144 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 7, 1891. 
astically favourable to hardy fruit culture. 
He is distinguished in the City for high 
character, energy, and great business 
capacity ; and he enjoys universal respect. 
Through his aid we have the liveliest hope 
that the proposed show will be organised 
and prove a great success. At least there 
can be not a shadow of a doubt but that 
no other body or person can hope for one 
moment to succeed should Sir James 
Whitehead fail. 
Whe Royal Horticultural Society.— 
L The recent effort made to force upon the 
promoters of the proposed Great London 
Fruit Show by the Royal Horticultural 
Society its claims to control all the purely 
professional arrangements of that venture, 
is of so monstrous a nature, that it is satis¬ 
factory to find even members of the Council 
of that body shrinking from the effort with 
undisguised contempt. The assumption 
that because the Society has the prefix of 
Royal, and therefore some recognised 
national position, it is to be permitted 
to “ boss ” every venture of the kind 
referred to, is beyond all sense or reason. 
We have given the Royal Horticultural 
Society all possible aid and support, and 
so long as it legitimately labours for the 
promotion of horticulture in its recognised 
sphere we will continue to do so. But 
under no circumstances can we admit that 
because of such approval the Society is 
entitled to control all other horticultural 
proceedings. What would be said if the 
Royal Agricultural Society—a bod}' by 
the bye which has in relation to agricul¬ 
ture a position so pre-eminent that the 
Royal Horticultural Society can never hope 
to rival it—did it claim to control the 
Smithfield Cattle Club Show, the Dairy 
Show, the Cart Horse Show, the Shows of 
the Bath and West of England, the Royal 
Counties, or of other great societies ? Such 
a claim would be scouted as monscrous, but 
then the Council of the Royal Agricultural 
Society is composed of gentlemen who 
would never think of setting up such pre¬ 
tensions. 
The proposed great show it was at first 
suggested should be held at the Crystal 
Palace. Had it so been ultimately decided, 
even if the grandest of its kind ever seen, 
we should have heard nothing about the 
Royal Horticultural Society claiming to 
conduct its management. But Sir James 
Whitehead holds that so great an effoit as 
is proposed should be made in the heart of 
London, and at once, like a vulture after 
prey, down pounces the Council of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, striving to 
carry off or strangle the bantling. It will 
not be allowed to do anything of the sort, 
and any further pretentions of the kind put 
forth will but serve to damage the society 
inestimably among fruit growers throughout 
the United Kingdom. 
he Chrysanthemum Season. —The 
recent white frosts in finally destroying 
all tender flowers out of doors, reminds one 
of one specially pleasing feature of the 
Chrysanthemum season, and that is found 
in its partial, though considerable, bridging 
over the gulf which winter formerly threw 
between th.e going of the garden flowers 
in autumn, and their coming in spring. 
Nay, even in our greenhouses very barren 
indeed might be our shows of flowers, up 
at least to the end of the year, but for the 
Chrysanthemums. We do not all grow 
them for exhibition, indeed tens of 
thousands grow Chrysanthemums, solely 
for their beauty, as late autumn and winter 
flowers, getting from them even though 
lacking what exhibitors regard as quality 
immense pleasure and satisfaction. 
Still, but for the Shows we should never 
have known what Chrysanthemums really 
are, or can be made into. The ordinary 
clusters of flowers beautiful as they may be 
in their rough way, yet utterly fail to exhibit 
the variety in its true form, simply because 
true form can only be found in perfect cul¬ 
ture, and with the aid of such developments 
as the art of the cultivator can give. To 
many who grow Chrysanthemums naturally 
the flowers seen on exhibition tables often 
come as a revelation. They are floral 
developments imagined to be unattainable. 
We shall see myriads of these wonderful 
flowers during the next few weeks, and be 
left to wonder where the development of 
the Chrysanthemum is to end. The process 
of production goes on rapidly, so much so 
that it is very difficult to keep pace with it. 
Growers, whether for show or for ordinary 
decorative purposes, find it difficult to keep 
pace with the advance, but happily the real 
good things are not so plentiful, and 
because such high standards have been set 
up, we may look for higher development 
of quality as time rolls on. That will be a 
great gain. 
Thousands of seedlings may do admira¬ 
bly for ordinary culture but may not come 
within the higher circle of show flowers. 
We shall do well to keep that circle some¬ 
what select, if very high standards are to 
be maintained. We hope the Shows, now 
so near, will all evidence the value of high 
standards in relation to exhibition Chry¬ 
santhemums. 
Edinburgh Chrysanthemum Show.— We are re¬ 
quested to state that entries for this exhibition close 
on the 13th inst. They should be addressed to 
Mr. Robert Laird, 17, Frederick Street, Edinburgh. 
Waterlow Park, Highgate. —We understand that 
Mr. R. Curie, late deputy superintendent of the 
Sefton Park, Liverpool, has been engaged by the 
London County Council as superintendent of their 
new Park at Highgate. 
Mr. William Angus, lately gardener at Hoddam 
Castle, Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, has been engaged 
as gardener to Sir William Crossman, Cheswick 
House, Beal, Northumberland. 
The Fruiterers’ Company. —We understand that in 
view of the action that is being taken with the object 
of holding an international exhibition of fruit next 
year in London, Alderman Sir James Whitehead, 
Bart., has been nominated for re-election as the 
Master of this company. 
National Rose Society. —We understand that it has 
been definitely fixed for this society to hold its Pro¬ 
vincial Exhibition at Chester next year (1892) on 
July 14th. Mr. G. A. Dickson is acting as honorary 
secretary, and Mr. J. E. Edwards (City Treasurer) 
is the honorary treasurer to the fund being raised 
towards the needful contribution in aid of the 
National Rose Society's prize money, local prizes, 
and expenses. The amount already promised is 
nearly /50. 
