Januflry  23,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
77 
National  Sweat  Fea  Society. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  the  National  Sweet  Pea  Society 
will  be  held  at  the  Hotel  Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  on  Tuesday, 
J’anuary  28,  at  3  p.in. 
Rose  Conference. 
Since  the  tickets  of  Fellowship  to  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  Mere  printed,  the  date  of  the  Coronation  has  been  an¬ 
nounced,  and  in  consequence  the  Rose  ShoM'  at  Holland  House 
M’ill  be  on  June  24  (and,  if  the  police  arrangements  permit,  con- 
jtiniied  on  the  25th).  Please  make  this  alteration  on  your  tickets 
in  ink  so  as  to  avoid  error. — W.  Wilks,  Secretary,  R.H.S. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
The  next  fruit  and  floM-er  show’  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
■  Society  Avill  be  held  on  Tuesday,  January  28,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  1  to  4  p.m.  A  lecture  on  “The 
Renovation  of  Old  Fruit  Trees  ”  w’ill  be  given  by  Mr.  George 
Bun3wrd,  V.M.H.,  at  3  o’clock.  At  a  general  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  on  Tuesday,  January  14, 
Keventy-one  neiv  Fellow's  were  elected,  amongst  them  being  Sir 
Randolph  L.  Baker,  Bart.,  Lady  Burnett,  Dr.  R.  S.  Char.sley, 
:and  Dr.  E.  J.  Fulk-Hart. 
Blairgowrie  and  Rattray  Fruit  Growers’  Association. 
The  annual  dinner  was  held  on  Thursday  night,  January  16,  in 
the  Rojwl  Hotel,  Blairgowrie,  N.B.,  when  over  120  ladies  and 
rgentlemen  were  present.  Ex-Bailie  Howie,  Rattray,  president, 
occupied  the  chair.  In  proposing  “  The  Blairgowwie  and  Rattray 
Fruit  Growers’  Association,”  Captain  Proctor  denied  the  allega¬ 
tion  that  fruit-growing  ivas  being  overdone.  Though  growlers 
w’ere  making  little  profit,  he  said  the  preserve  manufacturers 
were  growing  rich,  and  the  industry  had  suffered  to  a  great  extent 
because  of  the  middleman,  w’hom,  he  thought,  should  be  done 
:away  with.  He  suggested  a  ivider  “  combine  ”  to  deal  with  the 
manufacturers  direct.  Regarding  railway  rates,  he  thought  they 
were  too  sanguine  to  expect  the  same  terms  as  for  the  fish  trade, 
but  meantime  the  rates  were  prohibitive,  and  the  railway  com¬ 
panies  might  easily  do  something  to  help  fruit  groivers.  He  also 
thought  w'ealthy  landowners  in  the  district  should  reduce  their 
rents  for  ground  under  fruit  in  cases  ivhere  these  amounted  to  £5 
and  over  per  acre. 
The  Middlesex  C.C.  School  of  Horticulture. 
The  Technical  Education  Committee  of  the  Middlesex  County 
‘Council  having  decided  to  establish  a  School  of  Practical  and 
.Scientific  Horticulture,  has,  by  arrangement  with  the  Edmonton 
District  Council,  acquired  a  large  piece  of  land,  with  six  green¬ 
houses,  at  Pymmes  Park,  Edmonton,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
out  this  idea.  The  main  object  in  view  is  to  give  a  thorough 
horticultural  training  to  those  wdio  are  anxious  to  take  up  garden¬ 
ing  as  a  profession.  Opportunity  ivill  be  afforded  to  school  teachers 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  horticulture  by  special  Saturday  morn¬ 
ing  lessons  and  demonstrations  in  the  gardens.  Only  the 
best  and  most  profitable  kinds  of  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables 
W’ill  be  growm,  and  trials  and  experiments  of  particular  crops  or 
varieties  will  be  carried  out  from  time  to  time  as  occasion  may 
require.  Scientific  training  will  go  hand  in  hand  wdth  the  prac¬ 
tical  lectures  and  demonstrations  on  the  theory  and  practice 
of  horticulture,  the  examination  and  classification  of  plants,  the 
use  of  the  microscope,  &c.,  wdll  be  freely  given.  Students  will 
also  have  the  privilege  of  attending  the  lectures  on  Chemistry 
and  other  sciences  at  the  Council’s  well  appointed  laboratories  at 
the  Tottenham  Polytechnic.  The  County  Council  offers  three 
scholarshiiis  of  £20  to  £30  per  annum,  according  to  the  age  of 
•candidates.  The  work  in  the  gardens  w  ill  be  carried  out  under 
the  direction  of  the  Council’s  Insti-uctor  in  Horticulture,  Mr. 
John  Weathers,  F.R.H.S.,  author  of  “A  Practical  Guide  to 
‘Garden  Plants.”  Prospectuses  and  further  information  relating  to 
the  School  of  Horticulture  may  be  obtained  from  the  Organi.sing 
Becretai'y,  the  Guildhall,  Westminster,  S.W. 
A  French  Honour. 
Dr.  Wittmack,  editor  of  “-Garten  Floi-a,”  Berlin,  has  recently 
been  named  as  Chevalier  of  the  Legion  of  Honour,  in  connection 
wdth  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1900. 
Violets. 
