January 16, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
61 
tasted Cat-mint before, and yet now they were all as eager for 
a bit of this plant asi if their existence depended on it. 
Wherein lies its virtue? The common garden Mint is not so 
attacked, and other equally strongly scented plants are severely 
let alone. Certainly the odour of this Cat-mint is particularly 
powerful, especially when bruised, and much resembles that 
of Pennyroyal. There must, however, be something peculiarly 
grateful to- the palate of these animals to induce them to get 
so excited over it. Anyway, the love of it has been fully 
demonstrated, and so has the fact concerning the legend, which 
latter, perhaps, is the most important, as such statements are 
often handed down without any attempt at verification, 
C. B. G. 
Society and Association Notes. 
The Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.— Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart., K.C.V.O., President of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
has kindly consented to preside at tire next, annual festival of this 
fund, which will take place at the Hotel Cecil on Tuesday, 
May 17th. 
* * * 
Mauchline District Mutual Improvement Society. —This 
society held its second meeting in the Lesser Temperance Hall 
on Thursday, the 5th inst., Dr. Pollock, president, in the chair. 
There was a good muster of the members. The subject was a 
paper by Mr. Wm. Fraser, gardener to Miss Allan, on “ The 
Auricula.” His paper was very interesting and instructive, and 
at the close a discussion took place by some of the members. 
Votes of thanks to Mr. Fraser for his paper and the chairman 
for presiding concluded a pleasant evening. 
* * * 
Yorkshire Flower Show and Gala. —The annual meeting 
of guarantors of the Yorkshire Flower Show and Gala was held 
on the 8th inst. at Harker’s Hotel, York, Alderman Sir 
Christopher Milward presiding. The Lord Mayor of York 
(Alderman R. H. Vernon Wra-gge) was elected president for the 
ensuing year, and all the retiring officers were re-elected, Mr. 
Croskill being elected to the vacancy on the council caused by 
the death of Mr. Matthew Cooper. It was mentioned that last 
year’s gala resulted in a surplus of between £200 and. £300, and 
that the society’s assets now amounted to something like £2,000. 
The committee were .afterwards elected, and the following sums 
wree voted for this year’s gala : —Floral, £650 ; music, £180 ; 
fireworks, £100 ; balloons, £50 ; amusements, £150. 
* * * 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.— The sixty- 
fifth annual general meeting of the members and subscribers of 
this institution will be held at the Covent Garden Hotel, South¬ 
ampton Street, Strand, London, W.C. (adjoining Covent Garden 
Market), on Thursday, January 21st, at three p.m., for the 
purpose of receiving the report of the committee and the accounts 
of the institution (as audited) for the year 1903 ; electing officers 
for the year 1904; and for the election of 12 pensioners on the 
funds. The chair will be taken by Harry J. Veitclp Esq., 
treasurer and chairman of committee, at three o’clock! . The 
poll will open at 3.15 o’clock, .and close at 4.30 o’clock precisely, 
after which hour no voting papers can be received. Voting 
papers have been issued. Any subscriber entitled to vote wlio 
has not received one should communicate with the secretary at 
175, Victoria Street, Westminster. The annual friendly supper 
of the friends of the institution, will take place at the same place 
on Thursday, January 21st, after the general meeting and elec¬ 
tion. The chair will be taken at six p.m. by Leonard Sutton, 
Esq., of Reading. 
* * * 
Dundee Horticultural Association. —The usual monthly 
meeting of tiliis -association was held in the Technical Institute 
on. the 5th inst.., the president, Mr. David Storrie, presiding. 
Mr. J. R. Bruce was the essayist for the evening, his subject 
being “ Autumn—Field, Forest, and Garden.” His essay, taken 
as a whole, was a high-class literary effusion, combining poetry, 
art, and science with practical -agriculture, -horticulture, and 
forestry. A lively discussion followed, by which some interest¬ 
ing points were raised. Mr. Bruce received the hearty thanks 
of a large and appreciative -audience for his interesting essay. 
Mr. Butchart, Eknslea Gardens, exhibited a well-grown plant 
of Cypripe-dium insigne in a 6-in. p-ot, with 21 well-developed 
flowers. Mr. Summers, Arnhall Gardens, exhibited -a dish of 
To-matoes ; Messrs. Storrie and St-orrie a collection of Apples, 
which were much admired ; Mr. Kinnear, Fernbrae Gardens, 
showed a splendid dish of Tomato Conference. The same ex¬ 
hibitor was awarded a Cultural Certificate for a dish of 12 very 
fine Oranges, which was said to be am innovation to the asso¬ 
ciation’s meetings. The usual v-ote of thanks -terminated the 
meeting. 
