134 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 12, 1885. 
duty to discharge. He complimented the Secretary on the clear and admir¬ 
able rvay in which the books were kept, and warmly congratulated the 
members on the exceedingly flourishing state of a Society that was doing 
more and more good every year and increasing in numbers and wealth. He 
was convinced that its advantage only required to be generally known to 
command a wider constituency and secure a still greater accretion of mem¬ 
bers, and he urged o i each tUmake himself a local missionary for the ac¬ 
complishment of so good an object—provision against sickness and safety 
in investing hard-earned savings, and he further trusted the press would 
assist in this laudable work. 
The re-election of Messrs. Burg 1 , Collins, and Rapley as committeemen 
with the election of Mr. Kendal, and sundry votes of thanks to the officers, 
brought the proceedings of a thoroughly businesslike meeting to a close. 
It may be stated that thirty-five persons joined the Society in 1884, and 
during the past two years the members have nearly doubled in number, while 
cautious individuals are undergoing the process of “ making up their minds ” 
to join, and it is not likely they will gain by waiting, The funds of the 
Society now average £19 for each member, and this on the payment of an 
annual sum of £1 10s. Gd. shows perhaps *-s cogently as anything can show 
the prosperity and stability of the United Horticultural Benefit and Provi¬ 
dent Society. Rules, with any further information that may be needed by 
gardeners from eighteen to forty-five years of age, can be had from Mr. 
J. F. McElroy, The Gardens, Moray Lodge, Campden Hill, Kensington, 
London, W. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM GOSSIP FROM FRANCE. 
As the result of the exhibition of Chrysanthemums at Chalons in 
November last the Horticultural Society of that town have elected a 
Special Committee to organise an international ballot in favour of the 
Chrysanthemum. Seeing how popular this flower is in England, and 
that a similar thing was done here a year or two ago, it will be extremely 
interesting to English exhibitors to learn the names of those flowers 
which are considered the best in a country to whom we owe the raising 
of some of our finest varieties, and where the Chrysanthemum is, judging 
from all we can learn, as much appreciated as in this country. 
The rules accompanying the voting paper are few hut concise. Not 
more than fifty varieties are to he named. They will be examined by the 
Committee, and the results published immediately afterwards. Any paper 
containing the names of more than fifty varieties will be rejected. 
There are many Chrysanthemums in cultivation in France the merits 
of which are but little known to English growers, and it seems highly 
probable that the fifty varieties elected will differ considerably from those 
which appeared in the published list of the English election. 
A French Chrysanthemum grower of some note is about to add to the 
very limited literature of the Chrysanthemum by the publication of a 
work on this charming flower. There has, strange to say, been nothing 
worthy of mention hitherto mentioned in France. It is to be hoped that 
the book will be in the hands of the public before long, but I fear it will 
not be ready for publication till the end of the year. 
It is reported that M. Marrouch, the raiser of Mme. Clemence Audi- 
guier and most of the new Japanese Anemones, is dead, and that his stock 
has passed into the hands of the prominent French raisers. 
I may observe that the determination of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society to offer medals for Chrysanthemums is not the first case of the 
kind. The Horticultural Society of Chalons awarded two (one a silver 
medal and the other a bronze one) at their last exhibition to an eminent 
French raiser for his exhibits. 
Most growers of Chrysanthemums have experienced the feeling of 
intense interest that takes possession of one after a few seasons. It is 
commonly known as “the fever” among the growers of my acquaint¬ 
ance. But after an experience of several complaints such as bibliomania, 
timbromania, &c., I venture to suggest that one might very reasonably 
define the constantly increasing enthusiasm for the queen of the autumn 
flowers as “ Chrysanthomania.”— Lambeth Amateur. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
February 10th. 
The annual general meeting of this Society was held in the conservatory 
at South Kensington on Tuesday the 10th inst., a number of Fellows being 
present in addition to the following members of the Council:—Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart., M.P., presiding; W. Lee. Esq., Dr. R. Hogg, G. F. Wilson, 
Esq., E. G. Loder, Esq., Professor Michael Foster, W. Haughton, Esq. 
(Treasurer), and Major F. Mason (Secretary). 
Sir Trevor Lawrence took the chair at 3 r M., and the proceedings were 
commenced by the Secretary reading the announcement calling the meeting, 
and the minutes of the last general annual meeting, which were formally 
adopted. A number of Fellows were elected, Dr. M. T. Masters and Mr. J. 
Douglas being then appointed scrutineers of the ballot for the election of 
the officers nominated for the year and members of the Council to fill the 
vacancies caused by the death of J. H. Mangles, Esq., and the retirement of 
the Right Hon. Lord Aberdare and the Right Hon. Viscount Enfield. The 
officers elected were—President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P.; Treasurer, 
William Haughton ; Secretary, Major F. Mason ; Auditors, John Lee, James 
F. West, and Wm. Richards. 
In commencing a few observations upon the position of the Society, Sir 
Trevor Lawrence remarked that it was- unnecessary for him to enter fully 
into the details, as the report issued to the Fellows gave all the information 
needed. He felt it his duty, however, to express the Society’s great regret 
at the resignation of Lord Aberdare as President, which had been necessitated 
by his numerous pressing engagements. During ten years his services had 
been most valuable to the Society, and the Council desired to publicly 
express their indebtedness to him in a resolution to the following effect :— 
“ That the grateful acknowledgments of the Council and Fellows of this 
Society be conveyed to Lord Aberdare for the services he had rendered them 
during the past ten years, which had been the means of extricating them 
from a position of much danger.” This was cirried unanimously. The 
Society had also sustained a great loss by the death of Mr. Mangles, who 
had given so much energy to their service that all who knew him would 
understand their loss was a serious on^. 
