350 
JOURN'AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  .GARDENER. 
October  3,  1996, 
Natioijal  Chrysaivthemum  Society. 
A  MEETING  of  the  Floral  Committee  was  held  on  Tuesday  last  at 
the  Eoyal  Aquarium,  Mr,  T.  Bevan  being  in  the  chair.  There  were 
several  interesting  novelties  submitted,  and  the  Committee  desired  to 
see  again  Snowdrift,  a  large  white  Japanese ;  Mrs.  Caterer,  a  large  white 
Anemone  with  very  long  guard  florets  and  promise  of  a  finely  formed 
disc  ;  Exmouth  Yellow,  a  Japanese  of  a  very  pure  pale  canary  tint.  A 
variety  named  M.  J,  Bte.  Caavin,  a  Japanese,  colour  deep  carmine 
crimson  with  reverse  of  gold  and  deep  yellow  centre,  was  commended. 
First  class  certificates  w'ere  awarded  as  under  : — 
Surprite, — A  finely  built  Japanese  with  rather  broad  florets,  colour 
deep  purple  velvety  amaranth,  reverse  silvery.  Staged  by  Mr.  W.  Wells 
of  Earlswood. 
Madame  Gustave  Henry. — This,  too,  is  a  new  Japanese  with  rather 
narrow,  twisted  incurving  florets,  blooms  are  large  and  spreading,  the 
colour  white,  slightly  tinted. 
Weather  in  London. — The  prolonged  wet  weather,  not  only  in 
London,  but  also  in  the  provinces,  is  causing  a  considerable  amount 
of  anxiety.  Since  our  last  issue  went  to  press  we  have  had  a  thunder¬ 
storm  and  a  heavy  gale,  both  being  accompanied  by  drenching  rains. 
To-day  (Wednesday)  it  is  much  finer. 
-  EoyaliHorticultheal  Society.— The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  October  13th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  West¬ 
minster,  1  to  5*p.m.  At  three  o’clock  a  lecture  on  "Hardy  Summer 
Flowers”  will  be  given  by  Mr.  E.  Burrell, 
-  Coloured  Vine  Leaves— Imperial  Recognition.— The 
following  letter.has  been  received  by  Messrs.  D.  &  W.  Buchanan,  Forth 
Vineyards,  Kippen,  Stirling,  from  Balmoral  Castle  under  date 
Octoberilst,  18r>6  : — “  The  Empress  of  Russia  desires  me  to  convey  to 
you  her  thanks  for  the  beautiful  ‘autumn-tinted  Vine  leaves’  which 
you  have  offered  through  me  for  Her  Imperial  Majesty’s  acceptance. — 
Arthur  Biggs.” 
-  Mr.  Alexander  Simpson  Smith,  Gardener  and 
Naturalist. — The  death  is  announced  of  Mr.  Alexander  Simpson 
Smith,  head  gardener  at  Castletown,  in  which  capacity  he  had  served 
the  family  forjnearly  thirty-five  years.  Mr.  Smith  came  originally  from 
Aberdeen,  where  he  and  a  younger  brother,  who  is  at  the  present  time 
head  gardener  to^Lord  Rosebery  at  Mentmore,  served  their  apprentice¬ 
ship,  and  afterwards  became  distinguished  members  of  their  craft.  Mr. 
A.  S.  Smith  was  a  great  naturalist,  and  has  contributed  many  rarities 
to  the  local  museum.  Mr.  Smith  was  fifty-nine  years  of  age. 
-  Kent  Grown  Apples. — The  remarkable  success  which  attended 
upon  the  exhibition  of  Kent  grown  Apples,  and  some  from  Surrey  also, 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  fruit  show,  seemed  to  point  to  the  great  need 
there  is  for  some  re-arrangement  of  classes  whereby  less  favoured  parts 
of  the  kingdom  should  be  put  on  a  footing  of  fair  equality  to  give 
growers  from  other  districts  a  chance  as  well  as  encouragement.  All 
the  culture  in  the  world  cannot  equal  what  sunshine  and .  atmosphere 
can  do,  as  seen  in  the  magnificent  samples  shown  so  largely  from  Kent. 
