152 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  14,  1902. 
Too  Much  Rhubarb. 
The  production  of  Rhubarb  in  the  Lambeth  I  nion  Gardens 
has  been  so  great  that  1,1801b  had  to  be  thrown  away  the  other 
day  because  the  paupers  had  got  tired  of  the  stuff, ^and  would 
eat  no  more. 
The  Royal  Botanic  Society. 
The  sixty-third  annual  meeting  of  the  Royal  Botanic 
Society  was  held  on  Monday  last.  The  report  stated  that  the 
list  of  Fellows  had  now  increased  to  2,136.  There  had  also  been 
an  increase  in  the  School  of  Practical  Gardening.  The  expendi¬ 
ture  had  exceeded  the  income  by  £79  9s.  The  question  of 
raising  the  subscription  was  considered,  and  the  report  adopted. 
Amateur  Gardeners. 
The  National  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association,  Liverpool 
branch,  held  their  monthly  meeting  on  Thursday  last,  at  the 
Common  Hall,  Hackins  Hey,  Mr.  Hitchmougli  presiding.  Mr. 
Ellison  gave  a  most  interesting  lecture  on  amateurs’  green¬ 
houses.  Messrs.  Dodd,  Paddock,  Robins,  Ellison,  and  Hitch- 
mough,  Mesdames  Stevenson,  Macgregor,  Harris,  Thomas, 
Morris,  and  Paddock  were  the  prize  winners.  Messrs.  Dobson, 
Howard,  and  Morris  acted  as  judges  for  the  evening’s  exhibits. 
Planting  a  Coronation  Oak. 
On  Monday,  an  Oak  tree,  graciously  given  by  the  King,  was 
planted  in  the  public  part  of  the  Home  Park  of  Windsor  Castle 
by  Mrs.  Mitchell,  the  Mayoress,  to  commemorate  the  Corona¬ 
tion.  The  Mayor  and  Mayoress  afterwards  held  a  reception  at 
the  Guildhall. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at  the 
Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday  evening 
last,  Mr.  Thos.  Winter  in  the  chair.  After  the  minutes  of 
the  last  meeting  were  read  and  signed,  four  new  members 
were  elected  and  one  nominated.  Five  members  were  reported 
on  the  sick  fund,  and  two  others  had  been  on  and  off  the  fund 
since  the  last  meeting.  The  secretary  was  instructed  to  make 
the  preliminary  arrangements  for  the  annual  dinner,  to  be 
held  early  in  October  next. 
The  Late  Mr.  William  Miller. 
After  a  long  and  painful  illness,  the  death  occurred  on 
Saturday  of  Mr.  William  Miller,  of  Speen.  He  succeeded  his 
father  many  years  ago  in  business  as  a  nurseryman  and  florist, 
and  was  widely  known  in  the  district.  On  many  occasions  he 
officiated  as  a  judge  at  the  annual  exhibitions  of  the  Newbury 
Horticultural  Society,  and  at  this  year’s  show  sympathetic  refer¬ 
ence  was  made  to  his  long  connection  with  the  Society.  The  funeral 
took  place  at  Speen  churchyard  on  Wednesday.  The  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  was  repres'ented  by  the  lion,  secretary  (Mr. 
C.  H.  Stradling)  and  his  assistant  (Mr.  J.  W.  H.  Kemp),  and 
a  wreath  was  sent  by  the  committee. 
Sunken  Trees. 
The  laying  of  new  gas  mains  in  Finsbury  Pavement  has  been 
the  c-ause  of  an  interesting  discovery  in  the  shape  of  old  trunks 
of  trees  which  were  in  old  time  laid  as  water  conduits.  Finsbury 
Pavement  is  on  the  northern  edge  of  the  City  at  Moogate  Street, 
and  the  conduits  were  found  barely  4ft  below  the  surface.  The 
trunks  proved  to  be  in  a  wonderful  state  of  preservation.  They 
had  been  hollowed  out  to  a,  bore  of  Gin  or  8in,  the  trees  in  some 
cases  being  from  4ft  to  6ft  in  girth.  One  end  of  each  length  had 
been  pointed  to  fit  into  the  hollow  of  the  next,  some  of  the  trees 
being  20ft  or  more  in  length.  There  is  an  opinion  that  they  must 
have  been  150  years  in  the  ground. 
Schedule  of  the  Fruit  Show  at  the  Crystal  Palace. 
From  this,  intending  exhibitors  learn  that  by  giving  the 
R.H.S.  three  days  notice,  they  can  get  their  exhibits  unpacked 
and  staged  if  sent  before  September  18,  but  to  their  removal 
and  return  they  must  attend  themselves.  The  only  vegetables 
exhibited  will  be  Tomatoes  and  Cucumbers.  Fruit  and  Flowers 
are  not  to  be  combined  in  one  exhibit.  Groups  of  decorative 
plants  and  flowers  will  receive  no  awards.  Care  should  be 
taken  that  each  fruit  retains  all  its  natural  bloom.  None  may 
he  polished.  Errors  in  naming  do  not  absolutely  disqualify. 
