July 24, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
747 
arranged in the corridor leading from the entrance 
to the conservatory. 
The premier award (the Gold Medal of the 
society) for a collection of forty-eight sprays of 
Violas was taken by Mr. W. Baxter, Woking, who 
had fine sprays of A. J. Rowberry, Goldfinch, Blush 
Queen, Countess of Kintore, Cherry Park, Molly 
Pope, Princess Beatrice, Lord Salisbury and Bella¬ 
donna. Mr. John Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries, 
Hawick, N.B., took the second award, his sprays 
being rather more crowded, though otherwise very 
good and showing an infinite amount of variety in the 
various sections of this beautiful race (Silver 
Medal). 
Mr. M. Campbell, Blantyre, N.B., secured the 
first award for forty-eight sprays or bunches of 
Pansies, distinct. They consisted of show and 
fancy varieties, the latter being by far the more 
numerous. Showy and fine varieties are Sir John 
Watson, John Jackson, Betsy Kelly, Marmion and 
Mrs. D. Johnstone (Gold Medal). Messrs. Isaac 
House & Son, Westbury-on-Trym, were second 
(Silver Medal); and Mr. John Forbes took the third 
award, with a fine amount of variety (Bronze 
Medal). 
Mr. M. Campbell again took the lead for twenty - 
four fancy Pansies, which were arranged on a stand 
in the usual way, and were very neat indeed. Mr. 
John Smellie, Busby, N.B., was second. The lead¬ 
ing prize for twelve fancy blooms was taken by Mr. 
Smellie, who had very handsome blooms, as well as 
for twelve show blooms. Mr. M. Campbell, was 
second in the former case; and Mr. James Maxwell, 
Dalton Newton, was second in the latter case. 
Mr. John Smellie had the best twenty-four sprays 
of blooms, being remarkably fresh; Mr M. 
Campbell was'second. 
Mr. John Forbes secured the first prize for six 
sprays of rayless Violas of the miniature type, show¬ 
ing Violetta, Ophir, Marginata and some others in 
fine form. Mr. J. Smellie was second. Mr. M. 
Campbell had the best three sprays of yellow Violas ; 
Mr. J. Smellie was second. Messrs. Isaac House & 
Son had the three best white seifs. Mr. J. Smellie 
was to the fore for three sprays of any other 
colours. 
In the amateur classes for twelve and six fancy 
Pansies, Mr. James Maxwell led the way. Mr. R. 
T. Dougall, Walthamstow, had the best twelve sprays 
of Violas, which were very fresh. Mr. J. J. Sheldon, 
South Woodford, was second. Mr. Jas. Maxwell 
again came to the front for six sprays. Dr. Shackle- 
ton, Sydenham, S.E. was second. Mr. Leonard 
Brown, Brentwood, showed the best six sprays in 
another class. Mr. D. B. Crane, Highgate, showed 
the best six sprays of rayless Violas, which were very 
fine. He again led the way for three sprays of 
yellow seifs, and three sprays of white Violas. Mr. 
J. J. Sheldon had the best three sprays of the 
Duchess of Fife type. Mr. A. J. Rowberry, South 
Woodford, had the best eighteen varieties of Violas 
arranged in glasses, which we think a prettier and 
more interesting way than any other of staging these 
showy flowers. He took the Royal Botanic Society’s 
Large Medal. Dr. Shackleton was a good second, 
and Mr. B. G. Sinclair, Highgate, was third. 
The first prize offered by the president for six 
Violas, shown as they grow, was secured by Mr. D. 
B. Crane, who had large and well flowered plants 
grown in a large flat basket covered with moss on the 
top. Mr. Leonard Brown had the best three sprays 
of rayless, miniature Violas. Mr. Allison, Kingston, 
secured the first prize for floral decoration fora dinner 
table, arranged as for twelve persons. Violas with 
their own foliage were used. (Large Medal of the 
Royal Botanic Society.) 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N.B., exhibited 
a collection of Violas not for competition. Amongst 
them were sprays of Duchess of Sutherland, Archie 
Grant, Blue Border, Hamlet, Iona, Princess Beatrice, 
Cecilia and others showing strange and beautiful 
combinations of colour. 
