458 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  31,  1900 
New  York  Society  of  Horticulture.  —  A  representative 
gathering  of  horticulturists  was  convened  a  short  time  back  at  the  New 
York  Botanical  Garden  to  consider  the  advisability  of  founding  a 
horticultural  society  in  New  York.  The  Committees  of  the  Council 
shall  include  : — (1)  a  Floral  Committee;  (2)  a  Fruit  Committee;  (3)  a 
Vegetable  Committee ;  (4)  a  Forestry  Committee  ;  (5)  a  Membership 
Committee ;  (6)  a  Finance  Committee.  These  resolutions,  says  an 
American  contemporary,  and  others  dealing  with  rules  of  membership 
were  accepted  and  referred  for  consideration  to  a  temporary  Council, 
when  the  report  of  the  nominating  Committee  for  permanent  officers 
will  also  be  received. 
Eastbourne  newer  Sbow. — Mr.  Henry  J.  Capon,  75,  Terminus 
Koad,  Eastbourne,  has  sent  ns  the  schedule  of  the  show  to  be  held  in 
the  grounds  of  Compton  Place  on  Wednesday,  August  15th,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire.  There  are  seven  dozen  classes 
divided  into  three  sections,  which  are  open  to  all,  open  to  amateurs  and 
gentlemen’s  gardeners,  and  open  to  Eastbourne  cottagers  respectively. 
Genera-lly  speaking  the  prizes  are  good,  and  should  insure  an  excellent 
display  of  produce,  especially  when  we  consider  that  practically  every 
class  of  grower  is  catered  for.  The  principal  class  is  for  eight  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants,  for  which  £14  are  offered  in  three  prizes  of  the 
respective  values  of  £7  10s.,  £5,  and  £2  10s.  The  secretary,  as  above, 
will  forward  schedules  and  all  necessary  information. 
Beckenham  Horticultural  Society — On  Wednesday,  July  25th, 
this  energetic  society  will  hold  its  summer  show  in  the  Croydon  Road 
Recreation  Grounds,  Beckenham,  and  considering  the  manner  in  which 
its  committee  is  diffusing  valuable  information  on  gardening,  we  trust 
it  will  find  strong  support.  The  schedule  which  has  been  sent  by  the 
honorary  secretary,  Mr.  G.  R.  Stilwell,  Stanmore  House,  Southend  Road, 
Beckenham,  is  most  comprehensive,  and  brings  the  possibility  of 
exhibiting  within  the  reach  of  all  growers.  The  prizes  are  not  very 
valuable,  but  it  is  nevertheless  anticipated  that  the  exhibition  will 
prove  an  excellent  one  in  all  respects. 
The  English  Tulip. — A  lecture  was  given  before  the  Beckenham 
Horticultural  Society  on  Friday,  May  25th,  by  Mr.  A.  D.  Hall, 
entitled  “  The  English  Tulip,  its  History  and  Cultivation,”  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  instructive  of  the 
session.  It  was  introduced  at  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century  from 
Turkey,  where  some  153  varieties  were  catalogued,  and  was  taken 
up  by  the  Dutch,  who,  however,  failed  to  make  much  improvement. 
English  growers,  from  1830  to  1850,  when  it  was  considered  to  be 
the  flower  of  the  day,  made  rapid  strides,  producing  varieties  that 
rank  amongst  the  best  of  the  present  period.  Seed  sown  takes  six 
years  to  bloom,  and  the  flowers  are  seifs  or  breeders,  which  at  any 
time  may  change  to  perfected  or  rectified  flowers,  and  once  they 
change  there  is  no  reversion.  Any  good  soil  will  grow  them,  and  no 
insect  pests  trouble  them.  Planted  in  November  they  bloom  in  May, 
and  should  be  lifted  by  the  end  of  June.  The  particular  characteristics 
of  the  various  flowers  were  explained  and  beautifully  illustrated  by 
the  bizarres,  byblcemens,  roses,  and  breeders  from  the  National  Tulip 
Society’s  Show.  Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  sent  a  collection  of  Darwin 
Tulips,  and  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  Mr.  Hall. 
