600 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  23,  1897 
Weather  in  London. — It  cannot  be  said  we  are  having  what 
is  generally  acknowledged  as  typical  weather  for  the  Christmas  season. 
Last  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  were  mild,  the  latter  being  very 
while  on  Sunday  it  was  damp.  Monday  and  Tuesday  were  fine,  a 
cold  wind  prevailing  over  both  days.  At  the  time  of  going  to  press  on 
Wednesday  there  was  a  very  sharp  frost. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society  and  Victoria  IMedal. — 
At  a  meeting  of  Council  held  on  December  14th  it  was  decided  to  issue 
a  diploma  to  all  the  recipients  of  the  Victoria  medal  of  honour.  It  was 
also  unanimously  resolved,  “  That  in  the  event  of  any  recipient  violating 
the  conditions  on  which  the  Victoria  medal  of  honour  was  bestowed  by 
using  it  for  advertising,  or  for  the  promotion  of  trade  interests  in  any 
other  way,  the  name  of  such  offender  shall  be  struck  off  the  list.” 
^ -  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists.— On  the  l5th  inst. 
the  members  of  this  Society  met  to  partake  of  the  annual  dinner,  under 
the  presidency  of  Sir  .loseph  Terry,  J.F.,  who  was  supported  by  several 
influential  local  gentlemen.  The  well-known  Secretary,  Mr.  J.  Lazenby, 
occupied  the  vice-chair.  The  company  numbered  between  seventy  and 
eighty,  and  from  the  tone  of  the  several  speeches  it  was  easy  to  gather 
how  excellent  was  the  status  of  the  Society,  and  how  harmoniously 
everyone  seemed  to  work  for  its  good.  The  evening  was  in  every  respect 
a  great  success. 
-  Apple  Bramley’s  Seedling-. — The  value  of  this  excellent 
Apple  is  becoming  more  recognised  every  year.  For  the  Christmas  season 
it  is  surpassed  by  none,  and  only  equalled  by  a  few,  such  as  Newton 
Wonder  and  Wellington.  It  is  now  becoming  well  known  on  the  markets, 
and  buyers  are  ready  to  take  good  samples  at  high  prices.  An  instance  of 
this  is  furnished  in  a  letter  from  a  friend  in  Yorkshire.  He  writes  :  “I 
am  selling  my  Bramley’s  at  20s.  per  cwt.,  and  wish  I  had  had  a  few  tons 
of  them.”  In  all  probability  many  growers  will  fervently  re-echo  the 
wish  embodied  in  this  brief  sentence. — I).  R. 
-  National  Dahlia  Society. — The  annual  general  meeting  of 
this  flourishing  Society  was  held  on  Tuesday,  the  14th  inst.,  at  the  Hotel 
Windsor,  under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  T.  W.  Girdlestone.  The  conjpany 
was  a  capital  one,  growers  being  in  evidence  from  all  quarters.  From 
the  annual  report  read  by  the  Secretary,  Mr.  ,J.  F.  Hudson,  it  was  easily 
gathered  that  the  season  of  1897  had  been  a  successful  one,  and  that  the 
determined  efforts  of  the  leading  spirits  of  the  Society  were  not  i)assing 
unrewarded.  References  were  made  to  the  climatic  conditions  during 
the  growing  period,  and  also  to  a  few  of  the  several  classes.  The  financial 
aspect  .of  the  Society  was  placed  before  the  meeting  by  Mr.  E.  Mawley, 
and  it  is  pleasant  to  record  that  things  are  in  a  very  satisfactory  state, 
the  balance  in  hand  being  just  over  £21.  Routine  business  and  votes  of 
thanks  occupied  the  remainder  of  the  meeting,  which  was  a  most 
harmonious  one.  The  work  done  by  the  Society  is  praiseworthy,  and  we 
wish  it  every'  success. 
