42 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



• 



JWUARY 15, 1898. 



THE YORKSHIRE GALA* 



On the 7th inst. the annual meeting of the guarantors and life members of the 

 Grand Yorkshire Gala was held at Harker's Hotel, York. There was a large 

 attendance, and Alderman Sir Joseph Terry presided. After reading letters from 

 several influential members regretting their inability to be present, the Chairman, 

 alluding to the gala held in June, 1897, said that circumstances had prevented the 

 public witnessing the usual beautiful floral exhibition. He believed the flower 

 show would have been of an exceptional character, and one which would have 

 been immensely appreciated. A strong wind, however, on the morning of the 

 fete wrecked the flower tents, and rendered all the perfected arrangements but 

 work in vain. The damage done amounted to about £600, a catastrophe which 

 had never been previously experienced. On every hand the circumstances had 

 created regret. Expressions of sympathy had been received from several of the 

 exhibitors, and one gentleman— Mr. Atkinson, of Sheffield— had sent a donation 

 of five guineas to the society. He sincerely hoped that they might never again 

 experience like conditions. The ensuing year, he trusted, might be one of an 

 unexampled character, and make up for the loss they had sustained twelve months 

 ago. As regarded the coming fete they had again made satisfactory arrangements 

 with the Bootham Asylum authorities. Other pleasing circumstances were that 

 the Lord Mayor (Mr. Edwin Gray) and the City Sheriff (Mr. Harold Copper- 

 thwaite) had been elected life members, and the Lord Mayor had consented to 

 become president for the current year. He proposed that his lordship be so 

 elected, and the proposition was carried. 



Alderman Sir Christopher Milward proposed the re-election of Sir Joseph 

 Terry as chairman of the council, who, he said, had devoted a great deal of time 

 and service in the interests of the gala. He had been associated with the fete for 

 many years, and had always taken great interest in its welfare. He was sure the 

 meeting would also join with him in congratulating Sir Joseph on the fact that 

 he had that day reached his seventieth birthday. He was sure it was a pleasure 

 to the citizens to see him so hale and hearty, and able to discharge his many 

 important duties. They also rejoiced that he was in improved health, and hoped 

 that he might be spared for many years to come. Ihe motion was heartily 

 approved. Alderman Border proposed that Sir Christopher Milward be elected 

 vice-chairman. Sir Christopher Milward, however, demurred to that course, and 

 stated that, having been ordered complete rest, he could not undertake the duties. 

 Eventually Mr. Border consented to stand again, and was unanimously re- 

 appointed. Other officers appointed were : Treasurer, Mr. Joseph Wilkinson ; 

 secretary, Mr. C. W. Simmons ; and auditors, Messrs. Pearson and Taylor. The 

 usual committee were also elected. 



The following grants were made for the ensuing gala : Floral arrangements, 

 ^650 (including ,£50 as a Victorian commemoration prize, offered last year but 

 not awarded); music, £200; fireworks, £100 ; amusements, £150; balloons, 

 £60. On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Alderman Border, 

 votes of condolence were presented to the families of the late Sir Frank Lock- 

 wood, Q.C., M.P., Mr. T. P. Bulmer, J.P., and Mr. Geo. Dennis. Alderman 

 Purnell proposed a vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Terry, and, Sir Joseph having 

 suitably responded, the meeting ended. 



READING GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. 



The annual general meeting of the Reading and District Gardeners' Mutual 

 Improvement Association was held in the club-room, British Workman, on 

 Monday last, when Mr. C. B. Stevens presided over a good attendance of 

 members. The report and balance sheet read by the hon. secretary, Mr. James 

 Tound, jun., were of a very satisfactory nature, both showing that the association 

 was in a very flourishing condition. The membership was still on the increase, 

 thirty-one new members had been elected during the year 1897, making over 180 

 4< paid up " members on the books, whilst the balance in hand was double that at 

 the end of 1896. The committee regretted the death of Mr. Alfred Sutton who 

 had always taken a great interest in the work of the association, and had, since 

 its formation in 1888, provided gratuitously the club-room for their meetings. 

 They also record the death of Mr. George Palmer, who was an annual subscriber 

 rom the commencement of the association. The meetings during the year had 

 been well attended, on some occasions upwards of eighty members being present, 

 and with the subjects so varied and interesting, such as Soils ; Insects 

 injurious to plant life ; Table decorations ; Summer Bedding ; Zonal Pelar- 

 goniums ; Bees as friends and enemies of the gardener ; Kitchen Garden 

 Work; Tomatos, and their diseases; The Balsam; Fruit Growing; Sweet 

 Peas; Some Types of Insect Pests; A Chat about Chrysanthemums, &c, 

 much benefit and help must have been attained by meeting together. 