It  is  reported  that  Violets  were  more  largely  bought  than 
iLsual  bj'  Covent  Garden  florists  towards  the  fore  part  of  la.st 
week,  in  anticipation  of  their  being  used  as  a  mourning  floAver 
for  the  anniversary  of  the  late  Queen’s  death. 
The  Chrysanthemum  Analysis. 
We  hope  to  publish  Mr.  Molyneux’s  analj'sis  of  the  varieties 
of  Chry.santhemum  in  our  next  issue.  Growers  should  make  sure 
of  obtaining  a  copy  ;  for  six  Aveeks  past,  in  .succession,  the  Journal 
has  been  out  of  print  a  feAv  days  after  publication. 
Weather  In  S.  Perthshire. 
In  marked  contrast  to  the  preceding  Aveek,  the  past  has  been 
one  of  mild,  often  spring-like,  Aveather.  The  change  from  19deg 
of  frost  during  the  night  of  the  13th  inst.  Avas  sudden  and 
thorough.  Rather  high  S.W.  Avinds  prevailed  during  Sunday  and 
the  folIoAving  night,  Avith  frequent  shoAvers.  Monday  AA’as  dull, 
but  plea.sant,  Avith  a  temperature  of  44deg. — B.  D., 
S.  Perth-shire. 
Variorum. 
Covering  floAA’  jiipes  Avith  asbestos,  Avhere  the  heat  they  give 
is  not  utilised,  Avorks  a  valuable  economy.  *  *  An  order  for 
35,000  fruit  trees  has  been  jilaced  Avith  the  Central  Michigan 
Nursery  Company,  by  Henry  Clay  Ward,  the  millionaire  lumber¬ 
man  and  fruit  groAver,  of  Pontiac.  The  order  is  said  to  be  one  of 
the  large, st  of  its  kind  ever  given  in  the  United  States.  It  includes 
nearly  all  commercial  varieties  of  Apple,  Pear,  Plum,  and  Cheriy 
trees. 
N.R.S.  Southern  Exhibition. 
We  leam  that  for  the  National  Rose  Society’s  annual  southern 
exhibition,  in  conjunction  AA’ith  the  Devon  and  Exeter  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society,  on  Northernhay,  Exeter,  on  July  4th,  a  consider¬ 
able  sum  is  required  to  be  guaranteed  toAA’ards  the  prize  money. 
In  addition  to  this  there  are  local  prizes,  especially  for  StraAv- 
berries  and  summer  fruit  and  floAvers,  and  other  expenses  to  be 
provided  for,  and  as  the  societj’  is  noAV  in  Ioav  Avater,  an  appeal  is 
being  made  for  support,  especially  in  respect  to  the  Rose  ShoAV, 
the  Guarantee  Fund  of  Avhich  is  headed  by  Sir  Edgar  Vincent, 
M.P.,  Avho  is  president  of  the  local  society.  The  deficiency  on  the 
general  account  of  that  organisation,  Avhich  at  the  commencement 
of  last  year  amounted  to  £29,  is  noAv  £68,  and  it  depends  veiy 
much  on  the  amount  of  increased  support  that  is  forthcoming 
Avhether  the  society  will  be  in  a  position  to  hold  the  usual  autumn 
shoAV.  The  society  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  its  kind  in  exi.stence, 
and  it  is  a  pity  that  it  should  become  defunct  through  lack  of 
public  support. 
Chester  Paxton  Society. 
At  a  meeting  of  this  society,  held  in  the  Grosvenor  Museum 
on  Saturday,  under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  N.  F.  Barnes,  Eaton, 
Mr.  E.  Stubbs,  Bache  Hall  Gardens,  read  an  interesting  paper, 
entitled,  “The  Culture  of  Chrysanthemums  for  Exhibition  Pur¬ 
poses.”  Mr.  Stubbs,  Avho  is  looked  upon  as  the  champion 
Chrysanthemum  grower  of  the  district,  dealt  Avith  his  subject  in 
a  very  practical  manner,  going  minutely  into  all  the  details  of 
the  plant’s  life-history  from  its  initial  stage  to  the  exhibition 
table.  An  interesting  discussion  folloAved,  in  Avhich  the  chairman, 
Mr.  Lament,  Mr.  Wakefield,  Mr.  Ryder,  Mr.  NeAvstead,  and 
others  took  part ;  and  Mr.  Stubbs  answ^ered  several  questions  that 
Avere  put  to  him.  A  gratifying  announcement  Avas  made  by 
Captain  MacGillicuddy,  Avho  Avas  present,  and  Avho  very  kindly 
offered  to  present  to  the  society  a  challenge  cup  and  money  prizes 
for  the  best  collection  of  plants  of  single  varieties  at  the  next 
exhibition.  The  captain  also  said  he  felt  sure  the  society  could 
organise  a  successful  exhibition  of  spring  floAvers,  and  if  this 
Avere  undertaken,  ho  A\ould  be  pleased  to  lend  it  his  support. 
Needless  to  say,  these  announcements  were  received  Avith  hearty 
applause;  and  in  thanking  Captain  MacGillicuddy  for  his  hand¬ 
some  offers,  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln  said  he  felt  .sure  the  society  AA’ould,  in 
due  time,  take  full  advantage  of  both.  The  meeting  Avas  formally 
closed  by  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Stubbs  for  his  able  and 
instructive  lecture. 
