Februakt 3, 1912. 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



99 



HORTICULTURAL SHOW ADVERTISE- 

 MENTS are insert-ed in this column at h^x- 

 penc-e per line, the minimum charge being two Shil- 

 ling's and Sixpence. Offices, 148 and 149, Aldersgat-e 

 Street, London, E.G. 



EXHIBITIONS AND 



MEETINGS. 



Gardeners' Roya.1 Benevolent 



Institution. 



The seventy-second annual m-eeting* of this 

 great charity was h<^ld at Simpson's, 101, 



itrand, W.C., on Thursday, January 18, 

 commencing- at 2.45 p.m. Mr. Harry J. Veiteh, 



the treasurer, presided, and there were about 

 two dozen Hulisciub-er^ present when proceed- 

 ings were opened. 



The usual formalities finished, the Secre- 

 tary, Mr. G. J. Ingram, read the' annual re- 

 port, which we- give in abridged form: 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE 



YEAR 1911. 



Tlie committee desire^ as in former years, 

 to express their thankfulness at having been 

 enabled to maintain the good work of bene- 

 fiting those horticulturists or their widowis 

 wjio, through sheer calamity and misfortune, 

 have been obliged to seek assistance, Estab- 

 Ushed in the year 1839, the charity has since 

 tliat time distributed in relief no less s, sum 

 than dei37,000, whilst during the past year 

 i^4,344 was disbursed in permanent assist- 

 ance alonej being ^150 mox^e than in any 

 other year of its history. 



At the commencement of 1911 there were 

 246 persons (14^) men and 106 widows) in re- 

 ceipt of a n n u i t ies of Jtt 20 and £ 1 6 a ye a r 

 respectively. During the year thirteen men 

 and ten widows have passed away, and the 

 committee now recommend the election of 

 twenty candidates from an approved list of 

 Neventy-one applicants. They deeply regret 

 it is not possible to place a larger number 

 on the funds, especially as so many poor and 

 deserving cases must necessarily be left over 

 for anotlier year. 



The "Victorian Era Fund" and the 

 Good Samaritan Fund'* are still proving 

 of the utmost value and help. The former 

 fund Is for assisting unsuccessful candidates 

 who have been subscribers Avhilst awaiting 

 election, while the latter fund dispenses tem- 

 porary and immediate relief in urgent cases 

 ot trouble and distress. It mav again be 

 mentioned that the income only of these two 

 lunds IS available for distribution, so that 

 any augmentation in the way of donations 

 to one or either of them will be gratefully 

 welcomed. ^ 



The annual festival dinner took place in 

 •»"ne last in the Hall of the Worshipful 

 tompany of Grocers, by kind permission 

 fL • Ladies were, for the first 



T^me m the^ history of the institution, pre- 

 ^Ili ^I"^ ^'"^ Marcus Samuel, Bart., pre- 

 . n ' *^,^^^hom the committee tender their 



rL^>7'% "^"^ able advo- 



ot the claims of the charity, but for 



expressing their thanks to stewards 



Sp r"!!*.''/'' to t^e. <3oT,ors of flowem, to 

 tu 



f>f the coil 



tural Press and to other friends in all partes 



tnwird« +i" '^.'-'^r" -^ontribnt^^d in any way 

 '1^ aids the Patisfactory result. 



'-titnt o^^ the funds of the 



tinned The TlTt "'^'""^ ^'"^ ^ '"^»- 

 ^radre;fl^5' Bight Hon. Earl Beauchamp, 



-trau^- 4 F rl"-'^^ Rattersea, Over- 



, Fri?r 

 T)p:nor. Tlie 



rn>... A. n"" ^'^•"'"1^' ^1^^ "George 

 Concert Committee for atrain all- 



^-■^'-l^nown'^tnr '''' P-c-^eds^ of their 



^Vlontion mu8t ako be made of the 



ttee have ah 



kindness of Messrs. Sherwood, Sutton, Roch- 

 ford, and Monro, for their handsome dona- 

 tions for unsuccessful candidates. Tlie reci- 

 pients of these gifts were most truly thank- 

 ful. 



The committee gratefully acknowledge the 

 iS-ervices of the hon. officers of the several 

 auxiliaries, which have been and are of such 

 invaluable assistance to the institution. 

