February  1L,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
113 
Certificates  and  Awards  of  Merit. 
Cattleya  Triance  eximium  (L.  Linden). — A  superb  form.  The  large 
•sepals  are  very  delicate  rose,  the  narrow  petals  being  of  the  same  hue. 
The  lip  is  a  grand  feature.  The  outer  portion  is  rich  crimson,  the  throat 
being  yellow  on  the  lower  portion  and  soft  rose  on  the  upper,  this  shade 
extending  to  the  fimbriated  margin  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Triance  Imperator  (L.  LindeD). — The  sepals  and  petals  of 
this  variety  are  rose.  The  lip  is  rich  velvety  maroon  (award  of  merit). 
Iris  Baker iana  (R.  Wallace  &  Co.). — With  the  exception  of  the  lip 
the  whole  of  thiB  flower  is  pale  blue.  The  fall  is  white  with  blue  spots, 
the  extremity  being  rich  velvety  deep  indigo  blue  (first-class  certificate). 
Icelio- Cattleya  Violetta  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Limited). — Pure  rose  is 
the  colour  of  the  petals  and  sepals  of  this  hybrid.  The  lip  is  crimson 
with  white  fimbriated  edges  (award  of  merit), 
Phalcsnopsis  Hebe  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Limited). — This  is  a  hybrid, 
resulting  from  a  cross  between  P.  rosea  and  P.  Sanderiana.  The  sepals 
and  petals  are  white,  flushed  rose,  and  the  lip  rose,  shading  pale  brown 
at  the  base  (award  of  merit). 
Violet  Amiral  Avellon  (T.  Cripps  &  Son). — Deliciously  fragrant  is 
this  single  Violet  (award  of  merit). 
ANNUAL  GENERAL  MEETING. 
On  Tuesday  last  the  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society  was  held  at  the  Offices,  117,  Victoria  Street,  S.W.  The 
chair  was  taken  by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  the  popular  President  of 
the  Society.  The  meeting  was  an  excellent  one,  upwards  of  eighty 
members  being  present.  At  three  o’clock  precisely  the  Chairman 
called  upon  the  Secretary  to  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  annual 
general  meeting,  these  being  afterwards  signed  as  correct.  Many  new 
Fellows  were  then  elected,  and  Messrs.  J.  Cheal  and  H.  Turner  were 
appointed  scrutineers  of  the  ballot  for  the  election  of  three  members  to  the 
•Council  in  place  of  Sir  Alexander  J.  Arbuthnot,  K.C.S.I.,  H.  J.  Pearson, 
Esq.,  and  G.  Bunyard,  Esq.,  who,  in  accordance  with  the  Charter,  had  to 
retire.  Sir  Trevor  spoke  in  high  terms  of  the  services  that  had  been 
rendered  by  these  gentlemen  both  to  the  Society  and  to  horticulture. 
Messrs.  Norman  C.  Cookson,  William  Marshall,  and  Harry  J.  Veitch 
were  elected  to  the  Council  in  place  of  those  retiring. 
The  report  and  balance-sheet  published  several  days  ago  were  taken 
as  read,  a  copy  having  been  sent  to  all  Fellows  of  the  Society.  In 
moving  the  adoption  of  both  of  these,  Sir  Trevor  was  very  happy  and 
apropos.  Each  salient  point  was  brought  lucidly  forward.  He  said  he 
was  glad  to  be  convinced  that  the  year  had  been  one  of  useful  work 
smoothly  and  happily  done,  and  considered  that  the  Council’s  verdict 
of  satisfactory  was  fully  justified.  The  several  alterations  that  have 
been  made  at  Chiswick  during  the  year  were  adverted  to,  and  attention 
was  called  to  the  fact  that  it  was  just  ten  years  since  it  was  found 
imperative  to  quit  South  Kensington.  Mr.  Wright’s  services  at  Chiswick 
were  eulogised  in  no  stinted  terms,  the  Chairman  saying  that  the  Super¬ 
intendent’s  skill  and  sound  knowledge  were  already  clearly  perceptible. 
Continuing,  the  new  departure  of  “  painting  all  Orchids  that  received 
an  award  of  merit  or  a  certificate  ”  was  referred  to,  and  thanks  were 
again  given  to  fruit  growers  who  had  sent  trees  to  Chiswick,  and  to  the 
many  readers  of  excellent  papers.  Financially  everything  was  deemed 
satisfactory,  and  the  membership  was  annually  increasing.  Several 
other  things  were  noted,  Sir  Trevor  concluding  with  a  glowing  tribute 
to  that  most  excellent  of  Secretaries,  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks.  The  expressions 
relative  to  Mr.  Wilks  were  received  with  acclamation,  as  were  others 
referring  to  Mr.  J.  Weathers,  the  Assistant  Secretary.  Professor  Michael 
Foster  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  report.  His  remarks  were  terse  and 
interesting,  and  were  hailed  with  much  pleasure  by  the  members.  On 
the  proposition  being  put  to  the  meeting  it  was  carried  unanimously. 
