50 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  18,  1900. 
Bristol  Gardeners’  Association, — The  fortnightly  meeting  of 
the  Society  was  held  at  St,  John’s  Parish  Room,  Redland,  on 
Thursday,  January  11th.  There  was  a  good  attendance,  Mr.  C. 
Lock  presiding.  Mr.  Garnish  of  Stapleton  read  a  paper  on  the 
subject  of  “  Strawberry  Culture.”  He  recommended  a  soil  of  clay, 
neither  shallow  nor  stiff,  to  be  well  trenched  and  manured,  and 
runners  to  be  laid  in  June  for  planting  at  a  distance  of  2  feet  apart. 
He  urged  the  frequent  use  of  the  hoe,  and  gave  many  helpful  sug¬ 
gestions,  for  which  he  was  heartily  thanked.  Prizes  for  six  dessert 
Apples  were  secured  by  Mr.  Marsh,  first,  and  Mr.  Sutton  second. 
Certificates  of  merit  were  awarded  Messrs.  M'Culloch  and  Clark. 
A  special  feature  of  the  exhibits  was  a  fine  collection  of  Apples 
staged  by  Mr.  Bannister  of  Cote  House.  It  consisted  of  nearly  thirty 
varieties  of  choice  fruit,  and  was  much  admired  by  the  members. 
The  R.H.S,  Meeting's, — At  the  Drill  Hall  meeting,  on  the 
9th  inst.,  the  members  of  the  Fruit  Committee  invited  the  Chairman, 
Mr.  P,  Crowley,  to  convey  to  the  Council  the  feeling  of  the  Committee) 
that  one  meeting  in  each  of  the  months  of  December  and  January  was 
ample  for  all  ordinary  purposes.  Not  only  does  the  expenditure 
incurred  over  such  meetings,  that  are  such  poor  ones,  prove  superfluous, 
and  indeed  wasteful ;  but  the  bringing  of  a  large  number  of  members 
of  the  Committees  to  the  Drill  Hall  for  no  better  purpose  seems 
wasteful  also.  No  doubt  the  inclusion  of  two  meetings  into  December 
and  January  for  the  first  time,  as  now  seen,  is  due  to  the  importunities 
of  the  orchidists,  but  certainly  not  to  anyone  else.  It  is  not  fair  to 
Fellows  to  announce  these  meetings,  and  then  furnish  so  little  to  be 
seen.  If  to  orchidists  two  meetings  during  each  of  the  midwinter 
months  be  desirable,  their  requirements  might  be  met  in  the  Council 
room  in  Victoria  Street.— A.  D. 
The  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists. — The  annual  meeting 
of  the  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists  was  held  on  January  9th  in 
the  Agricultural  Club  Chambers,  Pavement.  Mr.  Aid.  McKay,  J.P., 
presided  over  a  good  attendance.  The  Secretary  (Mr.  G.  E.  W.  Oman) 
having  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting,  presented  the  report. 
They  were  very  pleased  to  state  that  the  year’s  working,  all  things 
considered,  was  most  satisfactory.  The  number  of  members  who  had 
paid  their  subscriptions  during  the  year  was  732.  This,  with  twenty- 
one  new  members  to  be  added  to  the  list,  made  a  membership  in 
excess  of  that  of  any  previous  year  of  the  Society’s  historv.  The 
total  receipts  had  been  £628  12s.  2d.,  an  excess  of  £62  17s.  4d.  over 
last  year’s  receipts ;  but  the  expenditure  had  been  £653  2s.,  an  excess 
of  £117  15s.  over  last  year.  Of  that  amount  £57  13s.  had  been 
expended  in  prizes,  and  there  had  been  some  items  of  expenditure 
which  would  not  occur  again.  Mr.  G.  Lamb,  Hon.  Treasurer,  sub¬ 
mitted  the  statement  of  accounts,  which  were  taken  as  read.  The 
Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report  and  balance-sheet, 
said  he  observed  a  slight  deficit  on  the  year’s  working  amounting  to 
£23  9s.  lid.  He  did  not,  however,  think  they  need  be  under  the 
slightest  misapprehension.  Mr.  W.  B .  Dyson  seconded  the  resolution) 
which  was  passed  unanimously. 
