32 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  12,  1890. 
ISLE  OF  WIGHT  CHRYSAXTHEMEM  SOCIETY. 
The  annual  meeting  of  this  Society  was  held  at  Newport  on 
Saturday  last.  Dr.  J.  Groves,  B.A.,  J.P.,  presided.  The  report  and 
balance-sheet  were  adopted  on  the  proposition  of  the  Chairman.  The 
balance  in  hand  is  £4  13s.  9d,,  which  is  satisfactory,  consider¬ 
ing  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  at  last  year’s  show.  Sir  Chas.  Seely, 
Bart.,  was  re-elected  President,  Dr.  Gioves  Chairman,  and  IMr.  C.  H. 
Cave  Hon.  Sec.  Several  alterations  were  made  in  the  schedule  for 
improving  the  standard  of  excellence,  giving  variation  and  effect  to 
the  exhibition,  and  placing  the  Society  in  a  better  financial  position. 
In  the  discussion  suggestions  were  made  by  many  old  exhibitors  and 
enthusiastic  horticulturists,  which  will,  no  doubt,  receive  due 
consideration. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM  TRADERS. 
Under  the  above  heading,  “  A.  D.”  seems  (on  page  13)  as 
much  “at  sea”  as  the  writers  of  those  catalogue  notes  to  which  he 
refers.  He  asks.  Is  it  trade  bluff?  I  can  only  enlighten  him  upon 
one  point — i.e.,  the  N.C.S.  is  the  cause  of  it  all.  He  also  asks,  What 
do  the  public  care  about  such  trivial  things  ?  I  think  the  public  like 
to  know  facts,  and  so  long  as  the  N.C.S.  give  their  gold  medals  to 
other  things  besides  Chrysanthemums,  and  grown  by  nobody  knows 
who,  so  long  will  the  catalogue  war  go  on.  This  is  not  the  first  or 
second  year  of  splashes  for  effect  and  all  the  rest  of  it,  and  I  do  not 
think  a  continuance  of  the  present  system  can  be  conducive  to  the 
permanent  welfare  of  the  Society.  Does  “A.  D.”  think  it  can? — 
W.  Wells,  Earlsiuood. 
N.C.S.  PRIZES. 
There  is  at  least  a  note  of  freshness  in  the  literary  combatant 
“  A.  D.’s  ”  communication  on  page  13  last  week.  One  would  have 
thought  he  would  have  been  among  the  last  men  to  object  to  a  little 
pen  sparring  in  catalogues  or  elsewhere;  but  when  he  sees  things  that 
do  not  please  him  might  he  not  ask  himself — “Is  there  not  a  cause  ?” 
Can  he  answer  a  few  questions  on  a  subject  that  is  not  quite  trivial 
to  a  considerable  number  of  Chrysanthemum  growers  and  supporters 
of  the  N.C.S.  ? 
Was  not  the  National  Chrj'santhemum  Society  established  to 
increase  the  interest  in  and  promote  the  superior  culture  of  the 
Chrysanthemum  ?  Have  the  whole  of  the  funds  provided  by  members 
— many  of  them  hard  working,  genuine  cultivators  with  little  money 
to  spare — been  devoted  in  the  form  of  prizes  to  real  and  actual  culti¬ 
vators  of  the  products  to  which  prizes  have  been  adjudged  ?  Is  it 
reasonable  and  right  that  a  special  society,  established  for  a  special 
purpose,  should  go  beyond  what  may  be  described  as  its  charter,  and 
spend  the  money  subscribed  in  the  form  of  medals  for  exhibits  very 
different  from  Chrysanthemums,  and  granted  to  persons  who  never 
grew  what  they  exhibited  in  the  form  of  various  plants,  or  other 
things  which  have  been  brought  together  for  winning  them  ? 
Does  any  other  special  society  in  the  world  go  beymnd  the  object 
for  which  it  was  formed  to  the  same  extent  as  this  ?  Do  the  National 
Rose,  Carnation,  Dahlia,  or  any  other  society  take  such  flights  outside 
their  legitimate  sphere  as  the  N.C.S.  ?  Does  the  grand  autumn 
flower,  with  its  commanding  beauty,  need  crutches  to  enable  it  to 
hold  up  its  head  ?  Ought  not  it  to  be  the  last  to  need  such  props  as 
are  p^rovided  by  the  generosity  of  those  to  whom  its  resources  aie 
entrusted  ? 
