54 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  20,  1899. 
Recent  Weather  in  London.  —  The  heat  that  we  experienced 
early  last  week  showed  some  signs  of  diminution  on  Saturday  and 
Sunday,  but  the  fall  in  temperature  was  not  sufficient  to  make  the  con¬ 
ditions  really  pleasant.  Thunderstorms  have  threatened,  but  in  the 
metropolis  they  have  been  very  local,  and  not  particularly  severe. 
Wednesday  opened  intensely  hot. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
July  25th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p.m.  A 
lecture  on  “  Seed  Dispersal  ”  will  be  given  at  three  o’clock  by  Professor 
G.  S.  Boulger. 
-  Honour  to  a  British  Horticulturist.— We  learn  with 
great  pleasure  that  his  Majesty  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  by  decree  signed 
at  Laeken,  on  June  27th  last,  has  conferred  on  Dr.  Maxwell  T.  Masters, 
the  editor  of  the  “  Gardeners’  Chronicle,”  the  honour  of  Officer  of  the 
Order  of  Leopold.  No  one  could  have  been  more  deserving  of  the  honour 
than  the  recipient. 
-  Death  of  Major  Mason.  —  Major  Mason  of  The  Firs, 
Warwick,  died  at  one  o’clock  on  Friday  morning,  July  14th,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-eight,  after  being  ill  only  a  day.  He  was  the  senior  borough 
magistrate,  and  senior  county  magistrate  after  Lord  Leigh.  He  spent 
the  early  part  of  his  life  in  the  service  of  the  old  East  India  Company. 
He  was  the  son  of  Admiral  Sir  Francis  Mason,  K.C.B.,  and  the  grandson 
of  Viscount  Hood.  Horticulturists  will  be  familiar  with  the  name  of 
Major  Mason,  as  he  was  an  ardent  orchidist, 
-  Escallonia  philippiana. — This  is  one  of  the  best  hardy 
shrubs  that  flower  in  July,  and  by  far  the  best  of  the  Escallonias.  While 
the  other  species  are  tender  near  London,  E.  philippiana  will  stand  any 
ordinary  winter  in  the  open  with  impunity.  It  was  introduced  from 
Chili  nearly  thirty  years  ago  by  Messrs.  Veitch  of  Chelsea,  and  is  quite 
worthy  of  far  more  extended  cultivation  than  it  receives.  It  is  suitable 
either  for  beds  on  lawns  or  as  a  single  plant  where  a  low  shrub  is 
required,  as  it  grows  freely  in  any  sunny  situation,  provided  the  soil  is 
moderately  good.  The  Hawthorn-scented  flowers  are  individually  small, 
but  are  borne  in  such  profusion  on  the  terminal  and  lateral  shoots  as  to 
amply  compensate  for  their  lack  of  size.  They  are  pure  white  in  colour, 
The  leaves  are  small,  finely  serrated,  and  of  a  rich  deep  green.  It  is 
easily  propagated  by  cuttings  of  the  half-ripened  wood,  inserted  in  sandy 
soil,  and  plunged  in  slight  bottom  heat. — C. 
