414 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ November 27, 1873. 



about G inches long, and not too " sappy." We have eome 

 here struck the first week iu August, that are now supplying 

 us with ripe fruit, and from all appearances will continue to 

 do so until spring. They are growing iu a succession Pine stove, 

 where the temperature averages about 60°. — H. C, Grimston. 



ASSOCIATIONS OF EOSARIANS. 



I AM desirous of compiling a list of the existing associations 

 in Great Britain for the growing, or showing, or both, of 

 Boses. I should require the name of each such Kose Asso- 

 ciation, its ofiicers — i.e., President, Treasurer, and Secretary ; 

 its terms of membership, its entrance fee, and yearly sub- 

 scription. If these particulars are supplied to me I will ask 

 you to insert the list, when completed, in " our Journal." 



I am not aware that such a thing now exists, and incline to 

 think that it might be useful in two ways, both in paving the 

 way for some general code of rules for exhibiting, to be framed 

 by representatives of the principal associations ; and, also, 

 possibly, to the organisation of competitions between asso- 

 ciations as well as individuals. — Alan Cheales, Brockliam 

 Vicarage, Reigate. 



THE EOYAL HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



I date just read Mr. G. F. Wilson's letter on this subject in 

 the columns of " our Journal." lam, of course, as a Fellow 

 of the Society, much interested in its welfare, and as a con- 

 siderable exhibitor I am, perhaps, somewhat even selfishly 

 interested. 



Living as I do at such a distauco from London I am unable 

 to attend the regular meetings of the Society, but I have read 

 and seen enough during the past year to make me feel certain 

 that something is very wrong somewhere, though I am unable 

 to put my fingers upon that something. 



I cannot put my name down for ten Fellows, feeling doubt- 

 ful whether I could command that number here, though I 

 might do so possibly. I will, however, gladly subscribe £10 lO.f. 

 for the next three years if required, hoping that by that time 

 matters will have righted themselves. I daresay my example 

 will speedily be followed by others. It is quite time that the 

 Society was placed iu a more satisfactory condition, and surely 

 this may be done, though it will require an effort. — T. M. 

 SnuTTLEWonTH, F.Pi.H.S., Preston, Laneaslilre. 



[This is one instance of many which no doubt exist of the 

 interest which those who love gardening take in the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society, provided it were so relieved from its 

 present trammels as to be able to act up to its profession of 

 being a horticultural society. Some years ago, when the 

 Society was in danger, between £2000 and £i)000 was sub- 

 scribed in a twinkling to relieve it from its difficulties ; but 

 then it was free. Let it be free again, and every friend of 

 horticulture will rally to its aid.] 



I WISH to answer questions arising out of my letters iu your 

 numbers of the 13th and 20th inst. 



1st, Ought we not to have gone first to the Council ? Answer, 

 To which Council ? The old Council had decidedly resigned. 

 The new Council, brought iu mainly by votes of the house- 

 holders living round the garden, is said by a great law authority 

 to have been illegally elected ; and besides, it would have lieen 

 rather awkward to ask from a Council iu oifice through Kcn- 

 siugtonian interest, assistance iu detaching its horticultural 

 part from the Society, which horticultural part gives its only 

 excuse for keeping South Kensington Garden as a private re- 

 creation ground for the neighbourhood. A Committee existed 

 which had been appointed to watch events iu the interests of 

 horticulture. This, if it had no very great power, xtsts at least 

 legal and iu being, so its leaders were consulted, and their 

 names head the " appeal to the Fellows." 



2ud, Why cannot the guinea-Fellow plan be grafted on the 

 Society in its present state ? Answer, This would make the 

 Society stiU more cumbrous and unmanageable even than at 

 present. 



And now let me make another appeal to horticulturists in 

 the country to come forward, and at least say what they think 

 of the guiuea proposal. 



You have, I believe, many hundred clergymen subscribers, 

 a class which, I believe, does quietly more for horticulture 

 than any other in this country. Would they join a guinea 

 Society ? or, as there are some with so many calls upon them 

 that they have still better uses for their guineas, aud who yet 



have great power and influence, would they bring in some 

 neighbours ? Will any country gentlemen or ladies subscribe 

 for themselves or for their gardeners ? Will any leading gar- 

 deners subscribe for themselves ? 