Sprouting-  Potato  Sets. — As  an  old  Potato  grower  I  am  some¬ 
what  amused  to  learn  that  our  American  friends  have  been  experiment, 
ing  as  to  the  comparative  values  of  planting  properly  sprouted  and  of 
non-sprouted  Potato  sets.  I  had  imagined  that  such  an  acute  people 
had  determined  that  matter  long  since,  just  as  we  have.  I  do  not 
suppose  that  even  the  most  elementary  gardener  doubts  the  great 
value  of  planting  sprouting  Potato  sets  over  those  that  are  unsprouted. 
It  is  a  matter  we  have  settled  to  our  satisfaction  years  ago,  but  is  only 
satisfactory  w'hen  the  sprouting  is  natural  and  not  artificial.  Almost 
any  Potato  will  throw  sprouts  in  a  normal  temperature  towards  the 
end  of  the  winter.  The  great  bulk  of  early  and  midseason  varieties 
where  properly  exposed  to  ample  air  and  light  will  do  so  by  the  end  of 
January,  except  when  the  temperature  is  unusually  low,  but  that  does 
not  often  occur.  Even  when  we  have  hard  winters  we  get  some  soft,  mild 
periods,  and  these  provoking  great  reaction  from  the  low  temperature, 
compel  the  sets  to  burst  buds  early.  It  is,  however,  only  needful  that 
these  sprouts  when  formed  be  fully  exposed  to  the  light  in  a  cool  place, 
and  they  will  remain  sturdy,  stout,  and  deep  coloured  from  the  first 
bursting  period  until  the  sets  are  planted.  Nothing  is  more  natural 
than  that  they  should  be  productive  of  earlier  growth  than  results 
from  tubers  non-sprouted.  Practically  the  sprouts  represent  fully 
three  weeks  advanced  growth  j  still,  farther,  they  represent  average 
even  growth  from  all  the  sets,  and  that  is  far  from  resulting  when  non- 
sprouted  sets  are  planted. — A.  Kingston. 
Finsbury  Circus  Carden. — We  learn  that  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  freeholders  and  leaseholders  of  Finsbury  Circus,  held  recently 
under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  Gordon  Brown,  it  was  resolved  to  oppose 
the  Bill  which  is  being  promoted  in  Parliament  by  the  Corporation  to 
throw  open  Finsbury  Circus  Garden  to  the  public.  Only  a  very  small 
number  of  the  inhabitants  can  legitimately  take  part  in  the  opposition, 
as  the  Corporation’s  new  leases  contain  a  stipulation  that  the  lease¬ 
holders  shall  not  oppose  the  Corporation  in  the  matter. 
American  Tomatoes. — It  is  reported  that  the  Tomato  crop  of 
southern  New  Jersey  the  past  season  amounted  to  850,000  bushels^ 
while  there  were  also  abundant  crops  of  them  in  other  parts  of  the 
State,  on  Long  [Island,  and  many  sections  in  New  York  State.  As  a 
result,  the  price  was  down  to  15  or  20  cents  a  bushel  much  of  the 
season.  If  there  had  not  been  a  comparatively  small  crop  of  Peas  and 
Beans,  which  obliged  the  canning  factories  to  put  up  more  Tomatoes 
than  usual,  it  is  doubtful  if  they  could  have"  sold  at  any  price.  We 
remember,  says  the  “  American  Agriculturist,”  when  few  of  our  friends 
and  neighbours  could  be  induced  to  eat  a  Tomato  under  any  considera- 
lion.  Now  it  is  seldom  that  we  see  anyone  who  does  not  like  them. 
About  12,000,000  cans  of  Tomatoes  are  packed  in  a  season  in  New 
Jersey,  and  about  126,000,000  in  the  United  States.  The  canning 
process  enables  the  poor  man  to  have  these  and  many  other  vegetables 
aud  fruits  on  his  table  every  week  in  the  year  if  he  pleases,  at  a 
moderate  cost,  while  it  also  helps  the  farmer  and  gardener  to  sell  their 
crops  in  a  time  of  plenty  at  better  prices  than  they  would  get  if  only 
wanted  for  immediate  use. 
