326 
THE GARDENING WORLD. January 25, 1890. 
it forms perhaps the best collection of 
Orchidists in the kingdom. 
But whilst it is obvious that Orchids have 
become so numerous as to demand great and 
close attention, it is also obvious that the 
withdrawal of these plants from the purview 
of the Floral Committee gives that body 
greater leisure to attend to the numerous 
and varied subjects, other than Orchids, 
submitted to its judgment, and that is a gain 
both to the committee and exhibitors. Further, 
by enabling the committee to rise from its 
labours earlier, the work of making awards 
is brought more generally to conclusions 
simultaneously. The Floral Committee as it 
is consists of forty-two members, a large 
number, but of these, some ten or twelve, 
are also members of the Orchid Committee, 
so that the number is brought into more 
reasonable compass for ensuring deliberation. 
The appointment of the Orchid Committee 
does but serve to show after all that in 
horticulture we are more and more becoming 
specialists. 
-- 
Royal Horticultural Society_From the balloting 
list which has now been issued, we learn that the 
retiring members of the Council are Messrs. J. R. 
Bourne, W. Coleman, and A. H. Smee ; and that 
Messrs. E. A. Hambro, N. N. Sherwood, and Martin 
R. Smith are recommended for election in their place at 
the annual meeting. The officers list remains as before. 
Gardening Engagements.—Mr. Alexander McRae, 
late of Corriemony Gardens, Inverness, N.B., as gardener 
to George Inglis, Esq., of Newmore, Invergoi'don, N.B. 
Mr. F. Elmes, late of Westfield, Edgbaston, as gardener 
to W. W. Riddell, Esq., Shenstone Lodge, near 
Lichfield. Mr. Thomas Oldham, late of Malvern 
Hall Gardens, Solihull, Birmingham, as gardener to 
H. L. Powys-Keck, Esq., Stoughton Grange, Leicester. 
Death of Hr. John Henderson.—The American 
Florist records the death on the 17th ult., of Mr. John 
Henderson, of Brooklyn, at the age of seventy-two 
years. Mr. Henderson, who was one of Mr. E. G. 
Henderson’s sons, was born at Wellington Road, St. 
John’s Wood, in December, 1818, and received his 
early training in the home nursery. In 1856 he went 
to America, and began business in a small way in 
Jersey City, in forcing the finer kinds of vegetables for 
the New York market. Subsequently he drifted into 
the florist business, and soon made for himself a high 
reputation as a grower. Two years ago, having amassed 
a fortune, he sold his immense Rose-growing establish¬ 
ment to his manager, Mr. Charles Anderson, and 
retired into private life. Mr. Henderson was an 
accomplished linguist, and a courteous gentleman of the 
old school, and his death is deeply regretted in all 
horticultural circles in the States. 
Resin Washes for Bark Lice.—At the last meeting 
of the Scientific Committee of the R. H. S., Mr. D. 
Morris, Kew, read a letter from Professor Riley on the 
use of resin washes for bark lice, and the following 
extract from Insect Life was communicated as a good 
formula for the purpose:—In accordance with in¬ 
structions, Mr. Coquillot has been making experiments 
with this wash against red-scale (Aspidiotus aurantii), 
and after twenty different tests made with various pre¬ 
parations, from July 17th to August 8th, the one which 
gave the best results was found to be composed of 
resin, 20 lb. ; caustic soda (70 per cent, strength), 
6 lb.; fish oil, 3 lb.; and water to make 100 gallons. 
In preparing this wash the necessary materials were 
placed in a boiler and covered with water, and then 
boiled until dissolved, and stirred occasionally during 
the boiling. After dissolving, the preparation was 
boiled briskly for about an hour, a small quantity of 
cold water being added whenever there was danger of 
boiling over. The boiler was then filled up with cold 
water, which mixed perfectly well when added slowly 
and frequently stirred. It was then transferred to a 
strong tank and diluted with water to 100 gallons. 
Neither the leaves nor the fruit were injured, while a 
large proportion of the scales were destroyed. Those 
which escaped were either on the fruit or the underside 
of the leaves. The cost of the wash is 80 cents per 100 
gallons, or four-fifths of a cent per gallon. An Orange 
tree, 16 ft. tall by 14 ft. in diameter, was given fourteen 
gallons. This, however, seems to us to be an 
unnecessarily large amount, but upon this basis the 
cost of spraying per tree is 11’2 cents.— From Insect 
Life, Oct., 1889, p. 92, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 
RAILWAY RATES AND CHARGES. 
