116 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 11, 1892. 
assert that very much leading and sub-lateral growth that is allowed 
to develop purposely or carelessly is so much wasted energy. It robs 
the Vine of much that should have gone towards either building up 
the stem or supporting and increasing the weight of the crop. By 
this it will be seen I still disagree with the practice of laying 
in lateral and leading growths wherever space can be found for it, 
this including the back walls of vineries, and go to the length of 
considering it misdirected zeal. Let each rod, whether young or 
old, be well furnished from the ground to the top of the rafters 
with strong laterals not more than 20 inches in length, and well 
furnished with healthy leaves, and the latter will be capable of 
doing all that is necessary in the way of sustaining^root-action and 
building up increasingly serviceable stems or rods. A portion of 
the sub-laterals that form must be reserved, removing them all 
being liable to cause the back buds to push prematurely, but they 
ought to be kept closely stopped at the first joint, and valued 
principally as affording a safe outlet for superfluous energy.— 
W. Iggulden. 
A SILVER WEDDING CELEBRATION. 
We should like to refer more fully to some interesting 
circumstances in connection with the twenty-fifth anniversary of 
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Yeitch—Saturday last, 
the Gth inst.—than we feel at liberty to do out of respect to their 
wishes. It is, however, impossible to pass in silence either their 
own action in connection with our gardening charities, or the 
action of others who have been impelled to show respect to 
Mr. and Mrs. Yeitch at a noteworthy epoch in their lives. They 
were the first to express their gratitude for their happy life and 
attendant prosperity, and this was done, apart from other gifts of 
a more or less private nature, by the presentation of £500 each to 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution and the Gardeners’ 
Orphan Fund. It is only under the pressure of urgent repre¬ 
sentations in the interests of those institutions that these grants 
are now made known. So strong was the pressure on this point, 
that the donors felt it “would be both selfish and unkind to 
prefer their own wishes and opinions to those of others who have 
equally as much at heart the welfare of the institutions in 
question.” We are glad then to register these good gifts, and to 
recognise the high motive by which they were prompted—a thank- 
offering purely—and, as will be conceded, appropriately and 
worthily applied. We could enumerate more ; in fact, gifts we 
have good reason to believe to hundreds of people ; but it will 
be agreeable to our Chelsea friends if we pass to the other side 
of the question. 
In this matter we must consider public requirements as well as 
private inclinations, and the public would not be satisfied that the 
Press, to which they turn for information on matters of current 
interest, had done its duty by a suppression of facts that cannot in 
any sense be regarded as of a private character. We will first, 
therefore, briefly enumerate some of the gifts, and then, in respect 
to one of them, offer a needed explanation. 
Gardeners of the United Kingdom. — Solid silver dessert 
service (seven pieces), of elegant design ; case of one dozen silver 
dessert knives and forks, case of one dozen silver fish knives and forks, 
Mr. Veitch’s portrait (to be painted and given to Mrs. Yeitch). 
Employes of the Firm. — Solid silver tea and coffee service 
(Queen Anne pattern), solid silver kettle and tray, illuminated address. 
Members of the Bible Classes, Temperance Society and 
Club in Connection with the Lackland Hall, Chelsea.— 
Large Bible, bound in Russia leather, and lined with silk, with beauti¬ 
fully illuminated inscription, “ Presented to Mr. and Mrs. Veitch on the 
occasion of the celebration of their Silver Wedding by members of the 
Bible Classes, Temperance Society and Clubs in connection with the 
Lackland Hall, Chelsea, in recognition of their Christian kindness and 
sympathy with the work of the Gospel carried on there.” Motto 
verse :—“ And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word 
of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheri¬ 
tance among all those which are sanctified.”—(Acts xxxii., 20). Also a 
commentary by Bishop Ryle, 4 vols. The youths of the Club gave an 
umbrella. 
Committee of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion. —Beautiful cloisonne enamel clock and ornaments, with the 
inscription, “ Presented to Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Veitch on the 
occasion of their silver wedding, August Gth, 1892, by the Committee of 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.” 
From some of the Business Friends of Mr. Yeitch. —Large 
solid silver centrepiece or epergne of very elegant design ; also solid 
silver toilet set for Mrs. Veitch. 
Managers and Staff of Park Chapel Schools.— Silver ink- 
stand, with inscription. 
Horticultural Friends in Belgium. —Bronze figure, bearing 
the following inscription :—“ A M. Harry J. Veitch, Hommage de 
L’Horticulture Beige, 1867 le 6 Aoftt 1892.” Also a large sheaf of Orchids 
for Mrs. Veitch. Illuminated address. 
