260 
March  30,  1899. 
JOURNAL 
OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
JlOYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 
DRILL  HALL. — March  28th. 
The  meeting  was  very  much  smaller  than  usual  at  this  season,  the 
Orchids  were  almost  conspicuous  by  their  absence,  and  the  exhibits  of 
fruit  and  vegetables  were  practically  nil,  whde  the  chief  of  the  Horal 
displays  consisted  of  spring  dowers,  Roses,  Olivias,  and  Ferns. 
Fruit  and  VegetableCommittee. — Present :  Philip  Crowley,  Esq. 
(in  the  chair)  ;  with  Messrs.  W.  Wilks,  J.  Cheal,  Jas.  H.  Veitch.  A.  F. 
Barron,  A.  H.  Pearsf  n,  A.  Dean,  S.  Mortimer,  W.  Bates,  G.  Wythes, 
H.  Balderson,  F.  Q.  Lane,  J.  Smith,  J.  Willard,  and  R.  Fife.  The  duties 
of  this  Committee  were  very  light. 
Mr.  A.  ,1.  Thomas,  Rodtnersham,  exhibited  a  dish  of  seedling  Apple 
Diamond  .luhilee,  which  the  Committee  desire  to  see  again.  Messrs. 
Richard  Hartland  k  Son,  Cork,  staged  a  dish  of  Drought’s  Favourite 
Apple.  The  R.II.S.  Gardens  contributed  a  collection  of  twenty-eight 
varieties  of  Onions  to  iliiistrate  their  keeping  properties.  The  best  were 
Bedfordshire  Champion,  Danver’s  Yellow,  Sutton’s  A 1,  Magnum  Bonum, 
and  Sutton’s  Koli])se,  while  the  whole  were  in  a  good  state  of  preservation. 
Mr.  R.  C.  Notcutt,  Woodbndge,  Suffolk,  sent  a  dish  of  Pear  Winter 
Orange,  a  variety  well  known  in  the  eastern  counties.  Messrs.  Walker 
Bros.,  Rasinghall  Street,  E.C.,  sent  a  bunch  of  Grapes  from  the  Cape  ; 
the  flavour  vias  good  for  the  season,  but  the  cork  dust  should  have  been 
removed  before  plaong  the  fruit  on  the  table. 
Floral  Committee. — W.  Marshall,  Esq.  (in  the  chair).  Present ; 
Messrs.  O.  Thomas,  II.  B.  May,  C.  Jefferies,  R.  Dean,  J.  H.  Fitt,  W. 
Howe,  C.  J.  Salter,  G.  Gordon,  E.  H.  Jenkins,  ,1.  1).  Pawle.  C.  R.  Fielder, 
C.  E.  Shea.  ,1.  W.  Barr.  H.  .T.  Cutl)ush,  E.  Beckett,  E.  T.  Cook,  H.  J. 
Jones,  11.  Turner,  R.  W.  Kerr,  G.  Paul,  J.  Jennings,  and  H.  Selfe-Loonatd. 
Messrs.  W.  Paul  &  Son  Waltham  Cross,  staged  a  good  display  of  flower¬ 
ing  shrubs  ;  the  Carnation- flowered  Peach  with  its  rosy  flowers,  the  Camellia- 
flowered  form  of  a  more  delicate  shade,  the  double  Almond,  Pyrus 
Horibunila  Scheideckeri,  the  double  Pruniis  sinensis  flore  pleno,  double 
French  Cherry,  Cytisus  scoparius  priccox,  Choisya  ternata  beautifully 
flowered,  and  Magnolia  steliata,  a  beautiful  form,  contributed  to  the 
collection,  while  the  whole  was  edged  with  variegated  Ivies,  Dcutzia 
parviflora,  and  Osmanthus  ilicifolius  variegatus  (silver  Flora  medal). 
Messrs.  ,X.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea,  staged  a  group  of  Cerasus  pseudo- 
cerasus  in  very  fine  form,  with  a  good  basket  of  Chionantlius  virginicus. 
