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20. Turnip-shaped (Toogood).-Ready for use May 3. A darker form of No. 15.

21. White. Forcing Turnip (Sutton).-Ready for use May 2. Roots very even in size, with remarkably short tops.

22. White Turnip (Watkins & Simpson).-Ready for use May 7. A good stock of the old white variety.

23. Wood's Frame (Watkins & Simpson).-A.M. May 10. Ready for use May 3. Roots long scarlet, with moderate tops.. An excellent stock of this old favourite variety.

24. Wood's Frame White (Watkins & Simpson).-Ready for use May 7. A later and inferior white form of No. 23.

MR. JOHN WEIR.

On April 28, 1898, there passed away at Clydesdale Cottage, New Barnet, one of the old collectors of the Royal Horticultural Society. In 1861 he was sent out by the Society to Brazil, where he spent two years in collecting, and proceeded thence to the United States of Columbia. Unfortunately no sooner had he reached New Granada than he had an attack of fever," which after a few days, went off, leaving him paralysed in all his limbs, from the neck downwards." This was in the autumn of 1864. However, he met with good friends and kind nursing, and Mr. F. Stacey, Consul at Santa Martha at the time, at once communicated with the Society. The Council at once directed that every care and attention should be paid to Mr. Weir, and that he should be sent home as soon as he was able to bear the voyage. He came home in the autumn of 1865, and it was soon recognised that his case was a hopeless one.

An appeal was made to the Fellows of the Society for subscriptions towards a fund to provide for Mr. and Mrs. Weir. This was strongly supported in the Gardeners' Chronicle, with the result that a joint annuity on the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Weir of a little over £50 a year was received. During his brief career as a collector, Mr. Weir introduced many beautiful plants. Among other things he introduced a large number of living Orchids, but the cultivation of Orchids was not so well understood then as now; consequently fewer stand to his credit than might otherwise have been the case. Lists of the plants he sent

home, together with descriptions of new species, will be found in the Proceedings of the Society between 1863 and 1865. Apart from this, we have abundant evidence of Mr. Weir's industry and keenness of observation. In addition to flowering plants and Ferns, he made a very extensive collection of Mosses and Liverworts, including numerous new species, which were published in vol. xii. of the Journal of the Linnean Society. He retained a considerable portion of his collections till within a few days of his end, when, at his special request, it was sent to Kew.

Would that the Society had the means of sending a collector now to the mountainous districts of Central and Northern China, where such a wealth of new and probably hardy plants lie waiting for us!

THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND THE SEVERAL RAILWAY COMPANIES.

The Council of the Society are very frequently receiving communications from Fellows to the effect, "Why do not you arrange for cheap tickets on show-days for Fellows by rail?" and they have at various times semi-officially approached individual railway companies, but without success.

Thinking that an official letter addressed to all the companies at the same time might meet with greater favour, they caused the following letter to be sent to them all:

"Sir, I am instructed by the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society to submit to the Directors of your Company the following facts with a view to obtain for the members of the above Society facilities similar to those which have been granted to the Royal Counties' Agricultural Society, the Bath and West of England, and other Societies having analogous objects, with admitted benefit both to the railway companies and to the Societies so privileged. Briefly, the proposal made by the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society is that the Fellows of our Society should be permitted, upon presentation of their cards of Fellowship at any station (subject to a radius limit if thought necessary), to obtain a return ticket to London at the cost of a single fare upon any of the days upon which the meetings (shows) and lectures of the Society are held at the Drill Hall, ́

