The gardening world. hk 
« SOCIETY DOINGS. © 
The Editor will be pleased to receive particulars oj the Fixtures, Meetings, Lectures, Arc, oj 
Horticultural Societys. Secretaries or Members willing to send us brief notes of general interest are 
invited to forward name and address to the Editor, who will gladly send supply of stamped o.ddres sed 
contributors' slips. 
November 11, 1905. 
ulphur in e qual (punt ities. If the cat shows 
signs of diarrhoea stop the magnesia at once. 
Peculiar Rabbit (Boy Blue, Teddington). 
—From your description I am at a loss as to 
the name of the breed, and I know all which 
are known to present-day breeders. Possibly 
your lack of technical knowledge has caused 
you to describe it wrongly. The best advice I 
can give you is to attend a show and look oyer 
the animals exhibited, and if you see one like 
yours refer to the catalogue for the name of 
the breed. There is a show to be held at 
Twickenham, in the Town Hall, I believe, on 
November 28th. This would suit you, as it is 
close home. 
Diary of Shows and Meetings. 
Abbreviations used. 
A.-Association > G.—Gardening or gardener 
Am.—Amateurs ) H.—Horticrlturai 
Chy.—Chrysanthemum ) 41.1.—Mutual Improvement 
c.m.—Committee meeting j m.m.—Monthly meeting 
Cott.—Cottage or cottagers > S.—Society 
D.—District ) w.m.—Weekly meeting 
Thus :—The Templeton G. Am. ami Colt. M. I. H. S.— 
(Gardeners, Amateurs, and Cottagers’ Mutual Improvement 
Horticultural Society.) 
vwwvx 
NOVEMBER. 
13th.—Hastings, St. Leonards and D. H. and 
M.I.S. (Chy. show); Horsforth G.M.I.S. 
(w.m.) ; Charing H.S. (m.m.) ; Bits tall 
and D. Chy. and Paxton S. (c.m.); 
Sutton-in-Ashfield H.S. (m.m.). 
14bh.— South Shields and Northern Counties 
Chy. S. (show, 2 days); Winchester Chy. 
S. ‘ (show, 2 days); Witney Chy. 8. 
(show) ; Paignton and U. G.A. (show); 
Buckingham Chy. S. (show); Thornton 
Heath and D. H.S. (Chy. show); Cater- 
liani H.S. (shqw); Wallasey Am. 
G.A. (Chy. show); Cardiff G.A. 
bi-m.m.); Redhill, Reigate and D. 
G.M.I.A. (bi-m.m.); Milton and Sitting- 
iboume H.S. (m.m.); Biddenden Cott. 
G. M.I.S. (m.m.); Society of Jersey 
Gardeners (m.m.). 
15th.—Ancient S. of York Florists (Chy. show, 
3 days); Bristol Chy. :S. (show, 2 days); 
Finchley Chy S. (show, 2 days); Lewes 
and D. Chy. S. (show, 2 days); Liverpool 
H. A. (Chy. and fruit show, 2 days) ; 
Banbury Chy. S. (winter flower and 
fruit show, 2 days); Wisbech Chy. S. 
(show, 2 days); Chippenham and D. H.S. 
(Chy. show, 2 days) ; Chester Paxton S. 
(show, 2 days) ; Boyal Botanical Society 
(show); Buxton and D. Chy. S. (show); 
Sntton Valence (Kent) G.S. (show) ; Ide 
Hill G.S. (m.m.) ; Wargrave and D. 
G.M.I.A. (bi-m.m.); Ipswich and D. 
G. and Am.A. (m.m.). 
16th.—Scottish H.S. (Chy. show, 3 days); Nor¬ 
folk and Norwich H.S. (Chy. show, 3 
days); Bristol Chy. S. (show, 2 days); 
Barnsley Chy. S. (show, 2 days); New¬ 
port (Mon.) and ft. G.M.I.A. (show) ; 
Rotherham 1 Chy. S. (show); Newport 
(Mon.) and D. Chy. S. (show); Ludlow 
Chy. S. (show) ; Brighten and Surrey 
H. S. (m.m.); Wimbledon and D. H.S. 
(m.m.); Lamberhurst H.S. (m.m.); 
Westerham G. Am. and Cott. M.I.S. (bi- 
m.m.); Paignton and D. G.A. (m.m.); 
Ellesmere FI. and H.S. (Chy., f.uit. and 
vegetable show). 
17th.-—Aberdeen Chy. S. (show, 2 days); Brad¬ 
ford and D. Chy. S. (show, 2 days); 
Blackburn and D. H.S. (Chy. show, 2 
days); Bolton H. and Chy. S. (show, 2 
days) ; Cumberland Chy. S. (show); 
Ulster H.S. (c.m.); Stockport H.M.I.S. 
(m.m.). 
18th.—Corhridge and D. Chy. S. (show); Birstall 
and D. Chy. and Paxton S. (show); Leeds 
Paxton S. (w.m.). 
Prize Essays. 
We hope to print in our next issue the first 
of the essays in the prize competition, "How to 
extend the membership and usefulness of local 
horticultural societies,” the awards for which 
have been already published. 
Mums. 
“Mums” is the word one hears in gardening 
circles everywhere at this time of the year. 
Chrysanthemum shows come now, not 
in single numbers, but in battalions. 
