832 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 22,1898, 
cultural and local press for publishing reports of the 
meetings. 
After the report and balance sheet had been 
adopted, the following were elected to fill the various 
offices during the coming year : President, Mr C. B. 
Stevens; Chairman, Mr. T. Turton; Vice-Chair¬ 
man, Mr. G. Hinton; Librarian, Mr. J. Martin; 
Asst.-Librarian, Mr. E. Dore ; Treasurer, Mr. W. 
Phipps; Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. Pound, jun.; 
Committee, Messrs. F. Bright, C. Burton, R. 
Butcher, R. Chamberlain, H. G. Cox, B. Dockerill, 
H. Farey, W. Goddard, F. Lever, T. Neve, J. 
Pound, G. Smith, W. Smith, W. Townsend, 
H. Wilson, and J. Woolford; Auditors, Messrs. F. 
Tufnail and A. Smith; whilst Messrs. Cox and 
Woolford were elected to represent the association 
on the Read ing Horticultural Society and the Read¬ 
ing Chrysanthemum Society. A beautiful group of 
well-grown Cyclamen was shown by Mr. Mr. W. 
Townsend, The Gardens, Sandhurst Lodge, notice¬ 
able being Sutton’s Butterfly, Vulcan, Salmon 
Queen, and Giant White varieties. 
-- 
FORCED FLOWERS 
AT MR. WILLIAM ICETON’S 
We have on previous visits bad occasion to 
remark on the important part played by Mr. AV. 
Iceton, in supplying the British public with what it 
needs in the way of cut flowers. He has specially 
taken up the forcing of the Lily of the Valley, and so 
much space is devoted to it at the establishment at 
Granard Park Gardens, Putney Park Lane, that the 
place may well be called a Lily farm. Right through 
the year, from one end to the other, this handsome 
Lily may there be seen in bloom, although, naturally 
enough, there are especially busy periods as well as 
times of comparative slackness when the demand is 
small. 
Any system whereby such a continuity and 
adequacy of supply is obtained, must of necessity be 
extensive and well organised, and Mr. Iceton's is 
both. Moreover, practice has evolved a very easy 
and effective method of forcing, whereby the utmost 
is got out of the plants in the least possible time and 
with the minimum of waste. 
The flowers are all obtained from the picked 
Berlin crowns which are infinitely superior to the 
clumps, flowering with more certainty and producing 
better flowers, while more can be got into the space. 
With the exception of one or two favoured parts our 
islands are not suitable for the growing of good 
crowns tit for forcing, and thus the chief supply 
comes from the neighbourhood of Berlin Upwards 
of three and a half million crowns are imported by 
Mr. Iceton each year. This represents an average of 
nearly 10,000 crowns for every day in the year, and 
between n,ooo and 12,000 for each day exclusive of 
Sundays. As each crown may be depended upon to 
flower, the number of racemes of bloom is as the 
number of the crowns. The winter and spring 
months are the busiest time of the year, and at the 
period of our visit there could not have been far short 
of 250,000 plants in full flower, or closely approaching 
that stage. We were informed also that in three 
days during Christmas week 500 dozen bunches were 
cut. As each bunch is composed of a dozen racemes 
this givt-s a total number of 72,000. If we allow 
twelve bells to each raceme- a fair average—we shall 
get a grand total of 864,000 of the fragrant bells. 
The crowns are imported in buuches each of 
twenty-five. These bunches are laid in double layers 
out of doors and covered with soil during the winter 
months. A glimpse at the large area of ground even 
then required to accommodate them, affords to the 
visitor some idea of the magnitude of operations. 
After the winter has passed the crowns are then 
consigned to a gigantic refrigerator where they are 
prevented from breaking into growth by the action of 
the cold. It is from these frozen crowns that the 
supply of material for forcing during the summer and 
autumn months is obtained. The seasons are thus 
made to be continuous, and they even overlap, for 
we were shown a batch of plants that had been kept 
back through the whole of 1897. Nothing in their 
appearance, however, could lead one to surmise this 
for they were fully as strong, and the flowers equally 
as good as those thrown by the recently imported 
crowns. 
