February 18, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
395 
roots will be able to permeate the new soil and help 
themselves. 
Costus and Alpinia. —Although belonging to the 
same family of plants as the above, the species of 
Costus are generally more refined and less rampant in 
their growth. A number of the species are grown 
solely for the ornamental character of the foliage, but 
C. igneus bears large oraDge flame-coloured, flowers in 
abundance, and constitutes a handsome decorative 
plant on that account. Few species of Alpinia are 
cultivated ; but A. nutans is a handsome object when 
well grown, and is not uncommon. It requires a large 
house for its accommodation, as the stems grow to the 
height of 4 ft. to 6 ft. Give ample root accommodation 
in the latter case, and a good rich compost ; but always 
maintain perfect drainage, on account of the water 
necessary during growth in summer. 
Olivias. —As the various species—such as C. nobilis, 
C. Gardeni, and C. miniata—throw up their scapes, 
they should be placed in a warm temperature, if not 
already there, and be assisted with weak liquid manure 
several times a week. The last-mentioned is the most 
profuse in variety, and is now rapidly coming into 
flower in most establishments. The varieties of 
C. miniata are generally known in gardens as Himanto- 
phyllums. _ 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Chrysanthemums. — Whether inserted singly or 
several in a pot, all those that are strong and well 
rooted should be potted off without delay into 60’s or 
small 48’s, and placed on a bed of ashes in a cold frame, 
where they will be as near the light as possible, and 
free from the exciting influences of a high temperature. 
If left longer in the cutting-pots they are apt to 
become drawn and leggy. 
Forced Plants. —The greenhouse or conservatory, 
as the case may be, should now be gay with a great 
variety of subjects, including bulbs, Lilacs, Deutzias, 
Staphyleas, and Azaleas, special attention being given 
to those of the A. mollis tj’pe, from the size and pro¬ 
fusion of their flowers, and their use either as pot 
plants or for cut flowers. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Strawberries. —Continue to introduce fresh batches, 
and gradually raise the temperature as the plants 
advance in growth and flower, or, what amounts to the 
same thing, take the plants from house to house as 
they require it, putting them on a shelf near the glass, 
so as to give the leaves substance, to prevent drawing 
and set the flowers. If small batches only are in¬ 
troduced at a time it will be impossible to give them 
all the same treatment in one house. Newly-introduced 
batches should not be hard forced, as it is ruinous to 
the plants and the expected crop. When the flowers 
have dropped and the fruit is swelling thin out the 
weakest, and feed the plant with weak liquid manure 
made from deer or sheep droppings. Maintain a tem¬ 
perature of 65° at night when the fruit is advancing, 
and keep a little air on at the front ventilators. 
Peaches. — The second-early houses are now in 
flower, and in the present unsettled state of the 
weather a genial temperature should be maintained, 
not for the sake of forcing or hurrying the trees into 
growth, but to keep the air of the house circulating 
and moderately dry, so as to ensure a proper dis¬ 
tribution of the pollen. 
Poses, whether as standards or bushes, are now in 
an advanced state, and show well for bloom. Keep as 
near the light as possible, and ventilate freely on all 
favourable occasions—treatment which not only keeps 
the growths short-jointed and sturdy, but gives the 
flowers greater substance, making them more durable. 
Water freely with liquid manure, which may be of the 
same nature as that mentioned for Strawberries, with 
occasional doses of weak guano-water. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Sea Kale and Horse Radish. —Fresh plantations 
of these should be made in ground that has been well 
trenched and manured. If the long, fleshy, thong-like 
roots have been laid aside from time to time as the old 
plants were dug up for use, there will generally be an 
abundance of stock with which to plant a large area. 
In the case of Sea Kale especially, do not use the old 
crowns, as the best results are obtained from roots of 
moderate thickness, or by sowing seed later on should 
the old stock be insufficient. 