It seems most desirable that the reconstituted Society should, 

 like horticulture itself, embrace all classes ; while it is well 

 known that there are good horticulturists near the throne. I 

 can speak to having been more than once quietly round a show 

 with a Eoyal Highness, who not only knew flowers and fruit 

 well, but who, judging by his criticism, would stand first on 

 the list as a judge of table decorations. Who has not seen 

 small cottage gardens with clumps of white Lilies, or yellow 

 Crown Imperials, or double Ulac Primroses, which the finest 

 garden might envy ? 



Let me remind anyone who may be considering the subject 

 of fellowship, that the proposal is that the tickets shall be 

 transferable, though restricted from financial reasons to the 

 same person the same day ; so that any country gentleman 

 could for a guinea be really helping the formation of a healthy 

 horticultural society, be able to vote by proxy on its manage- 

 ment, and at the same time send his transferable ticket, ad- 

 mitting to all shows, to some relative or friend in town. 



Aud now let me say that there are iufluential horticulturists 

 in London ready and willing to construct a real working Royal 

 Horticultural Society ; but to enable them to do so the horti- 

 culturists through the country must come forward and say 

 that they wish for such a society, and will join it and help its 

 progress. If they will do so we shall have at last a Society 

 with real power ; but if they wiU not do so the plan caunot 

 at present be carried out. Bat I cannot think that this last 

 will be the case. Everything points not only to increased num- 

 bers of gardens, not only to increased love of gardening, and 

 flowers, and fruit, but to increased study of them. The facts 

 that a gardening journal has been recently " permanently 

 enlarged to thirty-six pages," and that a chronicle has to 

 detach itself from agriculture because horticulture wants all 

 the room, and this after the establishment of a well-printed 

 aud illustrated new-comer which has had no injurious effect 

 on the circulation of any of its predecessors — surely these facts 

 speak volumes, and surely everyone who takes-in a gardening 

 paper ought to become a guinea Fellow, and vice versa. 



But let us for one moment take the gloomy view and suppose 

 that the country horticulturists will make no sign. All that 

 then can be said is that it may be hoped that there will be 

 no more unkind criticisms; no more saying, " The Society is 

 only an appendage of South Kensington Museum," that " the 

 influence of the Commissioners is paramount in the Council," 

 that " the main object of the Horticultural Society's funds is 

 to keep up a great brick-and-mortar garden for the use of the 

 nursemaids and children of the neighbourhood, therefore we 

 do not hold out the hand of good fellowship to the Society." 

 It now rests with the country horticulturists to make the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society free, independent alike of Kensingtonians 

 and of H.M. Commissioners ; aud in the opinion of those who 

 know it best, until this happy result be accomplished the Society 

 can never be really vigorous or worthy to represent British 

 horticulture. — George F. Wilson, Ileatherbank, Weyhridgc 

 Heath. 



The open signs of a healthy reaction among the members 

 of the Eoyal Horticultural Society cannot but be a matter for 

 liearty congratulation amongst those who, like myself, have 

 loved, honoured, and laboured for it for years. As far as I 

 am concerned the project of policy forwarded from Sir Daniel 

 Cooper, and embodying the principles contained in Mr. George 

 Wilson's letters, has my hearty support. The idea of an ap- 

 peal to the Commissioners to agree to a termination of the 

 lease seemed to me to involve a difficulty, as such a trans- 

 action could only be effected by a Council, and before anything 

 of the kind could be done it would be necessary that the 

 Fellows should know who are their Council. I have, however, 

 sent in my name to Sir Daniel by this post. 



The raising of the Society again to its place among the 

 nations has been with me the dream of years. In spite of 

 many a buffet while struggling against the tide of circum- 

 stances, and suffering from the passions and prejudices of men, 

 it has, I say still, deserved well of its country, and the more 

 or less high and educated intelligence of its four or five thou- 

 sand members now demands aloud that it should appear be- 

 fore the world and be iu reality a working Society, practical, 

 scientific, jmrc et sans reprorhe. 



But before looking too complacently into a brilliant future, 



