December  10,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
543 
Following  the  adoption  of  the  foregoing  report,  the  retiring 
president  proposed  Mr.  Henry  Plckford,  of  Wein,  for  that  office. 
Mr.  Robert  Sydenham  (Birmingham)  seconded.  Mr.  Gordon  has 
been  president  ever  since  the  society’s  foundation,  and  greatly 
to  his  devotion  is  its  success  due.  He  stated,  by  way  of  explain¬ 
ing  his  discontinuance  in  the  office,  that  he  thought  it  was  good 
for  no  society  that  the  president  should  consider  his  office  a 
“freehold.”  Mr.  S.  B.  Dicks  (of  Cooper,  Taber  and  Co.),  on 
retiring  from  the  chairmanship  of  committee,  proposed  Mr. 
Whitpaine  Nutting  for  the  post,  and  Mr.  C.  E.  Greenwood 
seconded.  The  propositions  were  unanimously  agreed  to,  and  the 
retiring  officers  were  heartily  thanked.  The  lion,  treasurer  (Mr. 
N.  N.  Sherwood),  and  the  lion,  secretary  were  each  re-elected, 
the  latter  (Mr.  Horace  J.  Wright)  receiving  an  honorarium  of 
ten  guineas.  It  was  also  agreed  to  award  two  guineas  tO'  Mr. 
C.  E.  Greenwood,  for  his  invaluable  assistance  at  the  show  and 
at  other  times.  The  committee  was  re-elected,  and  Messrs.  Geo. 
Gordon,  C.  W.  Breadmore  (Winchester),  G.  Crabb©  (Addle- 
stone),  and  John  Green  (Dereham)  were  added.  Messrs.  W.  P. 
Wright,  J.  F.  McLeod,  and  Richard  Dean  retire. 
Mr.  S.  B.  Dicks  proposed  and  Mr.  C.  H.  Curtis  seconded,  that 
the  desirability  of  holding  provincial  shows  be  brought  before 
the  committee,  and  that  this  body  be  instructed  to  try  and 
make  arrangements  with  provincial  societies  at  whose  shows  the 
National  Sweet  Pea  Society,  would  offer  prizes,  and  would  have 
the  control  of  the  section  devoted  toi  Sweet  Peas.  Places  men¬ 
tioned  were  Wolverhampton  and  Shrewsbury.  The  meeting 
unanimously  agreed.  Regarding  the  dates  of  the  London  Show, 
after  some  discussion  it  was  agreed  to  leave  the  matter  with 
the  committee,  who  were  instructed  to  fix  dates  as  near  to  those 
of  the  past  show  as  possible  (June  15  and  16).  The  difficulty  was 
that  Holland  House  Show  and  the  Temple  Rose  Show  happen 
about  the  same  time. 
Mr.  W.  Cuthbertson  (Dobbie  and  Co.),  of  Rothesay,  N.B., 
now'  brought  forward  the  question  of  the  exclusion  of  Trade 
gro'wmrs  from  acting  as  judges.  He  wished  the  matter  to  be 
discussed  in  a  purely  friendly  spirit,  and  thought  that  there  w'as 
no  reason  why  they  should  be  debarred.  He  suggested  that 
experts  in  the  Trade  be  appointed  as  judges,  along  with  amateur 
and  professional  gardeners.  Mr.  James  C.  House,  of  W’^estbury-on- 
Trym,  near  Bristol,  supported  Mr.  Cuthbertson.  He  thought 
the  executive  committee  had  not  met  the  wdshes  of  the  society’s 
best  supporters.  He  assured  those  present  that  there  was  a 
strong  feeling  in  the  Trad©  on  this  point,  and  it  extended  all 
over  the  country.  He  knew  the  arguments  of  the  committee. 
They  w'ere :  That  by  inviting  amateurs  to  judge,  they  became 
more  and  more  enthusiastic  growers  of  the  Sw'eet  Pea.  Mr. 
House  thought,  however,  that  the  best  w’ay  to  iDopularise  the 
Sw'eet  Pea  was  to  first  make  the  seedsmen  take  a  real  interest  in 
the  flower,  and  their  customers  wdll  do  so  too.  Since  he  him¬ 
self,  in  his  owm  business,  took  to  cultivating  Sedums  and  smne 
other  humble  plants,  the  amateurs  around  him  had  likewise 
grow'ii  interested  in  these  plants.  He  would  second  any  proposal 
that  representatives  of  the  Trade  be  included  in  the  judges’  roll 
and  be  allowed  to  adjudicate  novelties.  Mr.  John  Green  (Dere- 
ham)  suggested  that  one-third  of  the  judges  be  amateurs,  one- 
third  professionals,  and  one-third  trad©  growers. 
