436 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 11, 1893. 
FLORICULTURE. 
National Dahlia Society. 
The lovers of the Dahlia met in council at the Hotel 
Windsor, on the 2nd inst., it being the annual meet¬ 
ing of the subscribers to the above society. Mr. E. 
Mawley, the chairman of the committee, presided, 
and among those present were Messrs. H. Turner, 
W. H. Williams, J. R. Tranter, A. Rawlings, J. T. 
West, A. Ocock, W. Frost, J. Cheal, G. Humphries, 
A. Taylor, R. Dean, etc. The minutes of the last 
meeting having been read, the Secretary presented 
the report for the year, which set forth that the 
Dahlia season of 1892 was one of gales, as strong 
ones prevailed throughout the country previous to 
and during the blooming time, the patience of 
growers being severely taxed. In spite of difficult 
climatic conditions the annual exhibition at the 
Crystal Palace was in all respects a very fine one ; 
the quality of the show types was decidedly good ; 
there was a great advance in quality, quantity, and 
effective display in relation to this section ; the 
Pompons, single, decorative, and Cactus types, were 
very fine, and the usual excellence more than main¬ 
tained. 
In reference to the Cactus section, the class for 
those of a true character which were shown in 
accordance with a select list of varieties set forth in 
the annual report proved a very attractive addition 
to the exhibition, and compared most favourably in 
point of effect with the classes in which the decora¬ 
tive types were admitted. This class will be main¬ 
tained, and the list of true Cactus types revised and 
added to for the ensuing season. The report 
deplored the loss of one of the society’s vice- 
presidents, the late Mr. John Downie, of Edinburgh, 
many years a judge at the exhibitions at the Crystal 
Palace, and who will be missed in that capacity. 
Mr. Downie was pre-eminent as a florist, and also 
for the consistent liberality with which he supported 
the funds of the society. 
The financial statement showed the income of the 
society to be fairly well maintained. Subscriptions 
had been received to the amount of £56 9s., and £50 
from the Crystal Palace Company. Other items 
brought the income up to over £140. Prizes were paid 
amounting to £122 15s., and this, with other pay¬ 
ments, left a balance for the next season, and several 
special contributions were announced towards a 
prize fund in the ensuing year, to which the members 
look forward with confidence. 
In reference to the election of officers, the Rev. 
Charles Fellowes was re-elected president, several 
lady patronesses were announced, Mr. William Frost, 
of Maidstone, was added to the committee in the 
place of Mr. George Phippen, deceased! and the 
name of Mr. R. Dean was also added. Mr. E. 
Mawley undertook to discharge the duties of 
treasurer in conjunction with those of chairman, 
and Mr. T. W. Girdlestone was re-elected hon. 
secretary by acclamation, hearty votes of thanks 
being passed to the chairman and secretary for their 
services during the past year. 
The schedule of prizes for 1892 was adopted as 
that for 1893. Slight reductions were made in the 
prize money offered in a few of the small classes, 
and an offer of special prizes from Mr. John Walker, 
Thame, for blooms of his new white self Dahlia, 
John Walker, was accepted. The Secretary reported 
that the annual exhibition would take place as usual 
at the Crystal Palace on September 1st and 2nd 
In [accordance with the usual custom the following 
were nominated to act as judges at the Dahlia Show 
at the Royal Aquarium on September 6th :—Show 
varieties: Nurserymen’s classes, Messrs. A. Ocock 
and J. T. West; amateurs’ classes, Messrs. H. 
Turner and J. Wyatt; decorative, Pompon and 
single varieties, Messrs. T. W. Girdlestone and E. 
Mawley. A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman 
brought the proceedings to a close. 
On Planting Pansies and Violas. 
The planting out time for these is now close upon 
us, and plants in frames, if they have been kept 
rather close, should be well hardened and exposed, 
to prevent "drawing” in growth, and that they may 
be able to stand cold nights and bad weather. If 
cold biting winds should come upon us, then protect 
the plants from such winds, but admitting air and 
plenty of it when the sun is out. I always like to 
plant out about the end of March, in drills about 
2 in. deep, as this affords protection to the young 
plants, and allows a space for a stimulating soil 
presently by way of mulching. Plant very firmly, 
and if the growth is rather long, either peg it down 
or secure it by a stick or two. 
