104 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ A.ugriist 3, 1893 
coDBisting of the Duke of Westminster, K.G-., President of the Koyal 
Agricultural Society of England, Chairman ; the Earl of Clarendon, 
Lord Lieutenant of Herts ; Viscount Emlyn, Chairman of the Chemical 
and Woburn Committees of the Royal Agricultural Society; Lord 
Kelvin, P.R.S. ; Sir John Lubbock, M.P., F.R.S,, Trustee of the Lawes 
Agricultural Trust; Dr. H. E, Armstrong, F.R.S., President of the 
Chemical Society ; Professor Charles Stewart, President of the Linnean 
Society ; Sir John Evans, F.R.S., Treasurer of the Royal Society, Honorary 
Treasurer; and Mr. Ernest Clarke, Secretary of the Royal Agricultural 
Society, Honorary Secretary. Subscriptions were invited with the result 
that a sufBcient sum was obtained to erect a granite memorial weighing over 
8 tons immediately opposite the laboratory (which was built by public 
subscription and presented to Sir John Lawes in 1854), and which stands 
out boldly in view from all points of Harpenden Common ; to have a 
three-quarter length portrait of Sir John Lawes painted by Herkomer; and 
to purchase a massive silver salver to present to Dr. Gilbert. The 
memorial is a massive boulder of granite placed end-ways on another 
square block. On the side facing the common is this inscription:— 
‘■To commemorate the completion of fifty years of continuous experi¬ 
ments in agriculture conducted at Rothamsted by Sir John Rennet 
Lawes and John Henry Gilbert, A.D. MDCCCXCIII.” But besides 
these presentations, and also addresses from the subscribers, various 
learned and agricultural societies, both at home and abroad, took the 
opportunity of presenting other addresses, so that the proceedings of 
Saturday were international in their character. 
There was a large and distinguished company present. Mr. Herbert 
Gardner, M.P., President of the Board of Agriculture, presided. On his 
right were Sir John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert, and on his left the Duke of 
Westminster and the Duke of Devonshire. Among the others present, 
in addition to the members of the Executive Committee whose names 
are given above, were Earl Cathcart, Lord Amherst of Hackney, 
Viscount Grimston, the Hon. A. Holland-Hibbert, M. Johanet and 
M. Aubin (representing the Soci^t6 des Agriculteurs de France), Sir 
J. D. Hooker, Sir Owen Roberts, Professor Michael Foster, Professor 
F. 0. Bower, Professor Kinch, Sir Jacob Wilson, General Cohnsae, Mr. 
W. Carruthers, Dr. Fream, Professor Sheldon, Major Craigie, Professor 
Church, Mr. Henry F. Moore, Mr. Ludwig Mond, Professor W. Odling, 
Dr. W. J. Russell, Mr. Martin J. Sutton, Mr. Charles Whitehead, 
Dr. J. A. Voelcker, Mr. A. Warrington, Professor W. A. Tilden, Dr. 
Bernard Dyer, Mr. W. H. Perkin, Mr. W. Crookes, and Mr. W. H. 
Parkin, all of whom were subscribers also to the testimonial. Apologies 
were read for non-attendance from the Prince of Wales, M. E. Tisserand, 
Councillor of State, Director of Agriculture for France, and many 
others, as well as a telegram of congratulation from the Association of 
Experimental Stations in the United States and Canada. 
Mr. Herbert Gardner, M.P., who was received with cheers, said 
they had met to honour as far as it was in their power, in the name of 
agriculture and of the agricultural classes, two distinguished men—Sir 
John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert (cheers)—who had rendered invaluable 
services to our great national industry. It was felt that, in addition to 
mere personal testimony of regard, there should be some outward and 
endurable memorial of the admiration which the agricultural world felt 
for the valuable work which had illustrated the lives of those two 
gentlemen. More durable even than that granite block would be the 
complete series of records of the work done at Rothamsted which were 
contained in the large series of works which lay on the table before him 
(cheers), and he had done something towards making these of more 
value by obtaining a grant from the Treasury in order to purchase forty- 
four complete sets which he had presented, at the expense of the nation, 
to leading public institutions. (Cheers). During the fifty years the 
experiments at Rothamsted had been in progress there had been 
remarkable changes. Wheat having fluctuated no less than SOs. per 
quarter, having been as high as 743., and in May last as low as 24s. 8d. 
He thought the development of the steam ocean traffic had done more to 
bring down the price of Wheat than either Cobden or Bright, and the 
present low range he attributed to England having accumulated an 
unusual surplus just after the Russian famine, and in the diminution 
which had been going on there might be found some scintilla—slight it 
might be—of better times. (Cheers.) 
The Duke of Westminster, after offering his personal congratula¬ 
tions, read the following addresses from the subscribers :— 
“To Sir John Bennet Lawes, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., &c.—On behalf 
of the Committee of the Rothamsted Jubilee Fund, and of the numerous 
subscribers to that Fund in all parts of the world, I offer you the most 
hearty congratulations on the completion of half a century’s uninter¬ 
rupted investigation of agricultural problems of the highest practical 
value and interest. 
“ These investigations, which originated with you, relate not only to 
the growth of cereal and other crops under the most varying conditions, 
but also to the economic effect of different foods on the development of 
the animals of the farm. They have embraced, moreover, most important 
researches concerning the chemical constituents of soils, the rainfall, 
drainage waters, and the sources from which plants derive their supply 
of nitrogen. 
“ During the whole of this period of fifty years you have had the 
zealous co-operation of your lifelong friend Dr. Joseph Henry Gilbert, 
whose name will ever be associated with yours, and whom jointly with 
you we desire on the present occasion to congratulate. 
