549 
December  11,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND 
COTTAGE 
GARDENER. 
Birmingham  Gardeners’  Association. 
The  usual  fortnightly  meeting  was  held  on  the  1st  inst.  with 
Mr.  Walter  Jones  (the  vice-chairman  of  the  Association)  pre¬ 
siding.  A  short  essay  on  “  Cool  House,  Intermediate,  and  Stove 
Orchids,”  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Burberry,  late  Orchid  grower  to  the  Right 
Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  Highbury,  was  read.  The  essayist’s 
practical  remarks  and  advice  were  much  appreciated,  and  also 
enhanced  by  a  series  of  lantern  slide  representations  of  Orchids 
grown  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Thompson,  Grove  House,  Walsall.  The. 
photographs  lrad  been  executed  by  Mr.  Thompson’s  son.  At  the 
conclusion  of  an  ensuing  interesting  discussion,  a  hearty  vote  of 
thanks,  conjointly  to  Messrs.  Burberry  and  Thompson,  was  pro¬ 
posed  by  Mr.  W.  Gardiner  and  seconded  by  Mr.  George  Stacey, 
and  carried  unanimously.  Mr.  G.  Stacey  was  awarded  a  Certifi¬ 
cate  of  Merit  for  a  collection  of  medium-sized,  bright,  and  well- 
coloured  Apples. 
Metropolitan  Public  Gardens  Association. 
Open  Spaces. — At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  Metropolitan 
Public  Gardens  Association,  held  at  83,  Lancaster  Gate,  W., 
Sir  William  Vincent,  Bart.,  vice-chairman,  presiding,  it  was 
stated  that  the  laying  out  of  the  ground  at  Southfields  was  almost 
finished,  and  that  the  tree-planting  work  in  Shoreditch,  Isling¬ 
ton,  and  Biarking,  as  arranged  at  the  last  meeting,  was  being  taken 
in  hand.  Complaints  were  received  as  to  renewed  thinning  opera¬ 
tions  at  Burnham  Beeches,  which  were  alleged  to  be  unnecessary 
and  of  a  detrimental  character,  and  it  was  decided  to  communicate 
with  the  City  Corporation  on  the  subject.  It  was  also  decided 
to  take  part  in  a  deputation  to  the  London  County  Council  to 
protest  against  a  proposal  to  alienate  the  house  and  upper  part 
of  the  ground  at  Golder’s  Hill  for  the  purpose  of  a  convalescent 
home,  as  being  quite  contrary  to  the  scheme  under  which  con¬ 
tributions  were  obtained  from  the  public,  and  to  the  Act  by 
which  the  property  was  placed  in  the  Council’s  hands.  It  was 
agreed  to  advocate  the  acquisition  of  some  fields,  about  nine  acres 
in  extent,  adjoining  a  picturesque  part  of  Hampstead  Heath, 
which  would  be  injuriously  affected  if  they  were  built  over,  and 
to  take  steps  to  oppose  a  Bill  to  be  introduced  next  Session 
seeking  to  override  the  Disused  Burial  Grounds  Act  in  order  to 
convert  a  disused  burial  ground  in  Dorset  Street  into  a  building 
site.  Progress  was  reported  with  regard  to  the  Hainault  Forest 
scheme,  and  the  application  which  the  Open  Space  Societies  had 
recently  made  to  the  London  County  Council  for  a  grant  of 
£10,000  thereto.  The  subject  of  the  Richmond  Hill  view  was 
also  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  alleged  undertaking  given 
by  Sir  J.  Whittaker  Ellis  to  restrict  building  operations  on 
certain  property  owned  by  him  comprised  in  the  view.  It  was 
reported  that  the  Duke  of  York’s  School,  Chelsea,  was  likely  to  . 
be  removed  from  its  present  position,  and  it  was  agreed  to  make 
endeavours  to  prevent  at  least  that  portion  of  the  site  which 
contains  fine  trees  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  builder. 
K.H.S.  of  Perthshire. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
of  Perthshire  was  held  at  Perth  on  Saturday  afternoon.  Mr. 
Henry  Coates,  Pitcullen  the  president,  occupied  the  chair,  and 
there  was  a  good  attendance.  The  annual  report  and  financial 
statement  was  submitted,  from  which  it  appeared  that  the 
society  had  suffered  considerable  financial  loss  through  the  rail¬ 
way  accident  on  the  Perth  and  Edinburgh  line  at  Hilton  Junction, 
whereby  the  side  shows  belonging  to  Mr.  White  were  so  much 
damaged  that  they  were  unable  to  be  forward  at  the  annual 
exhibition.  As  a  result  of  the  want  of  these  attractions,  the 
drawings  had  suffered  to  a  large  extent,  but,  notwithstanding, 
the  society  had  a  balance  on  the  right  side.  The  following  office¬ 
bearers  were  elected  :  President,  Mr.  Henry  Coates,  Pitcullen ; 
vice-presidents,  Mr.  Rufus  D.  Pullar,  Brahan;  Lord  Provost 
Love;  practical  vice-president,  Mr.  Stenning,  The  Gardens, 
Brahan;  secretary  and  treasurer,  Mr.  A.  W.  Brown;  and  a 
directorate  of  fifteen,  composed  of  gardeners,  amateurs,  and 
nurserymen. 
