300  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Weather  in  London.— Rain  has  et  last  come  in  appreciable 
quantities.  There  were  showers  on  Friday  night,  with  others  on  Satur¬ 
day  ar!ernoon  and  evening.  The  heaviest  fall,  however,  was  on  Sunday, 
when  it  rained  unceasingly  for  several  hours.  Monday  again  brought 
showers,  interspersed  with  gleams  of  bright  sunshine.  On  Tuesday  a 
drenching  rain  fell  during  the  morning.  At  the  time  of  going  to  press 
on  Wednesday  it  was  wet. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  —  The  next  Fruit  and 
Floral  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on 
Tuesday,  October  25th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster 
1  to  4  P.M.  A  lecture  on  “Experimental  Horticulture”  will  be  given 
by  Mr.  Geo.  Gordon,  Y.M.H.,  at  three  o’clock. 
-  Lilium  Humboldti. — At  page  240  I  was  sorry  to  see  that 
the  cultivation  of  Lilium  Humboldti  was  rather  discouraged,  as  it  is  a 
favourite  of  mine.  I  think  if  your  correspondents  will  plant  this  Lily  in 
vegetable  soil  in  partial  shade,  with  rather  damp  subsoil,  they  will  find 
that  it  will  reward  them.  A  clump  at  Oakwood  this  season  was  especially 
fine.  Last  year  the  severe  frost  about  the  middle  of  May  cut  the  tops  of 
the  shoots  when  about  3  feet  high,  but  some  other  Lilies  shared  the  same 
unusual  fate. — George  F.  Wilson. 
-  National  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association  —  Liver¬ 
pool  Branch. — On  Thursday  evening  the  usual  monthly  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Common  Hall,  Hackins  Hey,  Liverpool,  Mr.  Drake  presiding* 
There  was  a  good  attendance  of  members,  who  took  much  interest  in  an 
excellent  paper  on  “  Dahlias,”  read  by  Mr.  Cangley,  one  of  the  best 
known  amateurs  in  the  district.  An  interesting  discussion  followed, 
and  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  unanimously  carried.  The  exhibits 
were  above  the  average,  and  in  sufficient  variety  to  satisfy  almost  all 
lovers  of  horticulture.  Two  were  singled  out  for  special  certificates — viz., 
a  magnificent  dish  of  Tomatoes,  remarkable  for  weight,  colour,  and  fresh¬ 
ness.  In  addition  to  certificate  and  first  prize  the  special  prize  was  also 
granted  to  Mr.  Ardran  for  this  exhibit.  The  other  recipient  was  Mr- 
Cangley,  and  the  honour  conferred  was  not  too  much  for  the  superb 
blooms  staged  of  that  excellent-  and  useful  Chrysanthemum  Emily 
Silsbury.  The  fruit  classes  were  well  contested,  Mr.  R.  Muir  winning 
with  Williams’  Bon  Chretien  Pears,  Mr.  Tinsley  with  fire  Warner’s 
King  Apples,  Messrs.  Tinsley  and  McMillan  taking  the  smaller  classes. 
There  were  several  prizes  offered  for  miscellaneous  plants,  these  being 
won  by  Messrs.  Hunt,  Redfearn,  Cangley,  Drake,  Histed,  and  Matthias. 
Messrs.  Cangley,  Cooper,  and  Smyth  were  responsible  for  the  excellent 
arrangements,  and  altogether  this  branch  seems  to  be  improving  each 
month. — R.  P.  R. 
