412 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 14 ) 19Q4. 
before the curtain. The author and composer were likewise 
summoned, the latter receiving a most encouraging reception 
from the large audience present at the signal success that had 
attended the production of his first musical comedy. 
* * * 
Temple Flower Show, May 31st, June 1st and 2nd.— For 
the seventeenth year in succession the Royal Horticultural 
Society will' hold their great annual flower show in the Inner 
Temple Gardens (by the" kind permission of the Treasurer and 
Benchers) on May 31st, June 1st and 2nd Every year the de¬ 
sire of growers to exhibit increases, and the officials of ihe 
society have a very anxious task in endeavouring to do justice 
to those who regularly support the fortnightly shows of the 
society, and yet at the same time to encourage others to come 
forward. The space is absolutely limited, by order of the 
Temple authorities ; no more or larger tents can be erected, 
hence every new exhibit which is accepted means curtailment 
of the space allotted to previous supporters. The society will 
issue an official catalogue containing centennial notes on the 
Royal Horticultural Society, particulars of the meetings and 
exhibitions, both at the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, and at 
Holland House, Kensington, and in the society’s new hall, Vin¬ 
cent Square; also a schedule of the exhibits, with the names 
and addresses of -all the Temple exhibitors entered up to May 
20th. There will also be the programme of the music to be 
performed each day by Lieut. Chas. Godfrey’s band. The judges 
will meet at the secretary’s tent at 10.30 a.m. on May 31st, at 
which hour punctually the tent will be cleared of all exhibitors 
and their assistants. The Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Com¬ 
mittees will assemble at the secretary s tent at 11 a.m. sharp, 
and the show will be opened at 12.30. All plants for Certificate 
must be entered on or before Thursday, May 26tli. Address, 
Secretary, Royal Horticultural Society, 117, Victoria Street, 
London, S.W. 
* * * 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society. —Mr. E. E. Hawes, Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Regent’s Park, lectured on “ The Value of Botany to Gar¬ 
deners ” at this society’s meeting, held in their rooms, Sun¬ 
flower Temperance Hotel, George Street, on. 3rd inst., and his 
interesting discourse on the subject was well worthy of the 
members’ attendance, for in an adequately lucid manner he 
portrayed how this science should be the groundwork of the 
hardeners’ vocation, especially at the present day, when the 
man who knows most is the man likely to succeed. There was 
a time, he said, when the old rule-of-thumb methods might serve 
the gardener, but now, in severe competition, a man is expected 
to understand scientifically as well as practically the plants 
under his charge, and surely the physiological knowledge of 
plant life should be very necessary to all, for with this study 
he can more readily adapt the proper treatment to his subject, 
and so succeed with its culture at first treatment, without so 
often, as used to be the case, meeting with many failures before 
success repaid his energies. After his opening remarks lie 
illustrated by a number of specimens the .natural functions of 
the plant, from its embryo form found in the seed till the 
fully-developed species existed, tracing gradually the formation 
of roots and their relative benefits of taking up nutriment from 
the earth to succour the growth of the stem and leaves. He 
described the various kinds of roots which are ordained by 
Nature to suit the different classes of plants, such as the 
tap-roots, fibrous roots, and adventitious roots, like those found 
on Ivies, Ampelopsis, and other plants which adhere to the 
structure they grow upon. The usual discussion which follows 
the lectures was well maintained by Messrs. Sugden, Bentley, 
Bunyard, Boshier, Turney, Heritage, and the chairman and 
Mr. J. Gregory. 