Azalea  mollis  albicans  with  creamy  flowers,  and  Loropetalum  chinense  ; 
also  a  .small  group  of  Hippeastruras,  one  plant  bearing  seven  spikes 
receiving  a  cultural  commendation,  Messrs.  J.  Hill  &  Son,  Lower 
Edmonton,  contributed  one  of  their  well  known  exhibits  of  Ferns,  com¬ 
prising  specimens  of  Cyathea  insignis,  Asplenium  caudatum,  Gymnogramma 
peruviana  and  chrysophylla,  Pteris  tremula  Srnithiana,  Asplenium  nidus, 
and  Pteris  Wimsetti,  excellent  plants  of  Asplenium  llilli,  and  baskets  of 
small  Pteris  palmata,  P.  cretica  nobiii.s,  Adiantum  cuneatum  Legrandi, 
Nephrodium  lepidum,  and  Nothochlmna  nivea. 
Messrs.  R.  &  G.  Cuthbert,  Southgate,  staged  a  collection  of  Azalea 
mollis.  The  plants  were  masses  of  bloom  in  a  wide  range  of  delicate 
colours,  set  up  in  a  bed  of  Ferns,  making  a  bright  attractive  exhibit 
(silver  Banksian  medal).  Mr.  G.  Mount,  Canterbury,  again  staged  a 
beautiful  collection  of  Roses  in  boxes,  also  in  vases,  with  about  18  inches 
of  growth.  The  most  noteworthy  were  Bridesmaid,  Captain  Hayward, 
Madame  Montet,  La  France,  Catherine  Mermet,  Madame  Gabriel  Luizet, 
Mrs.  .John  Laing,  and  Niphetos  (silver  Flora  medal).  Messrs.  R.  Wallace 
and  Co.,  Colchester,  e^ hibited  a  small  but  interesting  display  of  spring 
flowers,  chiefly  Erythroniums,  including  E.  revolutum,  Hartwegi,  and 
.Tohnstoni,  with  a  variety  of  the  Grape  Hyacinth,  and  Iris  reticulata  and 
I.  caucasica.  Messrs.  B.  S  Wdliams  &  Son,  Upper  Holloway,  exhibited 
a  collection  of  Olivias.  The  plants  were  well  grown,  and  the  flowers 
bright  and  fresh.  The  best  forms  were  Marie  Reimers,  aurantiaca, 
Prince  of  Orange,  Scarlet  Gem,  and  Van  Houttei.  Messrs.  W.  Balchin 
and  Sons,  Hassock’s  Nurseries,  Sussex,  contributed  one  of  the  most 
interesting  displays  in  the  hall  in  a  group  of  Boronias,  grown  and  flowered 
in  splendid  form,  reminding  one  of  the  old  days  when  these  plants  were 
popular.  B.  heterophylla  was  really  wonderful,  while  B.  serrulata  and 
the  curious  megastigma  were  also  remarkable  alike  for  their  growth 
and  perfume  (silver  Flora  medal). 
Mr.  H.  B.  May,  Upper  Edmonton,  staged  a  fine  collection  of  Blechnums 
and  Lomarias  in  forty  species  and  varieties.  The  chief  we>e — Blechnura 
corcovadense  crispum  ;  Lomaria  gibba  robusta,  L.  ciliata  Mayi,  L  gibba, 
and  L.  ciliata  undulata  (silver-gilt  Banksian  medal).  Messrs.  Barr  and 
Sons.  Covent  Garden,  staged  an  extensive  display  of  Narcissi,  comprising 
the  beautiful  Queen  of  Spain,  bicolor  Horsefieldi,  Barri  conspicuus,  tor- 
tuosus,  Henry  Irving,  b.  Victoria,  grand  ;  Emperor,  Madame  de  Graatf, 
cernuus,  Golden  Spur,  albicans,  and  many  others  too  numerous  to  note 
(silver  Flora  medal).  Mr  P.  Purnell,  Woodlands,  Streatham  Hill, 
exhibited  a  collection  of  Primulas  and  alpine  plants,  forming  a  very 
interesting  feature.  The  blue  Primroses,  Sempervivums,  Saxifrages. 
Iris  persica,  and  Gentiana  acaulis  were  very  attractive  to  all  lovers  of 
this  interesting  class  of  plants.  Mr.  J.  Russell,  Richmond,  exhibited  a 
group  of  Draciena  lentiginose,  a  capital  decorative  plant,  with  the  foliage 
of  D.  indivisa,  but  copper-coloured,  also  a  basket  of  Viburnum  macro- 
cephalum,  a  gigantic  Gueldres  Rose,  closely  resembling  a  Hydrangea 
IMessrs.  F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans,  contributed  specimen  plants  of 
Acalyphas  Sanderi  and  Godseffiana,  also  Sanderisna.  I'he  Acalvphas 
were  very  bright  at  this  season.  Mr.  W.  Rumsey,  Waltham  Cross, 
staged  an  extensive  display  of  Roses,  comprising  five  good  boxes  and 
numerous  sprays.  The  best  were  Martichal  Niel,  Magna  Charts,  G^ndral 
Jacqueminot,  Mrs.  Rumsey,  The  Queen,  Gloire  de  M^rgottin,  Susanne 
Marie  Rhodocanachi,  and  Souvenir  d’un  Apii  (silver  Banksian  medal). 
Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Ltd.,  Tottenham, exhibited  a  group  of  spring  flowers, 
consisting  chiefly  of  Narcissi,  Chionodoxa  sardeiisis,  Muscari,  the  curious 
Fritillarias  pudica  rnd  aurea,  Gaultheria  procunibens,  Hepaticas,  and 
Primulas.  Mr.  F.  Cant,  Colchester,  staged  a  box  of  Roses,  and  a  few 
sprays  of  W.  A.  Richardson  of  the  correct  colour.  The  best  specimen 
blooms  were  Niphetos,  Madame  Hoste,  Cleopatra,  The  Bride,  Catherine 
Mermet,  and  Marechal  Niel  ;  also  plants  of  Polyanlha  Rose  Thalia,  a 
white  form,  which  ajipears  to  be  very  free  flowering. 
Orchid  Committee. — Present  :  Harry  J.  Veitch,  Esq.  fin  the  chair)  •, 
with  Messrs.  J.  O’Brien.  R.  B.  White  H.  Ballaiitine,  N.  C.  Cookson, 
A.  Otitram,  A.  H.  Snne,  J.  T.  Gabriel,  H.  J.  Chapman,  W.  H.  Youi.g, 
F.  J.  Thorne,  E.  Hill.  W.  H.  White,  J.  Jaqueg,  H.  T.  Pitt,  W.  H.  Protheroe 
J.  Colman,  W.  Thompson,  J.  G.  Fowler,  F.  Mason,  T.  B.  Haywood,  and 
S.  Courtauld. 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Burford,  Dorking,  staged  a  very  choice  group 
of  Orchids,  consisting  of  Odontoglossum  Halli,  0.  iirioiiopetalum, 
O.  triumphans,  and  crispum,  with  a  well  flowered  specimen  of  Cattleya 
Lawrenceana.  The  Cypripediums  Rothschildianum  and  C.  Stonei  grande 
were  very  attractive,  as  were  good  specimens  of  Dendrobium  Wiganm 
and  D.  Euterpe,  a  cross  between  nobile  and  Wardiiinum  (silver  Banksian 
medal),  Messrs.  Hugh  Low  tk.  Co ,  Bush  Ihll  Park,  Enfield,  staged  an 
interesting  group  of  Orchids,  comprising  excellent  specimens  of  Cattle  s  a 
Trianoe  Araesiana,  C.  T.  enfieldense,  a  very  beautiful  pale  form,  Lycaste 
Skinneri  Imperator,  Dendrobium  Venus,  a  deep  form  ot  nobile,  and  a 
good  variety  of  Odontiglossiiin.  Mr.  Pitt.  Stamford  Hill,  staged  a  very 
interesting  collection.  The  Odontoglossums  wore  excellent,  as  were  also 
the  Miltonias  and  Dendrobiums  (bronze  Banksian  medal). 
Messrs.  Linden,  Brussels,  sent  a  good  form  ot  Odontoglossum  Halh 
and  aCypripedium  Pauli  superbuin.  Mr,  N.  C.  Cookson,  Oakwood,  Wylam, 
exhibited  some  good  forms  of  Dendrobium  nobile.  Mr.  de  B.  Crawshay, 
Sevenoaks,  staged  a  grand  variety  of  Odontoglossum  crispum  with  very 
broad  flowers,  also  a  well  flowered  plant  of  0.  Andersonianum.  Mr. 
W.  Thompson,  Walton  Grange,  exhibited  a  plant  of  Odontoglossum  Halli 
leucoglossum  nigrum,  which  attracted  a  lot  of  attention;  also  a  good 
O.  Wilckeanum  Frirnate,  a  yellow  form  with  broad  blotches  of  lirown 
throughout  the  flower.  Mr.  W.  C.  Walke.-',  Winchmore  Hill,  exhibited  a 
well-tlowered  plant  of  Eriopsis  Rutidobulbon. 