-  Cottagers’  Flowers. — Those  whose  business  it  is  to  visit  the 
gardens  of  the  hardworkers  in  our  rural  districts  not  infrequently  come 
upon  some  evidence  of  taste  in  flower  gardening  that  surprise  and  delight 
even  the  most  satiated.  A  few  days  since  at  Ashtead  I  saw  in  the  garden 
surrounding  the  cottage  of  a  cowman  a  marvellous  show  in  which  tender 
and  hardy  annuals,  perennials,  tender  plants,  Roses,  climbers,  and  other 
things  were  most  beautifully  and  effectively  blended,  giving  a  wealth  of 
floral  beauty  such  as  coaid  not  have  been  in  so  limited  a  space  excelled 
anywhere.  Certainly  not  the  most  able  gardener  in  the  kingdom  could 
have  done  better.  Hardy  annuals  especially  were  wondrously  effective, 
and  there  was  ample  material  for  a  long  succession  of  bloom.  The  entire 
garden  was  as  neat  as  it  was  beautiful.  The  border,  which  was  of  Z  shape 
was  some  50  feet  long,  and  there  were  other  portions  in  addition.  A  little 
home  made  greenhouse  nestling  close  to  the  cottage  showed  where  the 
Begonias  and  other  tender  plants  had  been  wintered.  Away  on  one  side 
of  an  open  common  at  Coulsdon  I  went  into  a  cottage  garden  of  oblong 
shape  enelosed  by  a  neat  hedge.  Passing  up  on  one  side  I  could  but 
admire  the  fine  crops  of  diverse  vegetables  in  it,  and  at  the  extreme  end 
was  a  big  collection  of  box  bee  hives  full  of  active  workers.  Crossing 
behind  these  I  found  on  each  side  of  the  other  side  path  a  border  2  feet 
wide,  a  great  portion  of  which  was  full  of  one  ofthe  most  beautiful  selections 
of  dwarf  Snapdragons,  of  Sutton’s  Superb  strain,  I  have  ever  seen,  backed 
by  taller  and  lovely-hued  Scabious,  whilst  on  the  other  side  were  great 
numbers  of  Ten-week  Stocks  in  brilliant  flower,  and  numerous  other 
plants.  Roses,  home  worked,  were  plentiful.  It  was  a  surprise  as  well 
as  a  delight.  The  cottager  was  an  ordinary  woodman,  but  one  of  exceeding 
industry  and  endowed  with  fine  taste. — Observer.  * 
-  Planting  Savoys. — It  is  not  necessary  to  plant  Savoya  before 
this  month.  If  possible  choose  a  dull  period  previous  to  rain.  If  planting 
is  very  dry  weather  cut  a  small  trench,  which  fill  with  water,  plant,  fill 
in  some  soil,  and  water  again. — S. 
-  Horticultural  Club. — The  informal  dinner  of  the  Horti¬ 
cultural  Club,  when  the  foreign  visitors  to  the  R.H.S.  Conference  were 
entertained  last  week,  proved  a  great  success,  and  the  utmost  good 
feeling  was  expressed  by  the  guests,  who  greatly  appreciated  the 
entertainment.  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch  presided  in  the  absence  of  Sir 
John  D.  T.  Llewelyn,  Bart.,  M.P.,  whose  parliamentary'  duties  obliged' 
him  to  quit  early.  Messrs.  Veitch  supplied  fine  Roses,  flowers,  and 
plants  for  the  tables,  and  Messrs.  Bunyard  some  fifteen  varieties  of 
Kent  Strawberries  which  astonished  the  visitors.  Messrs.  Rivers  sent 
orchard  house  Cherries,  and  Mr.  Geo.  Monro,  Cherries  from  the  open. 
-  Periploca  GRiECA. — This  charming  hardy  climber  is  a  native 
of  southern  Europe  and  Syria.  It  is  not  so  much  grown  now  as  it 
used  to  be,  Clematis,  Roses,  and  Ampelopsis  having  superseded  it.  It 
is,  however,  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  any  garden,  more  especially  for 
those  places  where  no  other  climber  seems  to  be  able  to  thrive,  as  the 
Periploca  will  grow  almost  anywhere  and  in  any  kind  of  soil.  The 
opposite  leaves  are  ovate  in  shape,  4  or  5  inches  long,  by  about  2  inches 
wide,  of  a  bright,  shining  green,  and  glabrous  on  bo  h  surfaces.  The 
flowers  are  borne  in  large  corymbs,  opening  in  July  and  August,  and 
are  of  a  brownish  colour  covered  on  the  inside  with  short  white  hairs- 
The  plant  is  easily  propagated  by  cuttings  or  layers. — C. 