— M.  W. 
Sblrley  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  dissociation. — 
The  monthly  meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  at  the  Parish 
Rooms,  Shirley,  Southampton,  on  Monday,  the  21st  inst.,  when  Mr.  B. 
Ladhams  presided  over  a  good  attendance  of  the  members.  The  evening 
commenced  with  a  very  interesting  and  practical  discussion  on  flowering 
shrubs  and  trees,  which  was  opened  by  Mr.  S.  Verdon,  of  the  Red 
Lodge  Nurseries,  Bassett.  He  flrst  dealt  with  shrubs  and  shrubberies, 
and  then  referred  to  some  of  the  examples  exhibited,  of  which  there 
was  a  splendid  display  from  the  nurseries  of  Messrs.  W.  H.  Rogers 
and  Son,  Ltd,  A  good  debate  ensued,  in  which  several  members 
took  part,  including  the  chairman,  Messrs.  Wilcox,  Key  Allen,  F.R.H.S., 
Cleverley,  Ekless,  and  Jones.  Mr.  Jones  suggested  that  fruit  trees 
should  be  more  extensively  cultivated  on  the  outside  of  pleasure 
grounds.  There  was  as  nsual  a  grand  display  of  flowering  plants 
exhibited  from  the  Shirley  Nurseries,  whilst  Key  Allen,  Esq.,  F.R.H.S., 
of  St.  Auben’s,  Bitterne  Park,  was  awarded  the  society’s  certificate  of 
merit  for  a  very  nice  collection  of  Sweet  Peas  and  a  grand  dish  of 
Pea  Tremendous.  Three  days  later,  on  Thursday  May  24th,  the 
members  had  their  annual  outing,  visiting  London  for  the  great 
Temple  Show,  whence  they  returned  at  midnight,  greatly  pleased  with 
all  they  had  seen. 
National  Rose  Society. — The  honorary  secretaries  of  this 
important  society  favour  us  with  schedules  of  the  three  forthcoming 
shows  which  are  to  be  held  at  Salisbury,  June  27th ;  Crystal  Palace, 
July  7th;  and  Birmingham,  July  19th,  in  addition  to  the  show  in 
conjunction  with  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  July  3rd.  They 
also  desire  us  to  announce  that  a  special  general  meeting  of  the 
members  will  take  place  at  the  rooms  of  the  Horticultural  Club,  Hotel 
Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  on  Tuesday,  June  5th,  at  3  p.m.  precisely,  to 
elect  an  honorary  treasurer  in  the  place  of  Mr.  T.  B.  Haywood, 
deceased. 
Kidderminster  Horticultural  Society. — The  schedule  of  this 
society,  whose  exhibition  is  to  be  held  at  The  Larches  on  August  7th, 
stands  alone  as  regards  arrangement.  As  far  as  we  can  ascertain  from 
the  multitudinous  interleaved  advertisements  there  are  106  classes,  and 
we  trust  intending  exhibitors  will  allow  themselves  ample  time  to  find 
what  they  specially  require,  and  the  rnles  appertaining  thereto.  We 
might  suggest  that  a  less  involved  system  of  arrangement  would  be 
appreciated  by  growers  as  well  as  by  the  reporters,  who  desire  in 
writing  of  the  show  to  follow  the  schedule.  The  prizes  amount  to 
about  £100,  exclusive  of  a  silver  challenge  cup  and  medals.  It  is  not 
made  clear  whether  the  challenge  cup  is  offered  for  a  gronp  of  plants  or 
for  table  plants,  but  we  may  reasonably  suppose  it  to  be  for  the  former. 
The  honorary  secretaries  are  Messrs.  Rogers  and  Whicker,  Brookfield, 
Blakebrook,  Kidderminster. 
