86 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 23, 1904. 
the trees in their growth as a guide. The lecturer was listened 
to by a good audience, who voted a hearty thanks to Mr. 
B unyard. 
* * * 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Association, Liverpool 
Auxiliary'.— The annual meeting of the above was held on the 
12th inst., Mr. C. A. Young presiding. The report shows that 
the auxiliary is making progress in this centre, having now- 
22 life members and subscribers, in addition to a number who 
contribute directly to the institution. The total amount for¬ 
warded to the treasurer of the institution is £103 9s., leaving 
a small balance in the hands of the local treasurer. The second 
concert held under the auspices of the society, under the able 
presidency of R. J. Harvey Gibson, Esq., M.A., F.L.b., Pro¬ 
fessor of Botany at Liverpool University, proved a decided suc¬ 
cess. The thanks of the committee were tendered to Messrs. 
Thos. Davies and Co., R. P. Ker and Sons, and C. A. 
Youno-, Esq., for the floral decorations on that occa¬ 
sion. The chairman (Mr. C. A. Young), the treasurer 
(Mr. A. .J. Crippin), and the secretary (Mr. R. G. 
Waterman), Woolton, were re-elected in their respective posi¬ 
tions with acclamation. The concert committee reported that 
arrangements were being made for the third smoking concert to 
be held at the Bear’s Paw on February 13tli, when W. W. 
Rutherford, Esq., M.P., had kindly consented to preside An 
excellent programme was being prepared, which it was hoped, 
would be the means of adding a considerable sum to the coffers 
of the institution. 
* * * 
Bristol and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.— The first meeting of this year was held at St. 
John’s Parish Room on the 12th inst. The society’s president 
(Lieut.-Colonel Cary Batten) took the chair, there being a large 
attendance. The chairman, in opening the meeting, expressed 
his pleasure in the fact that he was able to be present, and hoped 
the society would have a very successful year. The lecturer 
was Mr. Davy, of the Cardiff Gardeners’ Association, his sub¬ 
ject being “ Orchids,” a race of flowers which he truly described 
as poems in themselves. With much skill and in minute detail 
Mr. Davy covered a very large part of the subject, even though 
it was so wide. He spoke of the increasing love for Orchids 
amongst horticulturists, and gave much valuable information, 
as to the kind of structure best suited for their culture, shading, 
heating, ventilating, and temperature alike receiving attention. 
He, also dealt with many of the varieties in cultivation, being 
very clear in directions with regard to potting, watering, and 
treatment generally. Mr. Davy concluded an admirable lecture] 
with the advice to carefully study the natural habitats of these 
floral gems, and as far as possible to give them similar treat¬ 
ment. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded him for his lecture. 
Prizes offered by the president for three plants in bloom were 
awarded : First, Mr. W. A. F. Powell (gardener, Mr. Raikes); 
second, Mr. J. Colthurst Godwin (gardener, Mr. McCullock) ; 
third, Mr. W. Howe Davies (gardener, Mr. Curfis). Certificates 
of Merit were awarded Lieut.-Colonel Cary Batten for three 
Cypripediums, and to Mr. W. Howell Davies for Cypripedium 
leeanum. 
* ■* ■* 
Brighton and Sussex Horticultural.—Annual Report, 
1903.—In submitting the balance-sheet for the past year, the 
committee deeply regret the loss, through death and other 
causes, of several of their vice-presidents and subcribers, and 
as.few new ones have been introduced this year, they venture to 
appeal to those who have so kindly supported them to still 
further assist by inducing their friends to become subscribers. 
The ordinary members’ list shows a substantial increase, which 
is very gratifying to the committee. The spring show works 
out about normal. Owing to the generosity of the president, 
Alderman Abbey, Mr. T. Billing, and others, several new fea¬ 
tures were successfully introduced into the summer show, but 
the weather was detrimental to the receipts. The Chryanthe- 
mum show produced a profit of £15 3s. 5d., which is somewhat 
less than usual, but here again the weather, although dry, was 
cold and cheerless. The working expenses of the year are about 
normal. It is gratifying, nevertheless, to the committee to be 
able to present a balance-sheet showing a profit on the year’s 
working of £32 12s. 9d. and a balance in the hands of their 
bankers of £193 14s. 6d. The thanks of the society are due to 
the president, J. Colman, Esq., J.P., for a handsome silver 
bowl ; to Alderman. H. Abbey, Mr. T. Billing, and an anony¬ 
mous donor for substantial oa^h prizes, and to the vice-presi¬ 
dents and subscribers for their kind support during the year. 
