72 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  28,  1897 
The  seeds  for  succession  should  be  sown  early  in  February,  and  when 
the  plants  are  large  enough  pricked  off  in  boxes  and  placed  in  a 
gentle  heat.  A  vinery  just  started  will  be  found  a  suitable  place  for 
them  until  they  become  well  established,  when  they  will  be  best  moved 
to  cooler  quarters.  Air  may  be  freely  admitted,  and  on  favourable  days 
the  lights  be  removed  altogether.  After  choosing  a  good  open  position 
and  weather  permitting,'  plant  out  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  in  case 
of  drought  water  freely.  For  a  further  succession  sow  in  March  and 
April  on  a  south  border,— C.  Foster. 
THE  PROPOSED  VICTORIA  MEDAL. 
I  DO  not  envy  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  the 
duty  it  will  undertake  presently  in  being  called  upon  to  find  recipients 
for  the  proposed  Victoria  medal.  I  assume  at  the  outset  that  these 
medals  will  be  in  number  limited.  That  necessitates  all  the  greater 
discrimination  in  making  the  selection  of  the  recipients.  Perhaps  there 
may  be  twenty,  perhaps  fifty.  We  have  in  horticulture  numbers 
of  men  in  all  its  various  aspects,  some  well  known,  some  not  so,  who 
are  well  worthy  of  the  highest  honours  that  can  be  bestowed  on  their 
profession.  Every  one  of  those  not  selected  will  feel  aggrieved.  If 
the  larger  number  mentioned  (fifty")  be  distributed,  then  the  proposed 
honour  cannot  be  of  great  value.  We  are  not  even  informed  whether 
the  medal  is  to  be  gold,  silver,  or  bronze.  Why  cannot  this  be  stated, 
and  the  principle  on  which  the  medals  are  to  be  awarded  notified  ? 
In  no  case  would  it  be  a  medal  earned  by  special  work  and  as  a 
well  merited  prize.  In  such  cases  one  medal  only  is  given,  and  no  one 
else  in  the  world  has  its  duplicate.  That  is  a  real  honour  that  may  be 
prized.  If  the  Council  of  the  R.H.S,  had  proposed  something  worthy 
of  the  object,  the  celebration  of  the  attainment  by  Her  Majesty  of  a 
complete  reign  of  sixty  years,  in  which  all  its  Fellows  and  the  horti¬ 
cultural  world  at  large  could  have  shared,  then  many  would  have 
heartily  assisted. 
I  know  in  inditing  this  deprecatory  epistle  I  am  not  in  harmony 
with  the  Editor’s  expressed  views,  but  even  the  Journal  Jupiter  may 
now  think  there  is  something  to  be  said  on  the  other  side.  Specially, 
however,  do  I  note  that  he  has  much  warmer  commendation  for  the 
Gardeners’  Benevolent  proposal,  which  is  a  noble  and  a  generous  one. 
That  proposal  is  very  easy  to  understand,  and  more  in  accord  with  Her 
Majesty’s  wishes  than  the  suggested  medal. — A  Fellow  op  the  R.H.S. 
[We  have  many  times  said  that  we  have  not  the  least  objection 
to  publish  what  is  not  in  accordance  with  our  own  views,  so  long 
as  the  objections  are  temperately  advanced.  In  this  case  our  corre¬ 
spondent  states  there  are  “  numbers  of  persons  worthy  of  the  highest 
honours,”  yet  goes  on  to  say  that  in  “no  case  would  the  medal  be 
earned  by  special  work  1  ”  Have  not  the  members  of  the  Council  of 
the  R.H.S.  and  diligent  coadjutors  on  committees  done  something  for 
horticulture  ?  Have  not  well-known  representatives  of  provincial 
horticulture  affiliated  with  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  done  some¬ 
thing  ?  Is  the  Victoria  medal  “  for  valour  ”  the  less  appreciated  by 
men  of  war  because  there  is  more  than  one  medal  ?  Why,  then,  should 
men  of  peace,  who  have  deserved  distinction,  regard  lightly  an  honour 
which  others  deserve  equally  with  themselves  ?  It  is  to  be  expected  that 
the  Council  of  the  R.H.S.  has  considered  the  question  of  appropriation, 
just  the  same  as  the  Veitch  Trustees  consider  to  whom  and  for  what  the 
medals  at  their  disposal  are  awarded.  We  have  not  the  slightest  hesita¬ 
tion  in  saying  that  in  our  belief  our  correspondent  has  done  at  least  as 
much  for  the  advancement  of  horticulture  as  have  many  of  the  recipients 
of  those  much-prized  distinctions,  and  we  are  entitled  to  doubt  if  one 
were  offered  to  our  critical  “  Fellow  ”  that  he  would  raise  any  strong 
objection  to  its  acceptance  because  others  had  been  as  worthy  of  it  as 
himself.  As  to  charitable  institutions  the  “  Journal  Jupiter  ”  will  say 
this — namely,  that  he  would  like  to  see  every  recipient  of  the  Victoria 
Medal  for  Horticulture  give  a  guinea  donation  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution,  and  if  he  had  his  way  he  would  make  that  a 
condition  of  its  bestowal,  as  a  thank-offering  that  the  Queen  has  been 
permitted  to  reign  over  us  during  the  greatest  period  of  the  prosperity  of 
our  country.  What  does  our  “  Fellow”  say  to  that?  Will  he  give  a 
guinea  if  he  gets  a  Victoria  medal  ?] 
