18 
January  1,  1903. 
JOURNAL 
OF  HORTICULTURE 
AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Societies. 
R  yal  Horticultural  of  Ireland. 
Tlie  annual  meeting  of  the  members  of  tliis  Society  was  held 
on  December  1!)  in  the  Central  Lecture  Hall,  Westmoreland 
Street,  Dublin,  Mr.  Hume  Dudgeon  presiding.  I'liere  was  not 
a  numerous  attendance.  The  annual  report  was  read  by  the 
secretary,  Mr.  Keating.  It  stated  that  tl).ere  was  a  balance  of 
of  liabilities  over  assets,  and  the  want  of  financial  success 
(luring  the  year  was  due  to  a  lack  of  patronage  and  support  on 
the  part  of  the  public  and  the  unfavourable  weather  for  the 
shows.  The  shows  had,  however,  from  a  horticultural  point  of 
view  been  a  great  success.  Something  would  have  to  be  done 
if  the  society  was  to  continue  its  work. 
Mr.  1).  Ramsay  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report.  Ho  was 
sorry  that  they  had  not  a  more  favourable  report.  The  Dublin 
public  evidently  were  not  interested  in  the  show.s  of  the  society. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Hayes,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  they  had  come 
to  a  crisis  in  the  affairs  of  the  societ.v,  and  something  radical  and 
wi'C  V  uukl  have  to  be  done  or  elsC'  the  society  would  have  to  dis¬ 
solve.  The  Agricultural  Department  was  ready  to  help  forward 
horticulture,  and  he  had  no  doubt  if  Mr.  Plunkett  and  Mr.  Gill 
w  ere  approached  by  the  society  a  scheme  could  be  formulated  by 
which  the  society  would  be  placed  on  a  better  footing.  The 
Chairman  said  the  Agricultural  Department  was  being  ap¬ 
proached,  but  it  would  not  be  discreet  to  say  much  about  the 
matter  at  present.  The  report  was  adopted. 
Mr.  James  Thornton  .said  some  members  of  the  cpuncil  had 
not  attended  the  meetings  as  often  as  they  might.  There  must 
be  something  wrong  with  the  working  of  the  society.  Mr.  James 
Robertson  moved  that  in  view  of  the  unsatisfactory  state  of 
affairs  the  rule  making  it  imperative  on  the  council  to  hold  four 
regular  show.s  annually  be  deleted.  He  said  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  had  been  approached,  and  it  might  be  possible  that 
a  scheme  would  be  worked  out  by  which  the  department  would 
have  the  benefit  of  the  society’s  organisation,  and  the  society  of 
the  department’s  money.  Mr.  Charles  Lyndon  seconded  the 
motion.  Mr.  Gordon  Wilson  said  that  practical  agriculturists 
were  better  represented  on  the  council  of  the  Belfast  Society  than 
in  Dublin,  and  that  might  have  something  to  say  to  the  success 
of  the  Belfast  Society.  The  Chairman  said  the  council  had  done 
their  utmost  to  make  the  shows  a  financial  success. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Moore  said  it  was  the  lack  of  interest  on  the  part 
of  the  Dublin  public  in  horticulture  that  had  made  the  society  a 
financial  failure.  The  council  had  tried  every  means  to  make  the 
public  take  an  intere.st  in  the  society,  and  their  efforts  had  been 
in  vain.  They  could  not  even  induce  the  members  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  .society,  as  witness  the  small  attendance  at  the 
meeting.  The  motion  was  carried,  and  the  meeting  ended. 
Rational  Sweet  Pea. 
Mr.  George  Gordon,  V.M.H.,  presided  ovmr  a  moderately 
good  attendance  at  the  second  annual  meeting  of  this  .society. 
The  report  for  1902  was  presented  as  follows:^ — “When  yoiir 
committee  presented  to  you  in  January  last  the  first  annual 
report,  it  spoke  in  terms  of  satisfaction  of  the  result  of  the  jmar’s 
w  ork.  On  the  present  occasion  your  committee  is  able  to  record 
marked  progress  in  every  direction— increased  membership, 
substantially  adv'anced  income  and  most  excellent  show. 
