53 



THE NEW" HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the brief note on this subject 

 which appeared in last month's 

 Floral World, it was stated that 

 the adjourned meeting of the pro- 

 moters of the new society would 

 take place en the 13th of February. 

 At that meeting there was a large 

 muster of the principal exhibitors of 

 the metropolis, with many gentle- 

 men cultivators and eminent nursery- 

 men. The chair was occupied by 

 Mr. Shirley Hihberd, F.R H.S., who 

 briefly informed the meeting of. the 

 course pursued by the committee, 

 and then submitted the code of rules 

 which had been prepared as the basis 

 of the new society. These rules were 

 finally agreed to, and in all particu- 

 lars, except the name of the society, 

 fully carry out the suggestions made 

 by the chairman at the preliminary 

 meeting. The organization is to be 

 called the United Horticultural So- 

 ciety. There will be no distinction 

 of classes recognized amongst the 

 members ; but wealthy persons, de- 

 sirous of promoting the society, may 

 become patrons. The subscription 

 is to be ten shillings per annum ; the 

 meetings are to take place on the 

 first Tuesday in each month, except 

 in the months of June, July, and 

 August, when there are to be meet- 

 ings also on the third Tuesday. At 

 these meetings papers will be read, 

 discussions will ensue, plants, flow ers, 

 fruits, etc., will be exhibited, and 

 decisions will be arrived at by the 

 joint action of numerous practical cul- 

 tivators and exhibitors, on the rela- 

 iive merits of florists' flowers, edible 

 fruits, vegetables, and other subjects 

 of horticultural skill. There will 

 also be occasional exhibitions. In 

 connection with the society, there 

 will be established a Benefit Fund 

 for the assistance of gardeners during 

 sickm ss, seasons of calamity, and old 

 age; and though the society and the 

 club wili be kept quite distinct, and 



be managed by different committees 

 and different codes of rules, they 

 will be so far related that the surplus 

 funds of the society will be annually 

 handed over to the fund, to augment 

 its resources. The following persons 

 have been appointed a provisional 

 committee to carry on the society 

 until the various offices can be filled 

 according to the rules :— W. Mar- 

 shall, Esq., Enfield ; Shirley Hib- 

 berd, Esq., Stoke Newington ; Mr. 

 Joseph Newton, of Eastbourne Ter- 

 race, Hyde Park ; Mr. Baker, 

 gardener to A. Bassett, Esq., Stam- 

 ford Hill ; Mr. Glendinning, of 

 Chiswick ; Mr. Rhodes, Sydenham ; 

 Mr. Heahs, of Messrs. Low and Co., 

 Clapton ; Mr. Tanton, of A. Hender- 

 son and Co., Edgware Road ; Mr. 

 Butcher, South Street, Carnberwell ; 

 Mr. Howard, gardener to James 

 Brand, Esq., Balham ; Mr. Page, 

 gardener to W. Leaf, Esq., Streat- 

 ham ; Mr. Todman, gardener to R. 

 Hudson, Esq., Clapham Common; 

 Mr. Wheeler, gardener to J. Philpot, 

 Esq., Stamford Hill; Mr. Penny, 

 gardener to H. H. Gibbs, Esq., 

 Regent's Park ; Mr.George, gardener 

 to Miss Nicholson, Stamford Hill. 

 Thus, for the present, all the various 

 classes of interest in horticulture 

 are represented, and the constitution 

 of the society is such that no one 

 class can predominate to the exclu- 

 sion of the rest. The first meeting 

 for business vtill take place on Tues- 

 day, March 7th, at 37, Arundel 

 Street, Strand, at seven in the even- 

 ing. Persons wishing to attend the 

 meeting, or who are desirous of be- 

 coming members, may communicate 

 with Mr. Hibberd, Mr. INewton, or 

 Mr. Baker. There is every prospect 

 of success for this itndertaking ; it 

 has long been wanted, and it is to be 

 hoped it will be well supported by 

 both amateur and professional culti- 

 vators. 



