October  27,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
323 
THE  N.C.S.  AND  THE  ROYAL  AQUARIUM. 
I  am  not  behind  the  scenes,  and  cannot  tell  of  the  various  strings 
pulled  to  cause  the  N.C.S. ,  even  in  opposition  to  the  recommendations 
-of  its  own  specially  appointed  Committee,  to  agree  to  stick  to  its  old 
unsuitable  place  of  exhibition ;  but  there  may  be  something  in  what 
-was  said  some  time  aso  by  a  member,  that  it  was  so  convenient  to 
have  the  shows  near  the  Drill  Hall.  No  doubt  the  prestige  of  the 
R.H.S.  is  a  very  important  factor,  and  members  of  both  societies  do 
not  like  to  lose  association  with  the  quietude  and  congenial  company  of 
the  Drill  Hall,  for  to  be  an  active  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  is  something  to  be  proud  of.  I  appreciated  immensely  the 
Xi  honour”  shown  in  accepting  the  hospitality  of  the  general  manager 
of  the  Crystal  Palace,  yet  resolved  to  refuse  his  liberal  offers,  even 
whilst  eating  his  food.  I  sympathise  with  those  members  of  tbe  Sites 
Committee  who  were  worthily  engaged  but  voted  down.  They  will 
iardly  be  so  fooled  again. — No  Partisan. 
THE  N.C.S.— SITES  COMMITTEE’S  REPORT. 
We  have  received  from  the  Secretary  of  the  N.C.S.  the  terms  of 
reference  supplied  to  the  special  committee  that  was  appointed  to 
-consider  them,  also  to  visit  and  report  on  various  buildings  as  suitable 
-or  otherwise  for  the  Society’s  shows.  We  can  find  space  for  little 
more  than  the  Committee’s  report. 
Having  found  the  Agricultural  Hall,  Islington ;  the  Exhibition 
Buildings,  Earl's  Court;  Olympia,  Kensington;  the  Queen’s  Hall, 
Langham  Place  ;  the  Imperial  Institute,  South  Kensington  ;  and  the 
Northampton  Institute,  Clerkenwell,  either  unsuitable  or  unobtainable, 
attention  appears  to  have  been  concentrated  on  the  Crystal  Palace  and 
the  Royal  Aquarium. 
The  sub-Committee,  after  waiting  on  the  Directors  of  both 
Companies  and  ascertaining  the  terms  offered,  prepared  the  following 
reports  of  their  examinations,  deliberations,  and  recommendation. 
Crystal  Palace,  Sydenham. -A  deputation  from  your  sub-Com¬ 
mittee  waited  on  Mr.  H.  Gillman,  the  General  Manager,  at  the  Crystal 
Palace,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  upon  what  terms  the  Shows  of  the 
Society  might  be  held  at  Sydenham.  Mr.  Gillman  made  an  offer  of  the 
following  terms  for  1899  :  — 
1,  For  an  October  Show.  £75;  for  a  November  Show,  £175;  fora 
December  Show,  £50  =  £300. 
2,  To  set  apart  the  grand  central  naves  for  the  Shows,  provide  the 
-necessary  tabling,  arrange  a  room  for  the  meetings  of  the  Floral  and 
-other  Committees. 
3,  Supply  the  necessary  admission  tickets  for  members  and  for  the 
representatives  of  affiliated  Societies. 
4,  Supply  admission  tickets  at  half-price.  Would  favour  the  provision 
of  a  Is.  6d.  ticket,  which  would  give  transit  from  London  to  the  Palace 
and  back,  with  admission  to  the  building,  so  that  the  sum  may  be  divided 
-in  three  equal  shares  between  the  Crystal  Palace,  the  railway,  and"  the 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
5,  Will  permit  floor  space  to  be  let  for  miscellaneous  exhibits  ;  will 
provide  plants  to  decorate  the  show  tables  if  required  ;  will  do  the  whole 
-of  the  bill-posting  at  the  expense  of  the  Crystal  Palace. 
6,  Will  do  all  the  advertising,  with  the  exception  of  the  gardening 
papers,  as  at  present. 
7,  Will  endeavour  to  arrange  f,ir  a  supply  of  refreshments  in  the 
building  on  reasonable  terras  ;  and 
8,  Will  also  take  steps  to  arrange  for  a  cheaper  and  quicker  train 
service  to  and  from  the  Palace 
9,  No  Dahlia  exhibition  to  be  held  by  tbe  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society,  as  the  National  Dahlia  Society  holds  its  exhibition  annually  at 
the  Crystal  Palace. 