MEETING OF THE ROYAL HORTICUL- 
TURAL SOCIETY AT CHISWICK. 
The president and council of this society some time 
ago issued cards of invitation to the members of the 
various committees to meet at Chiswick on the 14th 
inst. to inspect the gardens, to luncheon and to 
listen to a speech by Dr. Masters, F.R.H.S., who 
was to open a discussion on practical suggestions for 
the belter utilisation of Chiswick Gardens. 
The committeemen came out in strong force, 
few members being absent The Floral Com¬ 
mittee had the task of comparing some new varieties 
of Sweet Peas with those grown in the gardens, both 
old and new. Countess of Cudogan, a beautiful blue 
self; Prince of Wales, an improvement on the hand¬ 
some Princess Victoria ; and Queen Victoria, a 
charming creamy flower, were accorded Awards of 
Merit. Some seedling Antirrhinums and Pentstemons 
were also examined but no awards were made. 
The fruit and vegetable committee concerned them¬ 
selves with the garden Peas of which there is a large 
collection on trial. After these various examinations, 
the committees broke up in small parties all over the 
gardens inspecting whatever most interested them, 
Grapes, Tomatos, Pelargoniums, Apple trees, 
herbaceous plants and vegetables coming in for 
inspection by those interested in them. 
About half-past 1 p.m. they met in a spacious tent 
pitched upon the lawn to partake of an excellent 
luncheon provided by the society. The president, 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., took the chair, when 
more than a hundred botanists, gardeners and patrons 
of horticulture in all its branches sat down to table. 
Two ladies were also present. Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart., proposed the toast of “ Her Majesty,” which 
was well received. He also thanked the various 
committeemen for the self-sacrificing help they had 
at various times rendered the society. There was 
then an interval of twenty minutes to allow of the 
clearing of the tent and the rearrangement of the 
seats. 
The whole body of committeemen and others re¬ 
assembled at three o'clock under the presidency of 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart,, who at once called upon 
Dr. Masters to read his paper. The latter, upon 
risiDg, said that the principal object of their meeting 
that day was to take council as to what had best be 
done with the gardens; and addressing his audience 
said he would only be voicing their sentiments when 
he expressed his thanks to the president and council 
for the opportunity of assembling there that day. 
Continuing, he remarked that the gardens, all 
things considered, were in a most satisfactory con¬ 
dition. Looking back to the palmy days of Chiswick 
when all eyes were turned in that direction, he 
could say that no horticultural society had such a 
glorious past; and none accomplished the same 
amount of useful horticultural work. The introduc¬ 
tions of new plants and their distribution from 
Chiswick, the descriptions of them that emanated 
from Chiswick, the meteorological observations made 
there, and other transactions conferred a glory upon 
this, as on no other society. They could not hope 
to repeat it, the times had changed from a horticult¬ 
ural standpoint as in other occupations. Nursery¬ 
men had increased, and the more enterprising of 
them had cut the ground from under their feet as 
far as new plants and the raising of others were 
concerned. Nor could they hope to emulate Kew. 
They must look to the future to work improvements 
upon present conditions. 
The meeting that day, said the doctor, was a 
mixed one of gardeners and scientific men, but all 
were as one in their feelings towards Chiswick. He 
would like to see Chiswick as a great educational 
and instructional institution, a model garden in which 
they might grow collections of the best types of 
fruits, flowers and vegetables. He himself might 
be ignorant of a Cabbage, but he would like to be 
able to go to Chiswick and see the best of everything. 
They do not want full collections of fruit trees now, 
but only the best and most useful. He spoke in 
sympathetic terms of the descriptions and classifica¬ 
tion of fruit effected by Mr. Thomson, a former 
superintendent, but that was not now particularly 
wanted. There might be demonstrations of new 
methods of cultivation, pruning and trainining. 
They might have trials of Strawberries, Peas, and 
other subjects; also new plants, remedies for 
diseases, spraying experiments, &c. The Americans 
went to a much greater extent than we did and 
sprayed all sorts of things, at all sorts of times ; and 
the thing could be overdone. At Chiswick, how¬ 
ever, they might have properly and carefully con¬ 
ducted trials and the results made known. 
