March. 10, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
437 
WEBBS’ 
VEGETABLE & FLOWER 
SEEDS 
BOXES OF VEGETABLE SEEDS, 
Containing Literal assortments of the test hinds 
to produce a succession for Gardens of all Sizes, 
5s., 7s. 6d., 12s. 6d., 21s., 31s. 6d., 
42s., 63s., and 105s. each. 
BOXES OF FLORAL OEMS 
For the Gardens of Ladies and Amateurs. 
2/6, 5/-, 7/6, 10/6, 15/-, and 21/- each. 
All Vegetable and Flower Seeds Delivered Free. 
Illustrated Catalogue , Is. Abridged Edition, Gratis. 0 | 
WEBB 8l SONS, 
By Boyal Warrants Seedsmen to H.M. THE QUEEN, 
and H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES, 
WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE. 
NEW CAULIFLOWERS 
SHOULD BE GROWN IN ALL GARDENS.] , 
VEITCH’S PEARL, 
The best Main Crop variety. 
The pure white heads are of medium size and finest quality. 
Per packet, Is. 6d. 
“ Veitch’s Pearl Cauliflower is the only variety that has 
stood the late drought with me without turning in prema¬ 
turely.”—E. Dumper, Summerville Gardens, Limerick. 
VEITCH’S EXTRA EARLY FORCING, 
First Class Certificate Royal Horticultural Society. 
Of dwarf compact habit, beautifully close and white, small 
medium-sized heads. 
Per packet, 2s. 6d. 
VEITCH’S AUTUMN GIANT, 
The grandest variety in cultivation. 
Magnificent, large, pure white heads, of splendid quality ; 
indispensable for autumn use. 
Per ounce, 2s. 
For full descriptions of the above and other Choice Novelties, see 
SEED CAT ALOGUE for 1888, forwarded post free on application. 
JAMES VEITGH& SONS, 
Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W, 
B ARR’S BEAUTIFUL GLADIOLI.— 
Descriptive List free on application. 
BARR’S CHRYSANTHEMUMS.—Descriptive List free on 
application. 
BARR’S TREE CARNATIONS AND CLOVES.—Descriptive 
List free on application. 
BARR’S HARDY IRISES.— Descriptive List free on application. 
BARR’S BEAUTIFUL LILIES. — Descriptive List free on 
application. 
BARR'S LENTEN ROSES.—Descriptive List free on application. 
BARR’S PERENNIAL SUNFLOWERS.—List free on appli¬ 
cation. 
BARR’S HARDY PYRETHRUMS.—List free on application. 
BARR’S MICHAELMAS DAISIES.—List free on application. 
BARR'S PEONIES, DOUBLE AND SINGLE.—List free on 
application. 
BARR &. SON, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON 
CARTERS’ 
TESTED SEEDS 
FOR GARDENS OF ALL SIZES. 
CARTERS’ BOX, 2/6 
of Vegetable Seeds price ““' 
____ Post free. 
CARTERS’ BOX, gss fi/- 
of Vegetable Seeds price v ’ 
Post free. 
CARTERS’ BOX, &VSS 7/fi 
of Vegetable Seeds price n " ' 
Post free. 
CARTERS’ BOX, 
30 varieties 10/6 
of Vegetable Seeds and 12 varieties of V 
price Post free, 
Flower Seeds 
CARTERS’ BOX, 
Comprising 
40 varieties 
of Vegetable Seeds and 20 varieties of 
Flower Seeds price Post free. 
/■ 
CARTERS’ BOX, 
of Vegetable Seeds in sufficient quant ities 
to produce a constant supply of the best carriage 
Vegetables all the year round price free. 
Larger Boxes, 30/, 40/, 60/, carriage free. 
Particulars of Contents on Application. 
Seedsmen by Sealed Royal Warrants, 
237 & 238, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON. 
T HE LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL 
ASSOCIATION. 
EXHIBITIONS FOR 1SS8. 
The Spring Show of Hyacinths, Tulips, Azaleas, &c., will be 
held in St. George's Hall on Wednesday, March 2Stli. The Ninth 
Grand Exhibition in Sefton Park on Saturday, August 4th, and 
Bank Holiday, August 6tli. The Great Chrysanthemum and 
Fruit Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 20th and 21st. 
The Spring Show has been postponed iroin March 21st, as 
originally announced, to March 2Stli. 
Schedules on application to the Secretary, EDWARD 
BRIDGE, 3, Cedar Terrace, Tarboek Road, Huyton. 
Crystal Palace. 
S PRING EXHIBITION OF PLANTS, 
FLOWERS, &<■., SATURDAY. MARCH 24tli. 
Schedule of Prizes, Entry Forms, &c., may be obtained on 
application to Mr. W. G. HEAD, Superintendent of Gardens, 
Crystal Palace, S.E. 
Entries should be returned not later than March 17th. 
POAA IN PRIZES FOR 
FRUIT, FLOWERS, 
V EGETABLES AND HONEY. Open to 
Members of Co-operative Societies through¬ 
out the Kingdom. 
£100 given by the Agricultural and Horti¬ 
cultural Association ;Limited) for produce 
grown from their “One and All” Seeds. 
Schedules on application to 
WILLIAM BROOMHALL, Secretary. 
1 , Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. _ 
Next Week's Engagements. 
