October 28, 1905. THE GARDENING 
WORLD. 839 
SOCIETY DOINGS.® 
The Editor will be plumed to receive particulars of the Fixtures, Meetings, Lectures, <t-c, oj 
Horticultural Socictys. Secretaries or Members willing to send us brief notes of general interest arc 
invited to forward name and address to the Editor, who will gladly send supply of stamped addressed 
contributors’ slips. 
Ho was particularly careful as to form an 1 
outline, and towards these ends he was always 
selecting the very best forms which turned up 
in his cultures. Many people began to make 
inquiries for seeds, and so numerous did they 
become that in 1865 he resolved to establish 
a business as florist and seedsman. This 
business was intended originally for a son who 
had special training, but he died, and next 
year Mr. Dobbie resigned his official duties 
and took up the business of nurseryman and 
seedsman. 
In 1875 lie removed his business from Ren¬ 
frew to Rothesay. In 1887 he sold the busi¬ 
ness to Mr. William Cuthbertson, who had 
been in his employ for many years. Mr. 
Cuthbertson then assumed Mr. Robert Fife as 
partner, and later on Mr. Archibald M. 
Burnie, who have since developed the busi¬ 
ness of Dobbie and Co., now one of the largest 
of its kind in the kingdom. One of Mr. 
Dobbie’s greatest triumphs occurred in 1850 
when he secured four first prizes, two of them 
being in open classes, for Pansies in a big 
show at Berwick-on-Tweed. His contem¬ 
poraries of those early days were John 
Downie, R. B. Laird, John Laing, William 
Paul, William Dickson, William Campbell, 
George Goodall, and James Grieve, only the 
last named of whom now survives him. 
A Good Wall Shrub. 
(Cotoneaster horizontalis .) 
Most people who know this shrub know it 
as a low-growing bush in the open ground 
rather than as a wall plant, and judging from 
its appearance in the open, when it forms a 
dense bush 2 ft. or so high of horizontal 
branches, one would be very apt to question 
its suitableness for planting against a wall. 
For the latter position, however, it is well 
fitted—that is, if the main branches are 
secured to the wall and the secondary shoots 
allowed their freedom. Grown in this manner 
the flat branches stand well out and show off 
the scarlet fruits among the tiny dark green 
leaves to much better advantage than when in 
bush form. C. horizontalis is a Himalayan 
species introduced about 1879. Out in the 
open, as previously stated, it grows about 
2ft. high, but against a wall it attains greater 
dimensions, rising to a height of 10ft. or 12ft. 
The leaves are deciduous, but fall very late in 
the year, the young ones, on the other hand, 
putting in an appearance very early. The 
flowers- are disappointing, for in the bud 
stage they are pink and give promise of pro¬ 
viding a goodly show, but they rarely expand, 
pollination apparently taking place when 
they are but slightly open. Like most of 
the other Cotoneasters, this thrives in sandy 
loam. W. D. 
Thames Lock Gardens. —At the meeting 
last week of the Conservators of the River 
Thames awards of prizes for lock gardens 
(between St. John’s Lock and Osney Lock) 
were announced as follow :—(1) .J. Williams 
(Radcot Lock); (2) J. Walley (Nortlimoor 
Lock) ; (3) D. E. Collins (Shifford Lock); and 
(4) W. Collins (Medley Weir). It was agreed 
that the Sir Reginald Hanson Challenge Cup 
should be awarded for the ensuing year to W. 
Butt, of Cleve Lock, who obtained the highest 
number of marks amongst the prize-winners 
in all sections. 
Ireland’s Potato Crop.— It is stated that 
the Potato crop in the northern counties of 
Ireland is one of the most prolific seen for¬ 
mally years—in many cases working out from 
15 to 20 tons to the Irish acre. 
Successes and Failures. 
An average attendance of seventy members at 
the winter meetings, which Mr. S. M. Crow, the 
lion, secretary of the Chelmsford Gardeners' 
Association, reports, says much for the interest¬ 
ing character of the meetings, for the enthusiasm 
of the members, and not a little for the capacity 
of the secretary himself. This association was 
only formed a year ago, but it already numbers 
upwards of 150 members. What, it may be 
asked, is the secret of the success of some young 
local societies? Just as it might be asked, what 
is the reason of the failure and early decline of 
other societies? These questions are, doubtless, 
not so easy to answer as might appear, and suc¬ 
cess and failure are, likely enough, attributable 
to a variety of causes. It would be interesting 
to have the experiences of the secretaries of 
flourishing undertakings of this kind, and they 
should prove valuable as well as interesting. 
Even the history of those societies which have 
failed to make headway would be instructive, 
for, as the French proverb has it, “one learns 
by failing.” Did not Horne Tooke use to say 
of his studies in intellectual philosophy, that he 
had become all the better acquainted with the 
country through having had the good luck some¬ 
times to lose his way? 
Vigour in Numbers. 
