December  16,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
573 
to  shrivel.  Any  of  the  black  haired  (nigro-hirsute)  section  that 
•chance  to  he  at  rest  may  be  similarly  treated,  but  most  of  these,  like 
D.  formosum,  D.  ehurneum,  and  even  D.  infundibulum  will  probably 
be  growing  more  or  less,  and  must  be  treated  accordingly. 
Did  space  permit,  there  are  other  kinds  that  may  be  singled  out 
for  special  treatment  in  some  way  or  other,  such  as  the  beautiful 
D.  taurinum  or  D.  stratiotes,  the  tiny  growing  D.  Loddigesi  and 
D.  Falconeri,  but  in  the  above  cursory  notes  most  of  the  sections  in 
the  genus  have  been  touched  on,  and  occasion  will  doubtless  arise  for 
•going  more  fully  into  the  details  of  their  culture.  Briefly,  then,  I  may 
advise  cultivators  who  wish  for  the  best  results  to  study  the  habit 
and  liking  of  the  individual  species  rather  than  give  them  all  a 
collective  mode  of  treatment  which  will  suit  some,  but  by  no  means 
all.— H.  K.  R. 
RHEOLA. 
Having  many  times  heard  the  name  of  Rheola  we  were  prompted  on 
a  recent  occasion  to  direct  our  steps  thither.  But  when  the  iourney  was 
commenced  we  little  dreamt  of  the  lovely  scenery  the  Vale  of  Neath  had 
in  store  for  us.  The  lofty  Cambrian  mountains,  with  their  tree  and 
Fern-clad  sides,  were  a  glorious  picture  in  their  autumnal  beauty.  The 
graceful  Larch,  with  its  golden  mantle,  the  silver  trunks  of  the  Birch,  the 
golden  brown  of  the  Oak,  the  numberless  dark  twigs  of  the  Alders,  with 
here  and  there,  towering  above  the  rest,  the  silvery  glaucous  hue  of  the  Fir, 
with  the  streamlets  rushing  down  the  mountain  sides  into  the  stony  bed 
of  the  sometimes  turbulent  River  Neath,  formed  a  panorama  of  more  than 
ordinary  beauty. 
The  residence  of  ,T.  E.  Vaughan.  Esq.,  soon  comes  into  view.  The 
pretty  and  well-kept  lodge  passed  we  found  ourselves  on  a  well-made  and 
picturesque  winding  carriage  drive,  and  were  not  long  in  reaching  the 
mansion  with  its  Old  World  air.  Beneath  the  verandah,  on  the  southern 
side.  Myrtles  were  noticed — fine  old  warriors,  too,  that  have  withstood  the 
test  of  many  a  severe  winter.  At  times  they  have  suffered,  but  with  a 
vitality  that  seems  inexhaustible  their  glossy  shoots  are  again  put  forth, 
and  these,  with  Jasmine,  Roses,  and  others,  tend  to  make  up  one  of 
Nature’s  most  charming  pictures. 
Leaving  behind  us  huge  mounds  and  towering  bushes  of  Rhododen¬ 
drons,  we  made  our  way  to  the  garden,  where  the  energetic  gardener, 
Mr.  J.  Crofts,  is  soon  found.  Here  let  it  be  said  this  fine  old  gardener  is 
no  stranger,  having  served  the  late  Mrs.  Palmer,  together  with  the 
present  owner,  for  something  like  thirty-five  years.  Under  his  guidance 
we  proceeded  to  the  lawns  and  pleasure  grounds,  and  the  eye  was  attracted 
at  once  by  the  fine  trees  and  Conifers.  A  fine  old  Ash  was  noted,  while  near 
by  a  Cedrus  Libani,  with  its  horizontal  branches,  was  conspicuous. 
Lawson’s  Cupressus  and  several  trees  of  .luniperus  chinensis  also  claimed 
attention.  Diverging  to  the  left  brought  to  our  view  some  grand  Abies 
excelsa,  splendidly  clothed  specimens  of  Araucaria  imbricata  and  Welling- 
tonia  gigantea,  Taxodium  distichum,  with  numerous  well  coloured  Golden, 
Silver,  and  other  Hollies,  all  so  disposed  that  light  and  sunshine  can 
reach  every  branch.  Here  and  there  were  some  beds  and  clumps  of 
Gynerium  argenteum,  with  their  silvery  plumes  glistening  in  the  autumn 
sunlight.  Fine  Yuccas  and  Kniphofias  luxuriate  near  a  rushing  stream. 
Retracing  our  steps  we  passed  the  mansion,  noting  by  the  way  that  the 
formal  arrangement  of  fiower  beds  alone  had  given  way  to  that  of 
perennials  and  other  plants  useful  for  decorating  the  drawing-room  as 
well  as  the  flower  garden. 