Westminster, and especially on the occasion of the Great Temple Show in the month of May. The Royal Horticultural Society has 3,500 Fellows, and it is believed that this number would be immensely increased (probably doubled) were the concession asked for to be conceded by the railway companies. The Royal Horticultural Society has also no less than 96 affiliated Societies, with a membership of probably quite 10,000 persons. Notwithstanding this, the number of Fellows and affiliated Members from the country attending the Drill Hall Shows rarely, if ever, exceeds 150 persons, while the Council is constantly in receipt of letters from the country Fellows of the Society intimating that they would gladly attend the meetings were such a concession as that now asked for granted by the railway companies. It is in consequence of repeated and persistent pressure from country Fellows to the above effect, that the present application is made. The Council are strongly of opinion that the railway companies would distinctly benefit by acceding to the request now tendered, and that a regular traffic would be created where one is now practically non-existent. In the case of affiliated Societies it might be stipulated that parties of not less than ten members must unite on each occasion in order to create the right to the concession; but this, and other matters of detail, would necessarily be settled in the light of the wide experience and practice of the railway companies in such cases. The Council hope that their proposal will receive the favourable consideration of your Board. I beg to inclose card showing the dates, &c., upon which the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society are held this present year.

"I beg to remain, yours faithfully,

"March 8, 1898."

"W. WILKS,

"Secretary R.H.S.

The replies were all to the same effect as the following :

"London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway.

"May 12, 1899.

"Dear Sir,-In reply to your letter of March 8 last I beg to inform you that your application for cheap tickets to be issued to

members of the Royal Horticultural Society was recently considered at a meeting of the Associated Railway Companies and declined.

"I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,

"D. GREENWOOD."

SPECIAL PRIZES FOR DESSERT APPLES AND PEARS.

For Amateurs and Gentleman's Gardeners only.

THE VEITCH PRIZES FOR FLAVOUR.

With a view to the formation of a definite list of the bestflavoured varieties of British-grown apples and pears for dessert at all seasons, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, of Chelsea, in the summer of 1896 placed a sum of £60 at the disposal of the Council, who, in conjunction with the donors, drew up and sanctioned the following scheme, commencing with the Society's first meeting, in July 1896, and continuing till the last meeting, in June 1898, the Temple Shows only being excepted :

SPECIAL RULES AND CONDITIONS.

1. No exhibitor may enter more than three distinct varieties in each or either class at each meeting.

2. Six fruits (neither more nor less) of each variety must be shown, the judges being at liberty to cut any three of them they please.

3. Every exhibitor must guarantee that the fruit he exhibits in these classes has been grown entirely out of doors. He should also state on the name card "Wall tree," "Bush," or " Standard," together with the aspect -north, east, south, or west-the nature of the soil; the county; and, when known certainly, the stock on which the tree is grafted.

4. The judges are requested to allot twelve points to a perfect dish of fruit-perfect in flavour, in quality, in appearance, and in size-distributing the points in the following proportions:

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By "quality" is intended the meltingness and smoothness (absence of grittiness) of the flesh, or (as, for example, in the case of early Apples) its crispness and juiciness.

Date

1896

By "appearance" is intended colour and beauty of outline and shape. By "size" is intended such as invests the fruit "with the greatest value for table use." "Enormous specimens should not be preferred, as, beyond a certain point, size becomes a defect in dessert fruits." R.H.S. Rules for Judging, &c., 1896 Code.

Vide

5. When several exhibits of the same variety are shown by several exhibitors, and the flavour and quality of two or more of them are found to be equal, the judges are directed in such case to award the prizes according to the demands of " appearance" and suitable "size."

6. The first and second prizes are not to be awarded to the same variety at the same meeting.

7. An exhibitor having won the first prize may not compete again during the year with the same variety, but the same variety exhibited by different exhibitors may take the first prize at any or all the meetings, and similarly with the second prize; nor may an exhibitor who has won a second prize take another second prize with the same variety; but an exhibitor having taken a second prize may take a first prize with the same variety at any subsequent meeting.

8. The prizes will be withheld if the fruits shown are considered wanting in sufficient flavour for dessert, or not fair specimens fit for table. 9. In all other respects the general rules will apply.

The following is a table showing the results obtained and giving all the varieties shown for these prizes, but only mentioning the names of the winning exhibitors :

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