Coming to the instructional value of the gardens, 
he said that the students had no other opportunity of 
acquiring knowledge than could be picked up in the 
course of their practical work, a defect which ought 
to be remedied. Practical work was no doubt the 
most important in a garden, but if they were content 
to stick to this view they could make no progress 
whatever, but continue in the old groove. They might 
institute a course of lectures to act as a preliminary 
or scientific knowledge on which to build up their 
practice. He would suggest an interchange of 
students between Chiswick and Kew so that they 
might participate in the benefits of either establish¬ 
ment. 
The lecturer alluded at some length to the fifty or 
more experiment stations that were established in 
America for the purpose of conducting experiments 
and teaching the higher branches of horticulture. 
At Cornell University they found it cf little value 
to merely record all the varieties of any particular 
subject; but it was of great importance to cultivate 
type groups, to study their origin, development, their 
direction and limitations. The studying of groups 
and affinities they held to be of more importance 
than the mere description of varieties. Experiments 
had been carried on to determine the influence of 
electric light on plants ; irrigation, fertilisation, 
pollination of Pears, Plums and other subjects. Pro¬ 
fessor Bailey of the Cornell University said that 
much had been done in the cultivation of, and in 
making experiments with, fruit, and the work was 
being continued. At present they were trying what 
could be done with a collection of Japanese Plums. 
Their watchwords were wide awake, progressive and 
hopeful. 
In any attempt of this kind at Chiswick they were 
confronted with a lack of funds to cover the expenses. 
He despaired of getting assistance from the British 
Government, but thought that the County Councils 
might be induced to render some assistance, and 
might be approached with that object in view. 
Sir Joseph Hooker said he had listened with plea¬ 
sure to the suggestive paper by Dr. Masters. Experi¬ 
ments at home had to be conducted without State 
aid, so that we were behind America in this respect. 
In the United States there were more fungoid 
diseases and more insect pests to contend with in 
plant culture, hence the greater need for State aid. 
He hardly dare hope for State aid for Chiswick, be¬ 
cause he remembered the extreme difficulty he 
experienced in procuring £100 to provide lectures on 
botany, physics, chemistry, &c., for the students at 
Kew, in order to prepare them for duties in all parts 
of the world. 
Mr. Harry J. Veitch thought it undesirable to 
institute experiments on any extensive scale at 
Chiswick on account of the circumscribed space, the 
iujurious atmospheric influences, and the detrimental 
surroundings for plant culture in a neighbourhood 
that had been much built upon since he could 
remember, and which was getting worse every year. 
Results depended largely on the atmosphere and the 
nature of the soil. 
Dr. Plowright said that twenty to thirty years ago 
sulphur was recommended as a cure for everything ; 
then it was to cut down and burn everything ; now it 
was spraying; and he hoped that spraying experi¬ 
ments might be established at Chiswick, and the 
results made known for the benefit of practical men. 
The Rev. W. Wilks read letters from M. 
Vilmorin, of Paris, and Mr. Malcolm Dunn, ofDal- 
keith, testifying to the value of the trials conducted 
at Chiswick and their unbiased, independent, 
trustworthy character. 
The president proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. 
Masters for his suggestive paper, but had little hope 
of State or County Council aid. Dr. Russell 
seconded the proposal, and said that if anything 
could be done to further the scientific aspect of hort¬ 
iculture, he should regard it with great satisfaction. 
Dr. Masters replied, and a vote of thanks to the 
president concluded the proceedings. 
Vines for Australia.—The Ministers of Agriculture 
for Victoria and New South Wales (Australia) are 
importing from France some 50,000 cuttings of the 
American phylloxera-resisting Grape for distribution 
purposes. The vines have to be accompanied by an 
expert’s certificate stating that they are exactly as 
represented. Upon arrival at their destination they 
will be taken charge of by the agricultural depart¬ 
ment, and will be planted in quarantine. The length 
of the quarantine period will be decided by the 
departmental experts, 
