February 29, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
419 
GLASGOW CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
The first annual supper of this young and promis¬ 
ing society took place on the 21st inst. in White's 
Restaurant, Gordon Street, Glasgow, when a large 
and representative attendance of members and 
friends sat down to supper under the presidency of 
D. Dewar, Esq., president of the society and 
curator of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens. After a 
well-purveyed repast, the toast list was entered upon, 
the toasts of “The Queen,” "The Prince and 
Princess of Wales and the Royal Family,” being 
given by the chairman, both of which were 
enthusiastically pledged, and vocally supplemented. 
Mr. Hugh McCulloch proposed the toast of “ Her 
Majesty's Forces” in a few excellent sentences, and 
on announcing that he was himself the possessor of 
Her Majesty’s long service medal, the remark 
evoked much cheering. Captain Coats, secretary of 
the Glasgow and West of Scotland Horticultural 
Society responded in a few well-chosen sentences. 
Mr. J. Cairns, Jun., of Messrs. Austin & M’Aslan, 
proposed the “ Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town 
Council ” of the city, and paid a tribute to the kind¬ 
ness of the Corporation in recognising the society’s 
efforts, and acknowledged the assistance they had 
received and were likely to receive this year. Mr. 
H. McCulloch, though not a member of the Town 
Council, responded to the toast, as one who had 
large interest in the municipal affairs of the city, 
and he, by reason of his having several Corporation 
contracts, knew a good deal of the working of the 
Corporation, and expressed the sentiment of thanks 
to the toast in a suitable speech. 
" Kindred Societies ” was proposed by Mr. A. 
Cunningham, joint secretary of Messrs. Cunning¬ 
ham & Wyllie, and his remarks were in excellent 
taste in expressing the pleasure which the Glasgow 
Chrysanthemum Society had in having representa¬ 
tives of other societies present, and the feeling which 
bis society had towards all others constituted with 
similar objects. Captain Coats, as representing the 
above-named society, responded in fitting terms. 
Mr. W. H. Howard in a courteous speech proposed 
the toast of “ The Directors,” to which Mr. T. Dale 
made an excellent reply, acknowledging the support 
they had received from members and outsiders 
generally. "The Patrons and Exhibitors” was 
proposed by Mr. Campbell, and replied to by Mr. D. 
Buchanan in a few humorous sentences. Mr. 
Williamson proposed " The Ladies,” and referred to 
the great interest which they always evinced in 
matters horticultural, and their understanding, taste 
and judgment upon such, as compared to those of 
the male sex. He made one or two excellent sugges¬ 
tions, and the toast was fittingly responded to by 
Mr. Ruth. Mr. W. Austin gave the toast of “ The 
Chairman,” in which he passed a high compliment 
to his skill as a horticulturist, and for the able 
manner in which he had conducted the duties of the 
chair that evening, to which Mr. Dewar fittingly 
replied. Messrs. J. Cairns, Jun., and T. Dale, “ The 
Croupiers," were toasted on the proposal of Mr. 
Tom Wyllie, joint secretary of the society. 
The toast of the evening, " The Glasgow Chry¬ 
santhemum Society,” was proposed by Mr. James 
Robertson, who in the course of his speech spoke of 
the excellent work the society was doing in promul¬ 
gating the department of horticulture for which the 
society was principally instituted, as its name 
implies. He referred to the great success which 
had attended the society in the short period of its 
existence, the excellent displays they had made, and 
their prospects in future years, assuming that the 
same energy dominated the excellent officials, who 
had conceived the need for such a society in the city. 
He also counselled the society to go on in the good 
work of horticultural education which lay before 
them, and in several further sentences, from his 
personal experience, emphasized the conspicuous 
ability which the officials and committee had shown 
during the short period of their existence, and pre¬ 
dicted for the society, in years hence, a standing of 
considerable value, a sentiment which all present by 
their applause heartily endorsed. Mr. Robertson 
suggested that it should have been more fitting that 
someone who better understood the technical and 
practical side of the objects and work of the society 
should have been called upon to speak on what was 
virtually the toast of the evening, but he was 
fortunate in having so excellent a representative to 
return thanks for the toast as happened to be the 
case in the person of the chairman, Mr. Dewar. 