*■  The  number  of  members  has  advanced  by  a  score,  and  all  of 
those  who  have  come  in  are  enthusiastic  growers  of  the  charming 
flov\er  to  which  you  would  all  wish  to  do  honour.  Your  com¬ 
mittee  regrets  to  record  the  loss  by  death  of  one  of  its  Vice- 
Pre.sidents,  Mr.  E.  J.  Beale,  of  Messrs.  Carter  and  Co.  A  letter 
of  condolence  A\ith  the  bereaved  family  was  sent  on  your  behalf, 
and  Mr.  Gilbert  Beale  was  invited  to  become  a  Vice-President  in 
his  father’s  place,  and  has  accepted.  The  financial  position  of 
the  society  is  good,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  expenses 
at  the  .show  were  slightly  enhanced.  The  support  given  by  the 
trade  was  inost  excellent,  and  your  thanks  are  due  to  those  who 
gave  special  prizes,  as  well  as  to  the  many  other  friends  who 
helped  with  annual  subscriptions. 
‘‘  The  exhibition  held  in  the  Royal  Aquarium  on  July  15  and  16 
was  an  unqualified  success.  A  few  days  before  the  sliow  heavy 
rains  Awere  general  and  played  havoc  Avith  many  of  the  finest 
IaIoouis,  but  the  skill  of  the  groAvers  AA'as  sufficient  to  overcome 
the  trouble,  and  an  excellent  display  filling  the  Avhole  of  the 
ground  floor  and  the  Western  Gallery  resulted.  The  classes  Avere 
siightl.v  more  numerous  than  last  year,  and  the  entries  Avere  con¬ 
siderably  greater.  The  arrangements  made  by  the  Royal 
•Vciuarium  Company  Avere  Amrj^  complete,  and  the  management  of 
the  shoAv  by  Mr.  Richard  Dean,  V.M.H.,  the  Honorai*>-  Exhibi- 
t  o).  Secretary.  A\as  admirable. 
'■  J  he  closing  of  the  Royal  Aquarium  forces  the  society  to 
seek  a  ncAA-  home  for  its  exhibitions.  After  the  most  careful  con¬ 
sideration  your  committee  decided  to  endeavour  to  make  arrange¬ 
ments  AA’ith  the  authorities  at  Earl’s  Court,  AA'here  many  success¬ 
ful  floAA'er  shoAA'.s  have  been  held  in  the  past.  In  an  intervieAv 
Avith  Mr.  H.  Hartley,  of  the  Earl’s  Court  Board,  the  require¬ 
ments  of  the  society  Avere  set  forth,  and  subsequently  in  another 
meeting  the  Earl’s  Court  management  offered  the  Society  a 
donation  of  £10  10s.  toAAards  the  prize  fund,  free  admission  to 
all  members  and  the  erection  of  the  tabling  in  the  spacious 
Prince’s  Hall.  The  dates  of  the  exhibition  Avere  fixed  for 
M’ednesday  and  Thursday,  July  15  and  16. 
“  The  classification  committee  undertook  an  important  Avork 
in  iplacing  the  respective  varieties  under  their  proper  colour 
headings,  and  the  result  of  their  labours  Avill  be  given  later. 
“  Fpon  the  completion  of  the  judging  on  the  first  day  of  the 
exhibition,  a  meeting  AAas  held  to  consider  the  merits  of  the  mwA' 
varieties,  of  AA  hich  some  tAA'o  or  three  dozens  Avere  shoA\  n.  The 
judges  Avere  inAuted  to  participate  in  the  proceedings.  First 
class  certificates  AAere  aA\arded  to  Dorothy  Eckford  (Eckford), 
exhibited  bv  the  Rev.  Leslie  Knights-Smith,  Brighstone,  Isle  of 
AVight,  and  to  Golden  Rose  (Burpee),  exhibited  by  Messrs.  I. 
House  and  Sons,  Westbury-on-Trym,  Bristol.  Florence  Moly- 
neux  (Dobbie),  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Dobbie  and  Co.,  Rothesay, 
AAas  commended. 
“At  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Sheiwood,  the  Society’s  Trea.surer, 
members  of  the  committee,  with  several  friends,  visited  Messrs. 
Hurst  and  Sons’  .seed  trial  grounds  at  Kelvedon  on  July  24.  The 
firm’s  collection  of  SAA-eet  Peas  AA'as  carefully  inspected,  and  a 
most  enjoyable  and  useful  day  Avas  spent.” 
The  society  has  a  balance  at  the  bank  of  £29  19s.  2d. 
National  Chrysantliemuffl. 