Blame  not  exhibitors  who  win  the  honours  placed  within  their  reach. 
IMen  of  enterprise  naturally  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities 
afforded  ;  and  if  they  did  not  their  negligence  would  not  speak  much 
for  their  business  capacity.  They  are  justified  in  winning  medals 
when  they  can  within  the  stipulations.  But  what  of  the  policy  of  a 
great  society  that  goes  so  far  beyond  its  own  special  functions  as  to  dangle 
prizes  for  products  which  do  not,  and  in  their  very  nature  cannot, 
represent  the  cultural  skill  of  the  exhibitors  who  win  them  ?  Let 
“  A.  D.”  look  at  the  matter  from  a  rather  broader  point  of  view,  and 
give  his  unbiassed  opinion  on  the  points  suggested,  and  any  others 
that  he  thinks  cognate  to  ihe  policy  of  the  N.C.S.  He  may  then, 
perhapis,  find  a  cause  for  catalogue  splutterings. — A  Member,  but  No 
Trader. 
Bulbs. — As  soon  as  bulbs  placed  under  the  plunging  material 
have  commenced  growth  and  advanced  an  inch  or  tw’o  the  pot®  should  be 
removed  and  placed  close  to  the  glass  in  a  frame.  Shade  at  first,  but 
gradually  inure  to  the  light.  The  green  colour  does  not  readily  develop 
in  the  coldest  weather. —  S. 
I 
•COMPOST  FOR  PEACH  .BORDERS. 
Your  genial  and  intelligent  correspondent,  “  A.  D.,”  asks 
(page  494,  last  vol.)  for  criticisms  on  this  important  subject.  Like 
himself,  I  do  not  approve  of  the  “recipe”  he  quotes.  Throughout  a 
long  practice,  and  having  had  to  do  with  a  considerable  variety  of 
soils  and  climates  (for  I  venture  to  say  climate  should  be  taken  into 
account  in  this  matter),  I  long  since  arrived  at  a  dislike  for  elaborate 
mixtures  for  fruits  and  most  other  plants.  My  conviction  and 
experience  lead  me  to  recommend  what  I  shall  term  a  simple  maiden 
staple,  with  comparatively  little  else  added  to  it,  and  giving  especially 
animal  droppings  a  wide  berth. 
In  reference  to  Peaches,  and,  I  may  say,  all  stone  fruits,  I  take  it 
to  be  an  established  fact  that  they  can  be  more  certainly  and  easily 
grown  to  the  greatest  perfection  in  a  rather  strong  calcareous  loam 
resting  on  a  well  drained  bottom.  I  believe  I  am  correct  in  saying 
the  limestone  districts  in  this  country  produce  the  finest  Peach  trees, 
all  other  things  being  equal. 
To  produce  the  healthiest,  longest  lived,  and  most  fruitful  Peaches  I 
would  recommend,  w'hen  it  can  be  had,  6  inches,  or  not  more  than 
that  depth  unless  the  soil  be  exceptionally  good,  and  of  course  including 
the  verdure,  from  old  calcareous  grass  land.  This,  stacked  for  six  or 
nine  months,  and  then  having  2  cwt.  of  half-inch  bones,  1  cwt.  of 
bonemeal,  one  cartload  of  old  mortar,  and  one  load  of  pounded  char¬ 
coal  well  mixed  with  twelve  loads  of  the  loam,  will  make  a  first-rate 
Peach  border.  If  I  used  any  quickly  soluble  manure  it  would  be  a 
very  small  quantity.  It  is  presumed  that  the  trees  to  be  planted  are 
young,  and,  as  all  very  well  know,  such  are  apt  to  grow  too  strongly. 
Such  a  border  will  be  more  fruitful  to  begin  with,  and  one  that  will 
form  a  sound  healthy  medium  for  being  mulched  and  fed  wdth  more 
soluble  manures  when  such  become  necessary. 