Some  Interesting:  Statistics. — The  dutiable  imports  of  plants, 
shrubs,  and  Vines  into  the  United  States  amounted  to  47,666  dollars  in 
January,  1900,  against  35,702  dols.  in  the  same  month  of  1899.  The 
free  imports  of  seeds  amounted  in  January,  1900,  to  182,622  dols., 
against  107,657  dols.  in  January,  1899.  The  dutiable  imports  of  seeds 
amounted  to  121,317  dols.  in  January,  1900,  against  67,401  dols.  in 
the  same  month  of  1899.  The  exports  of  seeds  to  other  countries 
amounted  to  435,103  dols.  in  January,  1900,  against  301,103  dols.  in 
the  same  month  of  1899.  The  countries  to  which  the  United  States 
exported  seed  were  the  United  Kingdom,  which  received  shipments  to 
the  value  of  145,730  dols.  in  January,  1900,  as  against  125,872  dols. 
worth  during  the  same  month  of  last  year.  Shipments  to  France 
amounted  to  21,679  dols.  in  January,  1900,  as  against  3658  dols.  in 
January  last  year.  Germany  imported  seeds  from  the  United  States 
to  the  value  of  170,703  dols.  in  Jannary,  1900,  against  62,616  dols.  in 
January,  1899.  Other  European  countries  received  shipments  to  the 
value  of  50,869  dols.  in  Jannary,  1900,  as  compared  with  49,980  dols.  in 
January  of  the  preceding  year.  A  decrease  is  to  be  noted  in  the 
exports  of  seeds  to  British  North  America,  being  valued  at  37,650  dols. 
against  48,306  dols.  in  January,  1899. —  (“Florists’  Exchange.”) 
Chelsea  “  Physic  Garden.” — Probably  there  is  no  garden  in 
England  of  greater  interest  than  the  Apothecaries’  Garden  at  Chelsea, 
founded  in  1673.  The  objects  with  which  it  was  started  were 
quaintly  set  forth  by  Sir  Hans  Sloane  when  he  granted  the  ground 
to  the  Company  of  Apothecaries  in  1722,  and  demanded  that  “  the 
said  garden  may  at  all  times  hereafter  be  continued  as  a  Physick 
Garden,  and  for  the  better  encouraging  and  enabling  the  said  society 
to  support  the  charge  thereof  for  the  manifestation  of  the  power, 
wisdom,  and  glory  of  God  in  the  works  of  the  creation,  and  their 
apprentices  and  others  may  better  distinguish  good  and  useful  plants 
from  those  that  bear  resemblance  to  them  and  yet  are  hurtful,  and 
other  the  like  good  purposes.”  The  garden  is  about  three  acres  in 
area,  and  has  contained  among  other  historic  plants  two  Cedars  planted 
in  1683,  then  only  3  feet  in  height.  When  they  were  measured  again 
in  1766  the  trunks  were  more  than  12  feet  in  circumference,  and 
the  branches  extended  40  feet  in  diameter.  The  garden  contains  a 
large  greenhouse,  the  heating  arrangements  of  which  seemed  to  have 
caused  much  wonder  in  early  days,  for  Evelyn,  writing  in  1685, 
remarks :  “  What  was  very  ingenious  was  the  subterranean  heate, 
conveyed  by  a  stove  under  the  conservatory,  all  vaulted  with  brick, 
so  as  he  (the  keeper)  has  the  doores  and  windows  open  in  the  hardest 
frosts,  secluding  only  the  snow.”  Last  year  it  seemed  not  unlikely 
that  this  historical  garden  might  fall  a  prey  to  the  builder  as  the 
cost  of  maintenance  entailed  on  the  Society  of  Apothecaries  was 
great,  so  that  it  is  very  satisfactory  to  learn  that  new  trustees,  those 
of  the  London  Parochial  Charities,  have  been  appointed,  and  that  it 
will  continue  to  fulfil  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  founded — the 
educational  and  scientific  study  of  botany.  It  will  be  remembered  by 
all  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  that  Mr.  Thomas  Moore,  Editor 
of  the  “  Florist  and  Pomologist,”  was  for  years  curator  of  this  garden. 
