October  16,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
367 
He  then  alludes  to  the  well  known  fact  of  different  degrees 
of  impregnation  of  the  ovules  when  hybridising  plants  is  per¬ 
formed,  and  adds  :  “  These  experiments  tend  to  suggest  that, 
beyond  the  one  act  of  excitation,  or  instantaneous  impregnation, 
there  remains  some  further  function  for  the  male  germs  to 
perform,  which  is  improperly  or  only  partially  done  by  foreign 
pollen  grains.”  In  the  case  of  Hymenoeallis  concinna :  “The 
original  process  issuing  from  the  seed  is  duplicated,  and  each 
process  is  terminated  by  a  bulb  in  process  of  formation.”  This 
he  refers  to  two  embryos  having  been  formed,  within  the  embryo 
sac,  and  suggests  that  one  pollen  grain  may  contain  more  than 
one  fertilising  sperm-cell,  and  so  impregnate  many  ovules.  The 
author  then  refers  to  the  curvature  of  the  “  process  ”  as  it  issues 
from  the  embryo,  of  which  he  says  its  principal  function  is 
not  that  of  a  root. 
Abnormal  Onion. — Mr.  Healey,  of  Hampton,  Middlesex, 
sent  a  very,  curious  formation.  The  Onion  was  well  formed 
below,  and  bore  a  green  stem  of  some  Gin  in  length,  but  termi¬ 
nated  by  another  Onion,  also  well  formed.  It  was  thought  that 
it  replaced  the  flowering  bud,  this  having  been  broken  off,  but 
an  examination  by  section  showed  that  such  was  not  the  case; 
so  that  it  arose  from  the  replacement  of  the  flower  bud  by  a  true 
bulb.  Mr.  Healey  adds:  “The  sheath  around  the  Onion  below, 
over  the  second  bulb,  and  right  to  the  top,  was  continuous  ;  and 
when  pulled  up  the  sheath  was  not  even  broken.” 
Phi/sianthus  Catchiiiq  Moths. — Mr.  Henslow  showed  flowers  of 
this  American  Asclepiad,  often  cultivated  at  Cape  Town,  nearly 
every  flower  of  which  had  caught  a  small  grey  moth  by  its  pro¬ 
boscis,  being  nipped  between  the  anthers.  They  either  died  of 
starvation,  or,,  as  was  frequently  the  case,  were  carried  off  by  bats. 
Birmingham  Gardeners. 
The  opening  meeting  of  the  autumn  session  of  this  association 
was  held  recently,  when  the  president  (Professor  W.  Hillhouse.  of 
Birmingham  University)  gave  an  instructive  and  interesting 
verbal  lecture  on  “  The  Theory  of  Root-Pruning,”  which  was 
illustrated  with  a  series  of  diagrams  relative  to  the  structure  of 
the  roots  of  trees  and  their  assimilation  of  water  and  other  liquid 
nutriments.  Prizes:  had  been  offered  for  collections  of  Grasses 
correctly  named,  for  which,  however,  there  were  no  exhibits.  At 
the  next  meeting,  October  20th,  the  subject  will  be  “The 
Evolution  and  Improvement  of  Fruit,”  by  Mr.  Lewis  Castle, 
superintendent  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford’s  experimental  fruit  farm, 
Ridgmont,  Bedford. 
Woolton  Gardeners. 
Mr.  R.  Todd,  of  the  Woolton  Wood  Gardens,  occupied  the 
chair  at  the  first  meeting  held  in  the  Mechanics  Institute,  when 
an  excellent  lecture  on  the  barometer  was  given  by  Mr.  W.  S. 
Patey,  a  frequent  attender  at  their  meetings,  and  a,  gentleman 
who  stood  high  in  the  recent  examination  of  the  R.H.S.  A 
feature  of  the  meeting  was  the  large  number  of  teachers  who  were 
present  at  the  invitation  of  the  committee,  the  lecturer  experi¬ 
menting  and  showing  diagrams  which  proved  most  interesting. 
Mr.  T.  C  ’aiding  and  Miss  Hindle  proposed  and  seconded  the-  vote 
of  thanks,  Mr.  W.  W.  Gamble  and  Mr.  R.  G.  Waterman  support¬ 
ing  the  vote.  Miss  Wright,  on  behalf  of  the  teachers,  thanked 
Mr.  Patey  and  the  committee  for  their  kindness. — R.  P.  R. 
Bristol  Gardeners. 
The  opening  meeting  of  this  association  was  held  at  St.  John’s 
Rooms,  Redland,  on  Thursday,  October  9,  under  the  chairmanship 
of  Mr.  E.  Binfield,  Old  Sneed  Park.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Brooks, 
of  Messrs.  Garaway’s  Nursery,  Clifton,  gave  an  interesting  lecture 
on  the  great  fruit  show  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  held 
at  the  Crystal  Palace,  London.  He  dealt  with  the  numerous 
exhibits  of  former  years,  and  compared  with  those  of  the  present 
season,  showing  the  effects  such  a  summer  we  have  just  ex¬ 
perienced  must  have  on  the  fruit  supply  of  the  British  Isles.  He 
emphasised  the  fact  that  gardeners  would  find  it  an  excellent 
object  lesson  tO'  visit  these  shows  at  intervals,  thereby  gaining  a 
knowledge  of  fruit  grown  in  the  different  counties  and  under 
different  conditions.  He  argued  that  gentlemen  would  find  it  to 
their  advantage  to>  send  their  gardeners  to  inspect  the  exhibits  at 
this,  the  finest  fruit  show  of  the  British  Isles,  where  they  would 
see  the  best  quality,  and  return  home  with  an  ambition  to  grow 
fruit  equal  to  that  seen  at  the  show.  Comparing  the  fruit  of  this 
to  the  fruit  of  last  season  the  lecturer  remarked  on  the  absence  of 
many  of  our  leading  exhibitors,  which  proved  liow  disastrous  our 
sunless  summer  had  been  on  our  fruit  crops,  and  where  4,000 
dishes  of  fruit  had  been  shown  in  former  years  only  1,000  were 
on  the  tables  this.  Mr.  Brooks  also-  gave  some  very  useful 
information  as  to  the  packing  of  fruit,  and  mentioned  the  mode 
adopted  by  leading  exhibitors.  A  good  discussion  followed  Mr. 
