January 14, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
305 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association. —The 
first of what it is proposed to make an annual supper 
of this association took place on the 6th inst. There 
were about fifty members present, and the chair was 
occupied by Mr. A. Hope, the vice-chairs being filled 
by Mr. T. C. Bartlett (gardener to Lady Duckworth) 
and Mr. G. C, Crabbe. With toasts and vocal and 
instrumental music, a very pleasant evening was 
spent, and the meeting was acknowledged to be a 
most agreeable break in the winter programme of 
the association. 
The West of England Chrysanthemum Society — 
The first annual meeting of this young society was 
held at Plymouth on the 4th inst., Mr. G. H E. 
Rundle presiding. The committee presented an ex¬ 
ceedingly satisfactory report, showing that their first 
exhibition had been the best ever seen in Plymouth, 
and that they commenced the new year with a cash 
balance of /15. At the dinner which followed, Mr. 
Rundle in proposing "Success to the West of England 
Chrysanthemum Society,” said it was the healthiest 
child he had ever seen ; able, in fact, to run away 
during its first year. As an old Chrysanthemum 
grower, he was glad to be 
able to congratulate them 
on the success of the 
society and its first show. 
It rarely happened that a 
new venture was a distinct 
success in its first year,but 
their first show had been 
an unqualified one. 
Potato Growing and the 
Depression. —Speaking at 
the recent annual festival 
of the Glasgow Potato , 
Traders,the president, Mr. 
Leyburn, remarked that 
the early crop of Potatos 
in Ayrshire last season 
was probably the largest 
on record, one enterpris¬ 
ing farmer having realised 
^5,000 for 150 imperial 
acres. Some objected to 
Ayrshire farmers cultiva¬ 
ting the earliest varieties 
on account of their inferior 
cooking qualities, but he 
feared it was almost a 
necessity to cultivate them. 
It was imperative that they 
should grow the earlier 
sorts if they wanted to 
keep out the foreigner,and 
the Ayrshire farmers de¬ 
served every credit for the 
success they had already 
attained in causing the 
complete collapse of the 
Dutch early importations, 
and in reducing those 
fromjersey to a minimum. 
Their later crops round 
Glasgow and in Perth, 
Forfar, and the Lothians 
were perhaps barely 
average, although they gave promise of a consider¬ 
able surplus for export, had it not been that the frost 
did damage to the Potato crop in Scotland to the 
extent of probably a quarter of a million sterling. 
Yet there was no scarcity of Potatos, England, 
Germany, Belgium, and Holland being full of them. 
Ireland also was already pouring large quantities 
into the Glasgow and Liverpool markets for tranship¬ 
ment to America. Perhaps the most notable feature 
of the trade of recent years had been the demand 
from America. That country might yet prove to be 
the saviour of the Potato grower. Whatever else 
she could send, she could not send us Potatos. 
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Lectures for the 
current year will be us under :—March 14, “ Some 
Effects of Growing Plants under Glass of Various 
Colours,” the Rev. Prof. Henslow, M.A. March 28, 
" Flowers of the Riviera,” Mons. Henri de Vilmorin. 
April 11, “ Orchid Life in Guiana,” Mr. Everard im 
Thure. April 25, " How to Solve Chemical Ques¬ 
tions concerning the Soil without Chemistry,” Prof. 
Cheshire. May 9, " Fritillarias,” Mr. D. Morris, 
M.A. June 6, “ Hardy Rhododendrons and 
Azaleas,” Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn, Bart. July 25, 
" Alpine Houses and their Inhabitants,” Mr. H. 
Selfe Leonard. August 8, "Cannas," Mr. J. G. 
Baker, F.R.S. Septembers, "Garden Phloxes and 
Pentstemons,” Mr. J. Douglas. September 26, 
" Causes of Failure in Eucharis Culture,” Mr. W. 
Iggulden. October 10, " Pears,” Mr. W. Crump. 
October 24, "Onions,’ Mr. A. Dean. Nov. 14, 
'• Chrysanthemums,” Mr. R. Parker. Nov. 28, 
" Late-keeping Grapes,” Mr. T. Crasp. 
-- 
GARDENERS ORPHAN 
FUND. 
It affords us unqualified pleasure to announce that 
since our last number was published Her Royal 
Highness the Princess of Wales has graciously 
consented to become Patroness of the Gardeners' 
Orphan Fund, and with the letter conveying the 
gratifying intimation, enclosed a cheque for ten 
guineas. We have reason to believe that Her 
Royal Highness is much pleased with the success 
which has attended upon the Gardeners’ Jubilee 
Memorial; and knowing the kindly interest which the 
Princess takes in all institutions having for their 
object the welfare of the young, and especially of the 
poor orphans, we congratulate the supporters of the 
fund upon the commencement of another year’s 
work under such happy auspices. 