Tuesday, March 13th. — Royal Horticultural Society : Last 
Meeting of the Fruit and Floral Committee at 11 a.m.— 
Birmingham Gardeners’ Improvement Association. Sale of 
Imported and Established Orchids at Protheroe & Morris's 
Rooms. Sale of Roses, Shrubs, &c., at City Auction Rooms, 
3S, & 39, Gracechurch Street, by Protheroe & Morris. 
Wednesday, March 14tli. —Sale of Nursery Stock and Greenhouse 
Plants from Sample, and Lilium auratum Bulbs, &c., at 
Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. Sale of Roses, Fruit Trees, 
Shrubs, &e., at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Thursday, March 15th.—Sales of Flowering and Imported 
Orchids at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Friday, March 16th.—Sale of Established Orchids at Protheroe 
& Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, March 17th.—Sale of Plants, Roses, Bulbs, &c., at 
Protheroe & Morris's Rooms. 
FOR INDEX TO CONTENTS, SEE P. 446. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man." —Bacon. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1888. 
The Royal Horticultural Society”. —The 
exceeding interest Yvhicli attaches to the 
meeting of this society to be held at South 
Kensington next Tuesday, affords ample scope 
for reference to the subject yet once more. 
Some twenty-seven years have elapsed since 
the Royal Horticultural Society -—- then ani¬ 
mated by the most lofty and ambitious ideas 
—resolved to quit its long and prosperous 
habitation at Chiswick to seek for grandeur 
allied to royal associations at South Kensing¬ 
ton. Its connection with that ill-omened 
region is now a matter of history, and an oft 
told tale. Sometimes floating aloft on the 
wings of courtly and fashionable favour, and 
of perpetual prosperity ; at others falling down 
into the depths of lugubrious impecuniosity ; 
now the spoilt child of fortune, and anon 
the sport and football of contending powers, 
it has had in its singularly chequered career 
grand opportunities which were never seized 
upon ; and, at the close of that South Kensing¬ 
ton connection, it must he truly said, that in 
the interest, of horticulture, that association 
has proved to have been accursed. 
Hoyv many of us, looking back upon the 
wasted opportunities, hitter feuds, and pros¬ 
tituted expenditure exhibited in the society’s 
career for the last quarter of a century, but 
must feel how much good might in that 
time have been accomplished, and Yvhat might 
have been had more practical and Yviser 
counsels prevailed. But it is of no use cry¬ 
ing now over the vast quantity of milk that 
has been spilled at South Kensington. If it 
Yvere possible to hope that some of that 
terrible Avaste had purchased experience and 
wisdom, Ave might even noAv have been hope¬ 
ful ; but whilst the influence of South Ken¬ 
sington seems to haA T e shed upon the society 
all the deadly miasma of the Upas tree, there 
is too much reason to dread that the society 
does not remove out of the malarious sphere 
in going to Pimlico, and that the evil effects 
of the poisonous atmosphere Avill yet be felt. 
But Avhilst thus regarding Avitli someAvhat 
gloomy thoughts the history of the past, Ave 
must admit that the last meeting of the 
society at South Kensington can hardly be 
contemplated Avith other than pain. Even 
whilst Ave have seen that locality sitting like 
black care behind the society, yet have Ave, 
in common Avith hundreds of our horticultural 
compeers, spent Avithin the South Kensington 
Avails many very pleasant hours. Many a 
grand exhibition, since the eA r er-to-be-remem- 
bered International of 1866, has been held in 
the gardens, and later in the noble conservatory. 
Many a humble sIioav has been held there too, 
and whether large or small, grand or humble, 
there have ever been with these gatherings 
personal associations of a kind Avhich Avill be 
cherished in life and only forgotten in death. 
Going back to the early days of the society’s 
connection Avith South Kensington, and the 
periodical meetings which seemed to be so 
kindly and so genial, held for many years in 
the old Council Chamber, on the Avails of 
Avhich hung the portraits of such doughty 
horticultural champions as Sir Joseph Banks, 
Mr. Ure Skinner, Dr. Lindley, Mr. James 
Veitcli, the Rev. Joshua Dix and Mr. Thomas 
Rivers, who can forget the dissertations of 
the venerable Rev. M. J. Berkeley, Mr. James 
Bateman, Colonel Trevor Clarke and others 
of the grey-beards of the society still happily 
alive, or of many others such as Mr. Russell 
Reeve and Mr. Wilson Saunders—veritable 
fathers of horticulture who have joined the 
great majority! Hoav many an interesting 
plant or novelty has there first gained honours, 
Iioav many a friendly competition has taken 
place, and, may we hope, how many a new 
friendship has been cemented into one of life¬ 
long completeness ! How many Avho then 
regularly attended the pleasant and instructive 
afternoon meetings Avill ever forget Mr. 
Bateman’s anecdote about the black Potato, 
or his remarks on the first Masdevallia, 
offered by the late Mr. James Veitch, 
the price asked for AA'hicli w r as its Aveight 
in gold 1 But stop, these are the sentimental 
rather than the practical aspects of South 
Kensington, yet in taking leaA T e of that place 
on Tuesday next, no doubt these elements will 
liaA r e play, as they rightly deserve to do. 
HoAvsoever long the society may retain the 
offices in Victoria Street, and only time can 
solve that problem, at least we give the con¬ 
nection Avith the Drill Hall but a short term. 
It seems such a terrible drop, this falling from 