During the past year the Council had published the official report of the 
Apple Congress, of which there had been a considerable sale, and there was 
so general an opinion as to its value that an additional issue was under con¬ 
sideration. The Daffodil Congress held in the spring last year was a signal 
success. So large a number of Daffodils had never before bem exhibited. 
Growers of these plants from all parts of the country assembled, and a most 
interesting discussion followed on the nomenclature, which resulted in a 
report being drawn up that is likely to be generally adopted. It is hoped 
that the report will be issued in the spring, when it is expected that another 
show of Daffodils may be obtained, though probably on a less extensive scale 
than that of last year. The success attending the Daffodil scheme and a 
consideration of the widely extended cultivation of Orchids had induced the 
Council to make arrangements for an Orchid conference, which there is 
every reason to expect will be well supported. Avast capital is invested 
in the importation of Orchids, and such large numbers of plants have been 
brought into the country of late years that many very beautiful species and 
varieties are now within the reach of the most moderate purse. It is desired 
that they should obtain a thoroughly representative exhibition, andthe date 
had therefore been fixed somewhat late to render the conveyance of the 
plants safer than would be the case earlier in the season. 
The exhibitions of 1884, which had been chiefly devoted to vegetables and 
fruits, though flowers had also been well represented, they had all been very 
successful, and great interest had been taken in them. Messrs. Ware, 
Kelway, and Turner contributed some beautiful collections of hardy flowers, 
which had been much admired. A similar series of exhibitions has been 
arranged for the present year, but not exclusively devoted to vegetables; 
Grapes and Orchids have, however, shows specially devoted to them. 
The financial position of the Society is not unsatisfactory, though the 
balance is much smaller than last year. Then it was due to the very- 
favourable arrangements made with the Fisheries Committee, which exhibi¬ 
tion proved successful in an unexpected degree. There was no such 
advantage in 1884, and in consequence the balance was much smaller. The 
Society is, however, under many obligations to Sir P. Cunliffe Owen for his 
assistance in making satisfactory arrangements with the Committees of the 
International Exhibitions, by which they were enabled to extend to the 
Fellows this year the same privileges as last. There was also one item on 
the credit side which could not be depended upon as of much value—the 
subscriptions due from Fellows not paid last year, which can only be 
recovered by going to law. 
The income from Chiswick had been much less, chiefly owing to the 
failure of the Apple and Pear crops, and to the fact that the Grapes had not 
sold so well as usual, the markets being overstocked. On the whole, how¬ 
ever, the position of the Society is satisfactory; their chief object was the 
promotion of horticulture, and in this they were greatly assisted by experi¬ 
ments carried on at Chiswick under the superintendence of Mr. A. F. 
Barron, to whom the Society is under great obligations. Their chief cause 
for regret was the want of a proper place for meeting, but this affected the 
Council most who had only the Lindley Library, but it was hoped that before 
long better accommodation would be obtained. In conclusion he thanked 
the Fellows for their attention to his remarks. 
Mr. Guedella observed that he had drawn up a resolution similar to that 
proposed by Sir Trevor Lawrence, thanking Lord Aberdare for presiding 
over the Society during so many years, but he was pleased to accept the 
one adopted by the Council. 
Mr. Liggins remarked that it is slated in the report that the appoint¬ 
ment of an Assistant Secretary is under consideration, and he wished to 
know if anything had been decided. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence said in reply that there were some financial diffi¬ 
culties in the way of the proposed appointment, and the matter was still 
under consideration. 
Mr. Johnson desired to learn if the expense of the Kensington Garden 
would be as great during the coming year as in the past one, as he 
considered the amount in the report, £400, was excessive. 
Mr. W. Haughton stated that the Society merely incurred the expenses 
necessary to keep the Garden in a suitable condition for visitors, that all 
extraordinary expenditure was provided for by the Exhibition Committee. 
The p ize money contributed by the Health Exhibition Committee does not 
appear in the accounts, as it was paid over directly to the exhibitors. 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd thought that seeing the number of Fellows was 
decreasing it was desirable they should consider the possibility of increasing 
the interest of the meetings. The Society had always had the sympathy 
of the best spirits of the horticultural world, but they ought to do more to 
encourage amateurs. He frequently heard people say, “ I could bring some 
good plants, but the only reward would be a cultural commendation.” There 
is an expense attending exhibiting that suggests the advisability of offering 
money prizes to improve the meetings. This would encourage gardeners, 
increase the number of exhibits, and probably induce many new Fellows to 
join the Society. The Tuesday exhibitions were now almost exclusively 
devoted to trade contributions, which were very useful, but they wanted 
more gentlemen exhibitors, and their Chairman (Sir Trevor Lawrence) had 
set them a good example in this respect. 
The adoption of the report and balance-sheet wa3 then carried; the 
result of the ballot, as already stated, was read; and the names of the 
defaulting Fellows were also read, thus excluding them from the Society 
until their subscriptions are paid, but does not prevent the Society recovering 
from them as debtors if necessary. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence tendered bis sincere thanks to the Fellows for his 
election as President; he assured them that no one had horticulture more at 
heart than he, and he should do his utmost to advance its interests. 
The business terminated with a hearty unanimous vote of thanks to the 
Chairman. 
Axnual Report for 1884. 
The usual accounts and balance sheet are submitted to the Fellows. 
The Council have the satisfaction of being able to report that they have 