Indeed, their number and their im¬ 
posing nature are quite extraordinary. A glance 
at our Diary of Shows given in The Gardening 
World of last week and in the present issue 
will convey some idea of the dimensions to which 
this class of exhibition has grown, and our lists 
do not claim to be exhaustive. The N.C.S. very 
properly leads the way in this brilliant present¬ 
ment to the public view of the labours of past 
months of enthusiastic horticulturists, profes¬ 
sional and amateur, in the cultivation of the 
national flower of our allies, the Japanese. Owing 
to recent events in the Far East, and the moment¬ 
ous new treaty made between this country and 
that of the Mikado, the Chrysanthemum will 
probably boom more than ever this year; yet it 
is in no need of adventitious aids to popularity, 
for its inherent beauty and elegance of form 
and colour are sufficient to commend it as a 
universal favourite. Moreover, the flower of 
golden name comes at the most sombre season 
.of the year, and without it there would be a 
serious gap in the floral calendar. The Chrysan¬ 
themum lisis other features which make for 
popularity, for it is a plant of an accommodating 
nature, easy .to cultivate, and the blooms are 
long lasting; whilst the new varieties, marvels 
of loveliness, which are annually being produced, 
are a constant source of wonder and delight to 
the flower-loving public. It is not surprising, 
therefore, that Chrysanthemum shows are on the 
increase, and that bigger crowds attend them 
each succeeding year. 
The R.H.S. and the President of the 
French Republic. 
A deputation from the Royal Hoitieultural 
Society visited the great International Horticul¬ 
tural Exhibition held in Paris in May last, and 
on their return the Council of the society unani¬ 
mously decided to offer to M. Loubet, Presi¬ 
dent of the Republic, a token of their apprecia¬ 
tion of his and Madame Lonbet’s extremely kind 
reception of their delegates and the cordiality 
of their welcome during their stay in the French 
capital. A large Flora Medal was therefore 
struck in pure gold and forwarded to the Presi¬ 
dent through M. Cambon. The following letter 
from the Secretary of the French Embassy was 
read at a recent meeting of the Council of the 
Society :—“ Monsieur le President de la Repub- 
lique has been pleased to accept the medal and 
letter which were presented to him by the. Royal 
Horticultural Society, and has directed this 
Embassy to convey his sincere thanks to your 
Society.” ' 
The R.H.S. and the National Fruit 
Growers’ Association. 
The society recently held at their new hall in 
Vincent Square, in conjunction with the National 
Fruit Growers’ Federation, a conference on the 
fruit-growing industry of this country. A letter 
has been received by the society from the federa¬ 
tion, stating that their “Council desires to ex¬ 
press its warmest thanks to the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society for its cordial and effective co¬ 
operation in carrying out the late truit conference 
on fruit growing, the success of which was so 
largely due to the excellence of all the arrange¬ 
ments at the hall, and the courteous hospitality 
extended to visitors and members of the federa¬ 
tion.” This communication and that from the 
French Embassy serve to indicate the cordial re¬ 
lations which exist between our national horti¬ 
cultural society and both our trans-Channel 
neighbours and the smaller cognate societies at 
home. Our premier horticultural society are 
taking their part in the beneficent work familiarly 
known as the entente cordiale. 
Busy Bees. 
In response to a circular, a well-attended meet¬ 
ing was recently held at St. Bees, CumberlanJ, 
to discuss the advisability of forming a horticul¬ 
tural society for the town and district. Mr. 
Macqueen presided, and it was ultimately decided 
that the society should be formed, and a summer 
show organised for amateurs and cottagers. A 
strong committee was appointed, with Mr. IV. 
Mawson as secretary and Mr. E. A. Rowe as 
treasurer. We wish the latest recruit to our hor¬ 
ticultural societies success and long life. Why 
not call themselves the Busy Bees? 
Suggested Exhibition of Winter-flowering 
Carnations. 
Mr. Hayward Mathias, F.R.H.S., writes to us 
from Medstead, Hants, as follows :—- 
“ There appears to be a feeling among growers 
that the time has arrived when an exhibition of 
winter-flowering Carnations is a consummation 
devoutly to be wished. I venture, therefore, to 
appeal to all those holding this opinion to kindly 
communicate with me forthwith, stating what 
amount of support they are willing to contribute 
to such a scheme, so that data may be at hand 
to prove whether a show held early in December 
would receive sufficient support to make it a 
practical proposition. In the event of adequate 
subscriptions being forthcoming, I have already 
been promised the assistance of several growers 
in formulating rules and drawing up a schedule 
that would be acceptable both to private gar¬ 
deners and to the trade, and in making such 
arrangements as to ensure a reasonable measure 
of success to the movement. That the American 
Carnation has come to stay is an undoubted fact, 
and its adaptability to all purposes of decoration 
as well as the individual beauty of the blooms 
seem to indicate that- an exhibition of these at¬ 
tractive flowers could not well fail to gain the 
approbation of the general public as well as that 
of the enthusiastic gardener.” 
Great Potato Show. 
The Potato is our most important vegetable ; 
it constitutes a principal item of commerce, and 
its cultivation gives employment to many 
thousands of people, both in this and other 
countries. To every household and every indi¬ 
vidual the subject of Potatos appeals, or should 
appeal, for, like bread and meat, it forms a part 
of the diet of every person. This being so. it is 
pleasant to know that- we have a live organisation 
known as the National Potato Society, which, by 
means of elaborately carried out trials for testing 
the leading sorts on various soils, periodical con¬ 
ferences, and occasional exhibitions, seeks to en¬ 
courage the cultivation and improvement of the 
Potato. A great show organised by this large 
and flourishing society is to be held on the 23r.i 
and 24th insts. at the Horticultural Hall, Vin¬ 
cent Square. Westminster, which promises to be 
the most remarkable exhibition of Potatos on 
