March  17,  1898. 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
EATHEE  IN  LiONDON, — The  latter  half  of  last  week  was  charac¬ 
terised  by  the  dry,  bitterly  cold  winds  that  prevailed  the  whole  of  the 
time  until  Saturday  evening,  when  it  was  slightly  foggy.  On  Sunday 
morning  the  fog  remained,  and  was  accompanied  by  a  moderately  sharp 
white  frost.  The  later  hours  of  the  day  were  clear  and  cold,  but  with 
very  little  wind.  IMonday  was  wet  until  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  the 
sun  shone  brightly  for  a  short  time.  It  was  warm  throughout  the  day, 
and  the  change  from  easterly  wind  continuing.  Tuesday  was  warm  and 
dry  until  the  evening,  when  rain  fell.  Wednesday  was  dull,  but  warm, 
-  Weathek  in  the  North. — The  past  week  has  generally  been 
fine,  and  there  has  been  no  frost  except  a  slight  touch  on  the  mornings  of 
the  9th  and  the  13th.  A  spring-like  feeling  has  frequently  pervaded  the 
air.  The  afternoon  of  Sunday  was  cold,  and  the  evening  and  night  were 
very  wet,  but  Monday  was  throughout  dry  and  pleasant,  with  a  rather 
high  S.W.  wind.  Tuesday  morning  was  very  showery,  with  the  thermo¬ 
meter  at  43^— B.  D.,  S.  Pertlishire. 
-  National  Floral  Societies. — We  are  glad  to  see  from  the 
twenty-first  annual  report  of  the  “  National  Auricula  and  Primula 
Society '  that  there  was  a  large  accession  of  new  members  last  year, 
and  that  the  financial  position  of  the  Society,  which  was  sound  before, 
has  been  consequently  strengthened.  This  year's  show  is  to  be  held  in 
the  Westminster  Drill  Hall  on  April  26th.  The  “National  Carnation 
and  Picotee  Society  ”  (southern  section)  has  also  attained  its  majority, 
and  is  in  a  highly  prosperous  condition.  The  members  number  350, 
including  an  addition  of  seventy-eight  during  the  past  year,  and  there  is 
a  financial  balance  in  favour  of  the  Society  of  upwards  of  £208.  The 
exhibition  is  to  be  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  .July  20th. 
-  Wimbledon  Horticultural  Society  —  Presentation 
to  Mr.  H.  Thomson.— At  the  twenty-fifth  annual  meeting  of  the 
above  Society,  held  on  the  9th  inst.,  a  well-deserved  mark  of  esteem 
was  presented  to  the  diligent  Secretary,  Mr.  H.  Thomson.  The  pre¬ 
sentation  consisted  of  a  nearly  life-size  portrait  of  himself,  prepared  by 
Messrs.  Russell  k.  Son,  and  was  quite  life-like  in  character.  It  bore 
the  following  inscription  :  —  “  Presented  by  the  Officers  and  Committee 
of  the  Wimbledon  and  District  Royal  Horticultural  and  Cottage  Garden 
Society,  as  a  mark  of  esteem  and  respect  and  in  recognition  of  twenty- 
five  years’  valuable  service.  March,  1898.  —  Thomas  E.  Crocker, 
President.”  Mr.  Crocker,  who  is  a  strong  supporter  of  the  Society, 
the  shows  of  which  have  of  late  years  been  held  in  his  grounds, 
tendered  the  gift  in  felicitous  terms,  and  the  recipient’s  acceptance  of 
it  was  not  less  appropriate.  IMr.  Thomson  is  a  local  nurseryman,  and 
his  excellently  kept  grounds  must  have  been  admired  by  many 
travellers  on  the  London  and  South-Western  Railway  between  Wimbledon 
and  Surbiton.  The  next  show  of  the  Society  is  to  be  held,  by  kind 
permission  of  Col.  Mitchell,  who  was  present  at  the  meeting,  in  the 
grounds  of  Cannizaro  House,  on  the  confines  of  Wimbledon  Common. 
