6 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 3, 18U6. 



beeii netted, and of that sum the Committee had decided to give one- 

 third to the Institution. The Royal Horticultural Society had teen 

 asked to take one-third of the profits for their assistance and the use 

 of their garden, hut the offer was refused, and nothing but £300 down 

 in hard cash would do ; otherwise that Society would have had £1000 

 also. The Chairman then read a letter from Sir Daniel Cooper, 

 Bart., enclosing a cheque for £1000, and concluded by urging the 

 claims of the charity, and expressing a hope that those present would 

 raise the amount to £2000. 



Mr. Brandreth T. Gibbs then proposed the health of the Chair- 

 man, and alluded to the services which he had rendered to the Insti- 

 tution, and his endeavours to forward the interests of horticulture. 



The Chairman, in returning thanks, said that he did not know 

 whether they would look upon him as a public nuisance for troubling 

 them so often, but still he felt he must trouble them again, and tell 

 those present that they who gave so largely, as some had done that 

 night, even to the extent of £30, were real friends to this Society. 

 But there were other real friends, and these were those who subscribed 

 large sums from year to year (and no man contributes more than 

 twice to a charity in which he does not take an interest) — thesi j weie 

 the great friends to whom the Society wonld have to look for its 

 principal support. If all would only put their shoulders to the wheel 

 they could make it a powerful institution in a short time, and some 

 there were who had determined to do so. As far as he was concerned, 

 he could only say that whenever he could asbist them, they might com- 

 mand his services. This year they had had for their Chairman one 

 who had a windfall to announce ; but next year they wonld have Sir 

 Robert Peel, and he hoped that they would give him the reception 

 which he deserved. He then proposed the health of the Treasurer, 

 Mr. Wrench. 



Mr. Wrench, in returning thanks, remarked that on such occasions 

 it was customary to have only three figures to the subscription total, 

 but he was glad to see that on this occasion it had increased to four. 

 The Institution had since the last anniversary experienced the loss 

 of two of its Vice-Presidents, Sir Joseph Paxton and Dr. Lindley. 

 who had taken a warm interest in it, and if all would do the same its 

 benefits would be very much increased. 



Mr. G. Godwin then proposed " Success to the Royal Horticul- 

 tural and Botanic Societies," coupled with the names of Dr. Hogg, 

 the Rev. Joshua Dix, and Professor Bentlcy. 



Dr. Hogg, in returning thanks, said that he had lately been so 

 much accustomed to return thanks for the Secretaries of the Inter- 

 national Horticultural Exhibition, that he was afraid he should have 

 to do what history is said never to do — repeat himself. He re- 

 collected the first meeting of the originators of that Exhibition, and 

 he thought he might safely say that they were the half dozen " men of 

 pluck " who put down their £10 a-piece to start the undertaking ; but 

 that sum was a long way off £13,000 ; still, they persevered, and though 

 at times the Committee had had their misgivings, they had borne on 

 by a fixed resolution safely to the end. 



The Rev. Joshua Drx, in responding, defended the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society in regard to their having required £300 to be paid 

 for the use of "their grounds and other facilities, for, said he, had the 

 Council entered into any arrangement for contingent profits, they 

 would have been playing with money that did not belong to them. It 

 should be remembered that on the opening of the Exhibition, when 

 its financial success appeared somewhat doubtfnl, an appeal was made 

 to them for an extension of time in the use of the grounds, etc., and 

 what did the Council do ? They said, " We will waive all claims for 

 an additional sum of money; we will not accept it ; we grant you the 

 extension of privilege for nothing." 



Professor Bentley said he very fully appreciated the very kind 

 manner in which the toast had been received. He had been connected 

 with the Royal Botanic Society for eighteen years, and all his life 

 with plants, but till last year he never knew the men personally who 

 were the great plant-growers of this country, and he had formed a 

 high estimation of their sterling qualities. 



Mr. Cutler (the Secretary), then read a list of subscriptions put 

 down at the dinner to the amount of £260, after which his health was 

 proposed by the Chairman. 



Mr. Alderman Mechi said he considered himself an old friend of 

 theirs, having occupied the chair in 1857. He might be accused of 

 having been a truant since then, but the truth was he had been taken 

 aip with the Agricultural Benevolent Society, and he was sure that 

 they would be glad to hear that it had £5000 a-year, and that there 

 •were at the present time one hundred recipients of its benefits. They 

 had all heard Sir C. W. Dilke, and they, as well as he, knew that he 

 •was a great advocate of horticulture. At the late Show there had 

 fceen £3000 profits, and £1000 had been given to the Gardeners' Bene- 

 volent Institution, but he did not see the reason why the whole £3000 

 should not have been given. He then proposed the " Nursery and 

 Seed Trade." coupled with the names of Mr. Veitch and Mr. Child. 



