28 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 12, 1864, 



duces good-sized bunches, bearing from fourteen to eighteen 

 berries on each. T' e colour is of a fine brilliant red, and 

 the flavour much L ^s acid than that of the Red Dutch 

 Currant grown in 1 'tis country. No. 6. In this we do not 

 distinguish anything different from the Red Dutch, and it is 

 inferior to the Long-bunched Red. No. 7 produces shorter 

 bunches than either of the above, and is possessed of a mild 

 acidity. It is not, however, an improvement on existing 

 varieties, except in that respect, for it is much less acid than 

 even Knight's Sweet Red. No. S is too much like Red Dutch 

 in every respect. 



White Currants. — No. 35 appears to be a very late 

 variety, comparing it with the fruit of the following, which is 

 dead ripe while the former is quite hard and green. No. 38 

 appears to be a great bearer, but in the bunches and berries 

 it is not superior to existing varieties.] 



THE GARDENERS' ROYAL BENEVOLENT 

 INSTITUTION. 



The Anniversary Meeting of this excellent Society was 

 held on Friday, July the 8th. The Right Hon. Charles 

 Lawson, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, presided, supported 

 by R. Wrench, Esq., J. A. Henderson, Esq., J. Lee, Esq., 

 J. Veitch, Esq., Messrs. Addiscott, Barnes, J. Bolton, 

 J. Bruce, J. Cutbush, &c. 



The Lord Provost said — I beg now to propose the health 

 of " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen." Although I 

 have never had the honour to propose this toast in London, 

 I feel assured that it will be greeted with the same hearty 

 loyal reception which it never fails to call forth in the north, 

 and everywhere throughout the British dominions. We are 

 a loyal people, and will always respect and pay homage to 

 our Sovereign. But Queen Victoria possesses, and deserves 

 to possess, more than mere homage and respect. She has 

 gained the love and confidence of her people; and well she 

 may, for her whole life has been adorned by the unaffected 

 display of virtues, never more brilliant than when they 

 grace the exalted and illustrious position which Her Majesty 

 occupies. The Queen has earned a great and a good name 

 in history, and I trust she may be long spared to us. 



The Lord Provost said — Our next toast is to " The 

 health of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess 

 of Wales, and the other members of the Royal Family." 

 From what little I have had the honour of seeing of the 

 Royal Family, and from a great deal I have heard, there are 

 few families owe more to the care and anxiety which their 

 parents have bestowed upon their early training, and few 

 parents have ever had more teachable, well-disposed, and 

 noble-minded children. I believe there is but one feeling 

 in the country regarding the Royal Family, and that is, that 

 the Prince of Wales, his fair Princess, and every individual 

 member of that illustrious circle, are conducting themselves 

 with a propriety and a grace which reflects the highest 

 honour upon themselves, and, I may almost say, if possible 

 adds to the brilliancy of that lustre which their Royal parent 

 has shed over the British Court [loud cheers]. 



The Lord Provost — I have now the honour to propose 

 the health of those services which have for centuries 

 guarded the freedom and the honour of our flag. If ever 

 there was a time when we should desire to see our Navy and 

 our Army in good discipline and ready for work, in my 

 opinion we should desire to see that now. For some time 

 past those clouds which have been gathering round the 

 political horizon of Europe have been creeping on towards 

 us, and darkening as they crept. Whatever may be the 

 result of the excited state of feeling abroad, it is impossible 

 to say ; but, come what may, our soldiers and sailors are as 

 brave and daring as they ever were ; and if circumstances 

 compel us to assert the dignity and authority of the British 

 flag, woe betide the foe that may have the temerity to 

 question our doings. I am glad to know that our Volunteers 

 are still keeping up their numbers, and are still maintaining 

 their efficiency in drill and rifle exercise. They may yet be 

 called upon to guard our shores, and I know they will do it 

 well. I beg to propose the health of those services [tre- 

 mendous cheering]. 



The Lord Provost — I have now the honour to propose 

 what on the present occasion must be regarded as the most 



important toast of the evening': *' Success and Prosperity 

 to the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution." It is, 

 perhaps, one of the finest features of this country, that 

 private generosity and the kind feeling of the prosperous 

 perform those obligations which the fortunate owe to the 

 unfortunate, which in some countries are discharged by the 

 Government, and in others left undischarged altogether. 