To grow Pansies and Violas well, planting should 
take place at the end of March or as early in April 
as can be, provided the plants are strong' and well 
rooted Many persons do not think of buying in 
plants until May or June, a very great mistake, as 
they have no time to get well established before hot 
dry weather sets in, and so a large number of them 
die away. Plants should also be closely watched 
for brown Aphis, and it is best to examine them 
before planting, and get them properly cleaned by 
washing the plants with Tobacco water or some 
other safe insecticide. 
A large number of new Pansies are being "sent out 
this year, chiefly by Messrs. Irvine, Smellie, 
Sydenham, and others, and many new sorts also of 
Violas by Messrs. Dobbie & Co. (who have done so 
much to make the Viola popular), Irvine, Steel, and 
others. Many of the new varieties are very lovely, 
and the leading sorts can be bought at low prices 
now. A flower garden without Violas will soon be 
as great a rarity as the Dodo. They flower very 
early and are continuous, and so many lovely shades 
of colour now exist in them. As cut flowers they 
are lovely and valuable, and so many have a 
delightful perfume, and even in small pots, they 
are so easily cultivated, they make a most desirable 
addition to the early blooming occupants of a green¬ 
house.— W. Dean. 
Selection of Carnations and Picotees. 
I was surprised to see in your last issue, that the 
National Carnation and Picotee Society in their 
annual report have published another selection of the 
best Carnations and Picotees so soon after the one 
given in their 11 Carnation Manual,” and differing 
from the latter in many instances. The “ Manual ” 
and the annual report of the Carnation Society, 
according to the extract you make from the latter, 
give the following selections :— 
Manual. 
S. B. Robert Houlgrave. 
L. P. B. William Skirving. 
H. R. Picotee John Smith. 
H. P. Picotee Muriel. 
L. P. Picotee Ann Lord. 
H. R. Picotee Mrs. Sharpe. 
If the report as a later publication is meant to be 
a revise of the Manual, it does not seem a very happy 
one (except in the substitution of Mrs. Payne as the 
best heavy rose instead of Mrs. Sharpe), and will not 
be found to be in agreement with the prize lists.— 
J. W. 
Report. 
Robt. Lord. 
Sarah Payne. 
Dr. Epps. 
Mrs. Chancellor. 
Clara Penson. 
Mrs. Payne. 
EPIPHYLLUM TRUNCATUM. 
Among greenhouse flowering plants, there are few 
subjects that are more showy and easily grown than 
Epiphyllum truncatum. They are the more 
appreciated, because at this dull season we have 
little colours in the house except that afforded by 
Cyclamen and Zonal Pelargoniums. They light up 
a house in a most charming manner, and are also 
well suited for a dwelling room, remaining in flower 
for a long time, and receiving no harm from the 
change of temperature. The flowers are borne 
upon the end of the flat and fleshy leaves, drooping 
in a most graceful manner that suggests their 
adaptability for growing as standards. Fortunately 
they are very easily cultivated in this manner, the 
best stock being Pereskia aculeata. This is stout 
enough to bear a good sized head. 
Saddle grafting is a good method to adopt in this 
case. It is very simple, and all but certain to 
succeed. Cut the top of the stock wedge shape, 
then split the graft and fit it on to the stock. The 
graft should be split flatwise, and lightly tied around 
with a little Sphagnum Moss. Use a fair sized 
graft. If you have an extra strong stock, and wish 
to make your plant pyramidal instead of standard, it 
is easily done by grafting several pieces upon the 
stem. It matters not how these are connected with 
the stock so long as the two freshly cut portions 
unite neatly. A simple plan is to cut the graft to a 
point by making a slight cut upon each side, and 
then make a downward cut in the stock and insert 
the graft beneath the severed portion ; afterwards 
tying all together neatly, but not so firmly as to 
constrict them in any way. Well-drained pots, and 
a compost of sandy loam, leaf soil, and a little well 
decayed manure will grow these charming greenhouse 
flowers to perfection. Very little water is needed, 
although from their succulent appearance it might 
suggest to the amateur that they were thirsty 
subjects.— Experience. 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL 
PROVIDENT AND BENEFIT SOCIETY. 