Onions. —Lose no favourable opportunity of getting 
the ground ready for Onions when in workable con¬ 
dition. It should, above all things, be dry, in order to 
prevent puddling during the process of rolling, treading, 
and raking necessary to render the ground suitable for 
an Onion crop. When this process has been accom¬ 
plished, draw shallow drills, about 10 ins. or 12 ins. 
apart, with a draw-hoe, and sow the seed thinly. 
-- >X< —- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural. — Feb. 14th. 
The annual meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon in 
the East Crush Room of the Royal Albert Hall, Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M. P., presiding. About sixty 
Fellows were present, and after the reading of the 
minutes a number of new Fellows were elected. 
The Rev. W. Wilks said it was well known to every¬ 
body that a certain amount of blame had been cast on 
the council for the action they took in resigning in 
a body and then proposing the re-election of the greater 
body of themselves. It appeared to him that instead 
of any blame they ought to receive the most cordial 
thanks, for by their resignation they enabled the society 
to elect a new council en bloc if they thought fit, or to 
infuse as much new blood into it as they chose; 
and by many of them offering themselves for re-election, 
they showed plainly that there was ample life in the 
society to enable it to continue for many years to come. 
They had, in fact, utterly declined to act like the pro¬ 
verbial rats deserting a sinking ship. He thought 
therefore that it would only be a graceful act if they re¬ 
elected those members of the council who were willing 
to continue their services. He therefore moved that 
“This meeting begs to thank the council for the op¬ 
portunity which by their proffered resignations they 
have given to the Fellows of electing an entirely new 
council, but respectfully declines to accept the resigna¬ 
tion of the following members—Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Dr. Robert Hogg, Professor M. Foster, Mr. W. T. 
Dyer, Mr. William Lee, Colonel Beddome, Mr. Sydney 
Courtauld, Mr. E. G. Loder, Baron Henry Schroder, 
and Mr. George F. Wilson.” Mr. H. J. Yeitch seconded 
the motion, which was unanimously passed. 
The chairman then announced that the election of 
officers and council would next be proceeded with, and 
ballot papers were, in accordance with the usual custom, 
handed round to those present. Sir Trevor Lawrence 
remarked that, with regard to the nomination of Baron 
Schroder for the post of treasurer, the council were very 
anxious that the Baron should act in that capacity, 
and did their very best to induce him to accept the 
post. Baron Schroder, however, was unfortunately 
obliged, out of paramount considerations of health and 
work, to decline, and he might inform them that he had 
received a letter from the Baron in which he expressed 
his extreme regret at being unable to attend the 
meeting that day, inasmuch as he was confined to his bed 
with an attack of bronchitis. He also regretted to say 
that Professor Foster was likewise prevented from being 
present in consequence of a bad cold. Col. Beddome, 
who was one of the nominees for the post of treasurer, 
and who would have made an excellent officer, had also 
declined to serve, and the council had unanimously 
nominated Mr. Morris for that position. A good 
many of the Fellows in the Royal Horticultural Society 
did not, perhaps, know who Mr. Morris was. He 
might, however, for the information of those who 
were not acquainted with his career, state that Mr. 
Morris, after a distinguished course at the University, 
had been engaged in horticultural matters in the 
colonies for many years, and had occupied many im¬ 
portant positions in connection with them. He (Sir T. 
Lawrence) was informed that the gardens under Mr. 
Morris’s control had always been well managed, not 
only from a horticultural but! a business point of view, 
and the council would be fortunate if they succeeded in 
obtaining the services of that gentleman. 
Major Lendy and Mr. B. Wynne then formally 
withdrew their opposition respectively, to the nomina¬ 
tions of Mr. Morris and Mr. Dyer as members of the 
council. 
