December 8, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
229 
tion of the annual festival of our Society, and again 
we are able to felicitate ourselves on the amount of 
useful work accomplished since we last met in carry¬ 
ing out the objects for the promotion of which our 
Society was constituted. Since January last 118 
members and nine Fellows have been added to the 
muster roll, and eighteen societies have become 
affiliated—a very gratifying and encouraging proof 
that the National Chrysanthemum Society is not 
only fulfilling the expectations originally formed of 
it, but is steadily growing in influence and power. 
The number of members now upon the books is 734. 
Losses are sustained annually through deaths and 
removals, and some decline to continue subscribers, 
but the flowing tide of increasing membership 
reaches to a higher level year after year. The 
societies in affiliation appear to greatly appreciate 
the privileges they enjoy; the parent Society is often 
able to be extremely useful to them in various ways, 
and the attendance of representatives of affiliated 
societies at the meetings of the General Committee 
is very satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) The exhibitions 
held in October and November were in each instance 
worthy of the Society, and with the single exception 
of the incurved varieties, which were not seen at 
their best owing to the incidence of the season, all 
the types of the Chrysanthemum were well repre¬ 
sented. Such an exhibition of illustrations of the 
decorative value of the Chrysanthemum was never 
before seen in London, and called forth the warmest 
encomiums from the daily and gardening Press. 
(Cheers ) The preparation of a year book or annual, 
which is to be published on January 1st, marks a 
new advance upon the part of the Society, and the 
Committee may be congratulated on entering upon 
an enterprise likely to be very popular in the Chry¬ 
santhemum world. These are but a few among 
other matters of interest which have engaged the 
attention of the Society, which appears to be 
making progress in every direction, and is now the 
leading special floricultural Society whose base of 
operations is in London. (Applause ) Considering 
the lack of sunshine which had characterised this 
year, it was a matter of surprise that such beautiful 
blooms had been staged at the exhibitions. In 
connection with this a table indicating the hours of 
sunshine that had been automatically registered in 
the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society in 1893 
and the present year would be interesting. This 
read:— 
1893. 
January 
H. 
12 . 
M. 
• 30 
February .. 
40 . 
• 23 
March 
116 . 
. 16 
April 
198 . 
• 34 
May 
199 . 
. 46 
June 
196 . 
• 23 
July 
163 . 
. 2 
August 
203 . 
• 3 ° 
September.. 
131 . 
• 56 
October 
hi . 
■ 58 
1374 •• 18 
1894. 
H. 
M. 
January 
34 • 
. 20 
February .. 
59 • 
. 46 
March 
Il 8 . 
. 48 
April 
103 . 
• 51 
May 
150 . 
• 50 
June 
145 . 
• 25 
July 
152 . 
. 22 
August 
121 . 
. 26 
September.. 
85 . 
• 7 
October 
41 . 
. I 
IOI 2 . 
• 56 
Even if we had been unable to report any con¬ 
siderable increase during the past year, continued 
Sir Edwin, we should not have felt discouraged, for 
in societies as in commercial enterprises, progress is 
not to be looked for as continuous, but as subject to 
periodical remissions, like the incoming tide on the 
seashore, where an all-conquering wave seems to 
rush on, carrying all before it, and reaches a higher 
level than any yet recorded ; but which is not main¬ 
tained at that altitude, being borne down again by 
the backward rush of the retreating waves. Such 
has been the experience, as we all know, of too many 
large industrial organisations during the past two 
years, and not a few, it is to be feared, have been 
swept away by the swirl of the back-rushing waves 
of excessive competition, over-production, strikes, 
and the perpetual recurring and disastrous conflicts 
between capital and labour. But, as in the physical 
world, there is in the rising tide a real advance not¬ 
withstanding an apparent recession ; so in the social 
and commercial world there is in -the sum total a 
real advance in prosperity which more than 
compensates the temporary depression. Happily 
there are not wanting signs of a good time coming in 
the financial and commercial world after a prolonged 
period of suspended animation, from which, however, 
our society has been fortunately free. Flowers, he 
might observe, represent the poetical side of human 
existence. They cannot be said to be necessary—as 
light, air, and water are necessary—for physical 
existence; not necessary as food, raiment, and 
shelter are necessary. Mere animal life can be 