Solanum  macrocarpum. — For  greenhouse  decoration  in  winter 
this  Solanum  is  certainly  an  acquisition.  To  grow  it  well  seeds  should 
be  sown  in  February,  and  the  young  plants  kept  growing  without  a 
check  until  they  are  placed  in  their  fruiting  pots  about  the  end  of 
May.  At  the  last  potting,  pots  7  inches  in  diameter  should  be  used, 
and  a  compost  such  as  is  generally  adopted  for  Chrysanthemums. 
After  potting  the  plants  should  be  stood  outside  and  treated  in  a  similar 
manner  to  Chrysanthemums.  They  will  then  make  plants  about  1£  or 
2  feet  in  height  by  the  same  in  diameter,  each  plant  having  five  or  six 
branches  thickly  covered  with  spines,  and  producing  leaves  6  to  8  inches 
long  by  3  in  width.  Flowering  takes  place  in  August,  and  on  an  average 
twenty  to  twenty-five  fruits  are  set  on  each  plant.  When  mature  the 
fruits  are  from  3  to  4  inches  in  circumference,  red  in  colour,  resembling  in 
shape  small  smooth-skinned  Tomatoes.  The  fruits  ripen  about  the  end 
of  September,  and  remain  in  good  condition  about  four  months,  long 
after  the  leaves  have  fallen .  The  plants  should  be  housed  about  the 
middle  of  September, — W.  D, 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
A  meeting  of  the  General  Committee  of  this  Society  was  held  on 
Monday  evening  last  at  Anderton’s  Hotel,  Fleet  Street,  when  Mr.  B. 
Wynne  occupied  the  chair. 
The  minutes  of  the  former  meeting  having  been  confirmed  a  question 
was  asked  concerning  the  definite  fixture  of  the  shows  for  1897,  and  the 
Secretary  replied  that  they  would  be  as  follows  : — 7th,  8th,  aud  9th 
September  ;  12th,  13th,  and  14th  October ;  9th,  10th,  and  11th  November ; 
and  7th,  8th,  and  9th  December.  Notice  of  motion  was  given  by  Mr. 
Harman  Payne  to  rescind  the  resolution  to  hold  the  Floral  Committee 
meetings  so  late  as  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  during  the  coming  season. 
The  same  gentleman  handed  over  to  the  Chairman  the  silver-gilt  medal 
and  diploma  awarded  to  the  N.C.S.  for  its  exhibit  of  cut  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums  at  the  Ghent  Show  last  November.  A  resolution  was  passed  that 
the  medal  be  photographed  and  a  copy  presented  to  every  member  who 
supplied  blooms  for  this  interesting  exhibit  :  Mr.  T.  Bevan,  the  Chair¬ 
man  of  the  Floral  Committee,  to  whom  the  credit  of  the  exhibit  was  due, 
undertaking  to  distribute  the  photographs. 
A  vote  was  passed  expressing  the  loss  the  Society  had  sustained  in 
the  death  of  Mr.  W.  Piercy  of  Forest  Hill,  the  eminent  specialist  in 
early  Chrysanthemums.  During  the  present  year  the  meetings  of  the 
General  Committee  will  take  place  on  23rd  August,  20th  September, 
25th  October,  22nd  November,  and  13tb  December.  The  Floral  Com¬ 
mittee  meetings  will  be  held  on  7th  and  20th  September  ;  12th  and  25th 
October  ;  1st,  15th,  22nd,  and  29th  November  ;  7th  and  I3th  December. 