Mr. Veitch returned thanks in a very effective speech, remarking 

 that the Committee of the International Horticultural Exhibition had 

 shown what England could do, and what its gardeners could do. He 

 loved horticulture because it was an intellectual pursuit, although not 

 such a money-making business as some in the city of London, and he 

 loved it for its own sake. With regard to the question of wages, it was 

 a thing to be bewailed that the carpenter and other mechanics shonld 

 he in a far better position than the generality of gardeners. Labourers, 



it was true, helped to keep down wages, by trying to do everything and 

 often doing nothing well ; and he considered the best remedy for this 

 state of things, the best way to secure an increase of the gardener's 

 wages, would be to educate him, and then employers would find it to 

 their profit to employ the educated man. He, therefore, said, Let us 

 lovers of horticulture do all that we can, not only to increase our 

 numbers, but to raise the standard of education as well. 



Mr. Child briefly returned thanks for himself and the seed trade. 



" The Stewards," coupled with the name of Mr. Shaw, and " The 

 Ladies," weie then given. 



Mr. John Gould VErrcu having returned thanks for the ladies, 

 the company broke up. 



The room was decorated with a profusion of flowers contributed by 

 Messrs. Lee, Turner, Fraser, Williams, and others, and there was an 

 excellent dessert. The dinner-table ornaments were kindly lent gra- 

 tuitously by Messrs. Howell & James, of Regent Street. 



A WORD ON BEHALF OF SMALL ORCHAED 

 HOUSES. 



These useful structures have hardly met with a just criticism 

 at the hands of writers on the subject. Whilst admitting their 

 general inferiority to the larger houses, now so common, and 

 for which it is safe to predict a still greater development, it 

 would also be fair to state that in proper hands small orchard- 

 houses may be rendered eminently useful. From the very 

 fact of 'their small size they present considerations of value to 

 that numerous class whose means are limited, and who also 

 cannot devote much time to them. Space, too, in small 

 gardens is difficult to spare. We have here, then, three very 

 serious considerations — viz., time, space, and money, and these 

 leave us much to say in favour of small structures. Let us, 

 then, allow them their proper place in the public estimation. 

 One thing is certain — that by the amateur doubtful of his re- 

 sources they will always be selected. In large gardens they 

 are obviously out of place, except as Orangeries, or for re- 

 tarding a portion of the crop by placing them with a colder 

 exposure, which, by the way, is the right manner of retarding 

 any fruit. 



If the small number of entries for the orchard- house trees 

 in pots, which were submitted to Messrs. Errors, Ewing, and 

 myself at the Great Show was a true indication that public 

 taste in this matter had endorsed that of some critics, all 

 question of large versus small houses would be needless ; but a 

 round of subsequent visits to friends and others possessing 

 them of all sizes enables me to state that orchard-houses never 

 were so nourishing. In one case an amateur, with the aid of 

 a rough workman or two, manages alone an immense house 

 250 feet long, and can show as good fruit as need be expected, 

 and pruning so equal as to be unsurpassed. He is about to 

 lengthen this house to 500 feet, and there is no reason why he 

 should fail with this lordly house, but, rather, there is every 

 chance of greater results. This case establishes what amateurs, 

 really in earnest, trusting to their common-sense principles, 

 and employing only the same amount of skill as is shown by 

 so many lady florists, can do with large orchard-houses. 



In the second instance I was shown by an amateur of very 

 limited mi aus what can be effected by careful attention with 

 extremely small structures for growing fruit. In his small 

 garden, where every available space was carefully economised, 

 were two small span-roofed houses. The oldest of these, some 

 ten years old, was only 18 feet by 9. To the ridge was only 

 7 feet ; the sides were 4J feet high. This stood east and west. 

 The other house was 10 feet by 12, and had ventilating shutters 

 1 foot wide, all round, and others at the top, at each end. This 

 house stood north and south. The whole number of trees was 

 no less than eighty (chiefly pyramids in 13-inch pots), and con- 

 sisted of Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Pears, and choice Apple 

 trees. By the different position of these houses, and by plung- 

 ing a portion of the Plums in the open ground during the last 

 week of June, a succession of fruit was secured, and more room 

 given to the Peaches to ripen. The crop looked fine, and the 

 foliage was without a stain, so that this amateur will probably 

 have more Peaches than can be found on many an extensive 

 wall, this evil year of blight, and bloodshed. Without these 

 houses what chance would he have had of choice fruit in a 

 small, unwalled garden ? 



At Sawbridgeworth, also, where I stayed two days, were 

 houses 100 feet long, and but 7 feet high to the ridge, yet they 

 were full of fine pyramidal Apricot trees, well loaded. My first 

 house was but 30 feet long, and is still very early. It has de- 

 fects enough, no doubt, but it is always full of Peaches. The 



