382 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 11, 1899 
to receive the whole of the remainder. Many of the 
smaller societies had a bad time last year, and not a 
few of them had had a deficit. He thought (and in 
this respect the meeting heartily concurred) that they 
ought to be lenient towards these societies. 
A number of other gentlemen took part in the dis¬ 
cussion, and finally the report and balance sheet were 
formally passed amidst expressions of general satis¬ 
faction. 
A vote of thanks was proposed to the auditors by 
Mr. Berridge, seconded by Mr. Langdon.and carried 
with unanimity. Mr. A. E. Stubbs, replied briefly. 
Passing to the election of officers for the ensuing 
season, Messrs. Weeks, Seward, Pinches, and 
Holmes were asked to serve as scrutineers of the 
ballot. 
The proposed re-election of Sir Edwin Saunders 
as president, suggested by Mr. T. Bevan, and 
seconded by Mr. H. A. Needs, was received with 
enthusiasm, and, of course, carried without dissen¬ 
tient. Mr. Bevan took this rather inopportune 
occasion to sandwich in a statement of his disgust 
about the discussion of sites. He emphatically 
advised all to let the matter drop, for they wanted to 
hear no more about it. 
Mr. Ballantine having declined to stand again as 
treasurer, Mr. C. E. Wilkins, of Swanley, was 
nominated for the post by Mr. Moorman, supported 
by Mr. Witty, and accepted by the meeting. Mr. 
Percy Waterer was asked to occupy the responsible 
post of chairman of committee, and Mr. C. Harman 
Payne was returned as Foreign Corresponding Secre¬ 
tary, the chairman facetiously remarking that it was 
a case of “our only general.” Mr. R. Dean was 
asked to continue the duties of secretary upon the 
motion of Mr. T. Bevan, seconded by Mr. Holmes. 
There were two nominees for the vice-chairman¬ 
ship of committee, Messrs. T. Bevan and J. W. 
Moorman, twelve nominees for a place on the com¬ 
mittee, in addition to the eight retiring members 
eligible for re election. These were decided by the 
ballot, the results being that the successful candi¬ 
dates for the fourteen vacancies were Messrs. E. 
Beckett, C. Gibson, H. J. Jones, A. Outram, D. B. 
Crane, W. Davey, R. Kenyon, J. W. Wilkinson J. 
McKerchar, C. Blick, J. W. Simmons, Alex. Wright, 
Mr. G. Walker, and W. A. Sturrock. Passing to the 
proposed alterations of the rules, of which notice had 
duly been given, the chairman was very severe upon 
the inaccuracies, contradictions, and irregularities 
that characterised them. The result was that most 
of the proposed amendments were either withdrawn 
or fell through, owing to there being no supporter to 
second, and thus throwing the matters open for dis¬ 
cussion. 
The amendment to Rule IX., relating to the right 
of voting, was altered to read “ Fellows, Members, and 
representatives of affiliated societies," and in this form it 
was adopted, after some discussion. The amend¬ 
ments recommended by the executive committee 
were all duly ratified with practically no discussion. 
Several gentlemen were nominated for member¬ 
ship of the society, and also several societies for 
affiliation. It was resolved to confer upon Mr. T. 
W, Saunders, the retiring chairman of committee, 
the honorary fellowship of the society. A vote of 
thanks to the chairman for presiding concluded the 
business. Mr. Shea, in his acknowledgement, ex¬ 
pressed his satisfaction at the smoothness and good 
feeling with which the various knotty questions had 
been discussed, and the expedition with which they 
had been settled. 
The Treatment of Flax in Belgium.—The cultivation 
of Flax is one of the most important industries in 
Belgium at the present day. The method of pre¬ 
paration of the fibre is both curious and interesting. 
The “ Straw ” is stored for a year after harvesting. 
It is then steeped in water, but instead of being tied 
up into sheaves or “beets" it is packed in crates 
made of branches. These crates are placed in a river 
having a slow current and are kept in their places 
by slates fixed in the bed of the river at various 
points. The tops of the crates are covered with 
plaited rushes and these coverings are kept in place 
by means of large stones, which also serve to sink 
the crates to the required depth in the water so that 
the whole of the contents is covered. After the 
“ retting ” process has sufficiently advanced the flax 
is laid out to dry as in this country. 
Questions add snsroeRS. 
Will our fritnis who send us newspapers be so good 
as to mark the paragraphs or articles they wish us to see. 
We shall be greatly obliged bv their so doing. 
[ Correspondents, please note that we cannot undertake to 
name florists' flowers such as Carnations, Pelargoniums, 
Chrysanthemums, Roses, nor such as are mere garden 
varieties, differing only in the colour of the flower. 
Florists' flowers, as a rule, can only be named by those who 
grow collections of them.] 