-  The  Clear  W ay. — It  is  not  often  that  gardeners’  powers  of 
explanation  are  brought  into  question,  though  “An  Old  Reader,”  on 
page  192,  seems  to  think  there  is  room  for  improvement  in  this  respect. 
He  is  gratified  to  note  that  owners  of  small  gardens  are  becoming 
enlightened  on  the  difficulties  with  which  gardeners  have  to  contend.  It 
would  perhaps  be  well  for  gardeners  in  many  cases  if  owners  of  large 
establishments  would  also  acquire  that  knowledge,  as  it  would  tend  to 
alleviate  the  worries  experienced  in  the  endeavours  to  make  all  ends  meet. 
I  gather  that  “  An  Old  Reader  ”  wishes  to  see  gardeners  masters  of 
language,  and  would  have  them  endowed  with  powers  of  conversation  by 
which  they  can  prove  to  complaining  masters  and  mistresses  why  this 
plant  is  “  leggy,”  and  that  one  refuses  to  flower.  The  logic  is  doubtless 
good  where  ready  listeners  are  to  be  found  to  such  explanations,  but 
there  is  a  danger  of  it  being  extended  until  the  acquirements  which  your 
correspondent  would  encourage  are  used  for  the  framing  of  excuses. 
Genuine  explanations  on  the  part  of  gardeners  are  often  misconstrued,  and 
are  accepted  only  as  agitations  for  additional  outlay,  and  this  is  unfor¬ 
tunate.  On  the  other  hand,  the  incapable  gardener  is  often  a  profuse 
explainer,  or  rather  let  us  say  excuse  maker,  and  in  this  respect  your 
correspondent  touched  on  a  question  that  has  two  distinct  sides.— H. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
March  22nd,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  West¬ 
minster,  1  to  5  P.M.  A  lecture  on  “Soils”  will  be  given  by  Mr.  J.  .1.  Willis, 
at  3  o’clock. 
-  Horticultural  Club.— The  usual  monthly  dinner  and  con¬ 
versazione  was  held  on  Tuesday,  the  8th  instant,  when  the  chair  was 
occupied  by  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch.  A  valuable  paper  was  read  by  Mr. 
J.  A.  Gammie  on  the  Cinchona  in  India,  in  the  culture  of  which  he  had 
been  engaged  for  many  years  in  the  Bengal  Presidency.  An  interesting 
discussion  followed. 
-  Narcissus  minor. — This  charming  little  Daffodil,  which  is 
among  the  earliest  of  the  genus  in  average  years,  is  at  present  in  full 
bloom.  For  the  front  of  the  border  or  rockwork  it  will  be  found  one  of 
the  best,  and  good  clumps  please  all  with  their  bright  yellow  trumpets 
and  perianths.  It  thrives  exceedingly  well  in  this  district,  and  nowhere 
seems  happier  than  in  light  soil.  There  is  a  white  variety,  but  it  is  rare, 
and  seldom  offered  in  catalogues,  and  appears  to  be  somewhat  tender. 
Although  N.  minor  is  scarcer  and  higher  in  price  than  N.  nanus,  it  is  a 
better  doer  in  my  garden,  although  this  is  not  usually  the  case. 
— S.  Arnott. 
-  Midland  Carnation  and  Ficotee  Society. — The  seventh 
annual  report  and  balance-sheet  of  this  Society  have  just  reached  us, 
and  a  perusal  of  them  proves  that  the  condition  of  affairs  is  extremely 
satisfactory  in  all  respects.  The  1897  Show,  held  at  Edgbaston,  was 
greatly  superior  to  any  of  its  predecessors,  the  number  of  exhibitors 
having  materially  increased,  while  the  quality  of  the  blooms  was 
remarkable.  We  observe  that  the  schedule  for  the  present  year’s  Show 
comprises  rather  over  fifty  classes,  amongst  which  a  sum  of  £185  is 
distributed.  In  several  of  the  classes  as  many  as  seven  prizes  are  offered, 
and  in  these  there  will  not  in  all  probability  be  many  disappointed 
exhibitors.  The  Hon.  Secretary  of  this  admirably  managed  Society  is 
Mr.  H.  Smith,  Tenby  Street,  Birmingham,  to  whom  communications 
ought  to  be  addressed. 