“ For the continuance of the experiments and investigations which 
have already extended over so long a period, you have munificently 
provided by the establishment of the Lawes Agricultural Trust, so that 
our successors will profit even more, if possible, than we of the present 
day have done, by your enlightened labours. 
“ The memorial which is now erected, will, it is hoped, preserve your 
jo'nt names in honoured remembrance for centuries to come, while the 
portrait that is presented to you herewith will hand down to future 
generations the likeness of one of the most disinterested as well as the 
most scientific of our public benefactors. — Albert Edward P., 
July 29th, 1893.” 
“To Joseph Henry Gilbert, M.A., Ph.D., LL.D., F.R.S., &c.—In 
celebrating the jubilee of the Rothamsted agricultural experiments, it is 
impossible to dissociate your name from that of Sir John Lawes, and on 
behalf of the subscribers to the Rothamsted Jubilee Fund in all parts of 
the world, I offer you the most hearty congratulations on the completion 
of your fifty years of continuous labours in the cause of agricultural 
science. 
“ The nature and importance of those labours are so well known that 
it is needless to dilate upon them ; but if the institution of the various 
investigations and experiments carried out at Rothamsted has been due 
to Sir John Lawes, their ultimate success has been in a great measure 
secured by your scientific skill and unremitting industry. Moreover, by 
your lectures and writings, you have been a leading exponent in this 
and other countries of the theoretical and practical aspects of the 
researches that have been undertaken at Rothamsted. 
“A collaboration such as yours with Sir John Lawes, already extend¬ 
ing over a period of upwards of fifty years, is unexampled in the annals 
of science. I venture to hope for an extended prolongation of these 
joint labours, and trust that the names of Lawes and Gilbert, which for 
so many years have been almost inseparable, may survive in happy 
conjunction for centuries to come.— Albert Edward P., July 29th, 
1893.” 
M. Johanet then read an address in French from the Soci6t6 des 
Agriculteurs de France, and M. Aubin one from those employed in the 
laboratory of the same Society. 
The Duke of Devonshire presented addresses from the 11,000 
members of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and offered to 
Sir John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert their most hearty and cordial con¬ 
gratulations on the completion of half a century of investigations at 
Rothamsted, which had been of such paramount importance to the 
agricultural community, and the continuance of which had been secured 
to succeeding generations by the generous benefaction of Sir John 
Lawes. At Rothamsted they saw what experimental work ought to be 
—work which had had a great effect on all other experimental work in 
the country. In the name of the Royal Agricultural Society of England 
he had to offer their most sincere and grateful thanks to Sir John 
Lawes and Dr. Gilbert for their valuable work, and to express the hope 
that they might long be spared to continue their labours, as was well 
described in the charter of the Society, “ For the general advancement 
of agriculture.” (Cheers.) 
Dr. Michael Foster presented an address from the Royal Society of 
England; Dr. Armstrong next presented an address from the Chemical 
Society ; Professor Stewart from the Linnean Society ; Professor Kinch 
from the Cirencester College ,* and Mr. Ernest Clarke (in the absence of 
M. Tisserand, Director of Agriculture in France), on behalf of the 
Soci4t6 Nationale d’Agriculture de France. This address, coming as it 
does from what is probably the oldest and most unique agricultural Society 
in the world—a Society in which membership is more prized than in any 
other—was probably the most gratifying of any presented. It ran as 
follows:—“Soci^tfi Nationale d’Agriculture de France. Hfitel de la 
Socifitfi, Rue de Bellechasse, 18, Paris, 19th July, 1893. To Sir John 
Bennet Lawes, Bart. Sir and dear colleague,—We, the members of the 
board and oflScers of this ancient agricultural Society of France, in our 
name, and in the name of our fellow Associates, have the honour, on 
this memorable day, to tender to you and to your constant and faithful 
companion Dr. Gilbert, the expression of our sincere respect and admira¬ 
tion for your invaluable contributions to agricultural science. By a 
remarkable concurrence of circumstances we observe that in the year 
1856 two of the then most prominent agricultural chemists of Europe 
were received in our ranks—namely. Dr. Julius Liebig and Sir John 
Bennet Lawes, thus finding their opportunity to blend their superior 
knowledge with the science and experience of our own Boussingault, 
whose methods of investigation bore a striking similarity of genius and 
a frame of mind akin to theirs. More fortunate than Boussingault, you 
have enjoyed the rare advantage of conducting with an unequalled 
vigour and singleness of purpose through a long series of years the toil¬ 
some and arduous but glorious pursuits to which you have devoted your 
life, and of crowning your multifarious researches with results of 
scientific and practical value, which for ever will engrave your name in 
the grateful memory of mankind. May you. Sir and dear colleague, 
with the powerful assistance of your learned friend Dr. Gilbert, con¬ 
tinue during many years to come your noble and fruitful existence for 
the benefit of your contemporaries and of posterity. With this our 
heartfelt wish, we have the honour. Sir and dear colleague, to remain 
your respectful and affectionate admirers, and in special Committee 
assembled appose duly our signatures E. Tisserand, President ; 
Chatin, Vice-President ; Louis Passy, Secretaire Perpetuel; Henry 
L. DE ViLMORiN, Vice-Secretaire; A. Liebault, Tresorier Perpetuel ; 
J. Laverriebe, Librarian. Paris, 19th July, 1893.” 
Sir John Lawes, who, on rising to reply, was received with hearty 
cheering, said that it was only a very few months since he and his wife 
received the congratulations of many friends on having attained fifty years 
of married life, which was occasionally called a golden wedding. That 
