66 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 24, 1890V 
£10 10s., Baron Schroder £10 10s., Mr. J. Wills £10 10s., Mr. Pearson 
£5 5s., Mr. Mitchell £5 5s., and himself £5 5s., a contribution which he 
subsequently doubled. He then proceeded to call attention to the 
balance sheet. The subscriptions for the year had amounted to 
£403 16s., and in addition thedonations had been about the same amount. 
The money invested in securities was £3538, and the balance at the 
bank was £807. That was after having provided for all incidental 
expenses, and making provision for the orphans on the fund. He had 
always thought that a substantial reserve fund must be of considerable 
importance to an affair of that kind. (Hear). It gave stability in 
reality, and it also gave the appearance of stability to the public at 
large. If they had not a good reserve fund they were liable to disaster 
in the event of the loss of friends who had been largely supporting the 
institution. They were liable to disaster in the event of depression in 
trade or other circumstances which told upon charities, and it should be 
remembeied that a reserve fund placed at interest produced an income 
for the enlargement of the Society’s usefulness. The reserve fund 
of course should never be built up beyond reasonable proportions, which 
could only be judged by circumstances, but it should be the largest sum 
possible for a certain number of years, until the persons connected 
with the institution’s management had felt their way. Strange things 
happened. They saw charities rise and fall—though, thank God, very 
few of them failed, they mostly prospered in this country—(hear). 
The Committee had always been of a careful calculating frame of mind, 
and had lost no opportunity of obtaining help from various quarters ; 
and he must return thanks to the many persons who had assisted that 
fund by flower shows, concerts, and other entertainments. He must also 
return thanks to those who had taken charge of collecting boxes, and 
he hoped that all these various aids would be continued, for he was quite 
sure the money they brought in would be not a little. He hoped, before 
they separated, they would have seen their way to provide for seven 
orphans. Of the sum required only about £60 or £70 seemed wanting, 
and that was not a large sum for a gathering of some 150 persons to 
make up. In conclusion, he asked them to drink in bumpers “ Success 
to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.” 
The toast was honoured with enthusiasm, and 
Mr. J ohn Laing replied in a few well chosen words, expressing the 
hope that the fund might go on and prosper in its object of helping the 
orphaD. < 
Mr. II. J. Veitch then proposed “ Gardeners and Gardening.” 
He said that he claimed for the Orphan Fund what Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd had said, that it had been a very great success from the 
first, and that the success was due to the gardeners of this country. 
If they analysed the list of donors and subscribers they would find 
that it was the practical gardener — in which term he included 
the nursery and seed trade — who had supported that excellent 
institution. (Hear, hear.) Therefore he thought they had every 
right to drink to “ Gardeners and Gardening.” He should like to say 
a word or two about what had been said with regard to Mr. Sherwood 
and himself. They were most anxious that something worthy of the 
late Mr. Deal should be done, and he was quite willing to admit 
-that if they succeeded in putting the orphans on the fund they had 
succeeded in doing something. But there was also another reason, 
as it might enable them to make a slight alteration as regarded the 
date at which the annual subscriptions wrnuld be due. In consequence 
of the subscriptions being due at July some little confusion was caused, 
and if they were payable on the 1st of January he thought the money 
would c me in a great deal better. If they could therefore assist in 
clearing the hoard of candidates for election, it w T ould make it easier 
for the Committee to deal with the date at which subscriptions would 
be due, because there would be no election pending. That was a matter 
which weighed with them, though in a secondary degree. With the 
toast he desired to couple the name of Mr. John Wills, an honour to the 
gardeners of this country ; a man proud to call himself a working 
gardener, who had w r orked his way up from a practical gardener to be 
one of the foremost decorators of his age. (Cheers.) 
Mr. -John Wills, in reply, said that as an old gardener nothing 
was more conducive to his happiness than to meet his fellow gardeners 
on every and any occasion. It had been a great source of pleasure to 
meet those who loved flowers, and he was sure the present meeting 
could not be more happy than it was when they came there to assist 
those little children who wanted support. As long as he lived it would 
be a source of pleasure to him to help in every way he could to support 
those who could not support themselves. He hoped they would see that 
-Society increase to such an extent that they would be not only in a 
position to elect seven, but seventy-seven children to the benefits of the 
institution. (Cheers). 
Mr. Alexander Dean proposed the next toast, that of “ The 
President, Sir Julian Goldsmid, M.P., the Vice-Presidents, the Trustees, 
and Auditors.” He said that the Chairman had omitted the loss to the 
Society in the death of their dear old friend, Mr. Wildsmith, whose 
memory had been commemorated in a method similar to that now pro- 
■prosed in tne case of Mr. George Deal. 