Meeting of the Trade. 
On Monday evening a meeting of representatives of the 
nursery and seed trade was held at the Hotel Windsor, 
Mr. John Harrison, of Leicester, presiding. The 
chairman having stated the objects for which the 
meeting was called— i.e., to receive a report on the 
present position of the Board of Trade enquiry, and to 
consider what evidence shall be given in support of the 
objections lodged on behalf of the horticultural trades— 
Mr. F. C. Goodchild, secretary of the Nursery and 
Seed Trade Association, gave a full statement as to 
what had been done by him since the previous meeting, 
and urged the desirability of instructing counsel to 
represent the trade at the enquiry which, in a short 
time, would be dealing with the case of the objectors. 
Mr. William Paul quite concurred with the opinion 
that they should be represented by counsel, but 
wanted to know who was to bear the expense. At 
present but very few members of the trade had con¬ 
tributed anything to the guarantee fund, and it was 
not fair that the few should have to fight the battle of 
the many who would reap the benefit of their action. 
After some discussion on this point, it was proposed 
by Mr. G. Bunyard, seconded by Mr. W. Slocock, and 
carried : — 
“That this meeting, representing the nursery and 
seed trades of the kingdom, having heard the report of 
the secretary of the Nursery and Seed Trade Association 
on the progress of the enquiry now being held, confirms 
the action taken by him, and instructs him to do all 
that is necessary with a view to instruct the solicitor 
to the association to employ counsel [before the 
enquiry.” 
Mr. William Paul moved, “That this meeting 
urges upon all the necessity of contributing to the 
guarantee fund, for the purpose of meeting the 
expenses consequent upon the opposition to the increase 
of railway rates and charges.” Mr. John Perkins 
seconded the motion, which was agreed to, after which 
the meeting was adjourned until February 11th, at 
5 p.m. 
-- 
THE PROPOSED HALL FOR 
HORTICULTURE. 
On Tuesday, January 14th, I had an opportunity of 
discussing the proposal with several friends at the 
meeting in Westminster, and I am well satisfied with 
the tone that prevails amongs’t men who are at once 
leaders in horticulture and in greatl business under¬ 
takings. The hopeful spirit that now appears in the 
consideration of such a project contrasts strangely but 
pleasantly with the despondency that years of for¬ 
bearance and vexation had engendered in the later days 
of the unfortunate occupation at South Kensington 
when the R.H.S. exhibited symptoms that by some 
were mistaken for approaching dissolution. It was then 
foreseen, as it is now, that in the event of the old 
phcenix renewing its youth, it would need a nest to 
sleep in and a sky to fly in ; and it was neither this nor 
that man’s hap to conceive the idea of a home for 
horticulture. But so far as the matter obtained casual 
attention, the general opinion appeared to be that the 
society must provide for itself, and therefore must wait 
until rich enough. Whether wisely or unwisely, I 
certainly did at times urge that the society itself need 
not be concerned about building and incurring debt ; 
all it need do would be to pay a reasonable rent for a 
suitable place, and as for the rest, the commercial 
principle might be trusted in this as in other things. 
Messrs. Cannell & Sons profess to have originated the 
idea of a hall for horticulture, and I should be very 
sorry to damage their sense of satisfaction, but as I 
have made no such claim, there need be no conflict, 
save, indeed, as to the ways and means, for on that 
point I must leave them to form their party and develop 
their plans. But I will warn them in time that a sum 
of from twenty-five to fifty thousand pounds will be 
required for the thing that is wanted, and one thousand, 
perhaps, might be, with good management and great 
effort, scraped together, and then—-Well, beyond that 
they probably would not proceed and the end would be 
as Messrs. Cannell hopefully anticipate, “a disused 
church or chapel,” to be “utilized so that the society 
could call it their own.” I have no ambition to 
appropriate the idea ; Messrs. Cannell & Sons are, in 
respect of any possible purloining on my part, as safe 
as if they had kept their dignified ideas entirely to 
themselves. 
