February 11, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
381 
the year. Last jear at this time I almost despaired 
of securing enough cuttings for my bed, so bad were 
they, but then I had ccddled them too much. Per¬ 
haps my friend has done the same.— A. P. 
PETASITIS FRAGRANS. 
This interesting Composite has been flowering with 
metery freely this winter outside, and until the 
recent frost was a source of supply for vases. 
Growing in a border left to itself it has extended in 
five years about as many yards ; like its relation, the 
Coltsfoot, its powers of locomotion are remarkable. 
- A. P. 
HYBRID ASTILBES. 
The great popularity of Astilbe, otherwise known 
as Spiraea japonica, as a plant for forcing, has in¬ 
duced those zealous cultivators and hybridisers, 
MM. Desbois & Lemoine, to attempt by crossing to 
raise new forms. By crossing A. japonica and A. 
aruncoides, a very handsome variety called A. arun- 
coides floribunda was obtained, and this is much 
more floriferous than either of its parents. Monsieur 
E. Lemoine has availed himself of this in hybridis¬ 
ing operations, and he has succeeded in obtaining 
varieties with flowers varying from pure white to 
white more or less suffused with rose. The plants 
are all perfectly hardy, and may thus be employed 
either for forcing or grown in the open border. 
LUCUL1A GRAT1SSIMA. 
This handsome hard-wocded Himalayan plant has 
been giving a capital account of itself of late in the 
greenhouse at Kew, A plant growing in the central 
bed has been literally covered with the delicate, rosy, 
sweet-scented flowers. It affords yet another 
instance of the readiness with which many plants, 
commonly confined in pots, respond to the planting 
out system. The sweet-scented Luculia is but a 
moderate success as a pet plant, judging from the 
starved, miserable-looking specimens that we meet 
with now and then, but when planted out in a 
prepared border there is no handsomer or freer 
winter-flowering subject. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
The annual general meeting of this society was held 
on the evening of Monday, the 6th inst, at the 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster. C. E. Shea, Esq , 
took the chair, and proceedings commenced at 7 
o'clock. After the reading and passing of the 
minutes and other preliminary business had been 
transacted, the report and balance sheet for the year 
1898 was presented by the secretary, Mr. R. Dean. 
The Report of the Committee. 
After assuring the members of the undiminished 
prestige of the society, and the success that had 
attended its exhibitions, the amended report ran as 
follows:— 
Your committee are gratified in noticing evidences 
of a revival of interest in the incurved type, which 
is shown by the large number of new varieties intro¬ 
duced during the past few years, and particularly so 
during the year just closed. These new introduc¬ 
tions, some of them apparently of cross parentage, 
have been vigilantly examined by the Classification 
Committee; and those showing decided evidence of 
possessing characteristics of the approved incurved 
type, admitted to that section. Some of doubtful 
character are reserved for another season’s experi¬ 
ence. 
Your committee, fully alive to the fact that some 
of the newer introductions of the incurved section so 
nearly approach older varieties in character as to 
render it difficult at times to determine their differ¬ 
ence, instructed the Classification Committee to 
draw up a list of too-much-alike varieties, which 
was published in the Schedules of Prizes for 1898, 
and made obligatory upon exhibitors at the society’s 
shows. Finding that some affiliated societies felt 
themselves bound to act under this list, while some 
held they were at liberty to adopt it or otherwise, 
your committee have had the list of tco-much-alike 
varieties, together with a list of the incurved classi¬ 
fied during the past three years, put in the form of a 
special circular, which is to be sent to affiliated 
societies. In this circular they are urged to adopt 
the list and publish it in their schedules of prizes as 
binding upon their exhibitors. The adoption is 
optional, but it is believed many societies will decide 
to come under the operation of the list of too-much- 
alike varieties. 
Your committee have to report that they have 
entered into an engagement with the Directors of 
the Royal Aquarium to hold their exhibitions in that 
building durirg the present year, the Diiectois 
undertaking to give an additional sum of ^75 to¬ 
wards the prize schedule of the November show. 
