will deliver an address “On the Advan¬ 
tage to Gardeners of a more thorough Knowledge of the 
Science as Contrasted with the Art of Gardening.” 
The same gentleman has also kindly promised to 
discuss later on the most important question of the 
raising of hardy fruits, Apples and Pears particularly, 
to bloom later than most of our existing kinds do, so 
as to escape or minimise the effects of our late spring 
frosts. The latter subject will chiefly consist in the 
presentation of two ideas— (a) That most of our hardy 
fruits bloom at a time when spring frosts prevail, and 
are rendered barren for the year, because the frost 
destroys the year’s promise. (b) That the obvious 
remedy is to commence at once, and by systematic 
hybridisation with the right kinds for male and female 
parents to originate sorts as good as we now possess, 
which will bloom a little later, and so run less risk of 
damage from the late frosts. 
The Cloves of Commerce.—In an interesting and 
instructive paper on the colonies of the Netherlands, 
read by Mr. A. J. R. Trendall, at a recent meeting of 
the Society of Arts, the author remarked :—It is in¬ 
teresting to note that Cloves first appear in history 
between a.d. 175 and 180, being mentioned in a law 
passed in the reign of the Emperor Aurelian as an 
article of commerce from India to Alexandria, vid the 
Red Sea, then the chief highway of Eastern trade. 
They did not, however, come by a very direct route, as 
their first stage was to the Malay peninsula, where they 
passed into the hands of the Telingas, who carried them 
to Calicut, at that time the capital of the ancient 
kingdom of Malabar. Thence they were transported 
to the western shores of India, and shipped across the 
Arabian Sea and the Red Sea to Suez, eventually 
reaching Cairo. The cost of such a transit so increased 
the original price, that before the doubling of the Cape 
of Good Hope, Cloves fetched in England as much as 
thirty shillings a pound. Although such a favourite 
condiment throughout the civilised world, the natives 
of the Moluccas never eat Cloves in any form, and there 
is no reason to suppose they ever did. 
The Royal Southampton Horticultural Society.— 
From the report of this society for the year 1887 we 
learn that the past year has not been so prosperous as 
the council could desire, the many calls upon the public 
and the counter attractions in connection with the 
Jubilee celebrations having materially affected both the 
subscriptions and the attendance at the shows. The 
principal reason for the decrease in the receipts is, how¬ 
ever, considered more immediately due to the railway 
company failing to run the usual.excursions to South¬ 
ampton on the August Bank Holiday. The shows of 
the society last year fully maintained their reputation, 
both by the extent and the excellence of the specimens 
exhibited, and considering that the society had to 
depend entirely upon local support, as already ex¬ 
plained, the large attendance on the two days is 
evidence that the Great Summer Exhibition and Fete 
still retains it popularity. The Autumn Show, with 
the exception of the afternoon of the first day, was 
very well attended, considering the very unfortunate 
weather, and the exhibition — though held upon an 
early date, was one with which the council had every 
reason to be satisfied. The next Summer Show is fixed 
to take place as usual on the August Bank Holiday and 
the Saturday preceding it, and the Autumn Show on 
the 6th and 7th of November, provided the funds at 
the disposal of the council warrant the latter being held. 
The council conclude the report with an allusion, in 
feeling terms, to the death of their late greatly re¬ 
spected colleague, Mr. W. C. Westlake. The active 
interest which that gentlemen took in the welfare of 
the society will cause his loss to be greatly felt. The 
Right Hon. Baron Montague having expressed a desire 
to be relieved from the office of president, through ill 
health, W. H. Myers, Esq., of Swanmore Park, Bishops 
Waltham, has been elected as his successor to the 
office of president. 
Dumfries Horticultural Improvement Association. 
—At the usual monthly meeting held on the 2nd 
inst , Mr. Riddick in the chair, Mr. Rowe, Nunfield 
Gardens, read an instructive and highly interesting 
paper on “Orchid Culture.” He said that one of 
the most essential points in the successful culture 
of Orchids was suitable houses, the houses he preferred 
being light span-roofed structures with the ends facing 
north and south, thereby obtaining the greatest amount 
of light, morning and evening, with partial shade from 
the mid-day sun. After describing the most approved 
systems of ventilation and shading, he strongly 
recommended the advisability of storing all the rain¬ 
water possible in tanks constructed beneath the stages. 
Although much had been written against the practice 
of heating the water for Orchids, he still preferred a 
small pipe in the tanks for that purpose in cases of 
emergency, such as having to water soon after heavy 
rains and snowstorms. His cultural remarks on the 
different families of this lovely class of plants, with a 
list of the best varieties, were all that could be desired. 
Mr. Rowe concluded his paper with a list of diseases 
peculiar to Orchids and the insects most liable to attack 
them, giving in both cases remedies or means by which 
they might be prevented or destroyed. He was accorded 
a hearty vote of thanks. The chairman intimated that 
the paper to be read at the next meeting would be on 
the Primula and Draceena. 
-- 
CARROTS. 
This vegetable, although not very often used as a 
separate dish in many establishments, is so indispen¬ 
sable for many culinary purposes, that after those 
grown in Irames are over it is at once missed : and all 
gardeners who wish to keep on good terms with the 
ruling powers in the kitchen will do their best to keep 
up a constant supply. Our first crops are sown in 
frames or pits, with a slight bottom-heat. These are 
highly esteemed, and become very acceptable at a time 
when choice vegetables are not too plentiful. 
For the earliest crop the Early French Horn is used, 
and Early Nantes for a succession. The latter is our 
favourite variety ; but not coming into use so quickly 
as the French Horn, we sow some of each, scattering 
the seed broadcast pretty thickly. "We begin drawing 
them when comparatively small, which gives room for 
the more backward ones to swell out. It is really sur¬ 
prising the number which a small pit will produce. 
We get our bottom-heat from fermenting leaves, and 
previous to putting the soil on we tread the bed down 
firmly and level, covering it with about 4 ins. of any 
light soil that may be at hand. Old potting-beneh 
refuse, with a free admixture of well-decayed leaf-soil, 
is a good compost for the purpose. The soil is made 