* * * 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Improvement 
Society.— The annual general -meeting of this society was held 
-at the Sunflower Temperance Hotel, G-e-orge Street, on the 
5th inst., when Mr. W. J. Simpson (chairman) presided. The 
report of the committee contained the following:—The -society 
is in -an excellent financial condition, being able to carry for¬ 
ward a good substantial balance for the coming year. Nineteen 
meetings have been held, at which lectures and qiapers relating 
to horticulture were given, and in each instance h-av-e been of 
the usual high standard. Two evenings were devoted to “ Dis¬ 
cussions,” which proved very instructive. The exhibits dis¬ 
played at the meetings were much appreciated. The annual 
dinner was held -on January 14th, which again proved a. satis¬ 
factory function. The spring exhibition took place on 
April 22nd, and was a complete success. The annual summer 
outing t-o-o-k place on August 26t-h, when Bu-rf-ord Lodge and 
Albury Park, the residences of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart-., and 
his Grace the Duke of Northumberland respectively, were 
visited. Those taking part enjoyed the day immensely. The 
essay competition, the first prize -of which was gratefully 
accepted from Mr. J. J. Reid, was won by Mr. A. Middleton, and 
•Mr. T. W. Briscoe secured second prize, kindly contributed by 
Mr. P. F. Bunyard. The collecting-box of the Gardeners’ 
Orphan- Fund when opened was found to contain £2 0s. 6d., and 
the -committee 'h-av-e duly forwarded this- -amount, with the 
society's best wishes, to the secretary of that institution, Mr. B. 
Wynne. The resignation of Mr. F. Lloyd as president is deeply 
regretted, but we are- glad to say he remains a vice-pres-ident. 
* w * 
Ealing Gardeners’ Society. —On the 7th inst. Mr. R. Dean, 
V.M.H., etc., lectured before this- -society on “Some Curious 
and Interesting Fa-cts in Relation to Cultivated Plants.” Mr. 
George Cannon occupied the chair, and there was a very good 
attendance. Mr. Dean-, -after s-orne introductory remarks, com¬ 
menced by reference to- the Gla-stonbury Thorn (Crataegus 
mono-gyna var. pr-aeoox), which, he said, had been flowering in 
Ealing since the first week in December. Some -superstitions in 
relation to- this- plant also received notice. Other early flower¬ 
ing subjects which were considered curious- and interesting were 
Ommonanthus fragrans, Jasaninum nudiflorum, Forsythia viri- 
dissima, Erica oarne-a, Ulex enropaeus, and Hedera Helix, the 
common Ivy, to which he devoted a good deal of matter. Mr. 
Dean then turned to -climbing -and twining plants, and for this 
purpose he selected the Hop, Bryony, Convolvulus, Maurandia, 
and Cobaea scandcns. The Robin-ia, the Oxa-lis, or Wood Sorrel, 
and -some other plants were likewise brought under review, Mr. 
Dean concluding with some wholesome and interesting advice 
to the younger members. An exhibition of six plants in. or out 
of flower brought up- a nice display. Mr. Chaffer received firsts 
for Palms, Pand-amus-, Adiantum, Asparagus, -and -a good semi¬ 
double Primula sinensis; Mr. Hawkins- second for a bright 
little lot, mostly Primulas; and Mr. Woods third for -Cyperus, 
Dendrobium, Platyceriumi, etc. Mr. Leo- Farmar, of Kew, ex¬ 
hibited some curious and interesting things in the shape -of dried 
plants from Dublin Bay, lantern slides, and a collection of well- 
executed photograph® of rare or choice plants- from Glasnevin 
Gardens, Dublin, for which he also received a vote of thanks. 
* * * 
The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association.—Open- 
Spaces. —At the monthly meeting of the Metropolitan Public 
Gardens Association, 83, Lancaster Gate, W., Sir William Vin¬ 
cent, Bart-., vice-chairman, presiding, it was stated that Admiral 
the Hon. Sir E. R. Fremantle, G.C.B., had kindly consented to 
become a vice-chairman- of the association, in place of the late 
Viscount De Vesci, and lie was elected accordingly. It was 
decided to renew the offer previously mlade to lay out All Saints’ 
Churchyard, Poplar, provided the Poplar Borough Council would 
take it over and maintain it as a public garden. A letter was 
read from the Office of Works in reference to the Duke of York’s 
School site, Chelsea, -stating that due consideration would be 
given to the proposals made by the association for preserving 
a strip with trees on the west side -and another -strip on the north 
when the time c-ame for -selling th 3 site. Clauses were read which 
the London County Council had, at the association’s sugges¬ 
tion, introduced into the General Powers Bill to- enable metro¬ 
politan borough councils to plant and maintain trees in 
thoroughfares, and to contribute to -the maintenance of public 
walks and pleasure grounds. Progres-s was reported with regard 
to schemes for acquiring 80 acres to add to Hampstead Heath, 