In view of the annual meeting of this most excellent 
gardeners’ society, which is to be held at the 
Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi, W.C., on Monday 
evening next, we propose in this number to bring the 
society and its work more prominently under tfce 
notice of our readers than we have hitherto done, in 
the hope that by so doing we may in some measure 
be the means of extending its sphere of usefulness. 
While we are heartily in sympathy with the objects 
embraced by the two gardening charities, and 
support them both so far as we can, we confess to a 
large measure of respect for all well and honestly 
conducted societies which have self-help and mutual 
support for their one aim and object, and essentially 
is this the case with the society under notice. It is 
the best of all provident and benefit societies of which 
we have any knowledge ; it is managed, and most ably 
managed, by gardeners, and gardeners only can par¬ 
ticipate in the advantages which it offers. 
The stability of the “ United ” is beyond question, 
for its funds are all invested in 3 per cent. English 
Corporation Stocks, and the amount of capital so 
invested is £7,700, the increase in investments during 
the past year being £1,000. A special feature of the 
society is the rule by which every member partici¬ 
pates in the profit accruing from the interest on the 
Benefit Funds from year to year, and the oldest 
members are now receiving as much as £2 per 
annum interest on their account, and this increases 
from year to year. Each member at the close of the 
year has a private balance sheet sent to him, which 
is a copy of his account in the society’s ledger. As 
an illustration of such an account we give the 
following statement copied from an early page in the 
ledger. 
Dr. 
To Balance from last account ... 
„ Interest allowed . 
„ Contributions, 1892 . 
Cr. 
Deduct Sick Pay proportion 
To Balance. 
£ s. 
d. 
66 1 
3 
118 
b 
11 9 
0 
£6918 
9 
£ s. 
d. 
0 + 
7 
6914 
2 
£69 18 
9 
This member, it should be added, pays gd. per 
week, which entitles him to 16s. per week in times 
of sickness. Another member, who pays on the 
lower scale for 10s. 6d. per week, has a balance to 
his credit of £45 18s. rod., the interest accruing to 
him during the past year being £1 5s. 4d., which is 
within 8d. of his annual contribution. In both of 
these cases there is one remarkable feature which is 
quite unique in the working of benefit societies, viz., 
the amount of interest allowed is as nearly as 
possible equivalent to the amount subscribed for the 
year, and herein lies a distinct advantage over other 
benefit societies, inasmuch as that should a member 
when he is advanced in years be in distress, and 
thereby be unable to keep up his payments, he can 
have a sufficient amount transferred from his deposit 
balance yearly without decreasing the amount of his 
capital. He thus remains a fully accredited member 
of the society, whereas in the general run of benefit 
societies as soon as a member falls into arrears he 
ceases to be a member and loses all prospective 
benefits. 
Benefit societies constituted upon this latter plan 
undoubtedly gain a vast amount of money in forfeited 
payments, thereby gaining financial strength at the 
expense of the unfortunate members, but this is not 
the case with the " United,” as no member loses the 
money he contributes, not even when he ceases to 
subscribe. In such a case his account is closed, but 
he does not forfeit his subscriptions, though he can¬ 
not receive the amount standing to his credit back 
from the society until he attains the age of sixty, but 
should he die before that age the amount can be 
paid out to his nominee. The first case of a member 
claiming his deposit under this rule has occurred 
during the past year, but previous sums have been 
paid to nominees. 
In the balance sheet quoted will be noted the sum 
of 4s. yd. as being deducted for proportion of sick 
pay, this was on the 16s. a week or higher scale, the 
charge on the lower scale of 10s. 6d. a week being 
3s. 6d. This is the proportion debited from each 
member for the year 1892 to meet the sick payments 
for the year, thus at the end of the financial year all 
liabilities are discharged. 
Then there is the Benevolent Fund, to which each 