Mr.  G.  Bunyard  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence 
for  his  admirable  services.  This,  after  being  seconded  by  Dr.  M.  T. 
Masters,  was,  it  is  needless  to  say,  passed  with  full  accord.  The  meeting 
then  closed. 
REPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL  for  1896-97. 
The  Council  are  glad  to  be  able  to  report  the  conclusion  of  a  full 
and  satisfactory  year’s  work. 
Financially,  the  balance  in  hand  is  not  as  large  as  it  was  last  year, 
but  this  is  more  than  accounted  for  by  the  extraordinary  expenditure 
which  the  Council  felt  able  to  undertake  at  Chiswick,  the  whole  of  which 
has  been  defrayed  out  of  income.  The  conservatory  at  the  entrance  to 
the  gardens,  which  had  for  so  many  years  required  repair,  has  been 
entirely  removed,  and  replaced  by  a  building  in  every  respect  worthy 
of  the  Society  ;  and  the  two  old  greenhouses,  Nos.  1  and  2,  which  ‘had 
been  an  eyesore  to  the  gardens  by  reason  of  their  ruinous  condition  for 
■almost  a  generation,  have  been  remodelled  and  rebuilt.  The  total  of  this 
extraordinary  expenditure  is  over  £500. 
Under  the  head  of  ordinary  expenditure  at  Chiswick  £1870  has  been 
spent  on  the  general  work  and  repairs  and  keeping  up  of  the  gardens. 
Amongst  other  work  House  No.  17  has  been  practically  rebuilt,  Nos.  15 
and  6  have  been  very  thoroughly  repaired  ;  the  young  men’s  bothies 
have  also  been  put  in  good  order  and  made  more  comfortable.  The 
receipts  by  sale  of  surplus  produce  amount  to  £344,  making  the  net 
ordinary  cost  of  the  gardens  £1526, 
The  Council  have  every  reason  to  congratulate  themselves  and  the 
Society  upon  the  selection  which  they  made  to  fill  the  office  of  Garden 
S  u  per  intendent. 
At  Westminster  nineteen  Fruit  and  Floral  meetings  have  been  held 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  and  six  Committee 
meetings  have  been  held  at  Chiswick,  besides  the  larger  shows  in  the 
Temple  Gardens  on  May  19cb,  20th,  and  21st  and  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
on  October  1st,  2nd,  and  3rd.  Lectures  have  been  delivered  at  fifteen 
of  the  meetings,  exclusive  of  those  given  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  The 
number  of  awards  granted  by  the  Council,  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
various  Committees,  has  been  as  follows  : — 
Award. 
At  Provincial 
Shows. 
Scientific  q 
Committee,  p 
err 
Fruit  ^ 
Committee.  ! 
O 
mmend 
q5 
ci  £ 
Ji  a 
a 
o 
o 
rtion  of  the 
CD  !  CD  CD 
CD  3  <X> 
*—  CO 
"g  3  |  g  8 
J  a  ■  «  a 
o  I  £  o 
o  o 
Total. 
Gold  Medal . 
1 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Silver-gilt  Flora  . 
5 
— 
— 
17 
1 
1 
24 
Silver-gilt  Knightian 
2 
- - 
9 
— 
_ . 
11 
Silver-gilt  Banksian 
1 
— 
1 
10 
1 
_ 
13 
Silver  Flora... 
13 
— 
— 
68 
34 
_ 
115 
Silver  Knightian . 
2 
— 
16 
_ 
_ 
_ 
18 
Silver  Banksian 
8 
— 
22 
78 
43 
1 
152 
Bronze  Flora 
— 
— 
— 
7 
_ 
_ 
7 
Bronze  Knightian  ... 
— 
— 
4 
— 
_ 
__ 
4 
Bronze  Banksian  ... 
— 
— 
5 
26 
5 
_ 
36 
First-class  Certificate 
4 
— 
8 
36 
36 
_ 
84 
Award  of  Merit 
17 
— 
23 
210 
100 
2 
352 
Botanical  Certificate 
1 
1 
— 
2 
47 
_ 
51 
Cultural  Commendation  ... 
8 
— 
13 
6 
35 
_ 
62 
Highly  Commended 
10 
— 
— 
— 
— 
_ 
10 
Commended... 
3 
-  . 