Ipswich  Mutual  Improvement. 
At  the  last  meeting  of  this  society,  on  December  4,  Mr.  W. 
Close,  Holy  Wells  Gardens,  the  energetic  secretary  of  the  society, 
read  a  most  valuable  paper  on  “Tree  and  Malmaison  Carna¬ 
tions.”  Mr.  Close  devoted  most  attention  to  the  Tree  Carna¬ 
tions,  which  he  said  were  a  class  of  plants  rapidly  coming  to  the 
front.  To  ensure  strong  plants  for  winter  flowering  it  was  essen¬ 
tial  that  an  early  start  should  be  made.  Cuttings  of  short- 
jointed  side  growths  should  be  inserted  in  January  in  pots  of 
sandy  soil,  which  should  be  placed  in  a  propagating  frame  having 
bottom  heat.  When  rooted,  pot  off  in  54’s,  stopping  the  plants 
when  Sin  high.  Shift  into  flowering  pots  (32’s)  in  June,  and 
stand  the  plants  in  an  open  situation,  stopping  the  growths  once 
or  twice  during  the  summer.  House  the  plants  in  September 
in  a  light  greenhouse,  affording  plenty  of  air  at  all  times,  except 
during  severe  frost.  The  essayist  also  gave  minute  cultural  direc¬ 
tions  for  Malmaisons,  and  then  proceeded  to  refer  to  the  best 
varieties  in  each  section.  He  had  a  fine  collection  of  cut  flowers 
of  Tree  Carnations  on  view,  some  grown  by  himself,  and  others 
supplied  by  Messrs.  Cutbush  and  Son,  Highgate.  Amongst 
others,  we  noted  nice  flowers  of  S.  J.  Brooks  (good  white).  Vis¬ 
count  Kitchener,  Harry  Fenn,  Shazada,  Novelty,  Lord  de  Ram¬ 
sey,  Hector  Macdonald,  and  America.  A  good  discussion  followed, 
which  was  terminated  by  Mr.  Morgan  proposing  a  hearty  vote 
of  thanks  to  the  essayist,  and  to  Messrs.  Cutbush  for  their 
exhibit. — E.  C. 
Apple,  Royal  Late  Cooking. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on 
January  14th.  1896,  the  Fruit  Committee  granted  an  award 
of  merit  for  this  Apple.  It  is  one  of  the  seedlings  which  Mr. 
Powell  raised  at  Frogmore,  but  lias  been  long  established  as  a 
favourite  late  cooking  variety  in  the  Royal  household.  The 
fruits  exhibited  were  remarkably  fine  as  the  produce  of  a 
large  standard  tree,  and  were  thus  not  assisted  by  thinning 
and  feeding  as  many  fruits  are,  and  should  be,  for  developing 
their  fullest  size  and  beauty  for  exhibition,  and,  in  fact,  for 
market  purposes.  The  best  fruit  of  all  kinds  pays  the  best) 
and  attention  to  the  points  in  culture  indicated  acts  in  the 
same  beneficial  wray  in  the  case  of  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums 
as  in  Grapes.  The  fruits  of  Royal  Late  Cooking  exhibited 
were  what  may  be  termed  good  ordinary  samples.  They  had 
some  resemblance  to  Lord  Derby,  but  were  more  symmetrical) 
firmer,  and  heavier.  Mr.  Bunyard  thinks  he  can  detect  a 
trace  of  Tower  of  Glamis  and  Alfriston  in  the  Royal  Late 
Cooking;  but,  be  that  as  it  may,  the  fruits  are  fine.  The 
illustration  represents  a  typical  example  of  the  variety. 
TRADE  NOTE. 
Ware's  Nurseries,  Feltham  and  Bexley  Heath. 
Mr.  G  eo.  Pike  informs  us  that  he  has  acquired  the  above 
business  and  nurseries,  as,  and  from  August  31st,  1902,  and 
that  the  business  will  be  carried  on  by  a  new  Company, 
under  the  style  Thomas  S.  Ware  (1902),  Ltd.,  with  Mr.  Pike 
as  managing  director. 
Apple,  Royal  Late  Cooking. 