Coming  to  the  conservatory — a  spacious  structure — we  were  impressed 
by  the  manj'  ancient  specimen  Camellias  which  were  planted  some  forty  years 
ago.  Fine  Orange  trees  were  also  uncommonly  attractive,  their  branches 
laden  with  fruit  and  myriads  of  starry  flowers.  The  walls  and  pillars  were 
clothed  with  suitable  climbing  plants, such  as  Rhyncospermum  jasminoides, 
Tecomas,  Heliotropes,  Abutilons,  Rose  Boule  de  Niege,  and  the  beautiful 
Noisette  Ophirie  were  quite  at  home.  These,  with  Ferns  and  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums,  made  a  lovely  display. 
On  re-entering  the  kitchen  garden,  where  the  other  houses  are  situated, 
we  passed  through  the  greenhouse  and  stove,  both  of  which  were  gay  with 
the  usual  occupants  of  such  structures,  and  on  through  the  vineries,  of 
which  there  are  three.  There  is  no  modern  air  either  about  the  Vines  or 
the  houses,  which,  with  their  numerous  rafters  and  innumerable  small 
panes  of  glass,  have  a  decidedly  ancient  appearance  ;  nevertheless,  good 
Grapes  are  annually  cut.  notably  Black  Alicantes  turning  the  scale 
at  3  lbs.  from  Vines  planted,  the  imperishable  label  tells  us,  in  1859. 
Lady  Downe’s  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  planted  at  the  same  time,  also 
give  good  returns,  and  that  from  the  original  or  first  rod  taken  up,  so 
that  naturally  the  spurs  have  attained  some  length.  The  next  house,  a 
long  lean-to,  planted  with  Black  Hamburgh,  is  filled  by  two  old  Vines  that 
on  the  advent  of  the  present  gardener,  some  thirty-five  years  ago,  were 
as  large  in  circumference  as  an  ordinary  man’s  leg  and  are  still  very 
vigorous,  producing  hundreds  of  bunches  annually.  The  Vines  are 
planted  outside  in  a  border  made  against  the  back  wall  on  high  ground, 
and  taken  in  through  holes  at  the  top,  and  trained  originally  along  the 
back,  with  other  rods  taken  from  them  down  to  the  front  ;  but  no  hard 
and  fast  rule  has  been  adhered  to,  and  the  many  rods  or  elongated  spurs 
turn  in  all  directi(ms,  furnishing  good  Grapes  and  healthy  foliage  to  the 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  The  Peach  and  Nectarine  house  is 
furnished  with  creditable  trees  of  approved  varieties  that  annually  give 
good  returns. 
The  kitchen  garden  is  of  considerable  size  and  well  cropped.  Celery, 
Sprouts,  Broccoli,  Savoys,  spring  Cabbage,  and  Kales  all  showed  excellent 
cultivation.  Root  crops  of  all  kinds  are  also  well  grown,  the  soil  appear¬ 
ing  to  favour  the  growth  of  these.  Potatoes  being  specially  fine.  The 
garden  is  not  surrounded  by  good  walls,  as  are  many  places,  but  an 
orchard  near  by  supplies  plenty  of  fruit. 
Our  time  soon  passed,  and  we  retraced  our  steps,  after  thanking 
Mr.  Crofts  for  his  very  cordial  reception. — Exile.  ° 
NATIONAL  ROSE  SOCIETY. 
Annual  Meeting. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  this  Society  was  held  in  the  Hotel 
Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  S.W.,  on  the  afternoon  of  Thursday,  9th  inst. 
Chas.  E.  .Shea,  Esip,  occupied  the  chair,  a  fairly  numerous  audience 
being  present,  including  most  of  the  leading  spirits  of  the  Society.  The 
circular  convening  the  meeting  was  fir.st  read,  followed  by  the  minutes  of 
the  last  general  meeting.  Scrutineers  for  the  ballot  nominating  the 
officers  and  Committee  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  Society  for  the  year 
1898  were  next  appointed.  The  choice  of  the  meeting  fell  upon  Mr.  George 
Gordon  and  Mr.  W.  J.  Jefferies,  who  duly  accepted.  The  report  of  the 
Committee  for  1897  and  the  balance-sheet  was  then  presented  by  Mr.  E. 
Mawley,  one  of  the  Hon.  Secretaries  of  the  Society.  It  ran  as  follows  : — 
Report  op  the  Committee  for  the  Year  1897. 