They have materially improved the lighting of the 
building, and successfully brought their influence to 
bear upon the new refreshment contractors, with the 
result that better facilities will, in the future, be 
afforded the members of the National Chrysanth¬ 
emum Society in obtaining refreshments at moderate 
charges. 
Acting upon an instruction passed at the last 
annual meeting of members, a special sub com¬ 
mittee was appointed to visit balls and other places 
in London and its suburbs with a view of ascertain¬ 
ing what conveniences could be offered for holding 
the exhibitions of the society elsewhere than at the 
Royal Aquarium, and upon what terms. The com¬ 
mittee spent considerable time in visitirg buildings, 
and made a searching investigation as to the facilities 
they afforded, with the result that they recommended 
the Executive Committee to transfer their shows to 
the Crystal Palace, Sy denbam, a full report of which 
will appear in the schedule of prizes. Your com¬ 
mittee, while fully sensible of the advantages of 
greater space and clearer light afforded by day at the 
Cry stal Palace, yet thought it expedient to retain 
their exhibitions at the Aquarium in 1899, especially 
as they had the prospect of increased monetary 
assistance from the Directors. 
Large numbers of new varieties of Chrysanth¬ 
emums have been submitted for examination at the 
meetings of the Floral Committee, and their quali¬ 
fications for Certificates of Merit fully and impar¬ 
tially considered. The record of awards is a 
numerous one, despite the utmost vigilance on the 
part of the committee. It has been found advisable 
to change the day of meeting on other than show 
days from Monday till Wednesday, excepting the 
meeting in the second week of November, which will 
be held on Monday the 13th. 
The publication ot a supplemental catalogue is 
becoming a necessity, as new varieties are frequently 
produced. This matter will be fully considered by 
your committee at an early meeting. 
A conference on “The Chrysanthemum Rust’’— 
a fungoid growth which proved very troublesome to 
many growers last season—was held in the St 
Stephen’s Hall of the Royal Aquarium on October 
iztb, and proved an exceedingly interesting function, 
and the attendance of members was large. Papers 
from the cultivators’ point of view were read by 
Messrs. P. Waterer and W. Wells, and one on “ The 
Scientific Aspects of the Rust,’’ by Mr. George 
Massee, of the Royal Gardens, Kew. The gathering 
had its advantageous social aspect also ; the bringing 
together of the members of the society on such 
occasions is a decided advantage. The papers, 
together with the discussion which followed, will be 
given in the annual report, etc., in course of prepara¬ 
tion. The committee are under a debt of obligation 
to the directors of the Royal Aquarium for the use 
of St. Stephen’s for the purposes of the Conference. 
The annual dinner, held at the Holborn Restaurant 
on November 30th, under the chairmanship of Sir 
Albert K. Rollit, was also a signal success. The 
auspicious event of the golden wedding of the 
president, Sir Edwin Saunders, and Lady Saunders 
was also commented upon, and mention was made of 
the great services Sir Edwin had rendered the 
society. 
The Accounts. 
The financial statement showed' receipts for the 
year amounting to /980 10s. 7d., of which £38 16s. 2d. 
was cash in the bank at the last audit, and £47 15s. 4d. 
drawn from the Reserve Fund to liquidate certain 
debts. The annual subscriptions total £270 15s. 6d. 
Foreign members’subscriptions run to £7 tis. id. 
£ny 5s od. has been received as donations and 
special prizes from various sources, in addition to 
£330 donated by the Royal Aquarium Company. 
The expenditure has been £gyg gs. 8d., and there 
has thus been a profit on the year's working of 
£18 os. nd., and £4 4s. 8d. has been transferred to 
the Reserve Fund. Of the items of expenditure one of 
the chief is the £86 ns. 6d. for debts incurred in 
previous 3 ears, and which made such a commotion 
at the last annual general meeting. In prizes a sum of 
/541 5s. has been distributed. Printing and station¬ 
ery have absorbed £102 18s. 2d , the expenses of the 
Investigation of Sites Committee were £1 19s , and 
the Conference on Rust cost £3 7s. Incidental 
expenses have been a heavy item, for included under 
Petty Cash is ^48 15s. sd., £25 125. gd. under Show 
Expenses; and £6 13s. nd. under Sundry Expenses ; 
or a total of £81 2s. id. 
