556 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER^  December  20, 1900. 
Society  of  Engineers. — The  forty-seventh  annual  general  meeting 
of  the  Society  of  Engineers  was  held  on  December  10th  at  the  rooms 
of  the  society,  17,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster.  The  chair  was 
occupied  by  Mr.  Charles  Mason,  vice-president.  The  following 
gentlemen  were  duly  elected  by  ballot  as  the  council  and  officers  for 
1901 — viz.:  As  president,  Mr.  Charles  Mason;  as  vice-presidents,  Messrs. 
Percy  Griffith,  James  Patten  Barber,  and  David  Butler  Butler;  as 
ordinary  members  of  council,  Messrs.  Joseph  Bernays,  G.  A.  Pryce 
Cuxson,  W.  H.  Holttum,  R.  St,  George  Moore,  Henry  Sherley- Price, 
Nicholas  J.  West,  Joseph  W.  Wilson,  and  Maurice  Wilson ;  as  hon,  sec. 
and  treasurer,  Mr.  George  Burt ;  as  hon.  auditor,  Mr.  Samuel 
Wood,  F.C.A. 
Dublin  Root  Exhibition. — The  annual  root  display  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  was  held  on  Tuesday  last  and  two 
following  days  at  Ball’s  Bridge.  The  weather  was  ideal,  a  complete 
absence  of  rain.  Potatoes,  despite  the  prevalence  of  disease,  looked  a 
remarkably  fine  lot  of  tubers.  The  maincrop  varieties  were  much  in 
evidence,  and  if  spraying  was  more  generally  adopted  the  fears  of  a 
Potato  failure  would  be  practically  minimised.  Carrots  were  also  good. 
The  same  held  true  of  Swedes — a  finer  lot  I  have  never  seen  ;  but 
Mangolds  were  unquestionably  weak.  The  Foxford  cottagers,  a  district 
under  the  supervision  of  the  old  Congested  Districts  Board,  had  shown 
marked  advance  in  cultural  skill,  but  mere  grossness  should  not  be  the 
level  aimed  at,  as  the  prize  dishes  of  Potatoes  were  unduly  large.  The 
same  is  true  of  other  items.  As  usual,  trade  exhibits  formed  a  feature. 
Messrs.  Sutton,  of  Reading,  were  well  to  the  fore  with  various  types  of 
agricultural  farm  produce,  and  Messrs.  Webb  &  Sons,  Stourbridge,  had 
a  neatly  arranged  stand  of  their  products.  Messrs.  Hogg  &  Robertson, 
Mary  Street,  had  an  extensive  display.  Their  Garton  cereals  were  in 
great  variety,  whilst  their  glass  cases  of  the  grass  seeds,  as  improved  by 
Gartons,  were  the  objects  of  attention.  Champion  the  Second  is  a  Potato 
likely  to  be  required  in  the  near  future.  It  is  a  tuber  with  smooth  skin, 
medium  size,  and  free  from  depressions,  likewise  a  disease  resister. 
—A.  O’N. 
Blrmlngrbam  Gardeners’  i\.8soclatlon. — An  unusually  well 
attended  meeting  of  the  members  was  convened  on  Monday  night,  the 
10th  inst.,  anticipatory  of  the  presence  of  Mr,  William  Hales,  Curator 
of  the  Physio  Gardens,  Chelsea,  to  read  a  paper  entitled  “  The  Royal 
Gardens,  Kew,”  illustrated  with  lantern  slides.  The  essayist  was 
introduced  by  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham,  Curator  of  the  Botanical  Gardens, 
Edgbastcn,  who  presided,  and  remarked  that  he  had  a  peculiar  interest 
and  pleasure  in  so  doing,  from  the  fact  that  Mr,  Hales  a  few  years  ago 
was  a  student  under  him  in  the  Botanical  Gardens,  afterwards  a 
probationer  at  Kew  for  about  four  years,  and  subsequently  was 
appointed  as  Curator  of  the  Physic  Gardens,  Chelsea.  Also  whilst  at 
Birmingham  Mr.  Hales  was  a  member  of  the  Gardeners’  Mutual 
Improvement  Society,  and  a  student  of  botany  under  Mr.  J.  W.  Oliver, 
lecturer  on  Botany  at  the  Municipal  Technical  School,  Birmingham. 