Horticultural Friends in France.— Bronze bust of Diana, 
bearing the following inscription : —“ Souvenir Affectueux offert a 
Monsieur et Madame Harry Veitch a l’occasion du 25me anniversaire 
de leur mariage par les anciens blbves de l’Etablissement et leurs Amis 
de France le 6 Aofit 1892.” Also illuminated address. 
The Van Houtte Family.—L arge sheaf of flowers to Mrs. Veitch. 
The numerous gifts from private friends are not enumerated. 
The presentations were made to Mr. and Mrs. Yeitch at their 
private residence in Redcliffe Gardens. The display was so 
imposing that a wish was expressed that it could be seen by a large 
number of the gardening community, and the question of finding a 
fitting opportunity for this is receiving favourable consideration. 
It may be said that the articles presented by the employes of 
the firm are of a very massive character, and necessarily of great 
value. It is noteworthy, too, that the beautifully illuminated 
address containing the names of the contributors was accompanied 
by one presented to Mr. and Mrs. Veitch on their wedding day, 
and twelve of the foremen whose names are there inscribed are 
also included in the list of Saturday last—a very pleasant subject 
for reflection and equally gratifying to employers and employed. 
The gifts of the Lackland Hall classes and club are particularly 
valued. The members embrace the poorest, whose habiliments 
prevented their attending church or chapel in the ordinary way, 
so a mission hall was provided, and the agencies in connection 
therewith have done incalculable good. 
The clock and ornaments of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution in pale blue enamel were much admited by visitors, 
and are highly prized by the recipients. 
The silver centrepiece or epergne, convertible into a cande¬ 
labra, one of the gifts of friends in the trade, may fairly be 
described as magnificent, the silver supports resembling twisted 
wood or rustic work rising to a height of 2 or 3 feet; thus the 
epergne, as richly furnished with fruit and flowers, offers no 
obstruction to the guests at table. 
The continental gifts were characteristic and appropriate. Mr. 
Charles Pynaert asked the acceptance of the Belgian offerings in 
graceful terms, and the “sheaves” of flowers presented by him, 
also that from the family Yan Houtte, were such as are not often 
seen in this country. They were in the form of ladies’ sprays, but 
of such proportions as to cover any ordinary sized lady with floral 
beauty. 
We now come to the last of the presentations of a public nature, 
though it is placed first in the above list, the gift of the gardeners 
of the United Kingdom. As hundreds of them knew nothing about 
it, and must be disappointed in not having participated in it, it is 
incumbent that the history and procedure pertaining to the gift be 
briefly explained. 
Thedateof the silver wedding becoming known about three weeks 
in advance of it, Mr. Peter Blair suggested to Mr. Owen Thomas 
that something might be properly done by gardeners. The subject 
was discussed at the Trentham Show, Mr. Thomas by request 
consenting to become Chairman of a Committee, and Messrs. 
B. Wynne and J. Wright Secretaries. As it was felt that any¬ 
thing like a public appeal would be averse to the feelings of the 
Yeitch family, all that could be done was to bring the circumstances 
and proposition before friends by post. Nothing was asked, but an 
opportunity was simply afforded to gardeners and under gardeners 
exclusively to join in the movement if they wished, the amounts 
contributed to range from Is. to £1 Is., no individual donation to 
exceed the latter amount. Though all the letters could not be pre¬ 
pared and posted till July 29th, and replies had to be returned by 
August 2nd, yet in these three days, excluding Sunday, sums 
amounting to £200 were transmitted to the Treasurer from about 
600 subscribers. The action was spontaneous, and the result in 
the time phenomenal. 
The Committee, at a meeting held on the 4th inst., decided to 
devote half the amount to a silver dessert service, and the 
remainder to the production of an oil painting of Mr. Yeitch, to be 
presented to Mrs, Yeitch, which, of course, remains to be done. 
A sub-Committee, consisting of the Chairman and Secretaries, with 
Messrs. T. Baines, J. Hudson, and F. Moore, weie appointed to 
purchase the silver. This was done on Friday last at a cost of 
£104 3s. 6d., and was presented by them on Saturday, Mr. Thi mas 
reading a short appropriate address, to which Mr. Yeitch appreci- 
atingly responded, expressing his unbounded gratitude and surprise. 
The particulars we have given the subscribers (which fairly 
represent the gardeners of the United Kingdom) have a clear right 
to have, and it only remains to add that their names, but not the 
amounts of their contributions, will be inscribed on vellum, with 
the Chairman’s address, and presented to Mr. and Mrs. Yeitch, 
1 with the portrait, when it is completed. 
