THE GARDENING WORLD. September 16, 1905. 
in their diversity. A Gooseberry has its 
orthodox points like a prize Collie, say, as 
witness the following description of John 
Orchard’s Red Seedling Bobboy:— 
“ 24 dwts. 10 grs. A long, well-formed berry, 
with broad, raised shoulders and large, plump 
nose; skin hairy; colour, very dark red, 
with broad, light veins. Distinct, and one of 
the most promising.” 
A Chapter of Disasters. 
A North-country horticultural society has 
lately met with some strangely unhappy ex¬ 
periences. The great man of the district, 
who had promised to open the annual show, 
was, owing to the state of his health, ordered 
abroad by liis doctor before lie could fulfil the 
engagement. Three days prior to the date of 
the show the secretary of the society died, 
and on the day of the exhibition the large 
marquee was blown down and considerable 
damage done to the principal exhibits. Ex¬ 
pressions of sympathy would seem almost im¬ 
pertinent in these circumstances. 
Carried all before him. 
“The Perthshire Constitutional” says: 
“Our ‘minister’s man,’ Mr. J. Grant, has 
again proved himself a veritable thorn in the 
flesh both to professionals and amateurs, as 
at the Dunkeld and Birnam H. Society’s show 
he was placed in the whole thirty-four com¬ 
petitions he entered for, having obtained four¬ 
teen first, thirteen second, and seven third 
prizes. His young son Robert also seeui’ed 
a tie as first in grasses for a special prize 
given by Sir A. M. Mackenzie, Bart., of Del- 
vine.” Well, “ our minister’s man ” might 
well rest on his laurels for awhile, and give 
his local rivals a chance at the next show. 
Outings. 
About fifty members of the Sparkhill and 
District Amateur Horticultural Society jour¬ 
neyed to Codsall on Saturday, August 26th, 
on the occasion of their sixth annual outing, 
when, at the kind invitation of Messrs. 
Baker, they were conducted over the exten¬ 
sive nurseries of that firm, whose recent suc¬ 
cesses at the principal horticultural shows 
have brought their name so prominently before 
the public. The nurseries 1 , which comprise 
some 105 acres, were full of interest to the 
visitors, and excited universal admiration. 
Amongst the most notable features were the 
magnificent collection of herbaceous plants, 
the Alpine garden, the Dahlia ground, com¬ 
prising eight acres, the rosary (twelve acres), 
and a grand array of Sweet Peas in some 100 
varieties. The members of the society were 
subsequently entertained to tea by the Messrs. 
Baker, Mr. T. G. Baker presiding. On the 
motion of the Chairman of the society (Mr. 
C. J. Fox), a veiy hearty vote of thanks was 
accorded Messrs. Baker for the courteous and 
generous manner in which they had received 
the members. Mr. T. G. Baker, in respond¬ 
ing, extended a hearty welcome to the visitors, 
and assured them that he felt it a great privi¬ 
lege to entertain one of the most eminent of 
the Birmingham horticultural societies. 
W. Marriott, Hon. Sec. 
On August 30th the members of the 
Chelmsford and District Gardeners’ Associa¬ 
tion made an excursion to Halstead, when, by 
kind invitation of Mr. Geo. Courtauld, the 
magnificent grounds of Cut Hedge were in¬ 
spected. A further visit was made to “ The 
Cedars,” the residence of Miss Philbrick, who 
generously entertained all to tea. 
S. M. CROW, Hon. se c . 
A large number of the members of the 
Haslemere and Godaiming Horticultural 
Society recently visited the gardens of Miss 
Jekyll and Colonel Sir Herbert Jekyll at 
Hunstead, and many availed themselves of the 
privilege. The name of Miss Jekyll is widely 
known in the gardening world, and her 
grounds, as well as those of her brother, are 
full of natural beauty and woodland scenery. 
A cricket match at the “ Rec.” and tea at the 
Rose and Crown completed the day’s outing. 
A visit to the nurseries of Messrs. Cheat 
and Sons at Lowfield Heath, Crawley, was the 
chief item in the programme on the 31st ult. 
of the outing of the members of the Haywards 
Heath Gardeners’ Improvement Association. 
The party numbered between forty and fifty. 
On arrival at Three Bridges conveyances took 
the excursionists to the nurseries, where they 
were welcomed by Mr. Cheat, and an inspec¬ 
tion of the grounds at once began. Every¬ 
thing was admired, especially the show 
Dahlias, and much instructive work seen. A 
substantial tea figured in the proceedings, 
after which the Rev. T. G. Wyatt voiced 
the thanks of the association to Mr. Cheat for 
his kindness. In his response, Mr. CheaTsaid 
he hoped the visitors would come again. 
The members of the Dorchester Amateur 
Gardeners’ Society enjoyed a pleasant excur¬ 
sion to Milton Abbey on the 28th of August. 
Presentation to Mr. Henry Eckford. 