As  an  old  '■  Kewite,”  he  (the  Chairman)  felt  impressed  with  the 
comparative  advantages  presented  to  the  students  at  Kew  at  the 
present  day  over  those  upwards  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  Mr. 
Hales,  in  commencing  the  reading  of  his  paper,  remarked  that  in  one 
lecture  the  treatment  of  the  several  subjects  must  necessarily  be  of  a 
cursory  nature.  Photographs  of  the  chief  glass  structures  at  Kew  and 
their  contents  were  thrown  upon  the  screen,  and  the  features  of  their 
contents  lucidly  explained.  The  museums  and  other  objects  of  similar 
interest,  including  the  celebrated  North  Gallery,  were  also  interestingly 
defined.  One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  thrown  upon  the  screen 
was  a  photograph  of  the  ancient  specimen  of  the  Monkey  Puzzle 
(Araucaria  imbricata)  in  its  last  stage  of  decay,  and  supported  by 
wooden  props.  It  had  recently  died  and  been  removed  from  its 
centenarian  site.  It  was  said  to  be  the  first  specimen  of  its  species 
introduced  into  Europe  from  Valdivia  by  the  late  Mr.  Archibald  Menzies, 
surgeon  and  naturalist  to  Vancouver’s  voyage  to  North  America  in 
1788.  Mr.  Menzies,  when  dining  at  the  table  of  the  Governor  of 
V aldivia,  had  the  seeds  offered  him  at  dessert.  On  being  told  that  they 
were  those  of  a  great  Pine  of  the  Andes,  he  took  some  away  in  his 
pocket,  and  sowed  them  in  a  pot  on  board  ship.  He  tended  the  young 
plants  carefully  during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage,  giving  them  a 
share  of  his  allowance  of  water  when  that  was  reduced  to  little  more 
than  a  pint  a  day.  On  arriving  in  England  in  1792  Mr.  Menzies 
presented  the  young  plants  to  Kew,  whence  four  were  distributed  and 
one  remained — the  relic  in  question.  Mr.  Hales  was  unable  to  afford 
information  as  to  whether  the  old  tree  had  ever  borne  cones, — G. 
Bn  Indian  Appointment  for  a  Rewlte. — Mr.  J,  H.  Bnrkill,  an 
assistant  in  the  Herbarium  at  Kew,  and  formerly  in  that  at  Cambridge, 
has  been  appointed  assistant  to  Dr.  Watt,  the  Reporter  of  Economic 
Products  Department  of  Agriculture  in  Calcutta,  and  will  leave  this 
country  in  January  next. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Ireland,— The  annual  general 
meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  in  the  Central  Lecture  Hall, 
Westmoreland  Street,  on  last  Monday,  and  in  the  absence  of  the 
president.  Lord  Ardilaun,  the  chair  was  taken  by  H.  Greenwood 
Rim,  Esq.  The  attendance  of  members  was  a  distinct  advance  on 
previous  years.  After  the  secretary,  Mr.  W.  H.  Hilly ard,  read  the 
minutes,  the  chairman  referred  to  the  regrettable  fact  of  the  abolition 
of  the  spring  show  owing  to  the  financial  loss  it  entailed.  Apart  from 
this,  the  financial  affairs  showed  a  debt  of  £151  Is.  3d.,  and  to  enable 
the  council  to  erase  this,  the  above  action  was  decided  upon.  A  welcome 
feature  mentioned  in  the  report  was  the  desire  of  council  to  have  a  hall 
to  hold  their  displays,  as  the  present  venues  were  too  expensive  to  retain. 
The  adoption  of  the  report  was  moved  by  Mr.  F.  W,  Moore,  M.R.I.A., 
curator  of  Glasnevin  Botanic  Gardens  ;  he  dwelt  on  the  topic  of 
stopping  the  spring  show,  and  he  suggested  a  guarantee  fund  amongst 
the  members  to  be  started.  This  suggestion  was  formally  proposed  by 
Mr.  McGregor,  and  supported  by  Mr.  Smalldridge,  asking  the  society  to 
issue  a  circular  to  members  in  connection  with  same.  Sir  Percy  Grace, 
Bart.,  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  report,  which  was  adopted. — A.  O’N. 