-  Hibiscus  heterophyllus.  —  This  plant  furnishes  a  good 
example  of  the  beneficial  results  produced  by  border  culture  on  plants 
which  have  behaved  in  an  altogether  unsatisfactory  manner  in  pots.  For 
several  years  it  was  grown  in  the  temperate  house  at  Kew  as  a  pot  plant, 
never  making  more  than  an  ordinary  looking  plant,  and  not  flowering- 
In  the  spring  of  1898,  however,  a  specimen  2  feet  high  was  planted  in  a 
sunny  position  in  the  Mexican  house,  where  it  quickly  grew  out  of 
recognition,  making  a  perfect  pyramid,  12  feet  high  and  6  feet  through  at 
the  base,  in  nine  months.  Early  this  year  growth  was  checked  and  tho 
shoots  thinned,  and  it  flowered  very  freely.  It  is  a  native  of  New 
South  Wales,  and  varies  considerably  in  habit,  the  leaves  of  some  plants 
being  entire,  others  deeply  lobed,  while  the  flowers  also  vary  greatly  im 
size.  The  Kew  plant  has  soft  pithy  growths  covered  with  spines.  The 
leaves  are  decidedly  ornamental,  light  green,  and  deeply  lobed,  the  lobes- 
varying  from  three  to  five  on  different  leaves.  The  flowers  are  about  the 
same  size  as  those  of  H.  Mauihot — i.e.,  6  to  7  inches  across — and  have  the 
same  maroon  blotch  at  the  base  of  the  petals,  but  instead  of  being 
primrose  yellow,  as  in  that  species,  they  are  white,  with  a  longitudinal 
mark  of  rose  on  the  outside  of  each  petal.  Altogether  the  flower  is  most 
striking  and  beautiful,  its  only  fault  being  its  short  life,  as  it  is  only  at 
its  best  for  about  eighteen  hours. — W.  D. 
-  The  Charter  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — 
I  may  reply  to  your  correspondent  of  last  week  in  reference  to  the  above 
subject.  An  esteemed  member  of  the  Council  informs  me  that  the 
special  object  of  the  general  meeting  of  the  Fellows  convened  for  Friday 
next  is  to  submit  to  the  Privy  Council  an  amended  charter  to  replace 
the  old,  cumbrous,  and  quite  out-of-date  charter  which  was  granted  by  her 
Majesty  in  council  in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  her  reign,  and  by  virtue  of 
the  existence  of  which  the  Society’s  hands  are  much  tied  in  relation  to  the 
more  modern  and  advanced  condition  of  horticulture.  It  has  also  been 
found,  on  consulting  eminent  counsel,  that  the  existing  bye-laws  relating 
to  the  election  of  the  fifth  portion  of  the  Council  annually  are  not  in 
accordance  with  the  charter,  and  it  was  some  time  since  promised  that 
whenever  funds  for  the  purpose  could  be  obtained  such  changes  in  the 
charter  should  be  sought  for  as  are  so  much  needed.  Obviously  there 
can  be  little  objection  to  the  general  tenor  of  the  amended  charter,  a  copy 
of  which  I  have  been  privileged  to  see,  because  it  is  general  in  its  nature, 
and  no  doubt  the  Fellows  assembled  at  the  meeting  will  cordially  assent 
to  the  request  to  the  Privy  Council  for  a  new  charter  being  made.  The- 
chief  interest  to  the  Fellows  will  centre,  should  the  request  of  the  Society 
be  granted,  on  the  proposed  new  bye-laws  which  will  have  to  be  formu¬ 
lated,  as  the  granting  of  a  new  charter  will  abrogate  all  other  bye-laws. 
These  bye-laws,  it  is  hoped,  the  Council  will  print,  and  circulate  copies  of 
to  all  the  Fellows  fully  a  fortnight  before  the  general  meeting  called  to 
consider  them,  and  that  when  amendments  seem  to  be  backed  by  a 
considerable  body  of  Fellows,  if  proposed,  no  stupid  stonewallism  will  be 
interposed  to  prevent  their  acceptance.  The  Society  is,  of  course, 
composed  of  the  Fellows,  and  not  of  the  Council,  and  the  best  way  to- 
insure  its  prosperity  is  to  treat  the  Fellows  with  the  fullest  respect 
and  consideration,— A.  Dean. 