Mr.  Geo.  Gordon,  chairman,  intervened,  saying  that  the 
letters  to  the  papers  had  been  utterly  unjustified.  The  com¬ 
mittee  had  not  had  the  merest  intention  of  slighting  the  Trade, 
but  they  had  deemed  it  advisable  not  to  appoint  representatives 
therefrom,  so  as  to  avoid  any  suspicion  of  favountism  on  the 
part  of  the  committee.  He  pointed  out  that  the  Trade  w’erc 
actually  in  the  majority  on  the  committee,  and  that  being  so, 
it  should  be  impossible,  he  thought,  to  do  anything  against  the 
interests  of  seedsmen. 
Mr.  Robert  Sydenham  did  not  doubt  that  the  committee 
wished  to  meet  the  wishes  of  its  supporters,  but  there  should  be 
no  loop-hole  of  uncertainty,  and  by  accepting  the  proposal  before 
them  they  would  get  over  any  chance  of  serious  friction.  He 
supported  Mr.  Cuthbertson,  as  did  Mr.  Dicks. 
Mr.  C.  H.  C’urtis,  “as  the  originator  of  the  w'hole  ti’ouble,” 
explained  in  objecting  to  Trad©  judges,  he  had  simply  suggested 
that  precedent  be  followed.  Mr.  Gordon  said  that  in  view  of 
wdiat  had  taken  place,  he  hoped  the  committee  wmuld  appoint 
Trade  judges.  The  proposition,  as  follows,  was  carried  without 
a  dissentient:  “That  the  general  committee  be  instructed  to 
.select  the  judges  in  equal  numbers  from  Trade,  professional,  and 
amateur  gardeners.” 
Mr.  House  raised  the  question  as  to  how'  Sweet  Peas  should 
be  shown,  for  though  their  own  foliage  is  allowed  in  bouquets, 
yet  there  had  been  disqualifications  in  the  provinces,  of  exhibitors 
who  had  staged  trusses  of  flowers  attached  to  the'  haulm  (or  vine). 
He  suggested  that  part  of  the  vine  be  allowed,  but,  of  course, 
only  one  flower  truss.  The  matter  was  referred  to  the  committee. 
- - 
£rica  propendens. 
This  beautiful,  bright  mauve-pink  flowered  Erica  received  a 
first-class  certificate  .some  years  ago  when  shown  at  a  R.H.S. 
meeting  by  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Ltd.  It  is  a  charming  spring 
and  summer-flowei'ing  subject  for  the  greenhouse. 
County  Council  Instruction :  Horticulture, 
{Concluded  from  page  516.) 
This  concluding  instalment  records  what  the  County  Councils  of 
Scotland,  Wales,  and  Ireland  are  doing,  or  have  done.  It  is  somewhat 
remarkable  that  Scotland  should  have  so  few  instructors.  In  order 
to  make  the  English  list  complete  w'e  may  add,  what  all  “  Journal  ” 
readers  know,  however,  that  Middlesex  has  an  experimental  garden  at 
Pymmes  Park,  Edmonton,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  J.  Weathers  ;  the 
Isle  of  Wight  has  a  garden  at  Newport,  superintended  by  Mr.  Charles 
Martin  ;  and  O-xfordshire  has  practice  plots,  under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  S.  Heaton. 
Scotland. 
Edinburgh  and  East  of  Scotland  College  of  Agriculture. — We 
do  not  have  a  permanent  Horticultural  Lecturer  on  our  staff,  but 
employ,  for  short  courses.  Dr.  J,  H.  Wilson,  St.  Andrew’s  University 
Erica  propendens.  (Nat.  size.) 
and  the  Rev.  G.  D.  Hutton,  M.A.,  B.Sc.,  The  Manse,  Bothkennar-by- 
Carron.  They  are  both  capable  lecturers,  as  well  as  thoroughly 
practical  men.  The  other  lecturer  we  had,  Mr.  Wm.  Williamson, 
gardener,  Warriston,  Edinburgh,  was  formerly  gardener  at  Turrit 
House.— Wm.  Scott  Steven.son. 
West  of  Scotland  Agricultural  College. — Professor  N.  A. 
McAlpine,  B.Sc.,  is  our  College  Lecturer  on  the  Principles  of  Horti¬ 
culture.  Mr.  J.  Muir,  F.R.H.S.,  is  an  occasional  member  of  the  staff, 
and  is  engaged  as  occasion  requires  for  work  in  the  counties. — John 
Cuthbertson,  Blythswood  Square#  Glasgow. 
Wales. 
Brecknockshire  has  not  appointed  an  instructor. 
Cardig.4Xshire. — The  County  Council  have  not  a  regular  Instructor 
in  Horticulture  in  their  employ.  They  make  use  of  the  Instructor 