Diagrams for Horticultural Lecturing.— Constant 
Reader : Apply to Mr. Thomas Laurie, Educational 
Publisher, 28, Paternoster Row, London, E.C. He 
keeps diagrams of various kinds suitable for 
lectures on horticulture, agriculture, &c. He would 
almost certainly have diagrams illustrative of prun¬ 
ing, but we are less certain about trenching and 
draining. You can easily ascertain by explaining 
what you want, asking for lists of diagrams, &c. 
Yiolets Unhealthy. — Reader : The leaves you sent 
us were very badly infested with red spider. The 
mites may be seen huddled together in great crowds 
on the under-sides of the leaves. They may have 
got a footing during the dry weather last summer, 
and continued breeding ever since; or the recent 
spell of mild weather may have caused the hatching 
of the eggs laid upon the leaves. In any case eggs 
and empty shells may be seen with the mites. If it 
had been summer, frequent syringing and watering 
would have destroyed them. This is what you 
should do in summer and early autumn durjjjg dry 
weather to act as a preventive. At present we 
should advise you to try flowers of sulphur for the 
purpose of destroying the spider, so as to obviate the 
use of much water in the cold frames at this season 
of the year. Choose a dry, bright day, if possible, 
and lightly syringe the Violets just to wet the leaves ; 
then dust the latter with the flowers of sulphur, 
getting it on the under-side of the leaves as much as 
possible. If you have a sulphurator or sulphur 
distributor, this would be much better than the 
hands, because by holding the nozzle under the 
leaves the sulphur would settle on the under surface, 
and be in direct contact with the red spider. If you 
could check the pest in this way you might yet get a 
fair supply of flo wers. 
Address. — Omega: The address is Mr. A. D. 
Webster, Superintendent, Greenwich Park, London, 
S.E. 
Best time to Propagate Shrubs by Layers.— 
Omega ; The usual time, and probably the best, for 
doing this is in autumn; but as a matter of fact it is 
done at various times during winter. All those kinds 
which root freely might be layered at once, and the 
probability is that they will be rooted before the 
summer is far advanced, if you attend to them in 
the matter of watering during dry weather. All, 
except the more difficult, would be rooted and ready 
for transplanting by the end of October next. It is 
often advisable to make a tongue at the bend where 
the layer is placed in the soil, in the same way as 
Carnations are treated when being layered. A 
wooden peg will hold down the layer, and keep the 
tongue open. Mix up some rich compost of sandy 
soil and leaf mould to place beneath the layers. 
Thrip-like Scale on Palms.— C. G. B. : Your 
Palms are very badly affected with a black coccid or 
scale named Ischnaspis filiformis, figured in the 
Gardening World, Feb. 2, 1889, p. 357. It comes 
from Guiana, but had been seen in the live state in 
this country previous to that date. The scale is very 
troublesome when once it gets a footing, but we think 
it can be overcome by syringing the plants with 
petroleum emulsion, at intervals of a fortnight from 
now onwards till early summer, by which time the 
young insects should have been hatched out from the 
eggs, and scattered over the plants in search of a 
place on which to settle down, it may be, on plants 
or leaves that are yet clean. The emulsion is made 
by dissolving \ lb. of soap in i gallon of water over 
a brisk fire. When the soap is thoroughly dissolved 
remove the vessel containing it from the fire, and 
add 1 gallon of petroleum, or as it is usually termed, 
paraffin. Then churn the mixture thoroughly with 
the syringe until the whole resembles a thick cream. 
Make sure that no oil is left floating on the top, as 
that would injure the Palms. To one pint of the 
mixture add nine pints of cold water, stir it up, and 
lightly syringe the plants with it as advised. This 
remedy is very effective with other scales, &c. 
Names of Plants— Pteris : 1, Elaeagnus pungens 
aureo-picta ; 2, Elaeagnus pungens variegata ; 3, 
Begonia metallica. J. B.: 1, Begonia foliosa; 2, 
Begonia ascotensis ; 3, Eriostemon buxifolius.— R. 
M. : 1, Asplenium fontanum; 2, Asplenium Tricho- 
manes; 3, Pteris longifolia; 4, Platyloma rotundi- 
folia.—1, Chlorophytum elatum medio- 
pictum ; 2, Acacia, not recognised ; 3, Acacia 
lophantha; 4, Acacia dealbata; 5, Stapelia (send 
when in bloom); 6, Hoya carnosa; 7, Impatiens 
Sultani, probably, but only a portion of one leaf 
reached us, the rest being rubbed to pulp by the col¬ 
lapse of the box incoming through the post.— Omega: 
The wild Sweet Violet (Viola odorata). 
Commonicatoins Received. —J. Mayne.—A. E. S. 
—J. Knowles.—A. Reid.—Gamma.—L’Allegro.—S. 