I  have  referred  to  long-lived  Peach  trees.  It  may  be  interesting 
to  relate  that  in  1858  I  took  charge  of  a  Peach  house  in  which  there 
was  a  tree  which,  at  that  time,  appeared  to  me  to  be  about  twenty  years 
old.  For  the  ten  years  I  had  charge  of  it  I  forced  it  to  ripen  its  crops 
in  April  and  May  without  my  ever  having  done  anything  to  the  border 
except  applying  top-dres>ings.  I  had  the  pleasure  to  see  this  tree 
standing  in  the  same  place  last  summer,  and  was  delighted  to  see 
my  old  friend  still  doing  duty.  This  speaks  much  for  its  border,  and 
perhaps  more  for  the  management  of  my  successors.  The  variety  is 
Violette  Hative,  a  Peach  yet  hard  to  beat  in  many  ways.  1  may  say  the 
natural  soil  of  the  garden  is  a  splendid  loam,  and  the  climate  bright 
and  dry  as  any  in  Britain. 
I  shonld  be  sorry  to  convey  the  idea  by  these  remarks  that  very 
considerable  success  in  Peach  culture  is  not  attainable  except  when  fine 
calcareous  loam  from  an  old  pasture  can  be  had.  I  have,  no  doubt 
like  “  A.  D.”  and  many  of  your  readers,  seen  fine  Peaches  grown 
in  ordinary  good  kitchen  garden  soil  resting  on  a  dry  bottom, 
and  not  deeper  than  18  or  20  inches,  and  your  readers  -w'ho  cannot 
procure  such  soil  as  is  considered  the  best  should  not  be  discouraged. 
— D.  Thomson. 
In  your  issue  of  December  29th,  1898,  your  able  correspondent, 
“  A.  D.,”  invites  criticisms  on  making  a  Peach  border.  The  recipe  for 
the  compost  then  given  I  consider  too  rich,  and  would  consequently 
cause  the  trees  to  make  long-jointed  unfruitful  growth.  If  about  to 
make  a  Peach  border  I  should  prefer  ten  loads  of  good  sound  turfy 
loam,  a  little  adhesive  in  texture,  four  loads  of  light  garden  soil,  two 
loads  of  old  mortar  rubbish,  and  one  sack  of  charcoal,  b:oken  about 
2  inches  long,  all  well  mixed  of  the  quantities  required. 
If  the  site  were  cold  and  the  subsoil  wet  I  should  make  the  border 
a  foot'above  the  level  of  the  ground,  concreting  the  bottom,  and  adding 
4  to  6  inches  of  drainage  after  the  concrete  was  set,  then  cover  the 
drainage  with  turf,  grass  downwards,  or  any  coarse  lasting  material. 
If  the  subsoil  were  dry  I  should  make  the  border  level,  2  feet  6  inches 
deep,  well  firming  the  bottom,  and  place  a  layer  of  brick  rubbish  for 
drainage  and  cover  it  with  turf  or  rough  material.  After  the  border 
was  made  and  the  trees  planted  and  watered,  mulch  with  long  litter 
with  the  manure  shaken  out.  When  the  trees  were  established  1 
should  feed  from  the  surface  by  mulching,  or  with  liquid  manure, 
instead  of  giving  a  rich  soil  to  begin  with.  I  have  proved  this  to  be  a 
very  safe  plan  and  successlul. — T.  T. 
The  opinion  of  practical  Peach  growers  is  asked  as  to  the  suitability 
of  the  recipe  given  on  page  494,  last  vol.  The  ingredients  are  ten 
loads  of  turfy  loam,  and  six  ditto  of  manure  in  various  forms.  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  condemning  this  mixture  entirely.  The  fresh 
horse  droppings  and  other  additions  to  the  turfy  loam  are  quite  unne¬ 
cessary  ;  in  fact  it  would  cause  positive  injury  to  any  unfortunate 
Peach  trees  that  might  be  planted  in  it.  The  trees  would  doubtless 
grow  at  a  rapid  rate,  but  before  many  months  had  elapsed  that  scourge 
of  Peach  growers,  gumming,  would  be  observed  on  many  of  the 
branches,  and  if  several  growers  had  made  their  borders  according  to 
