194 
TUB GARDENING WORLD. 
February 2«, 1903. 
Society and Association Notes and News. will be esteemed by the Editor at 37 g? 3 j 
Shoe Lane. 
Mid-Torridge Vegetable and Flower Show.— A general meet¬ 
ing of the Mid-Torridge Vegetable and Flower Show was he! 1 
at the National Schoolroom, Buckland Filleigh, on the 17th inst. 
Mr. A. S. Browne, the president for the year, was in the chair. 
The show will be held on July 10th, by the kind permission 
of the president, in the lovely grounds of Buckland House. 
•* * * 
Milngavie Chrysanthemum Society. —A special meeting was 
held on the 18th inst., when Mr. Dinwoodie presided. The chief 
business was the read sal of catalogue, prizes, and judges. The 
show is fixed for Friday, November 20th, 1903. The district this 
year extends from the whole of Strathblane Parish north to 
Hillfoot Railway Station south, while the eastern boundary is 
Glenorchard, and the western Dryman Road. 
•X- -X- * 
Manchester Horticultural. —At the fortnightly meeting of 
the Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society, held at the 
Memorial Hall, Mr. William Neild, horticultural lecturer to the 
Cheshire County Council, gave an address on “ Seed and its Ger¬ 
mination, and Influence of Light and Heat upon Plant Growth.” 
Mr. Abraham Stansfield was in the chair, and there was a 
crowded attendance. On the table were specimens of several new 
varieties of Orchids of a striking character, sent by Lady de 
Trafford. 
* * * 
Edinburgh Botanical Society.— Professor W. H. Trail pre¬ 
sided at a meeting of the Botanical Society at 5, Queen Street on 
the 12th inst., and read a paper on the aims and methods of 
modern topographical botany, pointing out omissions in the 
records of flora in Scotland. In Peebles, Haddington, Linlith¬ 
gow, and even Mid-Lothian, while beaten tracks had been 
explored, a great amount of work yet remained to be done in dis¬ 
tricts in which plants were scarcely ever recorded. Specimens of 
Potatos attacked by chrysophlyctis endobiotica, the new disease 
of Potatos, were shown by Mr. Edward Thompson and Dr. R. 
Stewart MacDougall. The attack, it was stated, showed itself 
in tire form of wart-like outgrowths on the Potato not unlike 
those of flnger-and-toe in Turnips. All Potatos showing thei wart- 
like outgrowths should be burned to destroy the resting spores, 
and on no account should such Potatos be sent out as “seed.” 
else there would be wide infection. Other papers were also read. 
* * x- 
Deyon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association. —A very interest¬ 
ing paper was read on the 18th inst, at a meeting of the Devon 
and Exeter Gardeners’ Association held at the Guildhall, Exeter, 
the subject was “ Forcing Vegetables,” and the paper was written 
by Mr. Baker, gardener to Sir Dudley Duckworth-King, Bart., 
AY ear House, Exeter. Mr. Baker said the forcing of vegetables 
was a matter of great importance. Devonshire gardeners hart 
not so hard a struggle through tlie winter in regard to vege¬ 
tables as people who resided in the Midlands and the North, 
although difficulties were often experienced when a spell of mild 
weather was immediately followed by hard frost. To get good 
Asparagus by forcing it was necessary to start four years ahead, 
unless gardeners were allowed to purchase roots. As the plants 
came into use they should be) well stimulated with nitrate of 
coda, sulphate of ammonia, or salt during the spring and the 
summer. Seakale was more easy to cultivate than Asparagus, 
and could be forced in two or three different ways. The easiest, 
lio doubt, was to grow three or four heads in a clump, so that a 
Seakale pot or box could be stood over them and effectually 
covered. But the best way of forcing was to take the plants up 
and put seven or eight in a lOin. or 12in. pot and fill in with soil, 
and, after watering a little, turn another jiot of the same size, or 
a little larger, over the first one. As old plants were taken up, 
he personally took off the biggest roots, made them into cuttings, 
and laid them in a cold frame to commence growing. During 
April lie planted them out in well-trenched ground, taking off 
all shoots but one, which would make a good head the first 
season. Rhubarb was forced exactly in the same way as Sea¬ 
kale. If the Rhubarb, however, were grown under pots and 
forced with fermenting material the sticks would be of a much 
better colour. Mr. Baker then dealt with the growino* of 
Chicory, Beans, and Mushrooms. Mr. W. Charley occupied lie 
e i T ai ( I- The first prize in a Parsnip competition was won by Mr. 
U . Charley, gardener at Wonford House, and the second bv Mr 
J \Y eeks, gardener to Mr. E. A. Sanders, Stoke House 
Horticulture at Aberfeldy. —The annual general meeting 0 
the Breadalbane, Ween, Strathtay, and Grantully Horticultura 
Association was held on the 14th inst., under the presidency o. 
the Rev. M'Lean. The financial statement was highly satisfac¬ 
tory, and showed the association to be flourishing. 