The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm, and 
on Mr. Dewar rising to reply he was received with 
much applause. Mr. Dewar thanked the company 
for the excellent manner in which they had received 
the remarks of his friend Mr. Robertson, and craved 
the indulgence of his hearers that he might give 
them a resume of the history of the Chrysanthemum 
from the earliest known period. This he did in 
graphic style, and great interest was evinced in the 
course of the short lecture, if it may be so called, 
which he delivered. The chairman, who has been 
instrumental in doing a great deal of good to the 
society, and all horticulture in Glasgow and the 
West generally, was cordially applauded on resum¬ 
ing his seat. During the evening, songs and instru¬ 
mental music were contributed in capital style by 
Mr. W. H. Howard of the Gaiety Theatre, Mr. James 
Robertson, Mr. J. Cairns, Jun., Mr. Hugh McCulloch, 
Mr. Williamson, Mr. Austin, Mr. Henderson, and 
others, a pianoforte solo and two readings being not 
the least interesting of the proceedings. The 
gathering broke up after heartily singing “ Auld 
Lang Syne.” 
-- 
Hardening JJiscellany. 
RHODODENDRON GRANDE. 
Some large plants of this fine Himalayan Rhododen¬ 
dron are at the time of writing just commencing to 
open their flowers in the temperate house at Kew. 
They, the flowers, are fully 2 in. in diameter, 
about the same in depth, and are produced in large 
imposing trusses that stand well above the leaves. 
In colour they are usually of a pinkish-white, 
although they may vary somewhat in this respect, 
for of the two plants at Kew the flowers of the one 
are several shades lighter than those of the other. 
The segments of the corolla limb are short. The 
leaves are large, obovate-oblong in shape, bright 
green in colour upon the upper, and silvery-white 
upon the lower surface. The petioles are stout and 
fleshy and of considerable length. In its native 
country, Sikkim, the plant attains to the dimensions 
of a tree, being some 30 ft. in height. It is there¬ 
fore only suitable for growing in lofty and com¬ 
modious glasshouses here, but when properly 
accommodated it is truly a regal member of a 
showy genus. 
SEAKALE ROOTS DISEASED. 
Some roots of the ordinary form of Seakale, and also 
of the variety Lily White, lin a diseased condition 
were sent us by a correspondent enquiring what was 
the matter with them. Microscopical examination 
showed many black or dark patches filled with the 
spores of a fungus having the appearance of those in 
in the root of a Cabbage or Cauliflower club-rooted, 
and suffering from Anbury or Plasmodiophora 
Brassicae. Lily White had suffered to a much 
greater extent than the ordinary Seakale, owing, no 
doubt, to its less vigorous constitution. To get rid 
of this malady, healthy portions only should be saved 
or a fresh stock obtained to make fresh plantations. 
Seeds might even make the plan more certain. 
Deep trenching and good cultivation generally 
would act as a preventive. Fresh ground, on 
which neither Seakale nor any of the Cabbage tribe 
has been grown for two or three years, should be 
selected as the site of fresh plantations ; and such 
might prove more effective in preventing a recur¬ 
rence of the disease than any of the above-mentioned 
plans. We have seen the beneficial effect of it, and 
also of good cultivation upon the Cabbage tribe. 
PITCAIRNIA CORALLINA. 
A magnificient specimen of this little-known plant 
is now rejoicing in full beauty in the Victoria house 
at Kew, and is most decidedly one of the features of 
the establishment at present. The leaves, which are 
lanceolate in shape, are about 4 ft. in length and 
some 5 in. across at the widest part. As the plant is 
stemless the inflorescence appears close down to the 
soil, taking the form of a dense, many-flowered de¬ 
flected raceme. The flowers are not, as one would 
expect from the specific name, of the true coral tint, 
but are of a rich crimson-scarlet, with peduncles 
usually of the same hue, occasionally a few shades 
lighter. The corolla lobes are charmingly bordered 
with silver. When producing its flowers the plant 
needs plenty of water, and at Kew it is now stand¬ 
ing 2 in. or 3 in. deep in the tank, in which, during 
the summer months, the huge leaves and monstrous 
flowers of the Victoria regia disport themselves. 