-  A  Mild  Season  in  Ireland. — The  season  so  far  here  has 
been  remarkably  mild.  It  is  certainly  unusual  a  few  days  before  Christ¬ 
mas  to  have  the  open  air  temperature,  as  it  was  recently,  60°  Fahr.  in 
the  open  air  ;  while  the  night  temperature  did  not  fall  below  45°  Fahr., 
and  with,  up  to  the  present,  practically  no  frost.  I  am  still  gathering- 
bunches  of  Chrysanthemums  in  my  town  garden,  not  merely  hardy 
Pompons,  but  fine  blooms  of  Col.  Smith,  G.  C.  Schwabe,  Viviand  :More], 
and  secondary  terminals  of  Etoile  de  Lyon.  Madame  Berard,  the  most 
floriferous  and  persistent  bloomer  of  all  the  Tea  Roses,  has  several  blooms 
still  opening,  while  Mane  Baumann  and  Mrs.  R.  Sharman  Crawford 
gave  me  fine  blooms  the  present  week.  A  new  supply  of  Teas  in  the 
open  air,  planted  a  month  since,  are  now  unfortunately  expanding  their 
growth  buds,  which,  unless  a  climatic  miracle  takes  place,  must  be  badly 
burnt  back  by-and-by.  We  have  often  had  second  crop  Strawberries  and 
second  crop  Apples,  but  until  this  week  I  never  saw  second  crop  Goose¬ 
berries.  There  have  been  continuous  rain  downpours,  with  southerly  and 
westerly  gales,  which  accounts  for  the  mild  season  ;  but  northerly  winds 
and  night  frosts  may  later  on  be  expected  to  supervene. — W.  J.  AIurphy, 
Clonmel, 
-  Appointment. — Mr.  John  McLean,  late  gardener  and  manager 
to  Sir  William  Pearce,  Chilton  Lodge,  Berks,  has  been  appointed  and 
taken  up  the^  duties  of  steward  and  general  manager  to  the  Right  Hon. 
Lord  Annaly,  Luttrellstown,  Clonsilla,  co.  Dublin. 
-  Devon  and  Exeter  Horticultural  Society.  —  The 
Committee  of  this  Society  has  decided  upon  the  dates  on  which  to  hold 
the  two  annual  exhibitions.  The  summer  snow  will  be  on  August  19th, 
and  the  fruit  and  Chrysanthemum  show  on  November  3rd  and  4th.  The 
Hon.  Secretary  is  Mr.  G.  D.  Cann,  16,  Queen  Street,  Exeter.  Schedules 
of  the  exhibitions  may  be  had  from  Messrs.  R.  Veitch  &.  Son,  Exeter. 
-  Avery  Hill,  Eltham.— We  are  informed  that  the  family  of 
the  late  Colonel  North  have  decided  on  relinquishing  this  Kentish 
residence  as  a  home.  The  plants  are  to  be  sold,  and  the  capable 
gardener,  Mr.  George  Abbey  (son  of  the  veterafli  whose  name  is 
familiar  to  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture')  is  only  to  remain  in 
charge  of  the  establishment  till  he  obtains  an  appointment  of  a  similar 
nature  elsewhere.  His  excellent  work  at  Avery  Hill  has  been  described 
in  our  columns. 
-  Birmingham  Horticultural  Society.  —  The  annual 
dinner  of  the  Birmingham  and  Midland  Counties  Chrysanthemum,  Fruit, 
and  Floricultural  Society  was  held  on  the  15th  inst.  Mr.  W.  B,  Latham 
presided.  The  Chairman  proposed  the  loyal  toast,  which  was  followed 
by  that  of  “The  Society,”  given  by  Mr.  A.  Coombes.  He  remarked  that 
they  had  every  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  Society,  because  it  was  one  of 
tbe  best— if  not  the  best— of  its  kind  in  the  country.  The  show  held 
at  Bingley  Hall  was  undoubtedly  the  finest  ever  held,  not  only  in 
Birmingham,  but  anywhere  in  England.  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Pope 
responded.  The  health  of  the  exhibitors  was  drunk  on  the  proposition 
of  Mr.  W.  Jones,  who  presented  a  financial  statment  which  showed 
receipts  amounting  to  £834  12s.  G^d.  It  was  also  estimated  that  they 
had  yet  to  receive  about  £265  7s.  5^d.,  which  would  raise  the  total  to 
£1100.  The  expenditure  so  far  had  been  £656  3s.  lOd.,  but  it  was 
estimated  that  bills  outstanding  would  amount  to  £293,  which  would 
bring  the  total  expenditure  to  £950.  There  would,  therefore,  be  a 
balance  of  about  £150  on  this  year’s  show.  The  names  of  Messrs. 