 The thanks of the committee were due to the president, Mr. C. B. Stevens, 

 for the great interest shown not only in presiding at their meetings but taking an 

 active part in all the other business connected with the association ; to Messrs. 

 Sutton and Sons for their kindness in providing a room at the Abbey Hall for the 

 use of the members, and supplying it with horticultural and other literature ; to 

 the honorary members for their kind and general support ; to those who have 

 helped forward the work by reading papers and introducing subjects for discussion ; 

 to those who have added so much interest to the meetings by bringing exhibits of 

 flowers, &c. ; and last, but not least, to the ihorticultural and local press for 

 publishing reports of the meetings. After the report and balance sheet had been 

 adopted, the following were elected to fill the various offices during the coming 

 year : President, Mr. C. B. Stevens ; chairman, Mr. T. Turton ; vice-chairman, 

 Mr G. Hinton ; librarian, Mr. J. Martin ; assistant librarian, Mr. E. Dore ; 

 treasurer, Mr. W. Phipps ; hon. secretary, Mr. J. Pound, jun.; committee, 

 Messrs. F. Bright, C. Burton, R. Butcher, R. Chamberlain, II. G. Cox, B. 

 Dockerill, II. Farey, W. Goddard, F. Lever, T. Neve, J. Pound, G. Smith, 

 W. Smith, W. Townsend, H.Wilson, and J. Woolford ; auditors, Messrs. F. 

 Tufnail and A. Smith ; whilst Messrs. Cox and Woolford were elected to repre- 

 sent the association on the Reading Horticultural Society, and the Reading Chry- 

 santhemum Society. A beautiful group of well-grown cyclamen was shown by 

 Mr. \Y. Townsend, The Gardens, Sandhurst Lodge, noticeable being Sutton's 

 Butterfly, Vulcan, Salmon Queen, and Giant White varieties. 



LEE AND BLACKHEATH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The annual meeting of this society was held at the Lee Institute on Monday 

 evening, Mr. M. N. Buttanshaw (the treasurer) in the chair. There was a larger 

 attendance than for some years past. The following report was presented by the 

 committee : — 



The show, held on July 7 and 8 last, was a fully representative one, and the 

 exhibits generally were highly satisfactory. The weather being fine, there was a 

 larger attendance than there had been for some years past. Roses were shown in 

 very large numbers and good form. 



mittee regret that, chiefly through the apathy shown by the residents of the neigh- 

 bourhood, the subscriptions have again fallen off, and it has been deemed advisable 

 to reduce the prize list for the present, in order to lessen the expenses, so that 

 if possible, in the coming years the debt may be materially reduced, and not in. 

 creased, as has been the case in the present and preceding years. A new feature 

 of the exhibition — a flower stall —suggested by one of the committee, was a decided 

 success, and the lady and gentlemen gymnasts were a great attraction. Hearty 

 thanks are due to Mrs. Penn (for the use of her grounds), to the president (Mr. J. 

 Penn, M.P.), to Mr. M. N. Buttanshaw (the treasurer), and to all the special 

 prize givers The lectures, now in course of delivery at the monthly meetings of 

 the winter session of 1897-8, are not being so well attended as they might be, and 

 lecturers can hardly be expected to come again unless better encouraged. The 

 dates fixed for the 1898 exhibition are Wednesday and Thursday, July 6 and 7. 

 After some discussion the report and balance-sheet were adopted. 



SUNDERLAND AND DISTRICT GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION. 



This flourishing society held its seventh annual dinner a few days since at the 

 Palatine Hotel, when upwards of sixty sat down. The President Councillor 

 Roche occupied the chair, and was supported by the Rev. Dr. Randall, vice- 

 president. After the usual loyal toasts had been duly honoured, Mr. T. W. 

 Bolam, F.R.H.S., chairman of the society, proposed the toast of the " President 

 and Vice-Presidents. " Councillor Roche, in responding, said he was much gratified 

 by their having again chosen him to be their president. He believed the pro- 

 fession of a gardener was one of the oldest, and was pleased to be able to say that 

 their society was a strong and influential one, and was advancing by leaps and 

 bounds. The year was begun with a satisfactory balance, and ended with a more 

 satisfactory one, which promise! well for the future. He had pleasure in asking 

 them to accept Professor Von Kerner's new work — the u Natural History of 

 Plants," for their library. Dr. Randall also responded, and next prop osed success 

 to the society. He said it deserved a far more enthusiastic support and encourage- 

 ment than it was possible for him to give it, bat so far as he had the power he 

 should do everything he could to ensure its prosperity, success, and develop- 

 ment, for, if there was one useful movement in Sunderland unconnected with 

 his own profession, it was that represented by the Gardeners' Society. The 

 society had a record, its work would bear investigation ; it was a record of which 