It does not appear that in the whole of this great 
metropolis there is any such respectable centre for the 
association of men of science and lovers of such arts as 
horticulture may be honourably associated with 
whether for corporate action in a common cause, or for 
their several separate labours, discussions, and festivities. 
The peculiarities of the negative case were forced upon 
the attention of the gentlemen who went forth to find a 
place of meeting for the R.H.S., and could find nothin^ 
better than the Drill Hall, in Westminster. There are 
any number of places in which men may meet con¬ 
veniently and with light enough for the display of plants, 
but there is usually a serious objection of no subtle nature, 
but flagrant and notorious. The case does not affect us 
solely ; it is one of general public interest, and bears 
directly on the round of recreations that are in daily 
demand, and abundantly pay their way in proportion 
to their merit and the cleanness of the management. 
Establish a handsome hall in a spot commanding a 
constant flow of traffic ; here initiate daylight occu¬ 
pations for the scientific, and evening entertainments 
for the people, and you will not fail of your reward, 
which will doubtless correspond with your deserts, 
and will crown good management with complete success. 
Our fortnightly meetings would soon acquire renown in 
a place reasonably adapted for them, and a flower 
show under the electric light, with suitable accessories, 
would do for horticulture what has never been done 
yet—we should outdo the “ palmy days of Chiswick,” 
minus the dreadful weather that first abolished Yaux- 
hall and then applied the surplus of its savagery to the 
best flower shows of this nineteenth century. A thou¬ 
sand uses for such a hall would rise as it acquired 
a name and a place in the economy of society, and 
the life of the thing would be in its independence 
and respectability. As an arena for lions and lambs, 
as a home for the trapeze and the wire rope, as a 
mere shelter for so many drinking bars, it would 
be a failure first, and finally a disgrace and a curse. 
That it would fail if perverted from the purpose, for 
which it is proposed, cannot be doubted, and upon that 
assumption may be founded our expectation of success. 
We want a beautiful building, with sufficient space for 
half-a-dozen meetings to be held simultaneously, and a 
noble hall abundantly lighted both by day and night, 
with perhaps a bijou plant house, in which subjects 
requiring to be on the spot for a few days or more 
might be kept under observation, and flowered or 
fruited without disturbance, or danger of transit at 
unreasonable times. The Weather plant offers an 
example. It has been under operation for forecasting 
in a house in the R.H.S. Gardens at Chiswick, and has 
been seen by some dozen or score of persons only. In 
a conservatory on the Thames Embankment, it would 
have been visited by hundreds, possibly by thousands. 
The kind of institution I have in view should be 
somewhat of a costly affair, and the requirements of 
the R.H.S. should have direct and primary attention 
in the original design and its several details. It need 
not be said that under present circumstances, the 
R.H.S. could not pay for such accommodation as it is 
proposed to provide, but it is a fair speculation that it 
will soon be able. In the meantime I wish this point 
to be kept in view, that the edifice suitable for hor¬ 
ticulture will be suitable also for many other purposes 
that may be honourably and usefully associated with 
horticulture. There is no such hall as we require, but 
there are a thousand uses for such a thing the moment 
you have established it. To be safe against perils that 
are better understood than explained, you have but to 
adopt, as the foundation of the business, that the 
edifice shall be used only for such purposes as consist 
with the advancement of science, art, and literature, 
and all the rest will turn on management .—Shirley 
Hibberd, Kew , January 21 st, 1890. 
We are authorised to say with regard to the suggested 
hall that the matter has been before the Council of the 
Royal Horticultural Society for the greater part of the 
past year. A committee of Council was appointed in 
the autumn for the purpose of elaborating a scheme, and 
they hope to be able to bring something tangible before 
the Fellows and the general public. It will, then, 
altogether depend on the amount of financial support 
which the Council receive, whether the project be carried 
to a successful issue by them or not. 
-- 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVO¬ 
LENT INSTITUTION. 
The annual meeting of the supporters of this institu¬ 
tion was held on the 16th inst. (as intimated in our 
last), at “ Simpson’s,” Dr. Masters, F.R.S., presiding. 
The minutes of the previous annual meeting having 
been read and confirmed, the secretary, Mr. E, R, 
