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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  10,  1901. 
bushes  became  old  and  the  branches  begin  to  moss-up  and  die,  root 
them  out  and  plant  young  bushes. 
Where  many  are  wanted  for  preserving  grow  the  red  sorts  for  this 
purpose.  W  here  dessert  is  the  object  grow  white,  yellow,  and  green 
varieties.  Apert  from  the  uses  to  which  they  may  be  put  when  gathered 
off  the  bushes,  they  may  be  bottled  in  a  green  state  and  preserved  for 
this  season  of  the  year.  We  are  using  some  now  which  were  bottled 
in  June,  and  very  acceptable  they  are  for  tarts.  Various  kinds  of 
caterpillars  are  most  destructive  to  the  Gooseberry.  Nothing  proves 
such  an  effectual  cure  for  them  as  gathering  them  with  the  hand.  We 
always  keep  our  bushes  perfectly  clean  by  looking  over  them  frequently 
from  the  time  the  leaves  are  formed  until  the  fruit  is  ripe.  Birds  are 
troublesome  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  but  old  nets  are  cheap,  and  prove 
an  effectual  safeguard. — M.  J. 
National  Dalflia  Society. 
Annual  General  Meeting1, 
Mr.  Edward  Mawley  presided  over  the  annual  general  meeting  of 
this  society,  which  took  place  at  the  Hotel  Windsor  on  Tuesday 
afternoon.  There  was,  owing  probably  to  the  unfavourable  weather,  a 
comparatively  small  attendance.  Punctually  at  two  o’clock  business 
commenced  by  the  reading  of  the  notice  convening  the  meeting, 
immediately  after  which  the  report  of  the  committee  and  the  treasurer’s 
financial  statement,  both  of  which  are  given  hereunder,  were  read. 
The  committee  in  presenting  their  report  are  able  to  congratulate 
the  members  of  the  sooiety  upon  having  held  during  the  past  year  the 
largest  show  in  the  history  of  the  society. 
The  annual  exhibition  was  held  on  September  7th  and  8th  at  the 
Crystal  Palace.  The  number  of  entries  in  the  competitive  classes, 
excluding  seedlings,  was  about  360,  an  increase  of  about  20  per  cent, 
over  the  average  of  the  three  preceding  years,  in  each  of  which  there 
were  300  entries  more  or  less.  Omitting  the  blooms  submitted  for 
certificates  and  those  staged  “  Dot  for  competition,”  the  number 
of  Shows  and  Fancies  taken  together  was  1302,  the  same  number  as 
in  the  previous  year  ;  of  Pompons  1908,  an  increase,  as  compared  with 
the  previous  exhibition,  of  108 ;  of  Cactus  2625,  an  increase  of  816  ; 
of  singles  1212,  an  increase  of  396,  making  a  total  of  7047  blooms,  an 
increase  of  1320. 
For  the  fourth  consecutive  year  exceptional  drought  has  been 
experienced,  especially  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  season.  The  effect  of 
this  was  noticeable  in  the  quality  of  the  blooms,  the  Show  and  Fancy 
varieties  being  the  chief  sufferers.  During  the  week  preceding  the 
exhibition  there  were  some  very  cold  nights,  frost  and  its  ill  effects 
being  the  hard  fate  of  some  growers.  After  this  the  weather  continued 
to  be  so  mild  in  the  south  that  the  plants  were  covered  with  bloom  even 
in  the  second  week  of  November. 