A. S., many thanks.—L. B.—A. R.—S. G.—A. R — 
G .T .C—Amies.—Onions.—K.—D. N.—Crow. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Ed. Webb& Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge,—Webb's 
Annual Catalogue of Farm Seeds, Manures, &c. 
Barr & Sons, 12 and 13, King Street, Covent 
Garden, London.—Barr’s Descriptive Catalogue of 
the Best Bulbs and Tubers for Winter and Spring 
Planting. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Subscription (including postage): 3 months, is. 8 d. 
6 months, 3s. 3 d .; 12 months, 6s. 6 d., prepaid. 
Foreign Subscriptions to all countries in the Postal 
Union, 8s. 8 d. per annum, prepaid. 
SUBSCRIPTION FORM. 
-# 
Please send me " The Gardening World,” 
for __ months , commencing on 
tor which 1 enclose - 
Name -- 
A dir ess - 
Handsomely bound Volumes, I to XIII., 6s. 6d. eaoh 
Covers for binding, 2s. 6d. each. 
SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS. 
Small Advertisements, solid type, 6d. per line of about nine 
words. Displayed Advertisements, per inch, 6s.; per column 
In Ins. long), £3 5s.; per halfpage, £5 ; per page, £9. Special 
quotations given fora series. Gardeners and others Wanting 
Situations thirty words for is. 6d„ prepaid. 
Talagrapblo Addren: “ BAMBU8A, LOUDON,' 
1, ISTT’S XJSTIT 
STRAND, LONDON, V O. 
INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS. 
Auction Sales. 
Protheroe & Morris .370 
Catalogues. 
Barr & Sons .-. 3 6 9 
Bunyard & Co.369 
Carters... 373 
Daniels Bros. 37 i 
Dicksons, Ltd.371 
Dobbie & Co. 372 
Drummonds, Ltd.369 
J. Forbes . 372 
Kelway & Son .369 
J. Lalng & Sons .369 
J. Peed & Sons. 372 
R. Smith & Co.372 
Toogood&Sons .371 
Louis Van Houtte .372 
T. S. Ware. Ltd. 372 
Webb & Sons . 373 
Chrysanthemums. 
Church Bros.369 
R. & G. Cuthbert. 371 
Dobbie&Co,.>.,...569 
W. J. Godfrey ..371 
H. J. Jones. 372 
C. E. & F. W. Lilley.369 
R. Owen. 3®9 
W. Wells .369 
Florists’ Flowers. 
J. Douglas.369 
W. B. Hartland .369 
Kelway & Son .369 
J. Laing & Sons .369 
J. Peed & Sons.371 
J. Wells .369 
Flower Pots. 
Sankey & Sons, Ltd.3S4 
S. Scraton .371 
Fruit Trees. 
G. Bunyard & Co.369 
R. Smith & Co.371 
Garden Sundries, &o. 
J. Arnold.369 
Dicksons.371 
Eveson’s Coal. 37 ° 
Hirst, Brooke & Hirst. ...369 
A. Outram.371 
A. Potter. 384 
Rigby, Wainwright& Co, 369 
H. G. Smyth. 37 ° 
W. Wood & Son, Ltd. ...383 
Hardy Plants. 
Kelway & Son.389 
R. Veitch & Son.372 
Heating Apparatus, 
Richardson 6c Co.369 
Thames Bank Iron Co ...369 
Horticultural Builders. 
I. Boyd & Sons.363 
W. Cooper, Ltd.384 
I. Gray.369 
W. Richardson & Co. ...369 
J. Weeks & Oo„ Ltd. 369 
Insecticides. 
. A. Cross & Son. Ltd.384 
G. H. Richards.370 
Manures. 
Canary Guano.371 
Chemical Union.3C9 
Clay & Son...384 
W. Colchester.369 
Native Guano .384 
W. Thomson & Sons.371 
Webbs' .384 
Miscellaneous. 
Efp's Cocoa.384 
Orchids. 
J. Cypher . 372 
Hush Low & Co.372 
P.McArthur .372 
J. W. Moore, Ltd.371 
F. Sander & Co.369 
Stanley-Mobbs & Ashton36g 
Publications. 
Darlington & Co.370 
Gardening World .383 
Ogilvie .383 
J. S. Virtue & Co.383 
W. Wells .369 
Roses. 
C. E. & F. W. Lilley.369 
R. Smith & Co.371 
J. Walters .372 
Walshaw & Sons .369 
Seeds. 
Barr* Sons.372 
J. R. Box .369 
Carters.373 
Daniels Bros.371 
Dicksons.371 
Dobbie & Co.372 
W. B. Hartland .369 
Render & Sons .372 
Hurst & Son.370 
F. Roemer..369 
W. Rudland.370 
R. Smith & Co.371 
G. Stuart .36g 
Sutton & Sons. 373 
R. Sydenham .369 
T. S. Ware,Ltd...372 
Webb & Sons . 373 
Young & Co. 3^9 
