April  7,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
3or) 
Bristol  Gardeners’. 
Oeranium  pratense  fl.=pl.  (S-;e  page  294.) 
Tlie  members  ot.  tire  I^iistol  and  District  Gardeners'  Mntnal 
Improvement  Association  met  at  St.  John’s  Il'ooms  on  Tlnirsday 
evening  last,  under  the  chairnranship  oi  ^Ir.  E.  Poole,  and  Mr. 
.f.  IMilburn,  ot  Hath,  read  a  pajrer  on  “  Hardy  I’rees  and 
Shrnbs.”  Mr.  Milbnrn  remarked  that  numbers  ot  ti-ees  died 
owing  to  water  being  allowed  to  lodge  in  the  torks  of  branche,s., 
this  ending  in  death.  These  hollows  shonld  Ire  tilled  np  so  that 
no  rain  could  lodge.  Prizes  tor  two  pots  Mignonette  went  to, 
Ist,  Mr.  W.  A.  F.  Powel  (gardener.  Mr.  Raikes),  and  2nd,  Mrs. 
Coleman  (gardener,  IMr.  Spry).  Eoi’  one  orchid  the  snccesslnl 
competitors  were  l\Ir.  J.  C.  Godwin  (gardenei',  DlcCnlloch) 
and  Mr.  P'rancis  Tagart  (gardener,  31  r.  Hinlield).  The  society’s 
cei'tificate  of  merit  \ras  awarded  to  Mr.  A.  Shipley  (gardenei’, 
Mr.  Wakefield)  tor  a  seedling  Amaryllis  carrying  its  tii'st  bloom. 
—  H.  K. 
Ware  Horticultural. 
The  fortnightly  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  in  the  3"icar’s 
Room,  when  there  was  a  good  attendance  of  members,  irresided  over 
by  3Ir.  3V.  Durrant.  3Ir.  J.  31arsh  of  Hertford,  read  a  very  useful 
paper  on  “  Potato-scab.”  He  also  staged  some  seed  Potatoes  to 
prove  that  his  practice  was  of  great 
service.  He  advocated  giving  a  good 
dressing  of  soot  or  lime  at  the  plant¬ 
ing  time,  and  to  rvell  till  the  groirnd 
before  planting.  An  interesting  dis¬ 
cussion  was  taken  part  in  by  3Iessrs. 
Fulford,  Spencer,  Godfrey,  Gilbert, 
Olibbon,  3Velch,  Heath,  Knight,  Liver¬ 
more,  the  secretary,  and  the  chair¬ 
man,  the  general  opinion  bein>  that 
Potato  -  scab  Avas  caused  by  some 
insects  in  the  soil,  usually  carried 
there  by  the  manure  used.  The  best 
remedy  siiggested  Avas  to  avoid  using 
animal  manure  as  much  a.s  possible, 
adding  lime  or  soot  Avith  a  gooil 
dressing  of  biArnt  refuse  instead.  3Ir. 
3Iarsh  was  accorded  a  hearty  A’ote  of 
thanks  for  bringing  such  a  lAseful 
subject  forward.  Questions  Avere 
asked  as  to  the  best  time  for  pruning 
Koses.  It  Avas  suggested  that  Hybrid 
Perpetuals  and  Hybrid  Teas  shoiild 
be  priAned  at  once,  and  Teas  a  little 
later,  always  taking  the  position  of 
the  garden  into  consideration.  There 
Avas  a  fine  display  of  floAvers  and  pot 
plants,  consisting  of  Cinerarias,  31ig- 
nonette.  Narcissus,  Eoses,  Azaleas, 
3’iolets,  and  Lily  of  the  3"alley.  Two 
very  fine  pots  of  Begonia  Gloire  de 
Lorraine  came  from  3Ir.  F.  Noyce, 
gardener  at  Presdales,  and  a  Avish 
Avas  expressed  that  3Ir.  Noyce  would 
read  a  paper  on  Avinte r-flo Averin  g 
Begonias  at  some  later  date.  The 
lasual  vote  of  thanks  Avas  accorded  the 
jiidges,  exhibitors,  and  chairman.  The 
next  meeting  Avill  be  on  April  26, 
Avhen  Mr.  F.  Heath,  foreman  at  Pres¬ 
dales  Gardens,  Avill  read  a  paper  on 
the  culture  of  Irises. 
Birmingham  Gardeners’. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Birmingham 
Gardeners’  Association,  3Ir.  C.  E. 
Bick,  Bickenhill  Nimseries,  Olton, 
near  Birmingham,  opened  a  discussion 
iipon  a  most  important  subject  en¬ 
titled  “  Ways  and  3Ieans  of  Further 
Increasing  the  Utility  of  Our  Asso¬ 
ciation.”  3Ir.  Bick  thought  that  one 
of  the  most  potent  agencies  avouLI  be 
a  greater  increase  in  membership  of 
head  gardeners  in  the  district,  also  a 
more  frequent  attendance  of  the  same 
at  the  meetings.  It  Avas  not  for  lack 
of  high-class  lecturers,  an  excellent 
lending  library,  and  also  competitive 
prizes  and  certificates  for  objects  of 
merit,  that  a  certain  indifference  had 
existed.  The  speaker,  hoAveA’er,  some- 
Avhat  pungently  remarked  that  he 
Avas  afraid  selfishness  and  professional 
conceit  Avere  unfortunately  responsible  for  the  lack  of  interest 
indicated,  and  mentioning  the  assumption  that  individually  they 
kneAv  sufficient  for  professional  purposes,  and  Avhat  Avas  unknown  Avas 
not  Avorth  knoAving.  The  chairman  (3Ir.  Walter  Jones)  invited  the 
opinion  of  the  members  present.  3Iessrs.  T.  Humphreys,  A.  Cryer, 
C.  H.  Herbert,  W.  Spinks,  3V.  L.  Deedman,  H.  Snead,  and 
3V.  (Jai’diner  took  part  in  the  discussion.  In  the  competition  for 
the  lAi’izes  offered  by  the  committee  for  three  pots  of  Narcissi,  dis¬ 
tinct,  Mr.  E.  Usher  Avon  the  premier  prize  Avith  an  excellent  exhibit ; 
3Ir.  3V.  3Iason  second;  and  3Iessr3.  J.  Sceany  and  H.  Snead  Avere 
accorded  ec^ual  thirds  for  meritorious  examples.  A  cultural  certifi¬ 
cate  Avas  Amted  to  3Ir.  C.  Phcenix  for  two  very  good  forms  .of 
Dendrobiiim  3Vardianum,  with  finely  floAvered,  strong  groAvths,  in 
small  pots. 
Reading  Gardeners’. 
At  tlie  latest  foitniglitly  meeting  of  the  Reading  and  District 
Gardeners’  31ntnal  Improvement  Association  the  president.  Mr. 
Leonard  Sutton,  presided  over  a  large  attendance  of  members, 
the  club  room  being  crowded.  The  subject  for  tlie  e\mning  ivas 
“  Fruit  Culture.”  and  was  introduced  by  3lr.  W.  Barnes,  of 
Bear  Wood  Gardens,  i\ho  confined  himself  on  this  occasion  to 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  out  of  doors.  His  remarks  were  of  a 