-  Birmingham  Gardeners’  Association. — “  A  Chat  About 
Orchids”  was  the  interesting  subject  so  graphically  discoursed  by  Mr. 
H.  A.  Burberry  at  the  usually  fortnightly  meeting  on  the  7th  inst.  IVIr. 
W.  B.  Latham,  Botanical.  Gardens,  Edgbaston,  was  in  the  chair.  The 
lecturer’s  remarks  were  principally  confined  to  the  cultivation  of  those 
species  and  varieties  adapted  for  general  purposes  as  will  flourish 
amongst  ordinary  greenhouse  plants.  Special  reference  was  made  to  the 
feeding  of  Orchids,  the  essayist  entertaining  considerable  doubt  as  to  the 
necessity  of  applying  manure  in  any  form.  He  was  not  an  advocate 
for  heavy  applications  of  the  syringe,  but  more  for  “  dewings.”  For  the 
perfect  maturation  of  the  pseudo-bulbs  of  some  species  a  free  circulation 
of  air  was  advised.  The  much-controverted  practice  of  pruning  away 
the  old  pseudo-bulbs,  especially  of  Dendrobium  nobile  and  its  allies, 
was  also  an  item  which  he  was  not  antagonistic  to,  though  he  would  not 
advise  the  system,  unless  in  the  hands  of  an  expert.  An  interesting 
discussion  ensued,  and  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  Mr. 
Burberry. 
-  Chester  Paxton  Society. — At  the  usual  fortnightly  meeting 
of  this  Society  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln,  Hon.  Sec.,  delivered  a  lecture  on  “  Sir 
Joseph  Paxton.”  By  way  of  introduction  Mr.  Miln  mentioned  that  there 
had  never  been  any  complete  biography  published  of  Sir  Joseph,  and  it 
was  not  without  some  difficulty  that  a  life  history  of  him  had  been 
obtained.  This  prince  of  gardeners  was  descriJ)ed  by  the  lecturer  as  one 
of  the  great  men  of  the  century  ;  and  his  career  was  minutely  traced 
from  the  time  he  became  an  apprentice-gardener  to  the  period  when  he 
was  returned  member  of  Parliament  for  Coventry.  His  great  work  at 
Chatsworth,  his  valuable  contributions  to  botanical  and  horticultural 
literature  are  well  known  to  gardeners  generally.  But  the  crowning 
effort  of  his  life  was  undoubtedly  the  designing  of  the  building  in  Hyde 
Park,  in  which  was  held  the  great  Industrial  Exhibition  of  1851,  and 
which  was  afterwards  reconstructed  at  Sydenham.  For  this  he  received 
the  honour  of  knighthood,  a  well-earned  distinction.  The  later  years  of 
his  life  were  devoted  to  commercial  enterprises  of  various  kinds,  and  the 
development  of  railways,  but  he  never  lost  that  love  of  gardening  which 
he  had  so  studiously  cultivated  in  early  life.  In  proposing  a  vote  of 
thanks  to  the  lecturer  the  President  of  the  Society  (Mr.  N.  F.  Barnes) 
said  the  members  were  deeply  indebted  to  Mr.  Miln  for  having  got 
together  such  an  amount  of  valuable  information,  which  previously  was 
practically  unknown  to  them  ;  and  a  request  was  made  that  the  lecture 
should  be  published  in  pamphlet  form. 