 Unfortunately, the committee have to de- 

 plose the los^ of a large number of sub- 

 scril>ers by reason of death during the past 

 year. Amongst thoc^e may he mentioned: 

 Mr. James Douglas and Mr. James Walker, 

 memliers of committee, the former having 

 served on the board for 35 year^. lioth these 

 gentlemen were whole-hearted ^U]iporters of 

 the institution, and their presence and hel]> 

 will be sadlv missed. 



In concluision, the committee most 

 earnestly appeal for further support and 

 renewed effort on behalf of this national 

 horticultural charity. After to-day's elec- 

 tion, there will be 51 api>licants left on the 

 list who are appealing for aid — everyone of 

 them fully investigated and deserving ca^es. 

 To help them an increased income is sorely 

 needed, and, although the committee are 

 deeply sensible of the generous support ac- 

 corded to them in the past, they again 

 plead for further aid to enable them to 

 extend the benefits of the charity to those 

 who are in so much need. 



Tlie chairman, before speaking upon the 

 report, and when formally moving its adop- 

 tion, expressed the sympathy of all meml)ers 

 and friends of the institution with the families 

 of the late Mr. James Douglas, and Mr. 

 Jas. Walker. He said that the institution 

 was making fair progress, and the income of 

 1911 was larger than ever boff)re. Poslagcrs, 

 etc., proved a heavy item, but tliis was due 

 to the fact that practically all the business 

 was done through the post. He felt sure 

 all would agree that the institution was car- 



. Mr. 



ried on at the least possible expens 

 Veitch referred to a recent meeting at 

 Worcester, organised by the Worcester Aux- 

 iliary, attended by himself and Mr. Ingrain. 

 He said that two beautiful pieces of Worces- 

 ter porcelain were offered as prizes, and Mr. 

 W. Crump, of Madresfield, won the specimen 

 offered in rcM ard for securing the largest 

 number of new members during the year ; 

 the other prize was for securing the largest 

 amount of subscriptions and donations. Re- 

 cently, from Reading, the Auxiliary there 

 had paid in =£84. Tlie work was proceeding 

 steadily all round, and it only needed a mate- 

 rial increase of income to permit of increased 

 usefulness. Mr. Harry Veitch was thanked 

 for his past services, and unanimously re- 

 elected as chairman and treasurer, on the 

 motion of Mr. A. W. Sutton and Mr. W. 

 Iceton. 



Mr. George Monro moved the re-<»-lection of 

 Mr. G. J. Ingram as secretary, and paid a 

 high compliment to the secretary for the ex- 

 cellence of his work and the charm of his 

 personality. llie Chairman seconded the 

 motion, which was heartily carried. 



Messrs. W. Y. Baker, W. Crump, J. Hud- 

 son, A. Mackellar, Alderman Piper, S. M. 

 Segar, P. C. M. Veitch, R. G. Waterman, 

 and Edward White, were all re-elected on the 

 Committee of Management ; and Messrs. 

 Donald Macdonald, E. A. Bunyard, and R. 

 J. Cuthbert were elected new members in the 

 places of Messrs. E. T. Cook, J. Douglas, and 

 J. Walker. Tlie auditors were duly thanked 

 and re-elected, and an arbitration board was 

 elected on the motion of Mr. P. Rudolph 

 Barr. 



ELECTION OF PENSIONERS. 



Messrs. F. Cooper, B. Monro, and Percy 

 White were elected scrutineers of the ballot, 

 and the meeting then stood adjourned for 

 the election of pensioners. About 4.^0 the 

 result of the poll was declared, the following 

 being declarerl elected : Jane Field (3,670 

 votes^ Jas. Anton {:L.V)1 ). Henry Payne 



John Bolton {:].2Xi), John Hill (:5,2aV). 

 Samuel McMaster (S,17(V), David Dunstall 

 (:5,i2S), Marie Baillie (3,087), Julia Baker 

 (3,()r)4-\ Maria Elworthv (3,039), Emma Lam- 



kin (3,(X19), R. W\ Todd (2,899), Elizabeth 

 Goldsmith (2,823), R. J. Watson (2,677), 

 nmmas Osborne (2,674), Tliomas Frost 

 (2,611), James Chorton (2,599), Amos J. Keen 

 (2,5r>3), Maria Mackay (2,561), AVilliam Hobbs 

 (2,527), two pensioners were, under Rule III., 

 elected by the annual general meeting, 

 and, in addition, a grant of dfc20 for 

 one year was given by Mr. A. W. Sutton, 

 George D. Cliisholm being the recipient. 