The plants are all grown in cocoanut-fibre in 
shallow, light wooden boxes, each box containing 
about a hundred. A temperature of between 70° and 
8o° Fahr. is preserved until the flowers commence to 
open. In the earliest stages the houses are matted 
over to exclude the light, and kept thus until both 
leaves and flowers are well advanced. The plants 
are then gradually exposed to the light, the flowers 
expand fully, and the foliage loses much of its sickly 
yellow-white hue. From three to four weeks elapses 
from the time the flowers are placed in heat to the 
fully opened flower fit for cutting. 
A peep into a house, filled with Lilies of the 
Valley, on a January day is a treat of the rarest kind. 
The eye is almost dazzled by the glittering white 
sheen of the flowers, and the warm moist air is laden 
with the lovely fragrance to such an extent as to be 
almost overpowering. Under the able superin¬ 
tendence of genial Mr. Kyaw, whose paternal care is 
manifest in this as in other branches of the establish¬ 
ment, the forcing of Lily of the Valley at all seasons 
is attended with the greatest success. 
In addition to the Lilies other subjects are forced 
in great numbers. Thousands of Roman Hyacinths, 
for instance, are grown in boxes to supply the large 
demand. Such Tulips as Cottage Maid, Thomas 
Mocre, Prince of Austria, Due Van Thol, and La 
Reine are also grown in great quantity, and with 
highly satisfactory results. 
Of Liliums there is a great store; and we would 
not like to say how many thousands are passed 
through the place each year. The quantity of bulbs 
potted up and standing covered with ashes in the 
plunging ground awaiting their turn to be removed 
to the houses is immense. L. longiflorum and L. 1 . 
Harrisii are the favourites. The earliest batch of 
the latter consists of sturdy plants about 15 in. high 
at the present time which will be in flower some time 
during March. Two or three bulbs have been placed 
in a 6-in. pot. Other extensive batches will keep up 
the succession, so that there will be no lack of flowers 
presently. 
--S»- 
THE FRENCH HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
The ninth annual dinner of the above society was 
held on Satuday evening last at the Imperial 
Restaurant, Strand, Mr, Herbert Cutbush pre¬ 
siding. 
There was a large company of friends and mem¬ 
bers assembled, amongst whom we noticed several 
gentlemen representative of English horticulture, 
viz , Messrs. William Cutbusb, H. J. Jones, J. 
Weathers, Harry Laiog, Harman Payne, and others. 
The proceedings were of the heartiest nature, and 
dessert having arrived, speech-making and music 
filled up the evening. 
In formally introducing the chairman to the com¬ 
pany, Mr. Geo. Schneider, president of the society, 
reminded them that Mr. Cutbush’s position in the 
gardening world and the interest he took in the 
society were ample recommendations for their 
selection of him as chairman on this occasion, and 
very heartily proposed his health. 
Mr. Cutbush replied, saying that ever since the 
society was started in 1888 it had been most success¬ 
ful, a fact that was very largely due to the ability of 
its officers and the enthusiasm of its members. 
N umerous additions to the roll of membership had been 
made during the past year, and it was interesting to 
record that besides being represented in every Euro¬ 
pean state, the society had members also in America, 
Algeria, the Congo, and elsewhere. Financially, 
there was good reason for congatulation, the society 
being at present in a much better position than this 
time last year. Many valuable additions had been 
made to the library, which was one of the leading 
features of the society. The bulletin had been 
improved, and the new one for 1898 will be still 
more so. He was pleased to raise his glass and 
invite them to drink to the " Continued success and 
prosperity of the society,” coupling with the toast the 
name of their worthy president, Mr. Schneider. 
Mr. Schneider, in reply, briefly reviewed the work 
of the past year, and thanked the members for the 
spirit o( comradeship that always animated them. 
He also attributed a large measure of the success to 
English friends who kindly found room for many of 
the young men who desired places in this country. 
In conclusion he gave the toast of ” The Visitors.” 
Mr. Harman Payne replied. The toast of "The 
Officers” was responded to by Mr. Friedrich. 