 such a young society might well be proud. The annual report grew year by 

 year, and an increasing membership availed themselves of the advantages it 

 offered. He noted the fulfilment of the hope expressed last year, that there should 

 be an interchange of visits and papers between their society and that of New- 

 castle, and he thought this might possibly be extended to other neighbouring 

 towns. A society that could bring together such a meeting as the one before 

 him was worthy of support and prosperity. One feature of the meeting was 

 that it was composed both of veterans in the profession and smart, promising young 

 men. An excellent feature of the society was that it brought together men of all 

 ages and ranks in the profession, enabling the youngsters to lay hold of the 

 gathered experience of the older ones, and helped the older ones to lay hold of the 

 bright and brilliant ideas of the younger ones. Mr. W. Hall, F.R.H.S., thanked 

 the president for his present of books, and spoke of the work accomplished during 

 the year. 



" The 1 lonorary Members " was proposed by Mr. Brunton, and responded to by 

 Mr. Bolam. He said if the society received the same support in the coming year 

 as in the past from the honorary members, they would be able to reduce the 

 membership fee, which would tend to increase the number of amateur members. 

 Mr. J. T. Richardson proposed " The Press," which was responded to by the 

 representatives. Dr. Randall, Mr. C. Donkin, Mr. R. D. Jeffrey, Mr. James 

 Weymms, and Mr. W. Thompson contributed to the evening's harmony with 

 songs, &c. 



The present flourishing condition of the society is in a great measure due to 

 the chairman (Mr. T. W. Bolam) and to the secretary (Mr. J. Watson) ; the 

 former has taken a deep and active interest in its work since its formation, 

 and, as showing the esteem in which he is held by the members, has been unani- 

 mously elected chairman six times out of the seven years of the existence of the 

 society. 



Groups — not for competition 

 nurserymen formed, as usual, a pleasing addition to the exhibition. 



by leading 

 The com- 



ISLE OF WIGHT HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



A highly satisfactory report was presented by Mr. S. Heaton at the annual 

 meeting of the above association, as will be gathered from the following summary : 

 The committee of the association have great pleasure in presenting to the members 

 a report of a full and satisfactory year's work. The balance in hand is not so large 

 as it was last year. This is mainly due to the extra expense incurred in providing 

 certificates for meritorious exhibits at monthly meetings, at the cottage garden 

 shows, and to the excursions which took place during 1897. The first excursion 

 was to St. John's Vicarage Gardens, Ryde, on May 8, at the invitation of the Rev. 

 II. Ewbank, M.A., F.R.H.S. Over fifty members avaited themselves of the 

 opportunity of visiting this well-known garden, which contains rare plants in 

 variety — many collected by Mr. Ewbank himself when travelling abroad. The 

 second excursion took place on July 14 to Brooke House, the residence of Sir 

 Charles Seely, Bart., who is president of the association. Between fifty and sixty 

 members availed themselves of the opportunity of what proved a pleasant and 

 profitable outing. Mr. Tribbick, F.R.H.S., received warm praise for a house of 

 fine Muscat grapes, and for the general excellence of the gardens. Both Mr. 

 Ewbank and Sir Charles Seeley entertained the members most hospitably, pro- 

 viding in each case an excellent repast. The third and last excursion of the season 

 was to Swanmore Park, the residence of W. H. Myers, Esq., M.P. A thoroughly 

 enjoyable outing was only marred by the want of more time to inspect the gardens 

 so ably managed by Mr. E. Molyneux, V.M.H. 



The Committee are fully conscious that certificates have been rather lavish!) 

 bestowed during the year, but the fact cannot be gainsaid that this little extrava- 

 gance has stimulated the interests of horticulture, particularly in the villages, an? 

 made the association more popular and useful. During the year, twenty-nine cerun* 

 cates for cultural merit were awarded, fourteen certificates for new or rare exhibit^ 

 and four certificates of commendation, making a total of forty-seven. The Daffoci 

 Exhibition held at the Medina Hall, Newport, on April 3, was greatly appreciate? 

 by the public, and upon the whole was very successful. At the October meeting 

 the members staged over one hundred dishes of fruit, which was highly meritorious 

 and reflected great credit upon the growers. 1 



The number of members is two hundred and eight, against one hundred ana 

 seven last year, which is a net gain of one hundred and one. Although everyon- 

 interested in horticulture is heartily welcomed at the meetings of the associate » 

 it is desirable, in the opinion of the committee, that its membership should he P 

 large as possible. The subscription for vice-presidents is 10s. 6d. per annum, 

 honorary members 5s., and for ordinary members is. 6d. 