Dr. Masters, in acknowledging the toast, said that the absence of 
their President was caused by indisposition, but they would be glad to 
hear that Sir Julian was now progressing satisfactorily. Though absent 
in body he was sure Sir Julian Goldsmid would be present with them in 
spirit, (Cheers). 
Mr. A. Smee proposed “ The Committee and Officers of the Fund,” 
remarking that the stability of the Fund bore testimony to the 
exertions of those gentlemen. At present they were only a young 
institution, but he hoped that before many years were past, instead 
of £3500 invested in the name of the Trustees, they would have at 
least £10,000. (Cheers). It would not be many years before they had 
120 orphans on the books, and it would require a large reserve fund and. 
a large income to meet all contingencies. 
Mr. J. Assbee in reply said he must say that he had seldom seen 
any committee so solicitious for the welfare of any institution as 
theirs. 
Mr. G. Bunyard proposed the health of “ The Local Secretaries,” 
suggesting that gardeners in what might be called “a show place” 
should place a collecting box in a conspicuous position for the benefit 
of the fund. 
Mr. Turton replied. 
Mr. B. Hardy in complimentary terms asked the company to drink 
the health of the Chairman. 
The Chairman in responding to the toast announced that the sum 
required had been nearly raised, and he hoped it would be altogether 
before the company separated. Nothing gave him greater pleasure- 
than to be amongst gardeners and men who loved gardening. He cast 
in his lot with gardening early in life, and had never regretted it for a 
single hour since. 
The remaining toasts were “ The Visitors ” and “ The Horticultural 
Press.” 
A most enjoyable evening was rendered still more pleasant by 
the excellent music contributed under Mr. Herbert Schartau by Miss- 
Lizzie Jones, Mr. W. G. Torington, Mr. Harper Kearton and Master 
Charles Stewart. 
NOTES ON TOMATO CULTURE, 
It would be a rather difficult matter to say anything new on’ 
growing this now popular vegetable, as the different modes of 
culture have been so well expressed by different growers in the 
Journal. However, a few lines may perhaps be of some little 
service to intending growers, old hands need no instruction. To 
test the best time to sow for good returns I have sown every 
month in the year, and kept the plants growing without a check,, 
giving each series exactly the same treatment so far as general 
management goes. Naturally those cropping during the winter 
months required more attention. The result arrived at was that 
by sowing early in January the most satisfactory and profitable 
crops were produced. Soon as the seedlings were up they were- 
placed close to the glass, and when fit to handle potted into large 
GO’s and arranged on shelves again, thus ensuring a sturdy, short- 
jointed and firm growth, and I may here remark that I believe 
unless a solid growth is made while the plants are young a 
foundation is laid for the dreaded disease. Over-forcing and over¬ 
feeding in many instances cause disease wrote an eminent authority 
to me recently, and I feel sure he was right. By the middle of 
February the young Tomatoes are planted out in span-roofed houses, 
the borders being made of road scrapings and are firm and shallow ~ 
about three stems are allowed to each plant except those near the 
path, which have only one stem I must confess to never having 
had as good results proportionately from plants grown on the single 
stem system as those grown with three. No feeding is done till the 
plants are fruiting freely, when they then receive some assistance- 
about twice a week till the end of the season. As a stem 
exhibits signs of exhaustion a young growth is encouraged from 
the base to take its place, cutting out the old stem as soon as its 
crop is finished. By judicious feeding it is astonishing how old 
plants will continue growing and fruiting. At no time should a 
crowded growth be allow’ed, as it necessitates a severe thinning: 
and cripples and otherwise injures the plant. Each young growth 
not required is best taken out as soon as observed, the strength is 
then all concentrated in the other and the fruit attains a larger 
size. 
Watering is a very important operation. I believe that in many 
cases too much water is given, acting in the same way as continual- 
moisture does on Potatoes, causing disease. Syringing the plants 
after they commence flowering is a practice that I dislike, as I 
think it predisposes the plants to the propagation of disease. A 
certain amount of moisture is absolutely necessary to allow the 
fungus to live and spread, and for that reason anything that would 
cause a suitable medium for the disease is best avoided as far as- 
possible. By giving plenty of air, watering only when really 
necessary, maintaining a dry atmosphere, and keeping a little- 
warmth in the pipes, have never had the plants affected by disease. 
Most people are aware what an important thing in the breeding of 
animals is selection, and the same applies to Tomatoes. By choosing 
good fruits from the most prolific plants a very superior strain is 
acquired. This I have proved over and over again. Nearly all our 
Tomatoes were saved from a cluster of twenty-two fruits, which 
weighed llj lbs., and the produce is very satisfactory. The variety 
is a cross between Trophy and Cooper’s Prolific. The question is 
often asked, Which is the most profitable, the smooth or the cor¬ 
rugated variety ? My experience is decidedly in favour of the latter, 