Several  changes  were  made  in  the  schedule  for  the  past  year — the 
most  important  being  the  addition  of  several  classes  for  Cactus  Dahlias 
in  the  nurserymen’s  section.  A  class  for  sixty  blooms,  on  boards,  was 
introduced  and  proved  very  interesting,  but  the  most  successful 
introduction  was  the  class  for  twelve  vases,  each  containing  six  blooms, 
with  any  suitable  foliage.  This  produced  keen  competition,  and  was 
one  of  the  most  interesting  classes  in  the  show ;  it  formed  a  welcome 
relief  from  the  more  usual  methods  of  staging,  and  if  the  method  can 
be  extended,  it  will  add  further  to  the  charm  and  variety  of  the 
exhibition.  In  the  amateur  section,  classes  for  Cactus  Dahlias  on 
boards  were  introduced  for  the  first  time,  and  proved  to  be  very 
popular.  The  experiment  of  a  class  for  Cactus  Dahlias  in  pots  was 
tried,  a  cup  being  generously  offered  for  this  purpose.  The  results  as 
seen  at  the  exhibition  were  not  encouraging,  but  it  was  found  that 
several  intending  exhibitors  had  mis-timed  their  plants,  and  subsequent 
experience  tends  to  show  that  such  a  class  would  be  more  successful 
another  year.  The  plants  were  not  ready  for  the  show,  but  made  a 
good  display  a  week  or  two  later. 
The  display  of  seedlings  was  more  numerous  than  ever,  and  the 
Caotus  section  increases  with  great  rapidity.  The  committee  welcomes 
the  different  forms  amongst  the  new  varieties,  and  would  be  unwilling 
to  set  up  any  particular  type  as  being  the  ideal  one. 
On  September  25th,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Drill  Hall  in 
conjunction  with  the  fortnightly  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  when  a  large  number  of  seedlings  came  before  the  committee, 
and  fourteen  new  varieties  of  various  classes  obtained  certificates,  thus 
fully  demonstrating  the  value  of  a  late  meeting. 
During  the  year  a  Gircilestone  Memorial  fund  has  been  raised  in 
order  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  society’s  late  president  and  to 
commemorate  the  valuable  services  which  he  rendered  to  the  society, 
and  his  achievements  as  a  grower  and  raiser  of  single  Dahlias.  A 
medal  has  been  established,  to  be  called  the  Girdlestone  Memorial 
Medal,  and  to  be  awarded  at  the  society’s  exhibitions  and  those  of 
affiliated  societies. 
The  past  year  has  witnessed  the  adoption  of  a  scheme  by  which 
local  Dahlia  and  other  horticultural  societies  can  become  affiliated  to 
the  National  Dahlia  Society.  The  first  society  to  avail  itself  of  this 
privilege  was  the  Boston  Dahlia  Society. 
The  scheme  referred  to  is  a  portion  of  the  new  constitution  decided 
upon  at  the  annual  meeting  on  January  16th,  1900,  and  printed  in  the 
report  for  the  year  (By-laws  1  to  13). 
In  the  early  months  of  the  year  a  sub-committee  undertook  the 
revision  of  the  official  catalogue,  a  task  rendered  necessary  by  the 
rapid  evolution  of  the  Cactus  section.  The  select  lists  were  revised, 
and  descriptions  added  in  the  case  of  new  varieties  that  have  received 
recognition  from  the  society.  It  will  be  a  matter  for  consideration 
whether  some  revision  and  addition  to  the  catalogue  must  not  be  made 
annually. 
The  committee  deeply  regret  to  have  to  record  the  loss  by  death  of 
one  of  the  patrons  of  the  sooiety — the  Right  Hon.  Lady  Penzance. 
The  committee,  in  reporting  an  increase  of  membership,  would 
tender  their  thanks  to  those  members  who  have  endeavoured  during  the 
past  year  to  increase  the  influence  of  the  society,  and,  in  conclusion, 
express  the  sincere  hope  that  each  member  of  the  National  Dahlia 
Society  will  make  every  effort  to  obtain  the  support  of  new  members, 
in  order  that  the  work  of  the  society  may  be  extended  and  carried  on 
to  the  best  advantage. 
Paragraphs  were  also  included  conveying  the  best  thanks  of  the 
committee  to  the  donors  of  special  prizes,  and  giving  a  list  of  the 
several  varieties  to  which  first-class  certificates  have  been  awarded 
during  the  past  jear. 
Financial  Statement. 
Receipts. 