Each  dish  must  contain  only  one  variety.  All  fruit  for  prizes 
must  have  been  grown  in  the  British  Isles.  “  Grown  in  the 
open  air”  means  that  the  trees  have  both  flowered  and  “set” 
their  fruit  out  of  doors. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Aberdeen. 
The  arrangements  for  the  annual  flower  show  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Aberdeen,  which 
takes  place  this  month  in  the  Central  Park,  Kittybrewster, 
which  the  society  has  not  visited  since  1892,  have  now  been 
completed  by  the  secretary,  Mr.  J.  B.  Rennet,  advocate,  and 
given  good  weather,  the  exhibition  promises  to  be  in  every  way 
a  conspicuous  success.  The  show  is,  as  formerly,  to  extend 
over  three  days,  namely,  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday, 
21st,  22nd.  and  23rd  inst.,  and  besides  the  exhibition  of  flowers, 
fruit  and  vegetables,  the  society  will  have  as  an  additional 
attraction  the  band  of  the  1st  Aberdeenshire  R.G.A.  (V.), 
under  Bandmaster  Wood,  and  the  Oakbank  Boy  Pipers,  while 
in  another  part  of  the  park  White’s  carnival  will  be  in  full 
swing  during  the  three  days  of  the  show.  A  new  departure 
this  year,  suggested  to  the  directors  by  the  facilities  afforded 
for  such  an  event  by  the  Central  Park,  will  be  the  holding  of 
pony  races,  donkey  races,  and  a  competition  for  the  best  pony 
turnout.  The  opening  ceremony  will  be  performed  by  Lord 
Aberdeen,  under  the  presidency  cf  Sir  Allan  Mackenzie,  Bart., 
of  Glenmuick,  chairman  of  the  directors. 
Kirkbean  and  District  Show. 
This  local  show,  held  at  Carsethorn,  Kirkcudbrightshire,  on 
August  7,  was  the  most  successful  of  the  series  since  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  the  society  five  years  ago.  The  horticultural  entries 
were  rather  larger  than  last  year,  and  the  cut  flowers  were 
remarkably  good  for  the  earliness  of  the  date,  and  the  back¬ 
ward  character  of  the  season.  A  splendid  feature  was  the 
table  of  pot  plants  and  cut  flowers  sent  by  Mr.  Houlsiton, 
gardener  to  Colonel  Blackett,  of  Arbigland.  It  was  superior 
to  anything  he  has  previously  shown,  and  was  deservedly 
awarded  an  illuminated  certificate  and  a  medal  by  the  judges. 
Mr.  S.  Arnott,  one  of  the  joint  secretaries,  was  also  awarded 
a  certificate  for  new,  rare,  and  remarkable  herbaceous  plants. 
In  the  horticultural  department  the  most  successful  exhibitor 
was  Mr.  R.  A.  Austin,  Mainsriddle ;  the  other  leading  exhibi¬ 
tors  being  Mr.  J.  Briggs,  Preston  Mill,  Dumfries;  Mr.  Robson, 
Cliapelgrove;  Mr.  Joseph  Robson,  North  Carse ;  and  Mr. 
R.  Major.  The  principal  prizes  were  handed  over  by  Sir 
M.  J.  Mount  Stewart,  Bart.,  M.P.,  who  made  an  interesting 
little  speech. — A. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
The  next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  August  19,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p.m.  A  lecture 
on  “  Horticultural  Education  and  Teaching  in  England  ”  will 
be  given  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  F.R.H.S.,  at  3  o’clock.  At 
a  general  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  held  on 
Tuesday,  August  5,  eleven  new  Fellows  were  elected,  making  a 
total  of  870  elected  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  year. 
The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  hold  a  special  exhibition 
of  Dahlias  on  September  2  and  3  in  conjunction  with  the 
National  Dahlia  Society,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate, 
S. W.  At  this  meeting  only  Dahlias  can  be  shown — with  the 
exception  of  flowers,  fruits,  Ac.  for  certificate.  All  Dahlias, 
including  those  shown  for  certificate,  must  be  left  on  exhibition 
until  5  p.m.  on  the  second  day,  but  other  plants  may  be 
removed  as  usual.  For  schedule  of  prizes  see  “R.H.S.  Book 
of  Arrangements  for  1902,”  pages  91  to  93,  or  separate 
schedules  can  be  obtained  on  application  to  either  Mr.  J.  F. 
Hudson,  M.A.,  Gunnersbury  House  Gardens,  Acton;  or  to  Mr. 
C.  E.  Wilkins,  19,  Lyndhurst  Road,  S.E.,  joint  secretaries  to 
the  National  Dahlia  Society.  Intending  exhibitors  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Show  on  September  18,  19,  and  20,  can 
obtain  an  official  entry  form,  together  with  schedule,  on  appli¬ 
cation  to  the  Secretary,  R.H.S.,  117,  Victoria  Street,  S.W.  (a 
penny  stamp  should  be  enclosed).  Entries  for  this  show  close 
on  September  11. 