Certificates  and  Awards  of  Merit. 
Azalea  hyhrida  (R.  &  G.  Cuthbert).  — A  cross  between  A.  mollis  and 
sinensis.  A  rosy  cranj;e  form  with  the  upper  segment  spotted  with  a 
deeper  shade  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Triance  Amesiuna  (Hugh  Low  &  Co.). — A  good  variety.  Sepals 
and  petals  white,  lip  white  with  orange  at  the  base,  the  outer  portion 
pale  mauve  (award  of  merit). 
Dendrohiurn  canaliculatwn  (J.  Sparkes), — A  small,  but  pretty  flowi  r, 
having  a  violet  lip  ;  the  sepals  and  petals  white  at  the  base,  with  yellow 
tips  (botanical  certificate). 
Erica  propendens. — A  good  Erica  with  mauve  flowers,  very  free  (first- 
cl&89  CGrtificflilG). 
Lalio-Cattleya  nigra  var.  Etoile  d' Or  (Jules  Hye). — Sepals  dull  v’ellow, 
petals  slightly  paler,  throat  veined  with  chocolate  lines  (first-class 
certificate).  ■  i  ■  i 
Narcissus  King  Alfred. — A  fine  form  with  broad  perianth  and  a  bright 
yellow  tube  (award  of  merit). 
Odontoglossum  nobilia  (Jules  Hye). — Sepals  and  petals  yellow  with  large 
blotches  of  chocolate,  lip  slightly  (ringed,  yellow  at  the  base  wuth  paler 
edges  (award  of  merit). 
Pear  Winter  Orange  (R.  C.  Notcutt). —  A  stewing  Tear  of  considerable 
merit,  said  to  be  well  known  in  the  eastern  counties  ;  a  short  fruit  with 
a  deep  brown  skin,  and  an  open  eye  (award  of  merit). 
Scientific  Fruit  Culture. — When  I  a,sked  a  distinguished  Welsh 
fruit  grower,  ac  the  close  of  Mr.  Bickering’s  recent  lecture  on  the 
experimental  work  being  conducted  on  the  Woburn  Fruit  Farm,  what 
he  thought  of  it  all,  he  said,  “  Well.  I  have  come  hundreds  of  miles  to 
hear  this  lecture,  and  I  am  none  the  wiser.”  Possibly  hard-headed, 
jiractical  fruit  growers  cannot  appreciate  new  forms  of  scientific  teaching. 
Still,  with  every  disposition  to  be  a  learner,  I  could  not  for  the  life  of  mo 
comprehend  how  or  in  what  way  much  of  what  seemed  to  be  trivial 
experimentation  carried  on  at  Woburn  was  going  to  benefit  fruit  culture. 
I  could  but  fancy  that  some  of  the  grave  and  experienced  seigneurs  who 
sat  and  listened  to  the  lecture  must  have  wondered  what  they,  as  fruit 
growers,  had  been  at  all  their  lives  that  this  sort  of  thing  should  bo 
needful.  I  found  it  difficult  to  repress  a  smile,  for  I  like  to  show  all 
possible  courtesy  to  those  from  whom  I  may  differ,  when  I  learned  that 
it  was  the  practice  to  have  the  sixth  leaf  from  the  point  of  each  shoot  on 
the  voiing  trees  gathered  each  season  and  weighed,  to  enable  a  test  to  be 
obtained  of  the  re.spective  tree’s  development  ;  also  that  it  was  the  practice 
to  have  all  the  prunings  from  the  trees  severally  weighed  also,  and  even 
thought  the  person  who  had  to  perform  such  duties,  and  tabulate  them, 
merited  some  sympathy.  Really,  should  there  be  anything  of  a  practical 
nature  to  be  deduced  from  the  Woburn  experiments,  it  is  evident  that 
nothing  useful  or  tangible  can  be  so  obtained  until  some  ten  or  twelve  years 
have  elapsed  since  planting,  and  it  the  work  of  leaf  picking  and 
weighing  has  to  go  on  all  the  time,  as  well  as  taking  the  weights  of  the 
prunings  of  each  tree,  it  must  be  a  time  of  trial  to  somebody.  Let  us 
hope  that  great  good,  not  apparent  now,  will  be  the  eventual  outcome  ol 
what  must  be  a  tedious  and  time-absorbing  operation. — A.  D. 