As Mr. Eckford is a native of Edinburgh, it 
was generally thought that no more fitting 
occasion than the period of the Great Inter¬ 
national Show could bei chosen for presenting 
him with some silver and an illuminated 
address, which have been subscribed for by 
upwards of 200 of his admirers. On behalf 
of the testimonial committee, Mr. P. Murray 
Thomson, S.S.C., secretary of the Royal 
Caledonian Horticultural Society, has very' 
kindly made arrangements for the presenta¬ 
tion to be in the hall, 5, St. Andrew Square, 
Edinburgh, on Thursday, September 14th, 
at 3 p.m. Mr. Percy Waterer, president of 
the National Sweet Pea Society, will take the 
chair. It is hoped that all the friends of this 
grand old florist who possibly can will be 
present. May I remind those who have not 
yet sent their mite that the subscription list 
must be closed very shortly ?— Horace J. 
A right, Dault Road, Wandsworth, London. 
Much in Little. 
JThis year the flower show of the Aldington 
(Kent) Cottage Gardeners’ Association was 
revived, and proved an unqualified success. 
: -The great success this year of the show of 
the North and South Kiiworth Floral and 
Horticultural Society was, said a speaker at 
the luncheon, largely due to the efforts of 
their new secretaries, Mr. G. Ball and the 
Rev. R. P. Norwood.-Lord George Pratt 
is hon. secretary of the Winkfield (Windsor) 
and Cranbome Horticultural and Industrial 
Society, which is one of the oldest of its kind 
in the district.-The Riddings Floral and 
Horticultural Society has a balance in hand 
amounting to £453 16s. 5d.-Lady Kilmar¬ 
nock has offered a special prize to the Royal 
Horticultural Society of Aberdeen for the en- 
encouragement of floriculture in window- 
boxes, the competitors to be confined to the 
district.-At the flower show of the Royal 
Horticultural Society of Aberdeen, Mr. W. 
Smith, in proposing “The Judges,” took 
occasion to. compliment the committee upon 
the innovation of introducing the “ flowers of 
mankind,” the ladies, to the luncheon. 
Diary of Shows and Meetings. 
September. 
18tli—Sliirley and District Gardeners’ and 
Amateurs’ Association (monthly meet¬ 
ing) ; West of England (Plymouth) 
Chrysanthemum Society (monthly 
meeting); Horsforth Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Society (weekly 
meeting). 
19th— London Dahlia Union (show at Earl's 
Court, two days) ; Croydon and Dis¬ 
trict Horticultural Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society (bi-monthly meeting) ; 
Chesterfield and District Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society (monthly meeting) ; 
Ilford Horticultural Society (com¬ 
mittee meeting) ; Sevenoaks Gar¬ 
deners’ and Amateurs’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Association (bi-monthly 
meeting) ; Dulwich Chrysanthemum 
Society (monthly meeting) ; Hunton 
Cottage Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society (monthly meeting). 
20th—Montrose Horticultural Society (annual 
meeting) ; Wallasey Amateur Gar¬ 
deners’ Association (monthly meet¬ 
ing) ; Ide Hill Gardening Society 
(monthly meeting); Ipswich and Dis¬ 
trict Gardeners’ and Amateurs’ Asso¬ 
ciation (bi-monthly meeting). 
21st-—Brighton and Sussex Horticultural 
Society (monthly meeting); Lamber- 
hurst Horticultural Society (monthly 
meeting) ; Wimbledon and District 
Horticultural Society (monthly 
meeting); Westerham Gardeners’ 
Amateurs’ and Cottagers’ Mutual Im 
provement Society (bi-monthly meet 
ing). 
22nd—Stockport Horticultural Mutual Im 
provement Society (annual meeting 
and Dahlia Conference) ; Ulster Hor 
ticultural Society (committee meet 
. ing)- 
23rd—Leeds Paxton Society (weekly meet 
ing) ; Sparkhill and District Amateu 
Horticultural Society (visit to Sand 
ford and Co.’s nurseries). 
F UXERAL OF THE LATE Mr. RlCHARD DeAX 
V.M.H..—Some beautiful floral tributes wer 
sent to the funeral of the late Mr. Richan 
Dean, who until his death was secretary o 
the National Chrysanthemum Society. Hi 
wife and two daughters sent a lovely cross 
and there were numerous crosses and wreaths 
from other members of the family and fron 
friends, the latter including a wreath o 
Chrysanthemums from the members of th 
N.C.S. ; a cross of Dahlias, “From the Lon 
don Dahlia Union, in memory of our dea 
old friend and founder of the Union—Join 
Green, chairman ” ; wreath, “ With dee] 
sympathy,” from the Ealing H.S. ; wreath 
“ A token of fifty years’ friendship, fron 
H. Cannell,, Swanley ” ; cross, “From Harr; 
and Arthur Turner, with deep regret am 
old remembrances ” ; wreath, “In memory o 
forty years’ friendship, from William Mai 
shall, chairman of the Floral Committee c 
tlie R.H.S.” ; wreath, “A token of esteei 
and regard, from Sutton and Sons, Read 
ing” ; wreath, “With very sincere sympathy 
from James Veitch and Sons, Limited, Che 
sea ” ; wreath from the committee and seen 
tary of the Corn Exchange Chrysanthemui 
Society. Mr. Alexander Dean, brother c 
the deceased, brought small posies of flower 
to be thrown on the coffin, and the grave W£ 
lined with evergreens supplied by Mr. H. 
Howells, superintendent of the Ealing Cem 
tery, and flowers supplied by several old ho 
ticultural friends. 