Gut  of  the  great  number  of  single  dish  Apples  fully  two-thirds  of  the 
present  seem  to  have  gone  to  the  three  southern  counties,  of  Kent 
chiefly,  Surrey  and  [Sussex.  It  is  evident  this  constant  winning  prizes 
by  a  few  favoured  growers  all  along  the  line  seriously  discourages 
growers  elsewhere.  It  does  seem  desirable  that  the  same  system  of 
arranging  classes  as  carried  out  so  admirably  at  the  famous  Guildhall 
show  should  be  adopted  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  The  three  counties 
named,  Kent,  Surrey  and  Sussex,  seem  to  want  a  special  division,  as 
south-eastern,  Hants,  Wilts,  Berks,  Somerset,  Devon  and  Cornwall,  should 
make  another.  Then  the  western  counties  of  Gloucester,  Herefordshire, 
Monmouth  and  Worcester,  with  Wales,  and  so  on  throughout  the 
kingdom ;  but  a  dividing  line  at  the  Trent  might  leave  all  the  upper 
portion  of  the  kingdom  as  one.  That  Wales  can  produce  grand  fruits 
we  saw  at  the  Palace,  but  the  collection  was  relatively  an  isolated  one. 
It  is  evident  that  in  any  national  competition  of  Apples  the  three 
counties  of  Kent,  Surrey  and  Sussex  may  be  backed  safely.  What  a 
pity  it  is  that  these  three  favoured  counties  have  not  a  million  acres 
ander  fruit  culture.— D. 
-  The  Crystal  Palace  Show, — Mainly  in  consequence  of 
the  space  demanded  by  the  above  show,  several  interesting  communi¬ 
cations,  including  Mr.  J,  Watkin’s  lecture  on  the  storing  of  fruits,  have 
to  be  held  over  till  a  future  issue, 
-  Gardening  Appointments.— Mr,  Sidney  Aish  has  been 
appointed  gardener  to  Reginald  Hart  Dyke,  Esq.,  The  Firs,  Copse  Hill, 
Wimbledon  ;  and  Mr.  George  Cuckney,  gardener  to  Lieut.-Colonel 
Margesson,  Findon  Place,  Findon,  near  Worthing. 
-  September  Weather  at  Driffield. — Mean  temperature 
at  9  A.M.  (corrected),  55’47‘’.  Mean  maximum,  61-31°  ;  mean  minimum, 
47  17°.  Highest,  G7‘8°  on  13th  ;  lowest,  33‘5°  on  2l8t.  Mean  of  maxima 
and  minima,  54-24°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on  grass,  43-35°  ; 
lowest,  30-4“’  on  2l8t.  Rainfall,  3  11  inches.  Number  of  rainy  days, 
twenty-three.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0-59  inch  on  24th,  — 
W,  B.  Lovel. 
- Calcutta  Botanic  Gardens. — The  annual  report  of  the 
above  gardens,  issued  by  the  Superintendent,  Dr.  G.  King,  shows  steady 
work  and  increase  in  eflSciency  in  the  various  departments,  notwith¬ 
standing  the  severe  injury  inflicted  by  the  unusual  drought  of  the 
summer  months  (October  to  March).  The  work  of  the  herbarium  has 
been  carried  on  with  vigour,  a  large  number  of  specimens  has  been  added 
to  it,  while  named  specimens  of  Indian  plants  have  been  forwarded 
to  various  scientific  institutions  throughout  the  world. 
-  Fruit  Naming  at  the  Crystal  Palace.— I  do  not  know 
who  was  responsible  for  the  fruit  naming  in  the  collection  staged  by  the 
Horticultural  College  authorities  of  Swanley,  but  it  was  atrocious. 