In  reply  to  a  request  as  to  whether  the  sum  named  for  the  November 
-show  could  be  augmented,  Mr.  Gillman  said  he  thought  that  the 
arrangement  should  be  tried  for  one  year,  and  then  be  reconsidered. 
Your  sub-Committee  hold  that  the  greater  ground-floor  space  afforded 
at  the  Crystal  Palace,  the  better  light  by  day,  added  to  the  greater 
•freedom  from  noise,  which  is  objectionable  to  some  at  the  Royal 
Aquarium,  constitute  advantages  which  go  a  considerable  way  in  the 
direction  of  meeting  the  objections  to  the  present  place  in  which  the 
exhibitions  of  the  Society  are  held,  which  have  found  expression  in 
various  ways. 
Your  sub-Committee  having  given  due  consideration  to  the  foregoing 
particulars,  have  decided  by  a  majority  to  make  the  following  recom¬ 
mendation  to  the  Executive  Committee  : — 
That  the  terms  offered  by  the  Crystal  Palace  Company  for  holding 
three  exhibitions  in  1899  be  accepted,  subject  to  details  being  found 
satisfactory. 
For  the  foregoing  resolution  there  voted  six — namely,  P.  Waterer 
<jChairman),  T.  Bevan,  D.  B.  Crane,  J.  W.  Moorman,  J.  T.  Simpson,  and 
A.  Taylor. 
Against  the  resolution  one— namely,  R.  Ballantine. 
The  above  report  was  presente  1  to  a  special  meeting  of  the  Execu¬ 
tive  Committee  on  October  17th,  and  on  the  motion  for  its  adoption, 
there  voted  for  the  motion  eleven,  against  it  twenty-six.  The  motion 
for  its  adoption  was  therefore  declared  lost. 
Thus  the  matter  is  settled  by  a  majority  of  nearly  2j  to  1  of  the 
Executive,  overturning  a  vote  of  6  to  1  of  the  Special  Committee — 
a  distinct  novelty.  The  Executive  is  invested  with  full  power  to  fix 
the  place  of  exhibition.  It  appears  from  another  portion  of  the  report 
that  the  Aquarium  Company  give  £30  extra  this  year,  making  £330, 
but  decline  to  consider  the  matter  of  adding  the  annual  grant  unless 
the  N.C.S.  “  guarantee  to  carry  out  four  exhibitions  annually  for  the 
space  of  three  years.”  If  the  coquetry  should  result  in  marriage,  it 
may  be  expected  that  the  champagne  will  fly  again. 
AMATEUR  versus  TRADER. 
We  are  informed  that  a  case  was  tried  in  the  Hastings  County 
Court  on  Monday  last,  relative  to  the  Committee  of  the  N.C.S. 
refusing  to  pay  prize  money  to  Mr.  Strudwick,  who  was  a  successful 
exhibitor  in  the  amateurs’  classes  at  the  Aquarium  Show  last 
November.  If  we  remember  rightly,  a  protest  was  entered  at  the 
time  against  the  eligibility  of  the  exhibitor,  hut  Mr.  R.  Dean,  the 
referee,  decided  against  it.  If  it  is  correct  that  Mr.  Strudwick 
publishes  a  catalogue  of  plants  for  sale,  we  are  not  surprised  that  the 
N.C.S.  won  the  Hastings  case  with  costs. 
N.C.S.— FLORAL  COMMITTEE. 
A  meeting  of  the  Floral  Committee  was  held  on  Monday  last  at 
the  Royal  Aquarium,  Mr.  Harman  Payne  occupying  the  chair.  There 
was  an  excellent  display  of  novelties,  the  principal  exhibits  coming 
from  Mr  W.  Wells,  Mr.  II.  J.  Jones,  Mr.  R.  Owen,  Mr.  W.  Seward, 
Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey,  Mr.  Spink,  and  Mr.  H.  Weeks.  The  following 
first-class  certificates  were  awarded  : — 
Mrs.  Wingfield. — A  very  pretty  decorative  Japanese  flower,  some¬ 
thing  resembling  the  Christines  in  form;  colour  deep  bright  pink. 
Staged  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Empson. 