There is no doubt that numbers make for 
enthusiasm. Half a dozen or so members of a 
horticultural society cannot meet together time 
after time and maintain any considerable ardour 
- in their proceedings. It may be as Bacon says, 
“ A crowd is not company ” ; but- where mutual 
improvement is the purpose sought, the interest 
wiU soon flag, the vitality of the gathering will 
rapidly evaporate if the inspiring element of 
numbers be absent; if new ideas and fresh views 
of things be not forthcoming, the little assembly 
will quickly tire of one another’s society, and 
speedy deterioration and dissolution eventually 
of the body corporate will ensue. Better, per¬ 
haps, such a small company than no company ot 
the kind at all; but there is usually something 
radically wrong when it does not grow. 
Unity is Strength. 
These remarks, however, are prompted by the 
knowledge that in many districts there are too 
many groups of insignificant societies which are 
dragging out a more or less precarious and profit¬ 
less existence. These small organisations not 
infrequently owe their being to some probably 
trivial disagreement on the part of a few of the 
members of an older society who secede and form 
a rival society; or, as in some cases, it is in¬ 
dividual ambition or self-opinionativeness which 
sets a man to work to form and captain (it may 
be) a separate and similar organisation. Unity 
is strength in this and in other matters, and this 
division of forces too often results in failure all 
round. It would be far better for the petty 
societies in a given district having kindred aims 
to coalesce than to weaken their influence for 
good and jeopardise their chances of vigorous 
life by breaking up into these largely-inefficient 
molecules. 
Preston Societies to Amalgamate, 
At the recent' annual meeting of the Preston 
and District Amateur Cottagers’ and Flora] 
Society a long discussion took place on a pro¬ 
position to dissolve the society and amalgamate 
with the Preston and Fulwood H.S., and 
ultimately this course was adopted. This 
society was founded twenty-three years ago, so 
that it may be said to have justified its existence, 
if long lease of life be a criterion. As a matter 
of fact., the society has admittedly done good 
service in the cause of horticultu'e; but of late 
it has met with misfortunes which a;e not wholly 
explicable to us in the absence of particulars. 
The secretary reported that through the gener 
osity of their president, Sir W. E. M. Tomlinson, 
M.P., and a few other gentlemen, they would be 
able to pay all expenses and prize money in full. 
Fine Collection of Succulent Plants. 
The valuable collection of succulent plants 
made during his travels abroad by the late Rev. 
H. G. Torre, of Norton Curlieu, Warwickshire, 
has been presented to the Royal Botanic Society 
of London. It comr rises some 1,600 specimens 
of the most ornamental of the class, such as 
Agaves, Aloes, Echeverias, Crassulas, and 
Mesembryanthemums. The rockery in the large 
conservatoiv has been reconstructed for their 
accommodation and display, and they are now- 
on view to the public. S. 
Presentation. 
Mr. James Nicoll, Carsebank, near Forfar, was 
recently presented with a handsome gold albert 
and appendage in recognition of his services as 
treasurer to the Carsegray, Pitscandly, and 
Lunanhead H.S. The meeting took the form of 
a supper, at which the genial Mr. Jas. Mitchell 
presided. In handing over the albert to Mr. 
Nicoll, he paid a high tribute to his urbanity 
of disposition, and his zeal for the welfare oi 
the Carse show. A short toast list included the 
health and happiness of the Carsegray family, 
who have done so much for the association. 
J. H. 
Hawick H.S. 
Hawick H.S. have again set their house in 
order for the coming year. At the general 
annual meeting just held, the treasurer was able 
to report a good balance in hand. Mr. John 
Forbes, nurseryman, was re-eletted president; 
Mr. Blake and Mr. Geo. Wood, vice-presidents; 
Mr. Geo. Cairns, treasurer; and Mr. Win. Oliver, 
secretary. A committee of seventeen was chosen 
from leading gardeners and amateurs in the dis¬ 
trict. The past show was a record one in all 
respects, there being 1,000 entries. “ The best 
show in Hawick for thirty years ” was the 
general verdict. W. 0. 
Enthusiastic Guernsey Gardeners. 
It has been suggested that as the States annu¬ 
ally make a grant in aid of the Royal Guernsey 
Agricultural and Horticultural Society, they 
might well, in recognition of its excellent work, 
present a small special prize for annual competi¬ 
tion among the members of the Guernsey Gar¬ 
deners’ Mutual Improvement Association. This 
latter institution is very flourishing; it is being 
conducted on truly altruistic lines, and during 
the seven years of its existence has achieved 
much excellent work. The periodical meetings 
are numerously attended, and the members are 
animated with the true progressive spirit, the 
elders giving liberally of their knowledge of horti¬ 
cultural matters, and the young gardeners exhi¬ 
biting an eagerness to learn. The programme for 
the winter session is strong and attractively 
varied. 
New Potato Culture. 
By the way, at the annual meeting of this Asso¬ 
ciation recently held, great interest was shown in 
an exhibit of new Potatos, which could be pro¬ 
duced all through the winter. The chairman 
pointed out that this was a successful experiment 
by Mr. Powell, of Henley-on-Thames, who had 