 Now, in Great Britain the number of benevolent institu- 

 tions is most amazing, and they form in my humble opinion 

 no unworthy monument in honour of the public sense, of 

 duty which beats nowhere stronger than in a British heart. 

 Amid all the benevolent institutions in the country, I do 

 think it is but fair that one shoidd be devoted to gardeners, 

 for I do not know that a more deserving, a more hardwork- 

 ing, or a more useful class of men exist than they ; and more 

 than this, their profession is pecubarly calculated to excite 

 our sympathy for them in the days of their adversity. We 

 have undoubted testimony that the gardener's is the most 

 ancient profession of all; and it has often occurred to me 

 that the employment of gardening is the most innocent, 

 and productive of the most happiness and pleasure. In a 

 perfect state of things one can almost imagine all kinds of 

 professions being done away ; indeed, things would be any- 

 thing but perfect if certain learned professions continued to 

 exist ; but the tending to all the beauties of the floral crea- 

 tion and the caiing for the rich variety of fruits with which 

 Providence has so bountifully endowed this earth, honestly 

 appears to me to be compatible with an existence as perfect 

 as we can imagine it to be. In that perfect state of things 

 gardening would be a pastime, and gardeners, probably, 

 something like angels ; but at present they are only hard- 

 working men, and they have to go through much toil to sup- 

 port wives and children, and unhappily it not unfrequently 

 happens, that in old age the poor man who has been the means 

 of administering so much comfort to his fellow creatures, who 

 has, no doubt, again and again adorned our tables with 

 flowers, and served us with the choicest fruits ; who, in fact, 

 has done his little to help in restoring the earth to its pris- 

 tine beauty from which it has so lamentably . fallen, — I say 

 it often happens that this quiet, hardworking administerer 

 to our joy and comfort, is overtaken by the hand of mis- 

 fortune, his age embittered by sickness, and nothing to look 

 to but the kindness of those who are unwilling to see an 

 honest, good man go without a helping hand when he needs 

 one. Happily this Institution exists, and we now celebrate its 

 21st anniversary. I am sure the history of the Institution 

 is well known to most of those friends I see around me ; but 

 as some strangers have honoured us with their company, I 

 think I may be forgiven if I say a few words as to its pro- 

 i gress : — During the early years of the Institution little or 

 no good was effected, but in 1S43 some beneficial changes in 

 the management were introduced; it received the Royal 

 patronage in 1851, and has gradually progressed in useful- 

 ness, affording annuities to deserving applicants above sixty 

 years of age ; of .£16 and £12 to men and widows respec- 

 tively ; giving always a preference to subscribers, which has 

 been found to encourage habits of prudence and economy 

 through life. At this moment there are fifty-five persons 

 preserved from the evils of poverty and sickness by this 

 Institution. It is entirely supported by annual subscrip- 

 tions, collection at the anniversary dinner, and the dividends 

 on £5500 funded stock. My friends Mr. Wrench and Mr. 

 Cutler kindly consent to continue their services as Treasurer 

 and Secretary ; and of the twenty-four members forming the 

 Committee of Management, one-third of that number are 

 always practical gardeners. Now, I hope no one will esteem it 

 a fault on my part when I say, if all the well-to-do gardeners 

 were to come honourably forward and subscribe their mite 

 towards an institution eminently their own, they would only 

 be doing by their less fortunate brethren what reason, or- 

 dinary kindness, and duty should prompt them to do. I hope 

 that all our landed gentry will consent to become subscribers 

 to this Society— every one should, indeed, who enjoys the 

 luxury of flowers, fruit, and vegetables. The ladies, especi- 

 ally, ought to think of the poor gardeners, whose hands have 

 reared the flowers which give them so much pleasure, and 

 enhance so beautifully their charms ; but with the gardeners 

 ii is a positive obligation, and I trust that ere long such will 

 be the success of the Gardener's Royal Benevolent Institu- 

 tion, that not a single gardener or gardener's widow in the- 



