November 5, 1904. 
THE GARDEN INQ WORLD , 
899 
Society & Association Notes. 
Royal Horticultural Society. —At the general meeting of 
Fellows, held during the afternoon, Mr. Geo. Bunnard, Y.M.H., 
occupied the chair. Thirty new Fellows, including Lord Bal- 
carres, Lady Harlech, Lady Hillingdon, the Hon. Florence 
Bussell, Dr. Robert Bell, General Berkeley, Colonel Carr- 
Caltlirop, Miss Lankester, and Miss Spring-Rice, were elected ; 
and three other horticultural societies, of Oxford, Wylam-on- 
Tyne, and New Zealand, were affiliated to the parent society. 
• The Hon. Vicary Gibbs, M.P., then delivered a lecture on 
“Planting for Winter Effect.” The next two exhibitions and 
meetings of the society will be held on Tuesdays, the 15th and 
29th, after which the first show of colonial-grown iruit, and of 
home, colonial, and foreign-grown jams and preserved fruits, 
will be held, on December 13th and 14th, which will conclude 
the extremely successful series of 25 shows and meetings, ex¬ 
tending over 31 days, held by the society. 
* * * 
Scottish Horticultural Association. —The monthly meeting 
of the association was held on the 1st inst., in Dowell's Rooms, 
George Street, Edinburgh. In the absence of the president, Mr. 
R. W. E. Murray (vice-president) occupied the chair. There 
was a good attendance of members. Mr. Waldie Lamont, 
76, Ashley Terrace, Edinburgh, read a paper entitled 
“ Chrysanthemums, with Remarks on their Culture.” Mr. 
- Lamont thinks the present-day exhibition Chrysanthemum is 
yet far from perfect, and he anticipates a more rapid rate of 
progress in the future than in the past. Mr. Lamont also ex¬ 
pressed the opinion that the day of secrets in Chrysanthemum 
culture is past, and that'success now depends more upon en¬ 
vironment than on individual skill and effort. The lecturer 
also gave it as his opinion that one of the essentials to securing 
leading honours at exhibitions is up-to-dateness, and this not 
merely to gratify a demand for novelty, but because the bulk 
of the new introductions show marked improvement on the older 
varieties. After a frank discussion of the paper, Mr. Lamont 
was awarded a cordial vote of thanks. • It was intimated that 
the Chrysanthemum show promoted by the association would 
me held in the Waverley M arket, Edinburgh, on the 17th, 18th, 
and 19th inst.— Chas. Comfort. 
* * * 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.— “ The Naturalisation of Plants and Bulbs on 
Grass ” was the title of a paper read by Mr. G. Stanton, of Park 
Place, Henley-on-Thames, before a large attendance of members. 
The president (Mr. Leonard Sutton) presided. Mr Stanton in 
his opening remarks referred to the great and additional charm 
that was given to the half-kept pleasure-grounds, woodland 
walks, and the nooks and comers that abound in most gardens 
by the naturalisation of plants and bulbs. It broke up the 
monotony of the more formal and strict bedding, and credited 
Mr. William Robinson as having done more for this movement 
than anyone in this country. In commencing this style of 
gardening, lessons should be drawn from the way some 
of our wild flowers cluster together in shade, partial 
shade, open positions, dry and moist situations. The most suit¬ 
able plants for various positions were recommended, such as 
coloured Primroses, Polyanthus, Violets, Foxgloves, Helle¬ 
bores, German Iris, Doronicums, Forget-me-Nots, luccas, 
Spiraeas, etc. As to bulbs, much thought and care should be 
devoted to selecting the best and most suitable positions. Daffo¬ 
dils were specially recommended, and the varieties most adapted 
for the work were named. Other bulbs recommended were 
Winter Aconites, Snowdrops, Crocuses, Lily of the Valley, 
Snowflakes, Scillas, Grape Hyacinths, etc. Different methods 
of planting were explained at some length. In conclusion, the 
lecturer said that we were much indebted to the great natural 
garden at Kew for many lessons and much valuable information 
on the subject. A good discussion followed, in which the pre¬ 
sident, the Rev. Canon Fowler, and Messrs. Barnes, Powell, 
Tunbridge, Howlett, Neve, Dore, Cox, and Lever took part. 