The chairman said it was his duty to make a few 
remarks with regard to the present position of the 
society, and he must say that, in his opinion, it 
occupied a more hopeful position now than it did a 
year ago. That arose mainly, in his opinion, from the 
fact that they were now no longer trammelled by a 
connection with South Kensington. He had no desire 
to recall disagreeable memories, and he might here say, 
with reference to the gentlemen who thought it their 
duty to send in their resignations as members of the 
council—Colonel R. Trevor Clarke, Major F. Mason, 
and Mr. W. Haughton—that he thought the thanks of 
the council and of the society Were due to them for the 
services they had rendered during many years. They 
did not altogether agree as to what was the wisest to do 
for the future of the society ; but these gentlemen 
loyally accepted the position when they found they 
were in a minority, and with a view to rendering the 
future consultations of the council more satisfactory, 
they withdrew. They took that step, of course, after 
they ascertained that their views no longer commanded 
the general acceptation of the council. Colonel Trevor 
Clarke was well known in the horticultural world, and, 
apart from other considerations, his resignation in that 
respect was a loss to the society. The absence of the 
other two gentlemen would also be felt ; and he might 
especially say, with regard to Mr. Haughton, that the 
society would have liked to continue his services it 
possible. He (Sir Trevor Lawrence) had not the least 
doubt that the vast majority of the members of the 
council were now, at all events, of one opinion ; and 
that majority were agreed that the connection of this 
society with South Kensington had been prejudicial to 
the interests of the society. There had, amidst the 
gloom, been transient gleams of sunshine, hut they 
had not taken advantage of those transient gleams of 
sunshine, in a financial sense, to put money by for a 
rainy day. On the contrary, these glimpses of sunshine 
had done rather more harm than good, as they had had 
the effect of leading the society into a rather extravagant 
course. Had it not been for the lamented death of the 
late Prince Consort, the circumstances of the society 
probably would have been far different. They would 
have had the enormous advantage to he derived from 
his prudent and wise advice and great influence, and 
if he had lived the story of their connection with South 
Kensington would doubtlessly have been a totally 
different one. As they knew, about this time last 
year negotiations were going on with the Albert Hall 
Corporation. These negotiations never came to any¬ 
thing, and he was never sanguine that they would. He 
must confess that he never believed it was likely that 
their negotiations with the Royal Commissioners of the 
1851 Exhibition would ever lead to a result satisfactory 
to the society. Reference was made in the report read 
at the annual general meeting to the desirability of 
getting a site for the society on the property of the 
Royal Commissioners. A site was offered to them by 
the Royal Commissioners, not in a good position it was 
true, though if it had been adequate in size it might, 
perhaps, have been adopted by the society. But the 
offer was encumbered with this perfectly impossible 
condition, that it was not to confer on the society any 
right, either moral or legal, to the use of the gardens 
or conservatory. They would thus have found them¬ 
selves hampered with the incubos of a building of 
considerable costliness, and the use of which would 
have been annihilated if they had not had at the same 
time the use of the gardens and conservatory. Then 
there was an offer to let the gardens to them at a rental 
of £1,000 a year. That in the present financial 
condition of the society was impossible. To have 
paid the rates and taxes as well as to have incurred 
the cost of the maintenance of the gardens would have 
been an enormous additional burden, and whatever the 
financial condition of the society might be now, it 
would have been infinitely worse if they had entered 
into any such agreement as that suggested by the 
Royal Commissioners. Thus it was that the negotiations 
that had been going on year after year, and the offers 
made by the Royal Commissioners, had practically 
failed, and it has long been obvious that the ceasing of 
the connection with South Kensington was only a 
matter of time. The time had now arrived for a 
complete and definite severance. In thus going away 
they would leave a great deal behind them. He was 
sorry to say the society had spent on the grounds 
where they were now located £7S,557 18s. id., or, in 
round figures, £80,000. On leaving the grounds they 
would not receive consideration even to the extent of 
one halfpenny ; and whether or not they were acting 
wisely in bringing their connection with Kensington 
and the Royal Commissioners to an end, there remained 
this fact that it left this enormous sum of money 
behind, and he was afraid he might also say it left 
some small portion of its credit and renown behind 
with it. It was their business to look the state of 
affairs in the face, and see if they could not —by setting 
the society on a new basis, and finding it a proper 
home—re-establish its character and position. They 
had received very great assistance from horticulturists 
in all parts of the country, and he believed that when 
the proposals that to-day would be laid before the 
society became known that assistance would be largely 
increased. As to the charter, they had consulted their 