-  Plants  and  Acetylene  Gas. — A  few  days  ago  there  was 
a  “private  view  ”  at  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Edgbaston,  of  the  installation 
of  acetylene  gas,  which  had  been  introduced  into  the  houses  ;  in  the  first 
place  for  the  purpose  of  a  garden  party  given  to  the  United  Kingdom 
Band  of  Hope  Conference,  and  also  at  the  close  of  the  garden  party  given 
by  the  Health  Committee  to  the  Sanitary  Institute  Congress.  There  was 
a  large  attendance  of  members  of  the  Botanical  and  Horticultural  Society 
and  others,  and  the  various  demonstrations  and  explanations  which  were 
given  were  listened  to  with  much  interest.  In  the  course  of  the  evening 
the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Gardens,  Professor  Hillhouse,  took  the 
opportunity  of  saying  that  in  the  interests  of  the  Society  he  had  studied 
the  light  from  two  points  of  view — injury  to  plants  from  evolved  gases, 
and  relations  with  colour.  He  had  gone  through  the  houses  with  the 
utmost  care,  and  had  failed  to  see  the  smallest  sign  of  any  of  those 
injurious  effects  which  the  combustion  of  coal  gas  had  upon  plants,  and 
in  this  conclusion  the  veteran  Curator  of  the  Gardens,  Mr.  Latham, 
entirely  agreed.  The  second  point  for  inquiry  received  an  equally 
satisfactory  answer.  The  most  critical  colours,  so  far  as  artificial 
illuminants  were  concerned,  ceme  out  of  the  ordeal  with  success.  The 
mixed  shades  of  mauve  and  magenta,  such  as  those  of  Bougainvillea, 
were  at  least  as  perfectly  displayed  as  with  the  arc  light,  while  the  various 
shades  of  yellow,  from  pale  to  deepest  chrome,  which  were  possessed  by 
such  a  flower  as  the  Allamanda,  could  hardly  be  more  distinguishable  in 
ordinary  sunlight. 
October  20,  1898. 
-  Horticultural  Club. — The  first  dinner  and  conversazione 
for  the  session  1898-99  took  place  on  Tuesday,  lltb.  The  chair  was 
occupied  by  Mr.  Philip  Crowley  ;  and  there  were  also  present  Messrs. 
Geo.  Monro,  James  H.  Veitch,  Peter  Kay,  William  Bassett,  James 
Walker,  Peter  Veitch,  J.  Assbee,  C.  Mason,  and  the  Secretary.  A  paper 
by  Mr.  George  Bunyard  was  read,  as  owing  to  indisposition  he  was  him¬ 
self  unable  to  attend.  The  subject  of  it  was  the  fruit  crop  of  1898  and  its 
lessons.  It  was  very  ably  treated,  and  led  to  a  very  interesting  discussion, 
in  which  most  of  those  present  took  a  part.  The  paper  will  appear  in 
an  early  issue. 
-  Exhibition  Quality  in  Grapes. — On  page  289,  “A.  D.” 
informs  his  readers  that,  “In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  big  bunches  are  cut  up 
>n  the  pantry  to  three  or  four  ere  sent  to  the  table.”  “Thus  a  big  cluster 
hangs  about  the  sideboard  until  the  Grapes  are  stale.”  Will  “  A.  D.”  be 
good  enough  to  give  some  proof  that  the  said  assertion  is  a  correct  one  1 
I  venture  to  say  that  if  “  A.  D  ”  is  a  practical  gardener,  and  has  served  in 
private  places,  he  must  know  that,  in  at  least  99  out  of  every  100  country 
establishments,  Grapes  never  go  into  the  pantry  at  all.  No  gardener, 
worthy  of  the  name,  would  ever  think  of  cutting  huge  bunches,  to  be 
afterwards  divided  into  three  or  four  and  hung  in  the  pantry  sideboard 
until  wanted. — OBSERVER. 
-  J udging  by  Points. — In  reply  to  your  editorial  note  at  the  foot 
of  my  contribution  on  the  above  subject  in  last  week’s  Journal ,  as  to  how  I 
arrived  at  the  higher  figures  of  121  £  points  to  the  second  prize  table,  and 
118tj  to  the  first  prize  one.  This  is  found  by  taking  the  points  the  judges 
awarded  to  the  several  kinds  of  fruit,  and  multiplying  them  by  the 
number  of  dishes  (sixteen)  on  each  table.  The  duplicate  dishes  on  both 
tables  were  remarkable  for  their  evenness  of  quality.  rI  enclose  a  tabu¬ 
lated  list,  which  will  explain  matters. — Exhibitor.  [The  gummed  part 
of  the  envelope  was  so  firmly  attached  to  the  MS,  that  this  was  torn  in 
extraction,  the  portion  printed  only  being  intact.  It,  however,  represents 
the  gist  of  the  matter.  If,  as  we  understand,  the  case  is  to  be  submitted 
to  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  its  further  public  discussion  may  well 
rest  in  abeyance.] 