The exhibits were of exceptional merit. Mr. F. Bright, The 
Gardens, Wliiteknights, staged a remarkable exhibit of Sutton s 
Discovery Potato, namely, 52 lbs., which he had produced from 
one tuber 1 oz. in weight. Mr. W. Wilson, The Gardens, Lower 
Redlands, set up a splendid collection of Apples and Pears, 
consisting of about two dozen varieties. Letters respecting the 
British Gardeners’ Association were placed before the members, 
and after the subject had been discussed, a proposition that the 
correspondence lay on the table for three months was carried 
Unanimously, amid acclamation. Several members were elected. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be prut 
as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only; a 
separate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
of their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
enve ope is enclosed, and the return of specimens 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. 
Standard Apples on Grass. 
Three years ago we planted about an acre of Apple trees in 
a field adjoining the kitchen garden, sowing down with 
grass to save the labour of cleaning it. The grass was cut for 
hay. The trees have made very little progress, compared with 
bush trees planted at the same time alongside the walks in the 
kitchen garden. The soil of the field is a good deep loam. 
Could you suggest anything to stimulate the growth of the trees. 
(A Reader.) 
We think you made a mistake in sowing down the surface 
of the orchard with grass, in the early stages of the trees at 
least. A better plan would have been to have kept the surface 
open and well tilled for a number of years, at least until the 
trees had become well established in the fresh soil and 
attained a good size of head. Even now we think the best 
stimulant would be to have the grass turned down, so as to 
produce bare soil that could be kept in a constant state of culti¬ 
vation during summer, at least. If there is plenty of space 
between the trees, a cultivator could be kept at work drawn by 
a. pony. If this is run through the ground in both directions 
most of the soil would be got -at by this machine, which is 
usually termed a cultivator or Planet Jun. In case you wish 
to grow any crops between the fruit trees, that would neces¬ 
sitate the hoeing of the ground by hand, unless -ample space 
is always left between the trees. Li any case, it would be 
necessary to work either the Dutch or the draw hoe so as to 
reach those portions of the ground close by the trunk of the 
trees, or beneath the branches where the cultivator drawn by 
a pony would be unable to reach. When this is kept at work 
during the summer it keeps the trees continually growing and 
at the same time destroys all weeds. After the trees have 
attained a good size under this congenial treatment you c- uld 
again resort to sowing down the soil with grass seeds, which 
are obtainable at a cheap rate. 
Claying a Cricket Pitch. 
Kindly say what is the most practical mode of claying a 
cricket pitch—that is, top-dressing it with clay. (Alpha.) 
We presume that no games of any kind will be- practised 
upon the cricket pitch during the winter months. You can, 
therefore, utilise the greater portion of the winter for getting 
the clay incorporated with the roots of the grass. We presume 
that the object of claying is to make the turf more solid and 
binding by means of the clay than it would be with the 
natural material. We presume it is either sandy or of a light 
nature, and liable to be broken by the players. We should 
proceed by getting some clay, chopping it up finely, and spread¬ 
ing it evenly over the pitch. The rain and frost will help 
to”crumble it down, and this may be accelerated by means 
of a wooden rake. After the first dressing lias been more or 
less completely incorporated with the grass roots, another top¬ 
dressing might be given, just sufficient to make a good coat¬ 
ing, without burying the grass too much and causing it to 
decay, until the lumps have been crumbled and distributed 
evenly on the surface. The method which we should employ 
is practically the same as we- should follow in the case of a 
coating of well-decayed farmyard manure. Should the weather 
prove mild and open during the winter the grass wiil be 
inclined to grow, and that will help to accelerate the incor¬ 
poration of the clay with the roots of the grass and the soil 
surface. 
Planting Delphiniums. 
We have a fine lot of Delphiniums, and want to plant a large 
group of them in the pleasure grounds. V hat would be the 
best time to do this? The soil is very heavy, and slugs are 
troublesome. (T. Hendry^.) 
Under the circumstances, we should prefer to keep the crowns 
of the Delphiniums either planted in soil in a cold frame, or 
what would be better, potted up and kept under the same con¬ 
ditions. If the frame is well cleaned out in the autumn, and 