Ada  Oiuen. — A  very  nice  looking,  regularly  built  incurved,  close 
and  compact;  florets  broad  and  stiff;  the  blooms  are  of  good  size; 
colour  pure  white.  From  Mr.  R.  Owen. 
Lady  Phillips. — An  incurving  Japanese,  big,  bold,  and  solid; 
florets  very  broad  ;  colour  pale  mauve  with  a  reverse  of  silvery  pink. 
Also  from  Mr.  R.  Owen. 
Mrs.  George  Hill. — A  pretty  little  decorative  Japanese  with  white 
drooping  florets,  centre  shaded  yellow  ;  very  free  and  useful. 
Exhibited  by  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones. 
President  Bevan. — Japanese  incurved;  a  big  massive  flower  of 
exceptional  build,  florets  grooved  and  pointed ;  colour  deep  golden 
ye  low  shaded  bronze.  From  Mr.  W.  Wells. 
Major  Matthew. — Incurved  rather  narrow  florets,  but  closely 
incurving;  a  globular,  well-built,  medium-sized  flower;  rich  rosy 
pink.  Shown  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey. 
Mrs.  W.  Seward. — A  large  finely  built  Japanese,  and,  like  many 
of  Mr.  Seward’s  seedlings,  very  rich  in  colouring.  It  is  deep  in  build  ; 
the  florets  are  flat  and  of  good  substance,  and  very  regularly  arranged  ; 
the  colour  is  deep  rosy  cerise  with  a  reverse  of  gold,  and  the  florets 
are  tipped  and  edged  gold.  Mr.  W.  Seward  was  the  exhibitor. 
Market  White. — Decorative  Japanese;  a  pretty  little  flower,  colour 
pure  white,  tinted  sulphur  in  the  centre.  One  of  Mr.  W.  Wells’ 
exhibits. 
Jules  Mary. — Another  decorative  Japanese  ;  florets  narrow,  stiff, 
and  neatly  disposed  ;  colour  diep  bright  crimson,  reverse  golden;  very 
effective.  Also  shown  by  Mr.  W.  Wells. 
Mrs.  W.  Cursham. — This  is  another  of  the  big  battalion.  The 
florets  are  broad  and  deeply  grooved,  twisted  and  intermingling,  and 
curly  at  the  tips  ;  the  ground  colour  is  while,  shaded  pale  lilac  mauve. 
A  novelty  sent  by  Mr.  H.  Weeks. 
Specially  noteworthy  were  the  following  : — Miss  Mary  Leschelles, 
a  pure  white  sport  of  great  merit,  from  Reine  d’Angleterre ;  Miss 
Godsmab,  a  golden  brenze  Japanese,  which  the  Committee  wish  to  see 
again,  as  they  also  did  Thomas  Singleton;  Mr.  M.  Russell,  a  fine 
golden  chestnut  coloured  incurved,  was  also  asked  to  be  sent  up 
again;  Mme.  Convat  de  Terrail,  pale  flesh-coloured  Japanese,  and  Le 
Grand  Dragon,  a  big  yellow  Japanese,  were  the  objects  of  a  similar 
request;  Autumn  Glory,  a  pink  coloured  Japanese  with  a  shiny 
reverse,  was  commended ;  Ellen  Shrimpton,  very  bright  and  pretty 
deep  rosy  cerise,  also  a  Japanese,  the  Committee  wished  to  see  again  ; 
and  Mytchett  Beauty,  a  deep  golden  orange  decorative  variety  of  the 
Japanese  type. 
SPECIALITIES  IN  PRIZE  SCHEDULES. 
In  noting  the  leading  points  in  prize  schedules  this  season,  I  fail  to 
find  any  diminution  in  the  number  or  value  of  the  prizes  generally 
throughout  the  whole  range  of  exhibitions,  which  extends  from 
Exmouth  on  October  27th,  to  Dundee,  just  one  month  later.  This 
fact  speaks  well  for  the  interest  taken  in  these  autumn  exhibitions, 
and  is  a  distinct  proof  of  the  hold  they  have  upon  the  public  who 
support  the  various  societies  so  liberally. 
The  National  Chrysanthemum  Society’s  November  exhibition  will 
no  doubt  create  the  greatest  interest,  as  many  exhibitors  regard  this 
show  as  the  mo3t  important  of  all.  Assuming  this  to  be  the  case,  a 
few  notes  on  the  composition  of  the  prize  schedule  will  first  merit 