Clenkowskla  Kirkl.— Complaints  are  sometimes  heard  about 
this  plant,  and  others  nearly  related,  not  flowering  as  freely  as  is 
desirable.  This  in  many  cases  is  due  to  it  not  being  properly  rested 
ia  some  cases,  I  imagine,  and  certainly  was  this  the  fault  in  some 
plants  I  was  asked  to  look  at  recently.  With  fair  treatment  there  is 
no  easier  grown  plant,  but  it  is  more  truly  herbaceous  than  many 
plants  in  the  same  order.  The  underground  rootstock  may  be  kept 
quite  dry  from  the  time  the  leaves  die  off  until  the  early  spring,  when 
it  may  be  repotted  and  gently  excited  as  the  leaves  push  up.  It  likes 
a  fairly  substantial  compost,  one  containing  a  fairly  good  sprinkling  of 
half-decayed  manure,  and  if  propagation  is  desired  this  may  be  effected 
by  division  of  the  roots  at  the  time  of  potting.  Increase  the  moisture 
as  the  leaves  push  up,  and  when  the  pots  are  full  of  roots  feed  rather 
liberally.  The  pretty  blossoms  are  produced  from  March  onward  to 
July  and  August,  according  to  the  time  of  starting,  midsummer 
being  perhaps  the  most  natural  time.  The  peculiar  centre  to  the 
flower  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  column  of  an  Orchid,  and  the 
whole  flower  might  easily  be  taken  for  a  Miltonia.  Beside  this  there 
are  several  others  in  the  genus,  many  being  remarkable  for  their  fine 
foliage. — R.  Henry. 
Frost  and  Shiubs, — It  will  be  interesting  to  learn  how  far 
the  recent  frosts,  which  seem  to  have  been  exceptionally  severe  in 
some  places,  have  left  their  impression  on  hardy  shrubs.  Mr.  W.  Pope 
writes  me  from  Highclere  Castle  that  he  never  saw  common  Laurel 
injured  to  so  great  an  extent  as  now,  the  effect  of  the  frost  on  the 
late  and  immature  growths  following  in  the  autumn  upon  the  September 
rains.  During  the  frost  there  was  at  Highclere  a  heavy  coating  of 
snow  over  vegetables,  or  otherwise  the  injury  done  to  those  would  have 
been  great.  As  it  is,  both  white  Broccoli  and  Brussels  Sprouts  are 
much  cut.  He  mentions  a  fear  that  Laurustinus  are  killed  to  the 
ground.  That  was  hardly  anticipated  as  likely  to  follow  upon  so  dry 
a  summer.  I  remember  the  terribly  severe  frost  of  Christmas  eve 
of  1861,  which  is  thirty-eight  years  ago,  when  such  terrible  havoc 
amongst  shrubs  was  made,  and  many  assumed  hardy  things,  especially 
Laurustinus  and  Bays,  were  killed  wholesale.  I  do  not  think  such 
harm  has  been  done  to  shrubs  since  then  ;  but  that  frost  followed  upon 
a  rather  cold,  wet  summer,  and  went  down  to  zero.  At  Highclere  the 
frosts  registered  22°,  20°,  and  17°,  which  was  fairly  severe.  ^Ye  have 
had  far  severer  frosts  than  these  ;  but  it  is  not  always  the  most  intense 
frost  which  does  the  greatest  harm  to  shrubs.  Highclere  lies  high 
and  bleak  ;  yet  at  Sydmonton,  a  few  miles  distant  and  lower,  Mr.  Lye 
registered  29°  of  frost.  No  doubt,  one  reason  why  frosts  sometimes  do 
so  much  unlooked-for  harm  is  the  intermittent  nature  of  the  weather. 
One  week  soft,  mild,  and  the  glass  standing  at  50°;  the  next  week  the 
glass  is  down  to  10°,  a  difference  of  40°,  and  enough  to  cause  great 
harm  to  result.  Gardening  in  Britain  finds  fewer  difficulties  to 
encounter  than  is  presented  by  the  climate,  because  it  is  so  uncertain  and 
unreliable  that  no  one  can  say  what  the  morrow  may  bring  forth. — A. 
