October  22,  1903. 
JOUHXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GABDEXER. 
383 
kind  permission  of  F.  A.  Kelly,  Esq..,  and  special  classes  will  be 
arranged  to  attract  some  of  the  leading  exhibitors.  Tiie  next  i 
meeting  of  the  society,  on  November  4,  will  he  particularly  j 
attractive,  Mr.  T.  Snowdon  being  scheduled  to  giv^e  “  impre.ssions 
of  the  Horticultural  Traders’  Trip  to  Holland  and  Belgium  in. 
April,  1903.”  Tiie  Secretary  would  be  glad  to  hear  from  any 
friend  who  would  like  to  be  present. 
Reading  Gardeners’  Association. 
■  The  fortnightly  meeting  wa.s  held  on  the  12th  inst.,  and,  not¬ 
withstanding  the  exceedingly  rough  weather  experienced, 
between  seventy  and  eighty  members  assembled,  under  the  chair¬ 
manship  of  the  President,  Mr.  Leonard  Sutton,  to  hear  a  lecture 
by  Mr.  G.  Wythes,  V.M.H.,  of  Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford, 
on.  “Strawberries  and  Their  Culture.”  As  the  lecturer  was  well 
known  to  the  majority  liresent  as  an  authority  with  regard  to  the 
Strawberry,  and  also  as  a  large  grower,  much  was  expected  by 
the  members,  and  it  was  a  source  of  gratification  to  all  that  the 
expectations  formed  were  more  than  realised.  The  .subject  was 
not  only  treated  exhaustively,  but  in  a  plain  and  practical 
manner.  The  points  touched  upon  were,  the  preparing  of  plants 
for  forcing,  vai’ieties  for  forcing,  the  routine  of  culture,  Straw¬ 
berries  in  the  open  ground,  prolonging  the  season,  culture  after 
planting  out,  Alpine  or  small  kinds,  and  last,  but  which  proved 
the  most  interesting,  Strawberrie,s  as  annuals  or  yearlings. 
Gi-eat  stress  was  laid  upon  the  fact  that  it  was  most  desirable 
that  plants  should  be  grown  purposely  for  runners  and  not  allowed 
to  fruit.  As  to  varieties  for  forcing.  Royal  Sovereign  was  recom¬ 
mended  for  early  supplies,  to  be  followed  by  Vicomtesse  Hericart 
de  Thury,  La  Grosse  Sucree,  and  President  for  late  u.se  ;  while  for 
the  “annual”  system  of  culture  Royal  Sovereign,  President, 
Dr.  Hogg,  and  Gunton  Park  were  advised. 
The  discu.ssion  which  followed  brought  out  several  points  of 
interest.  Those  taking  part  were  the  President,  Messrs.  Fry, 
Powell,  Judd,  Exler,  Hinton,  Turnham,  Townsend,  Gibson,  ami 
Tunbridge.  For  the  reason  stated  above,  tbe  exhibits  were 
smaller  and  less  numerous  than  usual,  but  the  certificate  of 
cultural  merit  was  awarded  to  four  especially  fine  fruits  of 
Sutton’s  Royal  Jubilee  Melon,  staged  by  Mr.  G.  Herridge,  The 
Gardens,  St.  Peter’s  Hill,  Caversham.  Mr.  Durrant,  The  Gardens, 
Preston,  exhibited  a  plant  of  Regina  with  yellow  flowers.  A 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  Mr.  Wythes  and  the 
exhibitors.  Seven  new  members  were  elected. 
Bristol  Gardeners’. 
The  opening  meeting  of  the  winter  session  was  held  at  St. 
John’s  Rooms,  Redland,  on  Thursday  evening.  The  chair  was 
taken  by  Dr.  Barclay  J.  Barron,  and  a  most  instructive  lecture 
was  given  by  Mr.  J.  C.  House,  of  Coombe  Nurseries,  Westbury- 
on-Trym,  his  subject  being  “Hardy  Perennials.”  A  special 
feature  of  the  evening  was  a  magnificent  collection  of  fifty  kinds 
of  perennial  flowers  grown  by  Messrs.  Isaac  House  ancl  Sons. 
Pyrethrums,  Pentstemons,  Michaelmas  Daisies,  alike  were  beau¬ 
tiful,  showing  the  amount  of  care  and  attention  bestowed  upon 
them.  The  society  unanimously  awarded  them  a  certificate  of 
special  merit  for  this  display.  Dr.  Barron,  on  jiassing  a  A'ote  of 