Balance  in  hand  .  .  <£7  10  2 
Subscriptions  .  .  .73  10  0 
Special  prizes  and  dona¬ 
tions  .  .  .  .  30  13  0 
Affiliation  fee  .  .  0  10  6 
Advertisements  in  schedule  14  19  6 
Medals  .  .  .  .  0  15  0 
Catalogues  .  .  .050 
,£128  3  2 
Assets. 
Balance  in  hand  .  .  6  10  5 
Advertisements  .  .10  0 
Medals  .  .  .  1  13  0 
Crystal  Palace  .  .  50  0  0 
Balance  .  .  .  .  0  19  7 
<£60  3  0 
Expenditure. 
Prizes  ....  <£86  4  6 
Printing  and  stationery  .  23  4  9 
Postage,  &c.  .  .  .703 
Medals  .  .  .  .533 
Balance  in  hand  .  .  6  10  5 
,£123  3  2 
Liabilities. 
Prizes  .  .  .  .56  15  0 
Special  prize,  1901  .  .3  3  0 
Subscriptions,  1901  .  .0  5  0 
<£60  3  0 
(Signed)  C.  E.  Wilkins, 
Hon.  Treas. 
Audited  and  found  correct, 
Jan.  8th,  1901. 
(Signed)  Harry  Turner. 
In  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report  the  chairman  considered  that 
it  was  very  satisfactory,  and  thought  that  the  society  should  be 
congratulated  upon  its  position.  He  adverted  to  the  fact  that  last 
year’s  show  was  a  record  one,  and  that  the  number  of  members  also 
constituted  a  record.  These  facts  showed  that  the  society  was  healthy 
and  possessed  life  and  go.  He  also  referred  to  the  system  of  awarding 
medals.  Regarding  the  financial  statement  he  thought  the  position  was 
somewhat  undignified,  but  this  was  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
Crystal  Palace  Company  had  not  yet  forwarded  the  £50  due  to  the 
sooiety.  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones  seconded,  and  the  report  and  the  financial 
statement  were  carried. 
To  prevent  a  recurrence  of  such  a  position  as  the  present,  and  with 
a  view  to  starting  a  reserve  fund,  the  committee  recommended  that  the 
prize  list  be  somewhat  curtailed,  and  this  was  done  to  the  extent  of 
about  £20.  Mr.  H.  Burrell  proposed,  and  Mr.  J.  T.  West  seconded, 
that  the  select  list  of  Cactus  Dahlias  be  removed  from  the  report,  as  its 
educational  value  was  now  practically  nil.  Mr.  Wilkins  proposed,  and 
Mr.  Jones  seconded,  that  the  qualifications  for  societies  desiring 
affiliation  be  reduced  from  the  necessity  of  offering  £10  in  prizes  to  £5, 
and  this  was  carried.  One  or  two  minor  alterations  in  the  rules  were 
made,  and  the  proposed  schedule  having  been  accepted,  the  meeting 
closed  with  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman. 
Office  of  Plant  Industry. — An  important  step  has  been  taken 
by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  in  placing  several 
associated  divisions  under  one  -head.  The  preliminary  move  of 
putting  Dr.  B.  T.  Galloway  in  charge  of  gardens  and  grounds  had 
for  its  object  the  ultimate  bringing  together  the  several  groups  in 
the  department  doing  plant  industrial  work.  It  has  been  recognised, 
says  an  American  paper,  for  a  long  time  that  much  benefit  would 
result  by  closer  co-operation  in  the  department,  and  to  this  end  four 
divisions — namely,  vegetable  physiology  and  pathology,  agrostology, 
pomology,  and  gardens  and  grounds  have  now  become  affiliated.  The 
group  collectively  is  to  be  known  as  the  Office  of  Plant  Industry,  with 
Dr.  Galloway  as  director  and  Mr.  Woods,  who  has  been  assistant  chief 
of  the  division  of  vegetable  physiology  and  pathology,  now  becomes 
chief  of  the  division.  The  other  chiefs  remain  the  same — namely, 
Prof.  F.  Lamson-Scribner,  chief,  division  of  agrostology;  and  Mr.  G.  B. 
Brackett,  chief,  division  of  pomology.  The  plan  will  make  possible 
broader  lines  of  work. 
