April  16,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
355 
the  proceedings  of  the  Society.  The  meeting  in  question  was  attended 
by  delegates  from  the  Sheffield  Floral  and  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
also  by  representatives  of  the  Paxton  Societies  of  Rotherham,  Barnsley, 
Batley,  Bradford,  Morley,  Dewsbury,  and  Rothwell,  and  the  large  room 
in  which  the  dinner  was  held  was  crowded.  The  chair  was  occupied 
by  the  President  of  the  Society,  Major  Taylor,  J. P.,  who  was  supported 
by  the  Mayor  of  Wakefield  and  other  representatives  of  the  ancient  city 
— the  capital  of  the  populous  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 
The  after-dinner  speeches  displayed  the  existence  of  more  than 
ordinary  earnestness  in  the  cause  of  horticulture,  and  especially  in  its 
educational  aspects  and  the  good  influences  that  gardening  had 
exercised,  and  would  continue  to  exercise  ;  also  to  be  more  and  more 
appreciated  throughout  the  community. 
The  proceedings  were  not  the  less  enjoyed  through  occasional 
humourous  references,  such  as  the  Rev.  W.  Chalmers’  allusion  to  an 
American  visitor’s  remarks  on  the  Chrysanthemums  at  St.  John’s,  as  grown 
by  Mr.  Garnett.  Pointing  to  a  large  Japanese  bloom,  with  its  drooping 
twisting  florets,  he  said  it  reminded  him  of  the  head  of  a  Scotch 
terrier,  and  if  the  gardeners  went  on  i.o proving  the  specimens  much 
further,  he  guessed  they  would  get  ’em  to  bark  !  Mr.  L.  S.  Calvert, 
Dewsbury,  also  had  his  turn.  He  is  a  great  mountaineer,  and  said 
though  he  had  climbed  many  heights,  one  invariably  beat  him,  as  when 
he  came  to  the  Wakefield  meetings  he  could  never  climb  the  station 
steps  and  catch  the  9.45  ;  and  the  old  lady  who  was  present  at  his  birth 
was  right  in  her  prophecy  that  he  had  come  to  stop,  because  he  found 
he  always  had  to  stop  behind  his  time  at  Wakefield. 
Mr.  G.  W.  Fallas,  referring  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Society 
observed  that  since  its  establishment  a  thousand  papers  had  been  read 
or  lectures  given  on  scientific  and  practical  subjects  of  interest  to  its 
members,  and  the  discussions  which  followed  the  different  essays  were 
of  the  most  free,  searching,  and  instructive  character  ;  he  also  observed 
that  plants  and  flowers  brought  from  time  to  time,  for  illustrating 
subjects  under  treatment,  were  sold  at  the  close  of  the  meetings,  and  the 
amounts  forwarded  to  the  gardening  charities.  At  the  last  meeting  it 
was  decided  to  send  £5  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution, 
making  about  £30  that  had  been  contributed  to  the  charities,  including 
the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.  Mr.  Fallas  also  spoke  of  the  great 
value  of  the  excellent  library  of  the  Paxton  Society,  which  included  works 
of  reference,  especially  scientific  works  on  horticulture  and  allied  arts,  as 
being  of  much  service  to  the  members.  Altogether  he  was  convinced 
the  Society  had  been  the  means  of  doing  an  immense  amount  of  good 
in  the  past,  and  was  destined  to  do  still  more  in  the  future,  his  remarks 
meeting  with  unanimous  assent  on  the  part  of  the  large  assemblage. 
Vocal  music  in  the  form  of  quartettes  and  glees  of  the  most  delightful 
character  contributed  materially  to  the  enjoyable  nature  of  the  proceed¬ 
ings,  and  the  meeting  was  in  all  respects  most  satisfactory  and 
successful. 
VIOLAS  AS  BEDDING  PLANTS. 
When  we  see  the  truly  grand  and  beautiful  show  these  flowers  make 
as  planted  by  some  amateurs  round  London,  one  wonders  they  are  not 
more  used  by  gardeners  in  the  establishments  of  the  more  wealthy  of  the 
population.  Their  claims  to  favour  are  equal  to  any  plants  now  in  use 
and  certainly  exceed  several.  With  a  little  knowledge  of  the  habit  of 
different  varieties  several  colours  may  be  massed  together  in  a  bed  by 
themselves,  or  used  as  edgings  if  desired. 
There  is  a  certain  amount  of  prejudice  against  them  in  the  South, 
many  persons  believing  they  cannot  be  grown  successfully  except  in 
Scotland.  A  greater  mistake  was  never  made,  and  last  summer  has 
done  much  to  clear  away  this  objection,  as  nothing  did  so  well  in  our 
burning  sandy  soil  during  the  tropical  weather  which  prevailed  for  so 
long.  Many  plants  collapsed  or  failed  to  flower,  but  the  Viola  continued 
to  bloom  freely  through  it  all. 
Violas  require  really  very  little  cultivation,  but  will  repay  a  little 
extra  trouble  taken  in  the  preparation  of  the  ground  and  the  addition  of 
cow  manure  if  it  can  be  got.  Early  planting  is  the  chief  secret,  as  they 
can  then  become  thoroughly  established  before  the  hot  weather  sets  in. 
Endeavour  to  get  all  in  the  beds  by  the  middle  of  April,  as  if  the 
operation  is  delayed  longer  a  check  will  be  given  and  their  flowering 
season  delayed.  Planted  now  they  will  be  in  full  bloom  before  ordinary 
bedding  plants  are  ready  to  put  out  and  will  continue  well  on  to 
October. 
