44S 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB, 



[ Jane 10, 1876. 



how to do [cheers]. We feel the only honourable course is for ua 

 to give ILe opportunity toothers to do what they can ["no, no"]. 

 We will help you as well as we can, and all minor differences 

 Bhall be sunk [cheers]. We will do all we canto relieve the 

 Boval Horticultural Sociefy, as far as it rests in ns, from its 

 diflSculties, but we consider it our duty to resign our oiSces. 

 I resign, Mr. Hume does so, Mr. Dobree does so, and Sir Coutts 

 Lindsay does so. I have to thank those members of the Coun- 

 cil who do not agree with us in this for their support. I never 

 found in my life a more active or unanimous Council, or one 

 more devoted to the duties of their office. Some of my colleagues 

 do not think it their duty to resign their offices, because, as I 

 believe, they think they were appointed by one section of the 

 Society, and I do not think they ought to resign until that 

 section takes the power out of their hands [hear, hear]. The 

 horticultural Fellows have been in the majority, and therefore 

 these gentlemen do not feel it their duty to resign. I will, if 

 you will permit me, give you a parting word of advice. My 

 own belief is that the only way to save the Society is that you 

 should divide the two bodies, the pure and simple horticulturists, 

 and the Kensingtonians as they are called [cheers]. Let the 

 Chiswick Gardens be put in possession of a purely scientific 

 body. The funds required would get still smaller, and I think 

 the Fellows who live around these gardens ought to pay for 

 their maintenance [hear, hear]. Let us divide for the common 

 good. Let the scientific horticulturists goto Chiswick, and keep 

 the " Kensingtonians " at South Kensington. That is a scheme 

 you can carry out without the sanction of the Commissioners, 

 and by reducing your expenditure you can keep within your 

 income. I do trust whatever course you pursue may be for the 

 benefit of the Society, for its relief from the embarassments 

 which lie upon it, from its difiioulties which are by no means 

 insuperable. Pay your rent next year, and then you can keep 

 possession, I must say before I close that what the horticultural 

 papers stated was not altogether fair. It was never intended 

 by anything which fell from me, that the idea that the Society 

 was insolvent should be conveyed. Li the first place, if I said 

 so it would not be true. 



Mr. Godson, — It is u pity you ever mentioned it. 



The Chairman. — Well, that may be so. I may say that the 

 claims brought against us have been paid. I beg to conclude 

 this statement with a hope that you will find our retirement 

 conducive to the benefit and honour of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society [cheers]. 



After a short pause. 



The Chairman again rose, and said that many members of the 

 Society had expressed their wish to subfcrite money to relieve 

 the Society from its embarrassments. Mr. Ricketts promised 

 it'25, Mr. Godson £i~>, Mr. Paul £100 a-year for ten years on the 

 condition that nine others would do the same [cheers]. Mr. 

 Bull promised £100 in aid of our Show, and Mr. Dobree said he 

 would give £100 [cheers], 



Mr. Kellock said that as a horticulturist he did not feel it 

 his duty to resign his seat at the Council [loud cheers]. Neither 

 do the horticultural Fellows on the Council think it their duty 

 to resign [cheers] . They respected the South Kensingtonians, 

 but literally they had nothing to do with them [laughter]. On 

 that ground the horticultural members of the Council did not 

 tender their resignations [cheers]. 



Dr. Denny said the Meeting had to thank the noble lord for 

 his able statement, and it could not be without regret that they 

 heard it. The Council had come in as a Kensingtonian Council, 

 and as a horticultural Council they had failed. It must be 

 admitted, upon all hands, that the horticultural part of the 

 Society was not in the position it was when the present Council 

 took office. The horticultural Fellows were becoming disgusted, 

 and were leaving the Society wholesale, and more than that, 

 the attendance at the Gardens was falling off. In fact, under 

 present management the Society would fall to pieces in a few 

 months [hear and cheers]. The Council might say they were 

 paying their present prize money, but why ? Because no one 

 was exhibiting [hear and laughter]. The present Council took 

 office in opposition to the Royal Commissioners [cries of "no"]. 

 Why, the Council turned out Royalty — they turned out Prince 

 Arthur, 



A Fellow,— Not at aU — don't let that go forth — Prince Arthur 

 resigned [hear, hear]. 



Dr. Denny, — He could not remain in office under the condition 

 of affairs (cries of "time "], I think our thanks are due to those 

 members of the Council who do not resign [cheers], 



Mr. GuEDALLA said the deadlock was entirely due to the 

 shnffling conduct of Her Majesty's Commissioners [cries of 

 "no" and "hear"]. Yes, they kept the Society in a fix for 

 upwards of twelve months, and then in the month of February 

 they came down and said they were ready to come to an arrange- 

 ment. The Council had placed most excellent plans before the 

 Commissioners, and what right had the Commissioners to 

 indict their acts ? The last plan proposed is the only one to 

 work any real substantial good, and that is to separate Chiswick 

 from South Kensington. He was extremely sorry to see these 



members of the Council resign, but it was really the only manly 

 course open to them [hear, hear]. 