maintained in the absence of these bounteous gifts of 
Nature. But man doth not live by bread alone, and 
when the intellectual side of humanity begins to 
assert itself, flowers play a very important part; in 
religious festivals, in national triumphs, in state 
ceremonies, and no less than in the great events of 
individual life—birth, marriage, and death. In 
ancient times they have been the crown and glory 
of the victorious warrior, the brilliant orator, the 
successful statesman, the inspired poet, and in our 
own day they confer an added charm and a new 
grace to those great gatherings of distinguished men 
and beautiful women which give animation and 
colour to modern society. Everywhere they diffuse 
their fragrance, and raise pleasurable emotions by 
their variety and beauty of form and colour. The 
appreciation of flowers and their cultivation belong 
essentially to a high state of civilisation and refine¬ 
ment of manners, and their appreciation will be in 
exact ratio to the stage of civilisation attained by a 
people. They are and always have been used in all 
countries and at all times as symbols of courtesy and 
affection, or of tender remembrance. They are 
employed as ornaments in all costly fabrics of the 
loom, in works of art in silver, bronze, and marble, 
in china, in the decoration of our furniture, our 
houses, our palaces, and our temples. Indeed, we 
might well ask, where would art be if it were not for 
the suggestions, the inspiration, and the uses of 
flowers ? Have we not all felt how the enjoyment 
of a concert is enhanced where there is a liberal 
floral display ? May I not say that the floral dis¬ 
play at our own board has added immeasurably to 
our enjoyment to-day ? But flowers have also 
always been the delight and inspiration of poets of 
all ages. What would our pcetry be if deprived of 
the images, the ideas, the symbols and emblems, the 
graces of thought and expression to which they give 
rise ? And what would this world be without 
flowers—flowers that abound everywhere, in peaceful 
and fertile valleys, in primeval forests and wild 
uplands, amidst alpine mountain ranges, as well as in 
low-lying pestilential swamps that give rise to 
miasma, fatal alike to health and life ? Can we 
imagine a dull, prosaic earth, without a blade of 
grass or group of wild flowers to relieve its sad 
and dreary monotony ? The 'poets have been fond 
of comparing flowers to the stars, and we 
could as soon realise the world bereft of flowers as 
the darkly blue vault of night with all its myriad 
sapphires blotted out. What a dreary waste ! what 
a b'ackness of despair. Longfellow, the American 
poet, had seized, appropriated, and amplified this 
thought in his beautiful lines ;— 
“ In wild and cultured places, and in all seasons, 
Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings ; 
Teaching us by most persuasive reasons 
How akin they are to human things.” 
The toast having been received with great applause, 
Mr. H. Briscoe-Ironside gave " The Affiliated 
Societies,” which was followed by the presentation 
of the Challenge Shield to Mr. Coles Child, Presi¬ 
dent of the Bromley Chrysanthemum Society, the 
winners of the trophy at the last November exhibi¬ 
tion, who acknowledged the toast in a speech of a 
very entertaining character. The President next 
presented the Holmes’ Memorial Cups to Mr. Mease 
and Mr. Lees, the Collis-Brown Cup to Mr. Lees, 
his own piece of plate to Mr. H. J. Jones, and 
numerous medals 'to other exhibitors, all of whom 
received rounds of applause on making their appear¬ 
ance before the presidential chair. At the conclusion 
of the presentations, Mr. Dean, the Honorary 
Secretary, stated that an analysis of the blooms 
staged at the November show, made by a member 
of the committee, Mr. A. Taylor, showed that the 
total number of cut blooms staged was 3,674. Of 
these 1,993 were Japanese, and 787 incurved, while 
the remainder consisted of flowers belonging to the 
other sections. The number of distinct varieties of 
Japanese shown was 219, and of incurved varieties 
81. 
■'The Health of the President ” was proposed in 
eulogistic terms by Mr. R. Ballattine, and needless 
to say the N.C.S. “Grand Old Man” received a 
most cordial ovation on rising to respond. The 
other toasts were as follows :—“ The Vice-Presidents, 
Officers, and Committee of the Society,” proposed 
by Mr. J. G. Beer, of Watford, and acknowledged 
by Mr. C. Harman Payne; “ The Donors of Special 
Prizes,” given by Mr. J. H. Witty, and responded to 
by Mr. Pearson; "The Exhibitors,” proposed by 
Mr. G. Gordon, and spoken to by Mr. J. R. Chard; 
and “ The Press, General and Horticultural,” given 
by Mr. J. W. Wilkinson, Secretary of the Royal 
Aquarium Co., and responded to by Mr. T. W. 