A  special  meeting  of  the  executive  committee  Avas  held  at  the 
Royal  Aquarium  on  the  29th  ult.,  Avhich  Avas  fully  attended,  to 
receive  a  report  from  the  Sites  Sub-committee,  appointed  to 
inspect  and  report  upon  suitablei  places  in  AA’liich  to  hold  the 
exhibitions,  as  Avell  as  the  business  and  other  meetings  of 
the  society.  The  report  sets  forth  that  various  halls  and  build¬ 
ings  had  been  inspected ;  visits  had  also  been  made  to  Earl’s 
Court,  Alexandra  Palace,  &c.,  and  communications  had  passed 
AAith  the  authorities  of  the  Agricultural  Hall,  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society,  &c.  Some  halls  Avere  found  inade¬ 
quate  in  size,  .some  difficult  of  access,  AAdiile  the  terms  asked  for 
others  Avere  pi’ohibitory.  The  committee  Avere  still  negotiating 
AA’ith  a  AueAV  of  securing  a  suitable  place  for  the  busine^ss  UAcetings 
of  the  society,  and  hoped  shortly  to  make  a  report.  Communi¬ 
cations  had  been  opened  Avith  the  authorities  of  the  Crystal 
Palace,  and  Avith  the  result  that  a  provisional  agreement  had 
been  come  to  by  Avhich  the  board  of  directors  had  agreed  to  the 
N.C.S.  holding  three  shoAvs  at  Sydenham,  the  first  on  October  6 
and  7,  the  second — the  large  one — on  November  10,' 11,  and  12, 
and  a  third  sIioaa’  for  tAAO  days  during  the  second  AA'eek  in 
December. 
ToAA’ards  the  prize  schedule  of  the  first  and  last  exhibitions 
the  directors  of  the  Crystal  Palace  are  prepared  to  give  the  sum 
of  £25  and  medals  to  the  value  of  £2  at  each  sIioaa-  ;  toAvards  the 
schedule  of  the  large  one  in  November  the  sum  of  £150  and 
medals  to  the  value  of  £10.  The  necessary  staging  AAmuld  be 
provided,  and  the  Crystal  Palace  authorities  Avould  advertise 
the  shoAv  in  the  daily  and  AAmekly  papers,  the  agreement  to  con¬ 
tain  a  proviso  to  the  effect  that  the  sum  of  money  given  in  the 
case  of  each  show  should  be  paid  AAdthin  tAAmnty-one  days  of  the 
holding  of  each  shoAv.  The  dates  of  the  October  and  November 
shoAAs  AA’ere  confirmed,  but  the  committee  resolved  that  the  date 
of  the  December  shoAV  should  be  the  2nd  and  3rd  instead  of  the 
0th  and  10th. 
In  the  face  of  the.se.  terms,  it  AAas  obvious  a  reA'ision  of  the 
schedules  of  prizes  AV’as  necessary,  and  the  committee  recommended 
that  only  the  medals  given  by  the  Crystal  Palace  Co.  be  aAvarded 
to  inhscellaneous  exhibits,  supplemented  by  honorary  awards. 
They  further  recommended  that  all  exhibitors  in  the  miscel¬ 
laneous  class  become  members  of  the  society,  subscribing  a  sum 
of  not  less  than  tAA’o  guineas  annually.  Avhich  AAOuld  entitle  them 
to  exhibit  at  all  the  shows  held  by  the  society  or  in  any  one; 
this  to  take  the  place  of  the  sum  usually  charged  for  space  at  the 
November  exhibition.  That  in  the  cases  of  the  large  classes,  in 
AA'hich  unusually  large  sums  are  offered  as  prizes,  a  special 
entrance  fee  of  5s.  be  charged  in  each,  in  addition  to  the  exhibi¬ 
tor’s  entrance  fee  of  5s.,  and  also  in  addition  to  his  annual  sub¬ 
scription.  In  order  to  safeguard  the  interests  of  groAAmrs  of 
small  collections,  aaIio  compete  in  the  minor  classes.^  it  AAas 
resolved,  after  a  long  and  invoh'ed  discussion,  that  in  a’l  classes 
under  eighteen  blooms  in  the  open  and  amateur  diA'  dons  an 
entrance  fee  of  Is.  per  cla.ss  be  charged  for  all  entries  made  at 
each  shoAV  of  the  society.  It  Avas  further  resolved  that  affiliated 
societies  entering  for  competition  in  the  trophy  class  be  re- 
(|ue.sted  to  pay  an  entrance  fee  of  5s..  With  these  modifications 
the  amended  report  of  the  committee  Avas  adopted,  and  a  A’ote 
of  thanks  AA  as  passed  to  the  chairman  for  presiding. 