On the motion of Mr. McKeiThar, a cordial 

 vote of thanks was accorded to the scru- 

 tineers, and one to the chairman. 



FRIENDLY SUPPER. 



After the close of the business proceed- 

 ings, a few members and friends dined, or 

 supped, togetlier under tlie chairmanship of 

 Mr. Segar. The attendance was rather 

 small, owing, doubtless, to the inclemency of 

 the weather. 



After dinner and the loyal toasts, Mr. 

 Segar. in projiosing "Continued Prosperity 

 to the Institution,'' said they had all great 

 reason to 1)e proud of the progress of the 

 charity ; each year the income had increased, 

 but so had the liabilities. In the future 

 there would possibly be financial difl^culties, 

 and so it behoved everyone to do his best to 

 sK'cure additional subscribers. At present 

 the institution had liabilities of aboul £4,(KX) 

 a year, and from the Victorian i j a and (iood 

 Samaritan funds about i-5(K) wa.s disbursed 

 last ves 



He coupled the toast with the 

 name of Mr. Harry J. Veitch, the tix>asurer, 

 who. as he said, had been tmch a splendid 

 worker for the institution. 



Mr. Harry J. Veitch, in response, tlianki'd 

 Mr. Segar for his presence, and rcfeiK d to 

 the beginning of the institution when one 

 candidate was electe<L and after two years 

 elapsed two more were eleclerl : wherf\'rs to- 

 day twenty candidates wvn^ < Kct i d. t wo 

 others were put on, and botli Mr. A. W. 

 Sut1<m of Mr. G. Monro had <>acli jiromised 

 a ])ension for the year to vcrv needv jx^n- 

 sioners. Mr. Veitch pleaded for increased 

 help, and pointed out that there were 72 

 candidates for the pension, anrl onlv twenty- 

 four had been granted diro-ct help, llv hoped 

 they would not in the future have to curtail 

 their work because of lack of funds. It was 

 the duty of those in whose power it lay to 

 render assistance to those who were in great 

 need, and this help should l>e given by all 

 who had a real love for the profes.sion of hor- 

 ticulture. 



Mr. N. N. Sherwood, V.M.H.. in a charm- 

 ing little speech, proposed **The Committee,'* 

 and spoke of the keen interest every mem- 

 ber took in their work, giving time and 

 money to its advancement ; and, further, 

 the committee had a very capable and busi- 

 nesslike chairman in Mr.^ H. J. Vcitcli, who 

 had also l^een treasurer for 26 vear>. Tfe 

 concluded by offering i-20 to go' to the as- 

 sistance of any specially needy and deserving 

 unsuceeasful candidates. Mr. (i. Monro re- 

 plied, and referred to the loss of Mr. J. 

 Douglas and Mr. J. Walker. lK)t]i memlx^rs 

 of committee, the former the oldest member 

 at the time of his death. The committee was, 

 he wais glad to say, a national one, and not 

 a London one. Mr. Monro clost :1 with a very 

 kindly word for the good work of the secre- 

 tary. Mr. Ingram, and the chairman, Mr. 



Hairy Vcitfli. 



Mr. P. Rudolph Barr propose<i the health 

 of "Our Country Friends." and paid a high 

 compliment to tlie splendid work of provin- 

 cial members, and esfwially of the Aux- 

 iliaries. With this toast werr coupled the 



n;Hii-s of ;\lr. W. Atkinson (Sheffield), Mr. 

 rercv AVhitc (Worcester), and ^fr, L. Caslle 

 ( Keading), each of whom res]3onded appre- 

 ciatinofly. Mr. Atkinson e\]ire Mng the hope 

 that the forthcoming Royal Tnt crnat ional 

 Kxliihit ion might be such a ^^ncce^s as to 

 ))rino- sonu' funds to the institution. 



Tlie Clinirman proposed the licalth of Mr. 

 G. J. Ingram, the secretary, and this was ac- 

 corded with the greatest possible enthusiasm. 

 Mr. Ingram suitably re^p<»ndtHl. and the 

 meet ing concluded with *' 'I'hc ( liairman," 

 very ably propose<l by Mr. William 

 Iceton. 