* vr tv 
The Metropolitan Pudlic Gardens Association.— Open 
Spaces: At the monthly meeting of the Metropolitan Public 
Gardens Association, 83, Lancaster Gate, W., on the 4th inst., 
Sir William Vincent, Bart, (vice-chairman) presiding, it was 
agreed to undertake the laying out of, St. Nicholas, Deptford, 
Churchyard, subject to an adequate guarantee for the main¬ 
tenance being obtained from the Bishop of Southwark. Com¬ 
munications were received from the incumbents of St. Mary s, 
Whitechapel, and St. Stephen’s, North Bow, stating that they 
did not wish the churchyards to be opened to the general 
public. Progress was reported with regard to the transfer of 
Poplar Churchyard to the borough council. It was staled that, 
including the ‘£8,000 voted by the London County Council 
about £34,000 had now been provided for the Hampstead Heath 
Extension scheme, and that the attention of the joint committee 
upon which the association is represented, was being directed to 
the raising of the balance, about £14,000. Seats were wanted 
for a site near St. Mary Abbott’s, Kensington, and for St°Marv 
Aldermanbury, and St. Botolph’s, Billingsgate, Churchyards' 
The much-needed Bill for the Consolidation of the Open Spaced 
Acts, introduced into the House of Lords by the Board of Agn" 
culture, was considered, and it was agreed to submit certain 
amendments to the Board for insertion therein. Attention was 
also drawn'to the Liverpool and Wigan Churches Bill, which 
seeks power to dispose of a number of disused churchyards for 
building purposes, and thereby to override the public "law. and 
to the Board of Education (London) Bill for the acquisition for 
school purposes of the interesting Wycliffe Chapel and grave¬ 
yard, Phillpot Street, Stepney. It was stated that the associa¬ 
tion was erecting drinking-fountains at Windsor Terrace, Citv 
Road, and Addington Square Garden, Camberwell, with funds 
provided by an anonymous donor, and that another gift of a like 
nature had been promised by Air. Passmore Edwards for one 
of the association’s grounds. It was decided to resist the 
threatened attempt to modify the law which at present safe¬ 
guards disused churchyards and burial grounds from being 
utilised as building sites, as these grounds, whether large or 
small, were invaluable as lungs and airholes, especially when 
secured and laid out as public gardens, as evidenced by work 
of this character in which the association had been actively 
engaged for the past 20 years. 
* * * 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society.— 
I he monthly committee meeting of this society was held at the 
Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, Strand, on Monday evening 
last, Mr. Charles H. Curtis in the chair. Eleven new members 
were elected, making a total this year, so far, of 56. The death 
certificate of the late Mr. James Pick, of Barkby, Leicester, 
was produced, and a cheque for £28 0s. 6d. was granted to the 
widow, being the amount standing to the late member’s credit, 
m the ledger. _ Five members were reported on the sick fund. 
The amount paid to sick members during the month was £28 10s. 
< * * * 
Dundee Horticultural Association.— The usual monthly 
meeting was held in the Technical Institute on the 3rd inst., Mr. 
David Storrie presiding. A paper on “Hardy Annuals” was 
read by Mr. William Robertson, Blythe Place, an amateur who 
lias attained some distinction in competition at local shows. 
Mr. Robertson treated his subject in an interesting and intel¬ 
ligent manner, dealing exclusively with hardy annuals. He 
contended that those- raised in frames, pricked out, and trans¬ 
planted in the open, gave better results than those sown in the 
open border. A list of species and varieties suitable for competi¬ 
tion and decorative purposes was given, and their peculiarities 
dwelt upon. A discussion followed, in which a number of mem¬ 
bers complimented Mr. Robertson on his first admirable essay. 
A paper on “ Malmaison Carnations,” by Mr. William Angus, 
Penicuik, was. in bis absence read by Mr. Wm. Grant, Fern- 
hall Gardens. In the course of his essay Mr. Angus gave 
some practical and helpful hints on the cultivation. Clean 
stock was indispensable, and with proper care and good cul¬ 
tivation success Was inevitable. Careful watering, keeping the 
foliage dry, with a damp growing atmosphere in the house, 
abundance of light and air, and shading from direct sunshine, 
were some of the points he considered essential to success. In 
bis closing remarks Mr. Angus stated that the climatic conditions 
of Scotland stood unequalled for the successful cultivation of 
these popular but fastidious flowers. An interesting and some¬ 
what animated discussion followed, the secretary being in¬ 
structed to convey the best thanks of the meeting to Mr. Angus 
for bis interesting and instructive essay. There was an unusual 
display of spring flowers on exhibition. Mr. James Kinnear, 
Fernbrae Gardens, exhibited a well-flowered specimen of Rho¬ 
dodendron fragrantissimum, for which he was awarded a Cul¬ 
tural Certificate. Messrs. James Simpson and Sons were also 
awarded a Cultural Certificate for a stand of magnificent blooms 
of Carnation Duclies^. of Fife. For two plants of Oncidium 
sphacelatum majus Mr. James Fairweather, Airlie Park Gar¬ 
dens, also gained a Cultural Certificate. A similar honour was 
awarded to Air. Wm. Dickson, Adderley Gardens, for one plant 
of Dendrobium thyrsiflorum. Messrs. Storrie and Storrie ex¬ 
hibited six pots of their strain of giant Polyanthus. Messrs. 
Grant, Nicoll, . and the secretary exhibited a miscellaneous 
collection of Borecole and other flowers suitable for spring bed¬ 
ding, such as Polyanthus, Cowslips, Auriculas, Anemones, Xar 
cissi, etc.— James Bethel, Secretary. 