— 
— 
— 
— 
3 
Total  . 
75 
1 
102 
463 
303 
4 
948 
The  Council  muse  again  express  their  opinion  that  there  still  appears 
to  be  a  tendency  to  multiply  unduly  the  awards  recommended,  and 
they  earnestly  request  the  several  Committees  to  consider  seriously 
whether  there  is  not  a  real  danger  of  impairing  the  value  of  these 
distinctions  by  such  increase  of  their  number,  and  whether  it  would 
not  be  possible,  as  well  as  politic,  to  be  somewhat  less  generous  in  the 
recommendation  of  awards  during  the  ensuing  year.  This  is  a  question 
which  the  Council  cannot  but  regard  with  solicitude,  and  they  hope 
that  every  member  of  the  Committees  will  consider  that  he  has  a  real 
individual  responsibility  for  the  welfare  of  the  Society  in  this  matter. 
The  work  of  the  Committees  has  of  late  increased  so  considerably 
that  the  delay  of  communication  between  the  Council  and  the  Com¬ 
mittees  has  on  several  occasions  caused  great  inconvenience.  The 
Council,  therefore,  think  it  well  to  revert  to  an  old  rule  of  the  Society, 
that  the  Chairmen  of  the  principal  Committees  shall  in  future  t>e  chosen 
from  among  the  members  of  Council. 
At  the  unanimous  request  of  the  Orchid  Committee,  and  on  certain 
members  of  it  undertaking  to  pay  a  third  of  the  expense,  the  Counail 
have  arranged  to  have  paintings  made  of  all  the  flowers  certificated  by 
this  Committee.  Exhibitors  must,  therefore,  distinctly  understand  that 
ia  submitting  their  flowers  in  future  to  the  Committee,  they  thereby 
tacitly  consent  to  their  being  painted  should  they  obtain  any  award,  and 
must  hold  themselves  ready  to  give  all  reasonable  facility  to  the  Society’s 
artist  to  do  so.  The  Orchid  Committee  desire  to  have  these  paintings 
as  an  accurate  record  of  the  characters  and  peculiarities  of  the  plants 
to  which  awards  are  made,  finding  it  practically  impossible  for  their 
members  to  bear  in  mind  the  details  of  numerous  flowers  often  seen 
but  once. 
The  Council  desire  to  draw  the  attention  of  all  Fellows  of  the 
Society  to  the  more  extended  use  which  the  Scientific  Committee  might 
be  to  them  if  they  availed  themselves  more  freely  of  their  privileges  in 
submitting  instances  of  diseases  of  or  injuries  to  plants,  caused  by  insects 
or  otherwise.  The  Scientific  Committee  is  composed  of  gentlemen 
qualified  to  give  the  best  advice  on  all  such  subjects,  either  in  respect  to 
the  prevention  or  cure  of  disease.  The  Committee  is  also  glad  to  receive 
specimens  of  malformation  or  other  subjects  of  horticultural  or  botanical 
interest. 
The  Council  wish  to  express  their  thanks  to  the  Director  of  the  Royal 
Gardens,  Kew,  for  allowing  them  to  consult  Mr.  Massee,  F.L.S.,on  the 
fungoid  diseases,  &c.,  brought  before  the  Scientific  Committee,  and  to 
that  gentleman  for  his  readiness  in  giving  them  the  advantage  of  his 
knowledge  and  advice. 
The  Society’s  great  show,  held  (by  the  continued  kindness  of  the 
Treasurer  and  Benchers)  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  was  as  successful 
as  ever,  and  it  ia  a  matter  of  satisfaction  to  the  Council  to  find  that  this 
meeting  is  now  universally  acknowledged  to  be  the  leading  horticultural 
exhibition  of  this  country.  The  best  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  to 
all  who  kindly  brought  their  plants  for  exhibition,  or  otherwise 
contributed  to  the  success  of  this  show. 
The  exhibition  of  British  grown  fruit,  held  by  the  Society  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  on  October  1st,  2nd,  and  3rd,  was,  considering  the 
season,  eminently  satisfactory.  Full  particulars  '  will  be  found  in 
vol.  xx.,  part  2,  of  the  Journal,  issued  in  December. 
As  an  object  lesson  in  British  fruit  cultivation  this  annual  show 
stands  unrivalled,  and  is  of  national  importance.  The  Council  invite 
Fellows  and  their  friends  to  support  it,  for  it  cannot  be  too  widely 
known  that  the  continuance  of  the  show  year  by  year  is  absolutely 
dependent  on  at  least  £100  being  raised  by  subscriptions  each  year 
towards  the  prize  fund.  The  show  involves  the  Council  in  a  very 
