160 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 10, 1888. 
Really the new county boards, so far, seem to 
be devoid of all promise for the market gar¬ 
dener or farmer—the food producers of the 
country—and if their interests are not specially 
represented on the councils, it is not improb¬ 
able that their last case may, ere long, be 
worse than their first. 
A Helping Hand. —The Royal Southampton 
Horticultural Society may be said to have 
opened the Chrysanthemum ball for the season, 
so early as the 1st instant. We learn that it 
was an excellent beginning too, and full of 
promise for the show season, in spite of the 
many and trying drawbacks from which 
growers have of late suffered. But the show 
was marked by one excellent feature, which it 
may, however, be both well and fair to say is 
not exclusively confined to the Southampton 
exhibitors. The committee had reluctantly to 
inform their supporters that, on account of the 
considerable loss incidental to the summer 
show, exhibitors must be prepared for possible 
reductions in the amounts of the prizes. 
Happily, whatever may be the case in that 
respect, no falling off of friends was discern- 
able, a fact most creditable to the gardeners, 
amateurs, and nurserymen who have exhibited 
so largely at Southampton in years past ; 
indeed, these exhibitors themselves provided a 
handsome sum also in the form of special 
prizes, thus realising our ideal of a friend in 
need juoving a friend indeed. 
We can but hojie that .-the recent very fine 
show proved to be a pecuniary success, although 
some lack of judgment seemed to be shown in 
fixing the first day on the same as that devoted 
to the local municipal elections. Perhaps the 
loss incidental to the summer show may induce 
the committee to consider how far expensive 
and decidedly meretricious attractions are 
found conducive to the expansion of horticul¬ 
ture. We may not forget the fact that at 
Ealing last year the exhibitors there provided 
a capital show without prospect of any prizes, 
but out of pure love for the society ; and the 
recent grand Apple and Pear show at Chiswick 
was another instance of the fact that mere 
monetary considerations do not animate all 
gardeners, although we have still far too 
many who are only to be met with where 
there are prizes to be picked up. 
Soaked. — David Copperfield, of illustrious 
memory, tells us that when boyishly in love 
with Dora Spenlove, he was so thoroughly 
deep in the passion that he could only fully 
express the intensity of its force by declaring 
that he was “ saturated ” with love. The 
country has within the past few days been 
undergoing a saturation of another kind—it 
has been saturated with rain. Not a thorough 
downpour and a flood of water, but with a 
persistent drizzle and a constant fall of mois¬ 
ture, the atmosphere itself being one vast 
vapour bath, saturating with water everything 
exposed to its influence. Somehow we look 
for considerable rainfalls coincident with the 
fall of the leaf, and if adding to nature’s 
intense dreariness, just then, perhaps, some 
good is done in helping to free the trees from 
their fast decaying incumbrances. For the 
sooner the fall of the leaf is over, once it has 
begun, the better gardeners are pleased. 
But amidst all the discomfort incidental to 
the rain—the slush below, and the fog above— 
discomforts through which Mark Tapley might 
have come out exceptionally strong—we have 
enjoyed the saturation because we knew it was 
needed. Rain is, at the moment, a nuisance ; 
really it is ever a blessing, and in such case a 
blessing disguised as a nuisance. With a few 
days of comparative cessation the soil becomes 
fairly workable, and then planting proceeds at 
this time of the year not only rapidly but with 
assured safety. We may now have a grand 
planting time, and if open weather results for 
a few weeks the work got through in nurseries 
and gardens will be enormous. The thoroughly 
moist condition of the soil, so very different 
from what was found at this time last year, 
encourages planting everywhere, and abundant 
planting in jDroper seasons signifies the very 
foundation of horticultural prosperity. What 
is done now so largely is not for to-day, it is 
for years to come. A big impetus to planting 
now will be productive of inestimable blessings 
to the country a few years hence. 
The Kingston Chrysanthemum Show.— 
But a few years ago Kingston—thanks in a 
measure to the support accorded to it by 
some enthusiastic Lancashire growers—stood 
at the head of all the metropolitan or 
suburban Chrysanthemum shows, and was 
the cynosure of all critical eyes. Then 
came the ambitious Hackney Society, which 
suddenly burst upon the world as a 
“ National,” and its ambition has not gone 
unrewarded, for it at once became the 
premier society of the metropolis and the 
kingdom. But if Kingston has to some 
extent had to pale its fire in presence 
of the National, and especially last year 
it seemed to be on the downward path, it 
has this season shown that its decadence 
was but temporary, for the splendid exhi¬ 
bition held in the Kingston Drill Hall, on 
Tuesday and Wednesday, was one which 
will be hardly excelled outside the Royal 
Aquarium. The classes were full, the average 
quality excellent, every inch of table space 
was crowded with exhibits—and there was 
a first-rate attendance of visitors. We are 
specially pleased that such should have been 
the case, both for the honour of Kingston 
and of its new secretary, Mr. Woodgate. 
The National Chrysanthemum Show.— 
The growth of the National Society’s exhi¬ 
bitions is indeed remarkable, and already 
suggestions are being thrown out that having 
regard to the comprehensiveness of the 
exhibits at the annual November fete, the 
limited description of a Chrysanthemum 
Society is anomalous, and that a wider appella¬ 
tion only will satisfy the needs of the case. 
The society may term itself by any greater 
or more ambitious appellation without dread 
that it will be classed amongst the “little 
nationals.” It has a wondrously broad basis, 
one of the most popular sort now; it will 
become broader every year because it is one 
which invites the support of all classes, as it 
prefers a wide constituency, with a low rate 
of subscription to a select body of members as 
few as select. If the society should begin to 
feel now that it may seek to become the 
National Horticultural Society of the United 
Kingdom it will find plenty of supporters, 
for with popular support all things are pos¬ 
sible where the executive leads with capacity 
and judgment. 