—Signed on behalf of the committee, W. Balohdn, treasurer; 
George Miles, chairman. [It is gratifying to note from the 
balance-sheet that the society is on an excellent footing finan¬ 
cially. The income from all sources during the year, in respect 
of the spring, summer, and autumn, shows, was £1,251 4s. 8:1., in¬ 
cluding the current and cash deposits from the balance-sheet of 
1902. The expenditure was £947 17s., thus leaving a handsome, 
balance in favour of the society of £303 7s. 8d.] 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of garaening. Questions should be 
put as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only j 
a sej arate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
o t!helr experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
envelope is enclosed, and the return ofspecimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World.” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Sweet Brier Hedge. 
My employer wants me to plant a Brier hedge round the Rose 
beds. As the space is somewhat limited, especially on one side, 
would the common Brier or the Penzance Briers make the neatest 
hedge? (Rosa.) 
The hybrid Penzance Briers, having been raised from the 
crossing of the ordinary Sweet Brier and the Dog Rose or some 
other strong-growing kind, are mostly all of strong growth, and 
require plenty of room for their accommodation. To cut these 
hard back in order to keep them within limits you greatly re¬ 
duce their power to bloom. If the space were sufficiently wide to 
allow of a 6ft. or 8ft. hedge when in full growth, the hybrid 
Briers would answer well enough. In small space, however, the 
common sweet Brier or Eglantine grows more slowly, and is 
always a dwarfer plant, so that it is easily kept within bounds 
without crippling it for flowering. 
Manuring Apple Trees 
I have been recommended to manure some old Apple trees 
that usually bear heavily, but the fruits are small. What kind of 
manure would have the most effect? (B. A.) 
It may not be altogether a question of manure, although in 
the case of old trees it is safe to assume that the ground wants 
manure. In the first- place, you should see that the trees are 
not in any way crowded by being planted too thickly, nor must 
the branches be crowded. Then, -again, comes the question of 
fruits. If they are -allowed to set in large bunches you oannot 
expect fruits of su-Ch fine proportions as if they were thinned at 
an early stage of growth, that is, a® soon as you can see which 
have taken well and are going to make the best fruits. Then 
the weak ones should be removed to allow the stronger ones to 
attain finer size. With regard to the question of manuring, if 
would be well worth your while to top-dress the ground over 
the roots with 3in. of good farmyard manure, after pointing 
over the surface in order to make it -open. At present you could 
water the tree's to great advantage with liquid manure if you 
have the convenience of readily conveying it on the ground. 
If this manure is much decayed by the end of March or April 
it might be worth while pointing it in and then applying 
another layer after the fruits -are set. If you wish to use an 
artificial manure you -could give, a gro-od dressing of kainit- and 
superphosphate to the ground- at the present time. Then when, 
the young fruits have set- it would be quite safe to apply a light 
dressing of nitrate of soda, to he watered in in case the ground 
is dry. Another light dressing of it might be given about a 
month afterwards. The nitrate of soda has the effect of making 
the trees make more wood and leaves, but if tile trees are 
already carrying a good crop of fruits there will be no danger 
in applying the nitrate, as the fruit crop will steady the growth. 
Letter Punches. 
Would you please giv-e me through The Gardening World 
the address of a tool manufacturer that would supply me with a 
set of letter punches for printing names of plants on lead 
labels? I read correspondent J. C.’s description of them in 
The Gardening World, page 7, and am interested about them. 
(W. E.) 
The le-ad punches used in the Royal Gardens, Kew, were 
obtained from Messrs. Howard and Sons, ironmongers, Brent¬ 
ford, Middlesex. They can be- had at a much lower price from 
Messrs. O’Brien, 17, Upper Thames Street, London. Those 
which were mentioned in our issue of January 2nd came from 