Many  dishes  had  no  names,  discretion  being  here  very  wise.  Those 
named  were  fully  one-half  wrong.  Thus  a  conical  striped  Apple  not 
unlike  Gravenstein  was  named  both  Gloria  Mundi  and  Tower  of  Glamis. 
That  was  an  example  of  ignorance.  But  really  from  an  institution  that 
professes  to  instruct  pupils  in  horticulture  we  are  entitled  to  look  for 
something  better.  An  examination  of  pupils  in  nomenclature  should 
furnish  some  amusing  results. — A.  D. 
-  Devon  and  Exeter  Gardeners’^  A.ssociation.  —  The 
annual  meeting  of  the  members  of  this  Association  took  place  at  the 
Guildhall  last  Wednesday  night,  the  Eight  Worshipful  the  Mayer  of 
Exeter  presiding.  The  Hon.  Secretary  (Mr.  A.  Hope)  read  the 
Committee’s  report  for  the  session  1895-96,  which  stated  that  in  the 
beginning  of  the  sixth  year  of  the  existence  of  this  Association 
the  Committee  was  in  the  pleasing  position  of  looking  back  upon  its 
work  with  genuine  satisfaction,  and  looking  hopefully  to  the  future. 
The  report  referred  to  the  fact  that  a  branch  of  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution  had  been  formed  in  Exeter,  with  an  influential 
and  comprehensive  Committee.  The  spring  iflower  show  was  referred 
to  as  a  great  success,  and  showed  a  marked  improvement  in  many 
respects  upon  former  exhibitions  held  by  the  Society.  The  Committee 
recorded  their  indebtedness  to  the  local  honorary  exhibitors.  It  was 
decided  that  a  spring  flower  show  should  be  held  next  year.  Votes  of 
thanks  were  accorded  Mr.  J.  Herbert  Veitch  and  Mr,  J.  G.  Commin  for 
their  gifts  of  books  to  the  library  of  the  Association  ;  also  to  the  Mayor 
for  presiding  and  for  granting  the  use  of  the  Guildhall  for  the  meetings 
of  the  Association. 
- National  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association  (Liverpool - 
Branch). — Mr.  D.  E.  Yates  presided  over  the  last  monthly  meeting. of 
the  above  Association.  There  was  a  good  attendance.  The  Chairman 
made  some  interesting  remarks  on  an  American  nursery,  the  plants  being 
grown  largely,  and  the  working  power  supplied  by  the  aid  of  electricity. 
If  the  report  were  not  overdrawn,  it  showed  that  there  is  a  greater  future 
for  this  powerful  current  than  many  people  imagine.  The  monthly , 
paper  was  given  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Scott,  who  chose  the  subject  of  “  Green¬ 
houses  and  Their  Heating.”  Speaking  of  gas  and  oil,  he  thought  them 
only  suitable  for  small  houses.  Where  lamps  are  used  they  should  be 
well  trimmed,  only  the  best  oil  used,  and  a  chink  for  air  always  on  the 
house.  He  would  only  use  lamps  for  houses  from  which  the  frost 
was  to  be  merely  excluded.  He  believed  nothing  so  safe  as  heating  by 
hot  water.  One  point,  he  said,  was  often  overlooked— viz,,  the  necessity 
of  emptying  the  pipes  in  frosty  weather,  when  fire  was  not  used.  A  dis¬ 
cussion  ensued,  which  was  mainly  in  support  of  Mr.  Yates’  observations. 
Exhibits  were  of  good  quality,  Mr.  Ardran  won  first  prize  with  six  _ 
culinary  Apples,  with  fine  Warner’s  King,  Mr.  Edwards  being  first  with 
six  dessert  Apples,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippins.  Mr.  Cooper  staged  excellent 
table  plants,  Mr.  Dale  handsome  cut  Chrysanthemums,  Mr.  Robins 
vegetables,  and  Mr.  R.  Pinnlngton  a  choice  assortment  of  stove  and: 
greenhouse  cut  flowers. 