* * * 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Improvemeni 
Society. —There are many amateur as well as professional 
gardeners who would be extremely grateful for the valuable in¬ 
formation and practical details of cultivation of “ Garden Root 
Crops,” which formed the subject of the paper given at the rooms 
of this society at the Sunflower Temperance Hotel, George Street, 
on the 17th inst., by Mr. Thomas Bunyard, late lecturer to 
several County Councils in the eastern and western divisions of 
the country. To a good attendance the details expounded by the 
lecturer must create a stimulus to “go and do likewise” in this 
most popular part of horticulture. A discussion by mam- 
members further emphasised the remarks of the lecturer, and the 
chairman (Mr. W. J. Simpson) proposed a very hearty vote of 
thanks to Mr. Bunyard for his excellent paper ; this was seconded 
by Mr. W. Turney, and agreed to unanimously. Mr. A. 
Edwards exhibited an Odontoglossum triumphans, for which a 
vote of thanks was accorded. Three new members were elected. 
The next paper will be on “Mushrooms,” by Mr. W. Green, 
Sidcup, on March 3rd. 
■*" -X* 
Croydon Chrysanthemum Society. —The fifteenth annual 
meeting of this society took place at the Royal County House, 
Station Road, on the 19th inst., the Mayor of Croydon (Sir 
Frederick Edridge) presiding. The chairman said he deeply 
regretted having to announce that since the last meeting the 
society had lost two good helpers in Mrs. Symons and Mr, E. 
Mawclesley. Mr. W. B. Beckett, hon. sec., read the year’s report, 
which showed that the receipts fell short of those of 1901 by £3. 
this was due to the fact that the “gate” at the show was £2 
less. £116 had been spent ini prizes, and the entries were in 
advance of those of the previous year. The committee had 
decided to hold this year's show on November 3rd and 4th, and 
that all trade exhibits not for competition should be excluded, 
unless the firms paid towards the expenses. The balance-sheet 
showed that last year s show had been carried on at a loss, the 
total receipts amounting to £233 16s. 3d., and £4 10s. having to 
be drawn from the reserve fund to meet the expenses. The 
balance at the bankers was £7 10s. The chairman, in moving 
the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said he was sorry 
that, the receipts had fallen off last year. It was greatly 
due to the fact that the show was not brought suffi¬ 
ciently ^ before the public, which he admitted was a difficult 
task. 1 he show was an admirable one, and well carried out by 
the committee. The proposition was seconded and carried 
unanimously. I he officers for 1903-4 were re-elected with a few 
additions, the Mayor being elected president. 
* * * 
Scottish Pansy and Viola Association.— A meeting of above 
society was held in the Religious Institution Rooms, Glasgow, 
on the 18th inst., to hear a paper on the “Cultivation of the 
Cactus Dahlia for Competition,” by Mr. Stredwick, Dahlia 
grower, St. Leonards-on-Sea, Mr. R. S. Milne, president of the 
society, in the chair. After a few remarks, the chairman called 
on the secretary to read Mr. ratredwick’s paper. Mr. Stredwick 
treated his subject in a high-class, practical manner, and gave 
some good hints to competitors, a large number of whom listened 
to the paper with great attention. On the motion of the chair¬ 
man, a hearty vote of thanks was given, and the secretary in¬ 
structed to write and thank Mr. Stredwick for his kindness in 
writing the paper. The secretary read his analysis of Cactus 
Dahlias from lists of best twenty-four sent in by Messrs. Dobbie, 
M'Laughlin, Campbell, Brown, Sutherland, Gold, and Smellie, 
all trade growers in the West of Scotland. The following are the 
best twenty-six and number of votes each received :—Ajax, 7 ; 
J. FI. Jackson, 7 ; J. W. Wilkinson, 7 ; Mrs. Ed. Mawley, 7 ; Mrs. 
J. J. Crowe, 7 ; Mrs. Carter Page, 7 ;ClaraG. Stredwick, 6 ;Lord 
Roberts, 6; Mrs. Wmstanley, 6 ; Up to Date, 6; Sabine, 5; 
Imperator, 5 ; J. Weir Fife, 5 ; Radiance, 5 ; Cornucopia, 4 ; Mrs. 
J. P. Clark, 4 ; P. YV. Tulloch, 4 ; Sandpiper, 4 ; Alpha, 3 ; 
Artus, 3; Exquisite, 3 ; Floradora, 3 ; John Burn, 3; Major 
luppenny, 3; Magnificent, 3; Monarch, 3. — John Smellie, 
secretary, Pansy Gardens, Busby, N.B. 