-  Plants  for  Mixed  Borders. — I  noticed  recently  when  at 
Basing  Park,  Alton,  numerous  plants,  some  24  inches  in  height,  of 
Calceolaria  pinnatifolia,  a  variety  or  species  from  South  America,  long 
introduced  here,  but  still  very  seldom  seen.  It  is  an  annual,  easily  raised 
from  seed,  and  carries  throughout  the  summer  a  great  profusion  of 
medium  sized  clear  yellow  flowers.  It  is  also,  because  of  its  long  stems, 
a  capital  plant  to  furnish  flowers  for  cuttting.  This  plant  is  well  worthy 
the  attention  of  the  hybridist,  as  it  seeds  profusely.  Another  charming 
plant,  specially  so  for  its  colour,  is  Browallia  grandiflora,  height 
20  inches,  giving  pleasing  blue  tints,  and  also  capital  for  cutting.  A  third 
most  excellent  plant  is  Zinnia  Ilaageana,  without  doubt ;  to  mix  in  borders 
or  to  form  bold  masses  of  orange  yellow,  the  very  best  and  most  enduring 
of  all  annuals.  This  is  largely  used  at  Basing  Park,  especially  in  pre¬ 
ference  to  bedding  Calceolarias.  Those  who  wish  to  have  bold  masses  of 
yellow  will  do  well  to  try  this  fine  annual. — A.  D. 
-  Midland  Daffodil  Society. — Mr.  Robert  Sydenham  sends 
us  a  schedule  of  the  first  show  of  this  new  Society,  which  he  says  is 
now  fairly  started  on  a  hoped-for  successful  career.  The  Bishop  of 
Worcester  is  President  of  the  Society,  and  among  the  Vice-Presidents 
we  note  the  Right  Honourable  Joseph  Chamberlain,  the  Lord  Mayor  of 
Birmingham  (C.  G.  Beale,  Esq.,  M.A.),  John  Bennett  Poe,  Esq., 
Chairman  of  the  Narcissus  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  and  Rev.  W.  Wilks.  The  schedule  is  divided  into  sections — 
A,  cut  blooms  ;  B,  plants  in  pots ;  C,  table  decorations.  There 
appear  to  be  seventeen  classes  for  Daffodils  and  Narcissi,  a  few  being 
also  provided  for  Tulips  and  Spanish  Irises.  More  than  a  hundred 
prizes  are  offered,  ranging  from  £4  to  4s.,  apart  from  Messrs.  Barr 
and  Sons’  silver  Daffodil  cup,  of  original  design  by  Mr.  H.  G.  Moon, 
value  7  guineas,  and  a  large  silver  medal  given  by  the  Birmingham 
Botanical  and  Horticultural  Society  as  a  champion  prize  for  the 
greatest  number  of  points  obtained  in  specified  classes.  Other  medals 
are  also  provided,  to  be  awarded  on  the  same  lines — a  first  prize  to 
count  twenty-four  points  ;  second,  eighteen  ;  third,  twelve  ;  and  fourth, 
six  points.  This  is  what  we  call  a  good  start,  and  all  who  love  spring 
flowers  are  invited  to  join  the  Society.  The  show,  which  ought  to  be 
a  very  beautiful  one,  is  to  be  held  in  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Edgbaston, 
Birmingham,  on  Thursday  and  Friday,  April  14th  and  15th,  1899. 
Mr.  Robert  Sydenham,  Tenby  Street,  Birmingham,  is  Treasurer  of  the 
Society  (an  expert  in  finding  and  making  money) ;  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Jacobs,  Whitwell  Rectory,  Salop,  and  Mr.  Herbert  Smith,  Tenby  Street, 
Birmingham,  being  joint  Honorary  Secretaries. 