At this point a little surprise was in store for Mr. 
Schneider, as Mr. Gachelin arose to make him a 
presentation of a case of cutlery and an address on 
behalf of the new members. Mr. Schneider appro¬ 
priately replied to this unexpected demonstration of 
good feeling towards him. 
Vocal and instrumental music was excellently 
rendered, and as a close to the proceedings the com¬ 
pany very heartily sang the English and French 
national anthems. 
Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & Son, of Highgate, received 
a cordial vote of thanks for the floral decorations. 
-s H* " - - 
TROPAEOLUM SPECIOSUM. 
Tropaeolum speciosum, or the Flame-flower, is a 
plant to be conjured with ; rather should I say it is a 
plant that conjures up pleasant memories, for it is 
only when I have been jour de fete that I have come 
across the finest specimens. It is, however, a 
subject fit for any theme, and one which has wound 
itself round my imagination, leaving, in consequence, 
a deep and permanent photographic impression on 
the retina of my visual organs. Therefore "A.P.’s” 
note last week has acted as an incentive, and brought 
back visions of the most brilliant description. 
It is a plant with a character, but it requires 
certain simple, though necessary, conditions to bring 
out its character, which, when fully realised, is 
patent to all, and well deserves its common, as well 
as its specific name. But I am afraid those condi¬ 
tions are not obtainable even in sunny Surrey, genial 
though it be, because the coolness and the 
moisture which we find in the Welsh valleys, the 
Scotch glens, or the hilly districts on our western 
shores, are absent from our southern shires. 
If, as “A. P.” suggests, a sandy soil is syn¬ 
onymous with a sunny site, and agreeable to the 
plant’s requirements, I ought to be able, at least, to 
report progress. Alas! these conditions have not 
sufficed! A sandy soil is a dry soil—hence I 
attribute the failure. But, as I do not yet intend to 
close the contest, I procured last spring a fresh stool, 
and planted it in my hardy Fern-house in a mixture 
of peat, loam, and leaf-soil, where, although it did 
not bloom, it made good growth. Should it attain a 
floriferous condition during the ensuing season, 
under altered circumstances, I should be pleased to 
add the reason why. I am greatly indebted to 
“ A. P.” for his compliments, which are only half- 
deserved, for though I may somet imes scintillate, he 
is always "A. P.” (’Appy) in his references to 
plants and garden-lore — C. B. G., Acton, IV. 
-—*•- 
LAW NOTICE. 
Ashworth v. Wells. 
Mr. Justices Day and Lawrence were engaged 
on Tuesday in hearing an appeal by the plaintiff in 
the action Ashworth v. Wells from the decision of 
the learned county court judge at Manchester, who 
had entered judgment for defendant with costs.— 
Mr. C. A. Russell, Q.C., and Mr. Tweedale appeared 
for the plaintiff in support of the appeal, while Mr. 
M. Lush opposed it on behalf of the defendant. 
It appeared that down to 1895 the- defendant 
possessed a large and well-known collection of 
Orchids, and the plaintiff was also a grower of 
Orchids. In June of that year defendant sold his 
collection by auction, and at the auction the plain¬ 
tiff purchased for twenty guineas a bulb described 
as a Cattleya Acklandiae alba. Plaintiff cultivated 
the plant for two years, and then it produced a 
purple flower. Plaintiff brought an action to re¬ 
cover damages for an alleged breach of warranty, 
and at the trial several Orchid growers were called 
and gave evidence to the effect that a white Cattleya 
was such a rare flower that it was seldom met with, 
and that the value of a plant of this description 
varied from £60 to £150. The county court judge, 
while being of opinion that if the Orchid in question 
had been an actual alba it would have been at the 
time of the sale worth more than /50, held that until 
the plant had shown its real nature no Orchid grower 
would have given more than twenty guineas for it. 
As the defendant had paid that sum into court he 
entered judgment for him with costs. 
Mr. Justice Day said he had come to the con¬ 
clusion, somewhat reluctantly, that the county court 
judge had erred in the matter of law. He was not 
in a position to say what a white Cattleya would be 