Pitcairnia corallina is a native of New Grenada, and 
was brought from thence about the year 1874. 
IRIS STYL.OSA. 
When we take into consideration the apparent 
delicacy characterising the flowers of this beautiful 
little Iris, we can scarce help wondering at the 
bravery of the plant expanding them out of doors in 
time to greet the opening year. True it needs a 
slightly sheltered position in order to enable it to do 
this, and thus it can scarcely be claimed for it that it 
is absolutely hariy ; still, any flower that deigns to 
make our acquaintance amid the cheerless environ¬ 
ment of winter’s dark days is of value, more 
especially when it possesses such a bright face as 
Iris stylosa. The flowers, although solitary, are 
freely produced, the standards being bright lilac in 
colour, whilst the falls are heavily suffused with the 
same hue, but shade nearly to white at the throat. 
The plant is dwarf in habit and stemless, and the 
leaves, which are arranged in a distichous manner, 
are linear and sub-erect. I. stylosa hails from 
Algeria. Its true name would, however, appear to be 
I. unguicularis. Some strong tufts of it have been 
rejoicing of late in the border in front of the T range 
at Kew. 
BEGONIA MANICATA AUREA MACULATA 
This well-marked variety would seem, judging from 
the specimens now commencing to flower in the 
Begonia house at Kew, to differ from the type in 
very little more than the variegation of the leaves. 
The colour of the flowers is the same, and the latter 
are produced at about the same time of the year. 
The leaves, if anything, are larger and more succulent 
tha'n those of the type, and are beautifully maculated 
with light yellow. The variety appears to possess 
the same robust constitution as the species from 
which it sprung,'and doubtless, like it, entertains the 
same marked dislike to that abominable mixture 
known as a London fog. 
VRIESIA SU RINGARIANA. 
This is a hybrid between Vriesia Warmingii crossed 
with V. psittacina brachystachys. The leaves are 
produced in a neat tuft, above which the flower stem 
rises to a height of 22 in. or thereby. The flowers 
are produced at the apex of the stem in a two-ranked 
spike. The large boat-shaped bracts are bright red 
or scarlet and very conspicuous. The tubular 
flowers are more than twice as long as the bracts, 
yellow, and the three inner segments or petals are 
tipped with green. The bracts retain their beauty 
long after the flowers have faded. A coloured illus¬ 
tration of it is given in the last issue of Tijdsclirift 
voor Tuinbouw.pl. 4. 
ENCEPHALARTOS HILDEBRAN DTII. 
A fine healthy specimen of this well-known Cycad 
is, at the time of writing, an object of considerable 
interest in the southern wing of the Palm House at 
Kew. It is carrying a large female cone, which 
measures some 17 in. in length from its apex to the 
base of its supporting stalk, and nearly 6 in. in width. 
In colour, it is a bright orange. The pinnae of the 
fronds, like most of those of the members of the 
genus Encephalartos, are armed with strong and 
sharp spines that are not slow in resenting any 
incautious handling. The petioles are usually densely 
covered at their bases with short, fine hairs. Whilst 
Cycads are among the most notable of our stove 
plants they fruit seldom enough to render them 
objects of special interest when they do, for, besides 
the ornamental character of the cone, there is always 
some uncertainty as to the result that the strain 
of fruiting will have upon the plant. Where the 
latter is strong and vigorous it seems to exercise not 
the slightest prejudicial effect, but if, on the con¬ 
trary, the plant is weakly, the strain may possibly 
prove fatal and will, at least, be sure to give it a 
severe shaking. 
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