J.  H.  Goodacre  and  J.  Crook  were  associated  with  the  toast.  The 
health  of  the  non-competing  exhibitors  and  donors  of  .special  prizes  was 
submitted  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Dyer,  and  drunk  with  enthusiasm.  Mr.  W.  Jones’s 
name  was  associated  with  the  toast  of  “  The  Officers,”  which  was  given 
by  Mr.  W.  Spinks.  The  health  of  “  The  Visitors,”  submitted  by  Mr.  J. 
Child,  and  replied  to  by  Messrs.  Fellows  and  Twyford,  and  the  “Chair¬ 
man  and  Vice-Chairman  ”  were  also  drunk.  During  the  evening  the  cups 
and  medals  gamed  at  the  exhibition  were  distributed. 
-  Conifer  Seeds. — A  great  difference  exists  in  the  germination 
of  Conifer  seeds  from  different  localities.  The  seeds  of  all  the  Conifers 
hardy  in  the  Eastern  States  of  America  come  up  (says  Mr.  T.  H. 
Douglas  in  “  Garden  and  Forest  ’ )  at  the  same  time,  or  nearly  so. 
Norway  Spruce,  White  Spruce,  Scotch,  Austrian,  and  Mountain  Pines, 
the  Colorado  Conifers,  Picea  pungens  and  P.  Engelmanni,  Douglas 
Spruce,  Abies  concolor,  and  other  common  Conifers  can  all  be  uncovered 
at  one  time.  But  few  seedlings  come  up  ten  days  after  the  first  ones 
appear,  while  Conifer  seeds  from  a  warmer  climate  are  very  irregular 
in  germinating.  I  raised  a  large  quantity  in  California  in  1889  and 
1890.  Those  already  named  were  sown  in  beds  adjacent  to  the  more 
tender  kinds.  Pinus  Jeffreyi,  P.  ponderosa,  and  P.  tuberculata  started 
from  two  to  four  weeks  before  the  others  came  up.  Abies  magnifica, 
A.  grandis,  and  A.  amabilis  came  very  scatteringly.  The  first  of  these 
appeared  in  April  and  the  last  in  September,  and  they  re(iuired  careful 
attention.  The  various  Cupressus  varied  as  much  as  the  Abies.  Douglas 
Spruce,  Abies  concolor,  and  Pinus  ponderosa,  from  Colorado,  came  up 
much  more  regularly  than  the  same  species  from  seed  collected  in 
California,  but  the  seedlings  from  California  seed  made  much  larger 
plants  at  the  end  of  two  years.  Most  of  the  seed  from  the  Orient  acted  as 
those  of  our  native  and  European  species  do,  being  very  regular  in 
germinating.  The  exceptions  are  Picea  Morinda  and  P.  Ajanensis,  but 
as  I  had  very  little  seed  of  the  latter,  and  that  apparently  two  or  more 
years  old,  I  may  be  mistaken  in  this  particular.  The  seeds  of  Sciadopitys 
verticillata,  Cedrus  Deodara  and  C.  Libani  are  also  irregular  in  time  of 
germinating.  Cedrus  atlantica  may  also  be  added  to  the  list,  but  it 
comes  up  more  evenly  than  the  seeds  of  other  Cedars.  The  seeds  of  our 
native  White  Pine  are  the  most  uneven  in  germinating  of  those  of  the  hardy 
Conifers  ;  but  although  they  sometimes  come  up  irregularly,  this  tree  can 
hardly  be  classed  with  the  species  which  are  irregular  in  germinating. 
Thuia  gigantea  and  Libocedrus  decurrens  are  irregular. 