Comparing the receipts and disbursements with 
these of last year there has been a considerable 
falling oft in the subscriptions of members, but there 
has also been a decrease in expenditure, so that the 
finances are really on a sounder basis than last year. 
The Balance Sheet declares a balance of Assets 
over liabilities of /173 6s. 5d. The liabilities are 
practically nil, but two items appear on the assets 
side that are scarcely good assets, viz. : Arrears of 
Members’ subscriptions, £10 15s., and arrears of 
Affiliation fees, £8 14s. 6d. These, of course, are not 
recoverable, as the Society is not incorporated by 
charter. 
The Reset ve Fund, after having been depleted last 
year to the tune cf £47 15s. 4d. in order to clear off 
debts, now stands at £72 ns. gd. 
Following on the reading of the report, the chair¬ 
man addressed the audience in an earnest, practical 
speech that carried conviction with it. He said, 
that when first he was isked to take the chair at 
this meeting, his first impulse had been to refuse. 
He had lost intimate touch with the scciety, and for 
some six years, at least, had not seen or read any of 
its reports or balance sheets. On second thoughts 
it bad appeared to him that his very ignorance of 
their affairs and consequent freedom from bias 
would make him independent and impartial, and he 
had accepted. The question had lately been dis¬ 
cussed in the Press whether or no the Chrysanth¬ 
emum was on the wane. As to the flower itself, 
there could be no question—it was fully as popular 
as ever. Coming, as it did, when other flowers were 
scarce, it was as much the poor man's flower as the 
rich man's, and it was thus placed on a throne from 
which it would not be easily displaced. There was 
the exhibition side of the question, however, and it 
was no use to cry “ peace, when there is no peace." 
The National Chrysanthemum Society had been 
much criticised, and at times the pen appeared to 
have been dipped in personal feeling as well as in 
ink. This was probably the cause of the fluctuations 
in the favour with which the Chrysanthemum was 
regarded as an exhibition flower. Mr. Shea then 
proceeded to mercilessly anal) se the facts connected 
with the revenue of the society. Members' subscrip¬ 
tions had fallen off to the extent of £28, and there 
was also a decline in the revenue from fees from, and 
the sale of medals to, affiliated societies ; in fact, a 
total downward tendency of ^84. It was true there 
had been a saving in expenses of £32, but in this 
respect it was impossible to strike a balance, for 
nothing could compensate a society for loss of mem- 
berage, and no one could say, when once the decline 
began, where it would stop, or when the bottom 
would be reached. This expression of idea was not 
as " the handwriting on the wall," and although the 
Chrysanthemum appeared to develop strongly a 
combative and quarrelsome turn of mind in its 
votaries, he hoped they would discuss the questions 
brought before them that evening, without bringing 
in personalities in the field, and remember that the 
fortiter in re was never injuriously affected by the 
suaviter in viodo. 
The adoption of the report and balance sheet was 
formally moved by Mr. W. Seward, and seconded 
by Mr. A. Outram. Mr. J. W. Moorman, in sup¬ 
porting the motion, expressed his satisfaction at the 
state of the finances. The working expenses had 
been less, the prize money had not been reduced, 
they were free from debt, and had contributed 
materially towards the reserve fund. Speaking upon 
the “investigation of sites,” he said that the 
Aquarium authorities had met them very hand¬ 
somely, and that both Mr. Ritchie and Mr. Wilkin¬ 
son had a*sured them that any grievances that might 
exist should be redressed. Mr. Moorman asked for 
information upon several items of assets in the 
balance sheet. 
In reply, Mr. Dean said, that of the £8 18s. 6d. in 
arrears as affiliated societies' fees, £4 14s. 6d. had 
been received since the issue of the balance sheet ; 
also £3 of the £4 4s. owing for medals, and £13 8s. 
of the £19 :8s. owing for space, and in time he hoped 