Proposed Superintendent for the London Parks.— 
At the meeting of the London County Council on 
Tuesday, the debate was continued on the recom¬ 
mendation of the Parks Committee “ that the 
Council do offer £700 a year as salary for the 
Superintendent of Parks and Open Spaces,” to which 
Mr. Hubbard had moved as an amendment "That 
£600 be substituted for £700 .'’—On a show of hands 
the amendment was defeated by 44 votes against 32, 
and on a division by 56 votes against 38. The 
recommendation was then agreed to. 
National Chrysanthemum Society. —At a meeting 
of the general committee on Monday evening, Mr. 
E. C. Jukes presiding, arrangements were made in 
detail for conducting the annual exhibition at the 
Westminster Aquarium next week. It was also 
unanimously resolved that the annual dinner should 
take place at Anderton’s Hotel onTuesday, December 
1st, at 6 p.m. Thirteen new members were elected. 
Daffodil Prizes for 1692 .—A series of Silver and 
Bronze Medals were offered for competition by 
Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, at the spring 
meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society this 
year; but—owing, we presume, to the want of 
greater publicity —there were very few competitors. 
We understand now that the Messrs. Barr have 
arranged to give a similar set of medals next season, 
the competitions to take place during the months of 
February to May inclusive. 
Preston and Fulwood Floral and Horticultural Society. 
— At the monthly meeting of the members of this 
Society, to be held at the Legs of Man Hotel, Fisher- 
gate, Preston, this (Saturday) evening, Mr. W. P. 
Roberts, of The Gardens, Cuerden Hall, will read a 
paper on "The Bouvardia, and how to grow it." 
Chair to be taken at 7.30, by the President, R. W. 
Hanbury, Esq., M.P. 
Gishurstine. —Having had some half dozen really 
dry days -we had almost forgotten the discomforts of 
the drenching month of October, and would have 
been glad if we could have been allowed to jog along 
without having to bestow another thought on bad 
weather for some time to come. A seasonable sample 
of Gishurstine, to hand from Price's Patent Candle 
Co., however, serves not only to recall to our mind 
the subject of inevitable bad weather, but also to 
remind us of the comfort derived from keeping the 
feet dry. Well to do this we must have sound 
boots, and dress them with Gishurstine—there is 
really nothing better. 
The Story of a Coffee Plant, as told by Dr. 
Kerr Cross, possesses, says The Daily News, quite a 
romantic interest. Some ten years ago the authori¬ 
ties of Kew Gardens sent out by way of experiment 
a number of slips of the coffee plant to Blantyre, in 
Central Africa. Unfortunately, one only survived 
the long journey ; but this, as might be expected, 
was a particularly healthy and hardy little shrub- 
It grew, bore seed, proved itself wonderfully 
productive, and is now the progenitor of a million of 
plants growing on one estate alone, besides hundreds 
of thousands of others in that region. In three 
years the plants give return. The quality is also good 
as shown by the fact that Shire coffee has recently 
been fetching wholesale 112s. a hundredweight in 
the London market. That little cutting from Kew 
bids fair, as Mr. Cross says, to have a mighty 
civilizing influence on this part of Africa, and to 
confer an inestimable boon on its people. 
The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. —At the first meeting 
of the Committee after the recess, held on the 30th 
ult., Mr. John Laing presiding, the Honorary Secre¬ 
tary announced the receipt of two donations of £j 
each; £2 2s. from the Bristol Chrysanthemum 
Society; £5 7s. 6d. collected by Mr. Wadds, The 
Gardens, Birdsall, York; and /n 7s. 2d. collected 
in various money boxes. Mr. Barron also announced 
that the total net proceeds of the late general col¬ 
lection was £250 2s. id. It was also announced 
that a District Committee had been formed in Man¬ 
chester, consisting of Mr. Bruce Findlay, Mr. Tait 
(Dickson, Brown & Tait), Mr. Robinson (Dickson 
& Robinson), Mr. E. Griffith Hughes, Mr. Plant, 
Mr. Elkin, and Mr. Upjohn, Worsley Hall; 
the last named undertaking the duties of 
secretary. Mr. Upjohn, by virtue of his office, 
was elected a member of the Executive Committee, 
and power given to him to delegate any other mem¬ 
ber of his committee to attend the meetings in 
London. It was unanimously resolved to invite 
Alderman Sir James Whitehead, Bart., to preside on 
the occasion of the Annual Dinner, in February next. 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement Association. 
— The annual meeting of this association was held 
on Monday evening, at the Atlantic Restaurant, and 
after the usual official business had been got through, 
the members and a few friends dined together, Mr. 
Bruce Findlay presiding and Mr. Griffiths Hughes 
occupying the vice-chair. Several good practical 
speeches were made on various horticultural topics, 
and a very'pleasant evening was spent. The following 
is the programme for the ensuing season :—Nov. 12th, 
Dr. Hick, B.A., " The Making of Flowers." Nov. 
26th, Mr. Lunt, " What is a Fruit ? ” Dec. 10th, Mr. 
Bruce Findlay', Fruits of the Fruit Congress." Jan. 
7th, Mr. Birkenhead, “ Observations on the Manner 
of Growth and Classification of Ferns.” Jan 21st, 
Mr. Paul, Botanical Gardens, " Officinal and 
Medicinal Plants.” Feb. 4th, Mr. Hough, "Early 
Forced Flowers." Feb. iSth, Mr. A. Stansfieldi 
" Geographical Botany'.’’ 