--*$«-- 
Illness of Mr. E. S. Dodwell.—We regret to hear 
that Mr. Dodwell has again been seriously ill. The 
latest reports from Oxford were that he was somewhat 
better, but is ordered absolute rest by his medical 
attendant. 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. R. C. Fraser, late 
with Messrs. Fred. Horsman & Co., Colchester, as 
gardener to R. B. White, Esq., Ardarroch, Gareloc- 
head, N.B. 
Finchley Chrysanthemum Society.—The annual 
exhibition of this society will be held at Woodside 
Hall, North Finchley, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 
November 20th and 21st. 
Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen.—At a 
recent meeting of the acting directors of this society 
Mr. James Murray Garden, Advocate, Aberdeen, was 
appointed chairman, and Mr. Alexander Robson (of 
Messrs. Wm. Smith & Son) vice-chairman. It was 
unanimously agreed that an illuminated address be 
presented to Councillor Lyon, late chairman of the 
society, thanking him for the warm interest he has 
taken in the welfare of the society, and expressing the 
hope that he may soon be restored to health and 
strength again. 
A Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society for the 
Ealing District.—On Saturday evening last, a meeting 
of gardeners and others interested in gardening took 
place in the Girls School-room, Ealing Dean, when some 
proceedings of a previous meeting were confirmed, and a 
Gardeners’ Society was formed, to take in Ealing, Acton, 
Han well, and Chiswick. A goodly number of members 
were enrolled, and a promising start was made. The 
honorary secretary is Mr. E. Chadwick, The Gardens, 
Hanger Hill House, Ealing. 
The Entertainment by the Derbyshire Gardeners 
on Behalf of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, which is 
to take place at Chesterfield, on November 14th, is 
being taken up with great spirit by the gardeners of 
the district, and already promises to be a great success. 
Mr. Owen Thomas, writing from Chatsworth Gardens 
on the 30th nit., states, “We shall leave no stone 
unturned in our efforts to make the entertainment a 
success. We hope to make one feature of our programme 
an entertaining and attractive one by decorating the 
hall almost exclusively with autumn foliage and 
berries.” Well done, Derbyshire gardeners! 
Dahlias in November.—On Tuesday last we received 
from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., florists of Rothesay, Scot¬ 
land, a large box of Dahlia blooms, in the most beautiful 
condition—being fine in size, bright and clean in colour, 
well varied as to sorts, and the foliage perfectly fresh 
and good. The specimens sent of such fine show 
sorts as Mrs. Gladstone, Queen of the Belgians, E. 
Britton and W. H. Williams would not have disgraced 
the front row of some of the stands at the National 
Dahlia Show, yet here we are in November, and they 
are still fresh and good. The blooms of Pompons, 
Cactus and single varieties were also very bright and 
gay, Cochineal and Mrs. Hawkins being especially 
fine. The Messrs. Dobbie write : — “We hasten to send 
you the flowers, as we do not know at what moment 
frost may come now.” Happy men to have escaped its 
blighting influences so long ! 
Fruit and Vegetable Culture in Ireland.—Our 
Dublin correspondent writes :—It appears after all 
that fruit and vegetable culture on the south coast of 
Ireland is to be practically tested, and if so it will not 
be very long before we learn if it can be done with a 
profit. It is understood that Mr. W. H. Hall, who 
wrote lately on the subject, has been making arrange¬ 
ments with persons residing in the neighbourhood of 
Bantry, Kinsale, &c., to carry out some experiments 
for him, and at his expense. As to the early growth of 
certain fruits and vegetables there can be no doubt; the 
difficulty will be to find a market, and to deliver them 
there at the usual rate of carriage, with sufficient 
margin to leave a profit. 
The Orchid Flower Holder.—Mr. E. Mitchell, Cliff 
Point, Higher Broughton, Manchester, writes:—“I 
saw in your issue of October loth a notice of the Orchid 
Flower Holder—a simple invention—which I think 
will prove very useful in the orchid house. It is not 
every man who has the courage to cut all his best 
spikes as soon as they are open, yet to leave them on 
for any length of time, in nine cases out of ten, means 
ruin to the plants ; but if they are allowed to open 
perfectly on the plant, and are then cut and placed in 
one of Mr. Outram’s little tubes and stuck in the moss, 
they will last almost as long as on the plant. I have 
seen scores of plants completely ruined through allow¬ 
ing large spikes of flowers to remain on too long, 
especially Oncidiums of the Crispum, Marshallianum, 
and Rogersii types. I had two large Oncidium spikes 
a few weeks ago, one of which I cut, leaving the other 
on. The plant from which the spike was cut is as 
fresh as ever, while in the other case the bulbs are 
shrivelled to half their former size.” 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society. 
—The first meeting of the present winter session of this 
society was held on the 1st inst., Mr. Bruce Findlay, 
the retiring president, in the chair. About sixty 
members were present, and among the invited guests 
were Mr. Leo H. Grindon and Mr. A. Outram. After 
tea, Mr. R. Tait, treasurer, submitted his annual 
statement of accounts, which showed a balance in hand 
of about £5. The balance was, he said, not a very 
large one, but they must remember that the subscrip¬ 
tion fee was only small. The president said the objects 
the society had in view affected the elegancies of life. 
He thought there was no occupation more useful or 
beautiful than gardening, and, therefore, they need not 
apologise to the public for their existence. He trusted 
they would work harmoniously together, and continue 
to do well. The honorary secretary (Mr. W. B. Upjohn) 
congratulated the members on the prospect of a pleasant 
session. Papers had been promised by Mr. Gleeson on 