The  great  event  of  the  past  year,  the  celebration  of  her  Majesty’s 
Diamond  Jubilee,  has,  in  one  way  or  another,  affected  most  of  the  institu¬ 
tions  in  this  country— some  beneficially,  others  the  reverse.  The  National 
Rose  Society  has  not  escaped  its  influence.  It  materially  affected  our 
southern  exhibition  at  Portsmouth,  even  to  the  altering  of  the  date,  which 
was  originally  fixed  for  the  day  after  the  Jubilee  celebration.  As  it  was 
felt  impossible  to  hold  the  show  under  such  circumstances,  the  fixture,  at 
the  request  of  the  local  Committee,  was  changed  to  the  18th  of  .Tune.  This 
is  the  earliest  date  on  which  a  provincial  show  has  ever  been  held  by  the 
Society.  The  exhibition  proved  an  unusually  small  one,  while  the  attend¬ 
ance  of  visitors,  no  doubt  in  some  measure  owing  to  the  stormy  weather 
during  the  afternoon,  was  also  very  limited.  The  fine  dis)ilay  of  garden 
Roses  was  a  noteworthy  feature  of  this  exhibition.  Everything  that  could 
be  done  under  the  depressing  circumstances  of  the  day  was  carried  out  by 
Captain  Ramsay,  our  local  Secretary,  who  not  only  gave  his  valuable 
services,  but  also  a  silver  cup  in  the  leading  class  for  amateurs.  The 
Committee  are  also  greatly  indebted  to  the  kind  hospitality  of  Mr. 
Alderman  Evans,  who  kindly  entertained  the  judges  and  principal  exhi¬ 
bitors  to  a  luncheon  in  the  Town  Hall. 
The  metropolitan  show  at  the  Crystal  Palace  was  also  affected,  but 
not  in  the  same  way,  by  the  Jubilee  celebration,  for  the  Palace  Victorian 
exhibition  occupied  the  whole  of  the  nave.  Consequently  that  of  tie 
National  Rose  Society  had  to  be  relegated  to  the  central  transept  and 
the  concert  room,  the  latter  a  most  unsuitable  position  for  a  Rose  show, 
particularly  on  such  a  dull  day  as  that  on  which  the  exhibition  this 
year  took  place.  It  was  the  largest  show  that  the  Society  has  yet 
held,  no  fewer  than  7200  blooms  having  been  staged  on  that  occasion 
in  addition  to  the  many  beautiful  stands  of  garden  Roses. 
The  northern  show,  which  was  held  at  Norwich,  in  the  grounds  of 
Mr,  J.  .T.  Colman  of  Carrow  Priory,  was  a  most  successful  one,  and 
attracted  a  larger  number  of  visitors  than  any  previous  summer 
exhibition  of  the  local  Society.  The  arragements  were,  on  the  whole, 
excellent,  and  reflected  great  credit  on  the  Committee  of  the  Norfolk  and 
Norwich  Horticultural  Society,  and  especially  upon  their  energetic 
Secretary,  Mr,  .T.  E.  T.  Pollard. 
Early  in  the  year  application  was  made  to  the  different  railway 
companies  for  a  reduction  in  the  rates  charged  for  the  carriage  of  Rose 
boxes,  with  the  result  that  although  no  reduction  was  granted,  there  is 
now  a  uniform  rate  charged  on  nearly  all  lines  throughout  the  country, 
which  previously  was  far  from  being  the  case. 
It  is  with  much  regret  the  C ommittee  have  to  record  the  deaths  of  two 
of  their  oldest  members — Dr.  Robert  Hogg,  a  Vice-President  of  the 
Society  and  one  of  its  original  founders,  who  for  many  years  took  a  warm 
interest  in  its  welfare,  and  frequently  presided  at  the  meetings  ;  and  the 
Rev.  E.  N.  Pochin,  who  in  the  early  days  of  the  Society  was  not  only  a 
member  of  the  Committee  and  a  constant  exhibitor,  but  aLo  a  leading 
authority  on  all  matters  connected  with  the  Rose. 
Finance. — The  financial  position  of  the  Society  must  be  regarded  as 
satisfactory,  considering  how  greatly  most  societies  of  the  kind  have 
suffered  this  year  through  the  many  demands  upon  their  members' 
pockets  owing  to  the  celebration  of  her  ^Majesty’s  Diamond  .Jubilee.  The 
year  was  begun  with  a  balance  in  hand  of  £76  12s.  3d.,  and  now,  after 
paying  all  outstanding  expenses,  including  £495  in  prize  money,  there 
remain  £39  18s.  7d.  in  the  Treasurer’s  hands. 
The  sale  of  publications  realised  £8.  which  is  more  than  in  any  previous 
year. 
Arrangements  for  1898. — Various  suggestions  have  been  made 
with  a  view  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  Society,  and  these  are  now 
engaging  the  attention  of  the  Committee.  The  engagements  for  the 
1  coming  year  are  likely  to  prove  unusually  satisfactory,  as  the  provincial 