Sanders. Before the proceedings closed with “ Auld 
Lang Syne,” special thanks were accorded to the 
staff of the Royal Aquarium Company for the great 
assistance which they, one and all rendered to the 
Society on all occasions ; and to Mr. T. Bevan and 
his friends for their services in so delightfully 
decorating the tables. A word of praise is also due 
to Mr. Dean for his admirable arrangements and 
untiring devotion to the Society and its interests. 
-—I—- 
MAULDSLIE CASTLE GARDENS, N.B. 
At the invitation of Mr. Gorrie, and in the company 
of a couple of floral enthusiasts, I recently had the 
pleasure of seeing the display of Chrysanthemums at 
Mauldslie Castle. Mr. Gorrie, not to be out of the 
fashion, has gone in for a lot of big blooms, and he 
has a good sized house of plants nicely arranged. 
Tne foliage was very fresh, and as might be expected 
in good pure country air, the colours were very clear 
and bright. We also saw five other houses filled 
with healthy plants, all with terminal buds, and 
most suitable for cutting purposes, promising a crop 
of flowers till far on in spring. But what struck us 
most, and we were possibly just a little tired of seeing 
“ Mums,” was a most brilliant show of Zonal pelar¬ 
goniums occupying the front table in the large 
Camellia house, and quite a mass of colour. No 
finer display could be forthcoming even at mid¬ 
summer. No doubt fresh air has a lot to do vith 
the flowering of Zonals at this time of year, but the 
plants need skilful handling to have them in such 
perfection ; of course they are spring struck cuttings, 
and potted firmly in 5 in. pots. 
The Camellias are in rude health and covered with 
flower buds, and form a sloping bank from the floor 
to the roof, the bright glossy green leaves making 
a splendid background for the mass of colour in 
front. Carnations of all sorts are in great demand 
here, and they are never out of bloom all the year 
round. A span-roofed house is filled with vigorous 
young plants of Souvenir d’Malmaison, and all the 
newer kinds. Poinsettias are well done, and fill 
two large pits. To obtain dwarf plants, Mr. Gorrie 
puts in the tops on the 1st of July, and in this way 
obtains quantities of nice little plants, 6 ins. high, 
which are very suitable for decorative purposes. 
In the Orchid house were two splendid examples 
of an old but very useful plant at this time of year, 
viz., Zygopetalum Mackayii with a dozen large 
spikes of flowers on each plant. The plants of 
Cypripedium insigne were well bloomed, and the 
variety grown here is very distinct, the dorsal sepal 
being more elongated than in the type, and the band 
of white deeper also. This is, undoubtedly, the best 
form of C. insigne we have seen. The stoves were 
filled with plants suitable for the decoration of the 
Castle, Pancratiums being largely used, while in 
the cooler structures were quantities of well-grown 
Chinese Primulas, and P. obconica, which is largely 
grown. The large demands for cut flowers and 
plants necessitate that the more useful kinds should 
be grown in abundance—and that is what w'e found, 
multitudes of healthy young subjects well adapted 
for the object for which they were grown, and all 
reflecting the highest credit on the skill of Mr. 
Gorrie, who has now been for a quarter of a century 
the head gardener at Maulsdie Castle, the beautiful 
seat of Sir Wm. Hozier.— R. 
Calanthes at Greenlands —It is very seldom 
that we see these beautiful Orchidaceous plants in 
better condition than they are at the above estab¬ 
lishment at the present time, at least, in private 
gardens where they are not made a speciality. A 
small pit is filled with several kinds of these popular 
favourites, which are indeed presenting a brave 
show. C. Turned, C. Veitchii, and C. (Limatodes) 
rosea were all in splendid condition, and some of the 
flower spikes were quite 3 ft. in length. There can 
be no doubt that these beautiful plants are well 
worth growing, for their cultivation gives but little 
trouble, they come into bloom at a dull period of 
the year, and last for a considerable time in flower. 