Sir ConiTs Lindsay wished, before he left his seat on the 

 Council, to express bis extreme satisfaction at the way in which 

 he had been met by all the members of the Council, and by the 

 Fellows generally. He quite endorsed what Lord Bury said 

 with respect to the Society. As to the charge brought againsti 

 the Council of not having fostered horticulture, the answer was 

 that the Council had neither money nor means. Lord Bury 

 had very ably shown them the misfortune under which their 

 Society had laboured. They never had funds to meet the ex- 

 penses placed upon their shoulders by the Commissioners, and 

 so the Society had been brought to a position — if not of bank- 

 ruptcy — of great impecuniosity. It would be better after all 

 to divide the two interests which existed in the Society. Let 

 those who took most direct interest in horticulture take its 

 management in their own hands. As regarded the resignations, 

 he might say that he believed every gentleman on the Council 

 acted to the best of his judgment. Mr. Hume who was not able 

 to be present had written a letter, and he (Sir Coutts Lindsay) 

 would say with entire sincerity that those who retired did so 

 with no feeling of soreness, and with the belief that they had at 

 all times received the support of their colleagues and of the 

 Fellows in general [cheers]. 



Mr. Dobree expressed his th"nks for the support he had 

 received from all connected with the Society. He was sorry his 

 time had not been of more use to the Society than it had been, 

 but he could not afford to give any more time, as he was engaged 

 in commercial pursuits. Mr. Hume much regretted he could 

 not attend that Meeting, as he had to be present that day at a 

 School-board in Norfolk. 



Sir Alfred Slade remarked that, according to the sixteenth 

 bye-law no business except that for which the adjournment was 

 made could take place. Therefore the Meeting was incapable 

 of accepting the resignation of the members of the Council, or 

 to appoint their successors. He regretted very much that there 

 should be any reason for the resignation of the members of the 

 Board who had tendered it. 



The Chairman said Sir Alfred Slade was right. Another meet- 

 ing would have to be called to deal with the resignations. That 

 was strictly in accordance with the bye-law which he had quoted. 

 The simple fact was they would have to call another meeting. 



After a discussion about the bye-law. 



The Chairman said he and his colleagues had not yet resigned, 

 and perhaps they should not [loud laughter]. 



Mr. W. A. Lindsay said he regretted that he should have 

 made some remarks upon the occasion of the last meeting which 

 created or introduced a feeling of bitterness. All he could do 

 was to express regret for these expressions [cheers]. Without 

 going into any further matter, he wished to say that he believed 

 the state of the Society was perfectly sound, and he felt it could 

 be reorganised, but only by reverting, both actively and mentally, 

 to the part represented by the picture over the Chairman's head, 

 painted at a time when this Society was renowned for its scienoe, 

 but not for its local fashion [cheers and loud laughter]. 



The Chairman, — I have nothing further to say than that the 

 Meeting is at an end. 



Mr. Shirley Hibbekd, — Have you taken your farewell of ns ? 

 [cries of "no"]. Very well, then; he has made his farewell 

 speech, and you know he has done good hard work, so give him 

 your hearty thanks [loud cheers], 



Mr, W, A, Lindsay seconded the vote of thanks to the Chair- 

 man, and then the protracted proceedings closed. 



AUEICULAS. 



At the National Auricula Show in April, and subsequently 

 in the pages of the Journal, the question has been raised 

 whether or not the florist Auricula, when under exhibition, 

 should be allowed some stick or prop to its flower stem. With 

 " An Old Fancier," and with all the northern growers to 

 whom I have named the subject, I sincerely hope that this 

 gratuitous disfigurement may never be sanctioned. 



It should never be necessary. If the stems do not carry the 

 trusses well there is, as a rule, blame to the grower, and he ought 

 to bear the consequences. He has allowed the stalks to rise 

 weak or become drawn for want of air to make them stiff and 

 hardy. A few varieties — e.g., Blackbird, Catharina, Moore's 

 Violet, and Imperator are given to growing long on the stem, 

 and this is a fault in such varieties, and makes its mark. Even 

 these, however, when grown in the airiest part of the frame or 

 house, may be so far managed as to require no stick. It 

 should not be forgotten that one decided property in a florist 

 Auricula is that the stem should be able to carry the head well, 

 and therefore to permit artificial support is so much allowance 

 to ill growth, and so much leniency to ill habit, to the com- 

 mensurate disparagement of better management and qualities. 

 For my own part I should be ashamed to show an Auricula 