Of  considerable  interest  was  the  reading  of  the  report  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee  specially  appointed  to  discuss  the  classification  of  various  disputed 
varieties.  Among  their  decisions  the  following  varieties  will  henceforth 
be  classed  as  incurved  proper — viz.,  Duchess  of  Fife,  Golden  Nugget, 
King  of  Orange,  Ma  Perfection,  Miss  L.  D.  Black,  Miss  Violet  Foster, 
Miss  Airdrie,  The  Egyptian,  Triomphe  d’Eve,  and  several  more.  This 
report  will,  be  printed  for  insertion  in  the  new  schedule,  and  will  form 
an  official  supplement  to  the  new  catalogue.  A  vote  of  thanks  was 
passed  to  the  members  of  the  Committee  for  their  work,  which  was 
regarded  with  uniform  satisfaction. 
The  Judges  for  the  September,  October,  November,  and  December 
shows  were  appointed ;  those  for  the  first  named  being  Messrs.  Row- 
botham  and  G.  Stevens  ;  for  October,  Messrs.  McHattie  and  J.  Wright 
(Temple).  The  November  show  awards  will  be  made  by  the  following  : 
— Plants,  Messrs.  Lyne  and  Prickett  ;  incurved,  Messrs.  Moorman  and 
C.  Orchard  ;  Japanese,  Messrs.  Geo.  Gordon,  C.  Gibson,  E.  Beckett,  and 
E.  Molyneux  ;  fruit,  Messrs.  Tegg  and  Reynolds  ;  table  decorations, 
Mes«rs.  Wills  and  Wm.  Marshall. 
For  their  services  to  the  Society  Messrs.  B.  Wynne  and  T.  W.  Sanders 
were  awarded  silver-gilt  medals,  and  Messrs.  R.  Ballantine,  T.  Bevan, 
and  Williams  bronze  medals,  all  of  the  special  Jubilee  type.  New 
members  were  elected,  including  Mr.  H.  de  Vilmorin  and  Mr.  H.  Martinet 
of  Paris,  and  the  Dorking  Chrysanthemum  Society  was  admitted  in 
affiliation. 
Classification  of  Chrysanthemums. 
On  page  5  of  the  Journal  Mr.  Molyneux  brings  into  notice  the  old 
variety  J.  H.  Runchman,  Btating  that  when  properly  cultivated  it  would 
be  admissible  in  the  incurved  section.  Undoubtedly  it  would  prove  a 
grand  addition.  There  is  yet  another  variety  in  Mons.  Norman  Davis, 
sent  out  by  Mons.  E.  Calvat,  but  was  classed  by  the  Floral  Committee 
as  a  Japanese  incurved.  After  growing  it  I  thought  it  one  of  the  most 
charming  incurved  ever  raised,  and  when  staged  by  Messrs  Drover  of 
Fareham  in  their  winning  stand  of  twelve  incurved  at  the  N.C.S.  show 
in  December  the  blooms  were  the  most  perfect  in  the  exhibition.  The 
colour  was  most  pleasing,  inside  of  the  petals  crimson,  reverse  old  gold, 
without  any  sign  of  Japanese  form  whatever,  forming  a  compact  ball. 
There  are  many  now  on  the  market  that  lack  such  form  sent  out  as 
incurved,  and  I  with  other  growers  would  be  very  grateful  for  informa¬ 
tion  from  some  of  the  N.C.S.  Catalogue  Committee  regarding  such 
varieties  as  Ma  Perfection,  Perle  Dauphinoise,  Duchess  of  Fife, 
Mons.  Mailfait,  and  Miss  P.  Fowler. 
J.  S.  Dibben.  Creole,  and  Mrs.  Smart  have  given  me  perfect  incurved 
blooms  on  the  terminal  bud.  Would  these,  with  J.  H.  Runchman,  be 
admissible  in  the  incurved  section? 
The  Egyptian,  also  on  a  late  crown,  has  produced  grand  flowers  with 
me,  and  quite  equal  in  form  to  the  old  variety,  Mrs.  G.  Rundle.  I  take 
the  last  named  as  a  standard  variety  of  form  that  our  incurved  should 
follow  as  nearly  as  possible.  L’Amethiste  and  Percy  Surman  seem  to 
me  doubtful.  The  former  I  saw  during  the  past  season  in  two  winning 
stands,  one  competitor  staging  it  as  an  incurved,  and  the  other  as  a 
Japanese.  Percy  Surman  has  been  staged  similarly  at  some  of  our 
largest  exhibitions.  Is  it  not  time  that  such  varieties  as  these  were 
classed  either  as  one  or  the  other  ?  If  not  I  shall  expect  to  see  Modesto, 
and  even  George  Savage  or  Olive  Oclee,  staged  as  incurved  from  late 
buds,  they  would  make  good  back-row  flowers  in  many  stands. — 
W.  G.  Adams. 