Brooks’  lecture,  and  he  was  cordially  thanked.  The  prizes  for 
the  evening  were  for  two  bunches  each  of  black  and  white  Grapes. 
For  black  the  first  went  to  Mr.  N,  C.  Dobson  (gardener.  Mr. 
Thodav) ;  Mr.  Francis  Taggart,  F.L.S.  (gardener,  Mr.  Binfield), 
A  Pot  =  grown  Banana.  (See  page  357.) 
securing  first  for  Muscat  of  Alexandria  ;  while  Mr.  W.  A.  F. 
Powell  (gardener,  Mr.  Raikes)  was  here  an  excellent  second  with 
Golden  Champion.  Lady  Cave  (gardener,  Mr.  Poole,  F.R.H.S.), 
obtained  a  Certificate  of  Merit  for  a  collection  of  ornamental 
Gourds.  The  judges  also  awarded  a  certificate  to  Mr.  J.  M. 
Kitley,  Littleover,  Derby,  for  three  bunches  black  Grapes,  not¬ 
withstanding  they  were  very  much  spoilt  in  transit. — H.  I\. 
Cardiff  Gardeners. 
The  opening  meeting  of  the  association  took  place  at  the 
Grand  Hotel  on  Tuesday,  October  7,  Mr.  F.  G.  Treseder  presiding 
over  a  very  large  attendance  of  members.  Mr.  J.  Basham,  jun., 
fruit  grower,  Bassaleg,  Mon.,  gave  an  interesting  lecture  on 
“Fruit  Culture,  Past  and  Present.”  By  way  of  enhancing  the 
lecture,  several  dishes  of  very  fine  examples  of  culinary  and 
dessert  Apples  and  Pears  were  staged.  The  lecture  was  one  full 
of  interest,  dealing  with  Apple  culture  from  the  twelfth  century 
to  the  present  time,  giving  full  details  regarding  the  best  methods 
to  adopt  to  ensure  successful  results.  The  debate  was  of  an 
appreciative  character.  A  first-class  certificate  and  a  special  vote 
of  thanks  was  awarded  Mr.  Basham  for  his  collection  of  thirty-five 
dishes  of  fruit.  Competitive  Classes: — Class  1,  for  best  dish  of 
culinary  Apples,  and  ditto  dessert  (five  fruits  to  form  a  dish). 
Mr.  P.  Malpass  won  with  good  fruit  of  Warner’s  King  and  Cox’s 
Orange  Pippin;  Mr.  Curtis  second,  and  Mr.  Murton  third. 
Class  2,  for  the  best  dish  of  dessert  Pears  (five  fruits  to  form  a 
dish).  Mr.  P.  Malpass  first  with  good  Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  and 
Mr.  Collier  second  with  Pit-mast  on  Duchess.  Several  competed  in 
both  classes.  Messrs.  Basham  and  Son  were  the  adjudicators. — 
J.  Julian. 
Croydon  Horticultural. 
A  meeting  was  held  in  the  society’s  room  at  the  Sunflower 
Temperance  Hotel,  George  Street,  on  Tuesday,  October  7.  By 
the  kindness  of  the  Croydon  Public  Libraries  Committee  and  Mr. 
Jast,  the  chief  librarian,  a  complete  list  of  the  magnificent 
volumes  of  the  “  Reichenbachia,”  a  grand  work  on  Orchids,  and 
four  volumes  on  “Choice  Ferns,”  recently  added  to  the  library, 
were  exhibited  upon  the  tables.  The  chairman,  Mr.  W.  J.  Simp¬ 
son,  having  called  attention  to  the  exhibits,  introduced  Mr.  T. 
Neve,  the  Gardens,  Lindesham  House,  Wokingham,  who  gave  a 
practical  lecture  upon  the  “  Renovation  of  Old  Fruit  Trees.”  In 
his  introductory  remarks  the  lecturer  specially  mentiom  d  the 
value  and  importance  of  fruit  as  food,  and  the  dietetic  properties 
of  Apples  in  particular.  The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  photo¬ 
graphs  of  the  trees  mentioned,  and  by  some  excellent  fruit- 
gathered  from  them,  Mr.  Neve’s  lecture  was  much  appreciated 
by  all  present.  Several  questions  were  put  to  the  lecturer  and 
ably  answered,  and  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  him. 
To  the  Libraries  Committee  a  similar  vote  was  also  given.  The 
subject  for  October  21  will  bo  “  How  to  Make  an  Alpine  Garden 
(from  personal  experience  in  the  Alps  and  elsewhere),  illustrated 
by  diagrams,  photographs,  &c. 