In  choosing  varieties  for  bedding  those  with  a  dwarf,  compact  habit 
should  be  used.  The  following  to  my  mind  are  the  best  possible  : — 
Ardwell  Gem,  a  large  sulphur  yellow,  marvellously  free,  and  throwing 
the  flowers  well  above  the  foliage  ;  Goldfinch,  yellow  edged  with  pale 
purple  ;  Duchess  of  Fife,  light  primrose  edged  with  purple  ;  and  White 
Duchess,  a  pure  white  with  thin  purple  edge.  The  last  three  are  sports 
from  Ardwell  Gem,  and  identical  in  habit,  aud  so  far  have  proved  to  be 
entirely  free  from  disease  or  mildew.  Countess  of  Hopetown  is  a  grand 
pure  white,  but  suffers  very  much  from  mildew  towards  the  autumn  ; 
Duchess  of  Sutherland  and  Wm.  Sheil  are  good  free  bloomers  of  bluish 
mauve  ;  Blue  Gown,  a  perfect  gem  ;  Sweet  Lavender,  several  shades 
lighter  and  very  free  ;  Lord  Elcho,  a  rich  deep  yellow,  flowering  freely, 
but  rather  small ;  Archie  Grant  is  a  grand  flower,  deep  indigo  blue,  but 
gets  straggling  towards  the  autumn  ;  and  Border  Witch  will  prove  a 
good  addition  where  Btriped  flowers  are  liked  when  it  becomes  cheaper. — 
Viola. 
GRAFTING  FRUIT  TREES. 
The  woodcut,  fig.  61,  depicts  what  I  consider  an  improved  form  of 
grafting.  The  method  of  preparing  the  scion  is  shown  at  the  right  of  the 
engraving.  Each  graft  ought  to  be  about  4  inches  long,  and  have  four 
buds.  A  thin  piece  of  wood,  as  well  as  the  bark,  is  cut  upwards,  suffi¬ 
ciently  long  to  cross  over  the  crown  of  the  branch  to  be  grafted,  half  an 
inch  of  it  being  bent,  to  be  slipped  under  the  bark  on  the  opposite 
side  of  branch.  This  method  of  grafting  can  be  applied  to  trees 
having  branches  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  rather  less  than  more. 
In  preparing  the  stock  branch,  the  one  to  be  operated  on  ought  to  be 
severed  rather  close  to  the  main  branch,  only  leaving  about  2  inches 
fig  61.— an  uncommon  mode  of  grafting. 
The  cuts  must,  of  course,  be  made  to  correspond  as  nearly  as  possible 
with  those  on  the  scion  ;  or  this  method  can  be  applied  to  young  trees 
as  stocks  where  they  are  too  large  for  splice  grafting.  This  method  of 
grafting  gives  stability  to  the  work,  and  the  grafts  are  not  so  liable  to 
be  blown  out,  as  in  some  others.  The  system  is  much  appreciated  in 
Shropshire  by  amateurs  who  have  time  on  hand  for  the  work,  and  has 
proved  very  successful.  Probably  many  people  do  not  practise  it  on 
account  of  its  requiring  more  time  to  prepare  the  scions,  and  also  the 
stocks,  than  older  styles  ;  but  in  my  opinion  it  only  requires  a  little 
practice  and  patience  to  become  experts  in  the  work. — Robt.  Smith, 
Lecturer  on  Horticulture  to  the  Shropshire  County  Council. 
ROYAL  BOTANIC  SOCIETY. 
April  14th  and  15th. 
On  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  there  was  held  in  the  conservatory  of 
this  Society  in  Regent’s  Park  a  show  of  Daffodils  and  other  flowers.  So 
far  as  quality  of  Daffodils  was  concerned  there  was  nothing  to  grumble 
at,  and  the  way  the  trade  supported  the  show  was  highly  creditable  to 
all  concerned  ;  but  in  the  amateurs’  section  the  same  enthusiasm  w'as 
not  apparent,  the  classes  being  very  poorly  filled — in  fact,  in  the  majority 
of  them  there  was  only  one  exhibit.  This  is  regrettable,  and  does  not 
say  very  much  for  the  popularity  of  these  beautiful  flowers.  It  is  hoped 
that  at  similar  shows  in  a  future  season  the  competition  will  be  very  much 
keener.  The  arrangement  of  the  amateurs’  section  was  by  no  means 
praiseworthy,  and  the  judges  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  making  their 
awards  on  account  of  the  classes  being  so  very  much  mixed.  In  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  show  a  conference  was  held,  particulars  of  which  will  be 
found  below. 
In  the  class  for  a  collection  of  Daffodils,  for  which  Messrs.  Barr 
and  Son  offered  a  silver  cup,  there  were  only  two  competitors,  and 
neither  of  these  being  quite  up  to  the  mark  the  first  prize  and  cup 
were  withheld.  Miss  Margaret  B.  Crawford,  Ardlamont,  N.B.,  took 
the  second  position  with  a  well  diversified  collection.  Amongst  the 
many  were  M.  J.  Berkeley,  Edward  Leeds,  Golden  Spur,  Samson,  Glory 
of  Leyden,  bicolor  grandis  and  Horsefieldi,  P.  R.  Barr,  Princeps,  Lady 
Grosvenor,  cernuus  pulcher,  J.  B.  M.  Camm,  Sir  Watkin,  Duchess  of 
Westminster.  C.  J.  Backhouse,  Poeticus  in  variety,  Leedsi  elegans, 
and  Albicans.  Miss  K.  Spurrell,  Manor  House,  Norwich,  was  third. 