-- 
CYCLAMENS AT 
READING. 
A good display of Cyclamens can now be had from 
November till May, or even longer, by sowing 
batches at different times so as to ensure a succession- 
Very few batches are really necessary, because one 
sowing of plants will keep on flowering for 
months together. In the Portland Road Nurseries 
of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, there are three 
houses and several pits occupied with them, and a 
fine display they make. The plants commenced 
flowering some considerable time ago, and still bear 
a profusion of bloom with a seemingly endless suc¬ 
cession of buds beneath the foliage, in fact, they are 
really only in their prime. The seeds were sown in 
November, 1891, so that the plants are now about 
fourteen months old. The pans containing the seeds 
were placed in low frames close to the glass in a 
temperature of 6o°, and when the seedlings were 
well above the soil they were transferred to a stove 
and located on shelves so as to be close to the glass. 
Manure was only given them once, when repotted for 
the last time. Sutton’s A 1, an artificial manure, was 
used, and afterwards weak liquid manure was given 
the plants, which are all in 48-size pots and very 
floriferous. At present the houses are kept at 38° or 
40° at night, with a rise to 50° or 56° by day if the 
weather is fine. 
Giant Strain. 
Some prefer the old type with small flowers, while 
others like the Giant strain. A similar amount of 
flowers from the latter as from the former can hardly 
be expected, but even in the small pots the Giant 
strain is wonderfully profuse. One of the finest, if 
not the best, we noted was Giant White, which for 
size, purity, and boldness would be difficult to excel. 
Alongside of it was another, now widely known under 
the name of Butterfly, also pure white and of great 
size, but having widely spreading instead of erect 
segments, like the outspread wings of a butterfly. It 
meets with great favour from a large number of 
growers. The Giant Crimson and White is also a 
meritorious variety, with 
a crimson mouth or 
base to the flower, 
the rest being white ; 
it is quite as large 
as any of the fore¬ 
going. Other colours in 
this group to be noted 
are Giant Crimson, Lilac 
Purple, and Giant Rose. 
The latter is of a bright 
rose with a crimson base, 
and is excellent in its 
way, although some pre¬ 
fer the Giant Crimson. 
Dark coloured flowers of 
this class show well up 
under artificial light, be¬ 
cause they have not the 
solid or massive build of 
a double Rose or Dahlia, 
which, when of a maroon 
or crimson colour, appear 
black or opaque under 
artificial light. In the 
case of a dark Cyclamen, 
on the contrary, the light 
can shine through and 
therefore give the charm¬ 
ing effect which many gar¬ 
deners have noticed when 
their plants are placed 
under artificial light. 
The Persicum Strain. 
The above term is applied 
to all those varieties of 
Cyclamen persicum which 
still retain the small flow¬ 
ers of the type. When well 
grown, they are always 
exceedingly floriferous; 
hence the favour with 
which they are still re¬ 
ceived bymanycultivators. 
In examining the collection we were particularly 
pleased with a batch of a new variety named 
Salmon Queen. It will be classed amongst the 
novelties for 1894, as the seeds will not be ready 
for distribution till then. The flowers are rosy- 
salmon with a crimson mouth, and very distinct. 
The whole plant is dwarf, very floriferous, and the 
small leaves beautifully marbled with grey. Another 
novelty that will require longer time to get up a 
stock of is one with plum-purple flowers. Very 
richly coloured is Purpureum, the flowers of which 
are of a violet-purple even in the young stages, and 
more distinctly so as they get old. The flowers of 
Rubrum are cherry-red, those of Album are pure 
white, those of Roseum are rose, of Roseum album, 
white with a red mouth, and those of Phoenix, 
intense crimson. The richest of all the crimson 
varieties, however, is that named Vulcan, which 
can hardly be distinguished from Phsenix by mere 
description, but is very different when actually seen. 
Notwithstanding the intensity of the flowers, they 
show well up under artificial light. The thanks of 
gardeners are due to Messrs. Sutton & Sons for the 
persistency with which they stick to a fine variety 
until they have fixed it and raised seeds in sufficient 
quantity for distribution. 
H.R.H. the Princess of Wales. 
Patroness of the Gardeners' Orphan Fund. 