Bristol  Gardeners’  Association. — The  fortnightly  meeting  of 
the  society  was  held  in  St.  John’s  Parish  Room,  Redland,  on  Thursday, 
13th  inst.  Mr.  G.  Brook  presided  over  a  good  attendance.  “  The 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden  ”  was  the  subject  for  the  evening,  dealt  with  in  an 
admirable  paper  by  Mr.  Thomas  Coomber,  The  Hendre,  Monmouth.  He 
claimed  for  the  subject  that  it  was  in  every  respect  worthy  of  the 
keenest  study,  and  contended  that  the  best  results  always  followed  the 
most  thoughtful  efforts.  Dealing  with  details,  he  advised,  as  an  ideal 
site  for  fruit  culture,  a  position  facing  south  and  sheltered  from  the 
north,  east,  and  west  winds,  either  naturally  or  by  plantations,  and  at 
an  elevation  well  above  the  fog  line.  The  soil,  he  said,  should  be  at 
least  2  feet  deep,  and  well  drained.  In  the  selection  of  varieties  he 
advocated  due  regard  being  paid  to  times  of  ripening  without  a  great 
multiplication  of  sorts.  The  best  time  for  planting  he  gave  as  early  in 
N  ovember.  Mr.  Coomber  also  dealt  very  fully  with  such  branches  of 
the  subject  as  pruning,  root-pruning,  manuring,  protection  from  birds 
and  insect  pests,  giving  from  his  own  experience  much  useful  infor¬ 
mation  on  all  these  matters,  and  concluding  with  the  assertion  that  in 
this,  as  in  all  branches  of  the  gardener’s  work,  thoroughness  should  be 
his  watch  word.  Mr.  Coomber  was  heartily  thanked  for  his  paper  on 
the  motion  of  Mr.  W.  A.  Garaway.  Prizes  for  six  dessert  Apples  were 
awarded  Messrs.  Atwell,  McCulloch,  and  Bannister;  and  for  six  culinary 
Apples  to  Messrs.  Bannister  and  Atwell.  Certificates  of  merit  went  to 
Mr.  Gardner,  three  pots  Mignonette  ;  Mr.  E.  Poole,  tray  of  Apples  ;  Mr. 
Orchard,  basket  of  Mushrooms;  Mr.  Ware,  Zygopetalum  Maokayi;  and 
a  certificate  of  special  merit  was  recommended  to  Mr.  A.  M.  Ross  for 
two  bunches  Grapes. 
IMCeteorologrlcal  Observations  at  Cblswlck. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
•M 
o 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
9 
1900. 
rectlon 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Bain. 
At 
At 
At 
Is,® 
►J  gfl 
December. 
s 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest. 
1-ft. 
deep. 
2-ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Sunday  ..  9 
s.s.w. 
deg. 
'62-9 
deg. 
52'3 
deg. 
53-6 
deg. 
60-7 
ins. 
deg. 
47-2 
deg. 
47-9 
deg. 
49-8 
deg. 
47-2 
Monday.  .10 
s.s.w. 
37--9 
37-3 
48  1 
33-4 
— 
46-3 
48-2 
49.8 
25-0 
Tuesday  11 
S.S.E. 
48-4 
46-9 
53-1 
34-3 
— 
44-1 
47-6 
49-8 
26-2 
Wed’sday  12 
s.s.w. 
63-1. 
51-0 
68-6 
47-9 
0-04 
46-3 
47-2 
49-6 
45-4 
Thursday  13 
s.s.w. 
63-7^ 
51-9 
64-3 
60-7 
0-17 
48-2 
47-9 
49-6 
60  0 
Friday  ..  If 
s.s.w. 
42-9 
41-6 
61  0 
40-9 
— 
,  46-5 
48-2 
49-5 
34-2 
Saturday  lo 
S.S.W. 
49-7 
47*0 
62-8 
42-7 
— 
46-9 
47-9 
49-5 
38-6 
Means  .. 
48 -4 
46-8 
63-1 
42-9 
Total 
0-21 
46-5 
47-8 
49-7 
38-1 
Dull,  mild  weather  has  again  prevailed  during  the  week,  with  heavy 
showers  on  the  13th  inst.  To  show  the  mildness  of  the  present  season, 
the  maximum  and  minimum  for  the  same  week  last  year  were — 
maximum,  34-0°;  minimum,  28*1“;  and  the  rainfall  for  the  same 
period  practically  nil. 
