March 14,18S5, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
235 
I did not expect a difference of opinion re the above subject should 
emanate so vehemently from such a source as from your correspondent 
who signs himself “ A Young Amateur Gardener,” who is indeed very 
liberal in his views respecting this matter, and it would be a pity to 
prevent such amateurs of his type from competing against, as he himself 
truly says, some of the chiefs, who give valuable information and notes 
of experience in the Journal of Horticulture week by week. 
Perhaps the proposition suggested above would meet with “ A Young 
Amateur’s” approbation, as it would still enable those to compete 
whose cause your correspondent has so much at heart. — A YouNa 
Gaedenee. 
THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. 
On reading the remarks made i>y your very interesting correspondent, 
“ E. K., Dublin'' on the above subject, I must say that it seems strange 
that so comparatively few gardeners are found on the list of so useful 
an institution. I hope now that the subject is opened that some con¬ 
tributors will think it worth their while to deal with a matter of so 
much importance. 
I believe there are many who would enroll themselves as members 
if they could only have some little to do with the working of it, and it 
is with this object in view that I would beg to suggest to the manage¬ 
ment to try and induce in different centres through the country, the 
many horticutural societies to form branches of the above, all to work 
to the same rules and in conjunction with headquarters.—P. Claeb, 
Blundellsands, Liverpool. _____ 
Beyond the perusal of the notes which appear at times in the pages 
of the various gardening publications I know little about this Society, 
and I may say that I am not alone in this matter, for during my 
gardening career I have never come in contact with one gardener who 
could fully explain to me its rules and regulations, or the precise way or 
manner in which the bounties are distributed ; therefore in reply to 
the question put by “ E. K., Dublin " (page 200), “ How is it that the 
G.R.B. Institution is ignored by so many good and capable men?” I 
have no hesitation in saying that it is because the object of it is not 
made sufficiently clear. Another reason which may, I think, be cited as 
having a great deal to do with the increasing unpopularity of this 
Society is in reference to the way by which the candidates are elected. 
Gardeners say that they do not agree with the ballot, for why should a 
candidate because he is a gardener of repute, or because he may have a 
larger circle of friends than another, capture a greater number of votes, 
thereby entitling him to the benefits of the Society, whilst a less 
fortunate man would be debarred from deriving assistance because he is 
practically unknown in the gardening world ? 
These are the only reasons I have heard why the Institution does not 
meet with greater support than it does at the present time. If such 
cases be correct, could not some way be devised by which all the 
candidates would be placed on an equal footing ? for it is a well-known 
fact that where there is the least signs of favouritism in connection 
with an Institution the undertaking must and will most assuredly 
result in a failure. My knowledge of the Institution, however, and to 
the way in which, its business transactions are carried out, is very 
limited. I have only penned the above remarks with the hope that 
someone who is more thoroughly acquainted with the Institution and its 
workings may take the subject up, and throw a ray of light on it by 
explaining through the pages of the Journal of Horticulture some of 
the principal rules and objects. I feel sure that if the Society was 
brought more prominently before the notice of gardeners it would be 
crowned with much greater success in the future than it has hitherto 
experienced. I should be glad to know where I could obtain a copy 
of the Society’s rules.— Geo. Paeeant, Ashby Lodge, near Rugby. 
[Rules can be had from Mr. G. J. Ingram, 50, Parliament Street, 
Westminster.] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Maech 12th. 
The first of the two March meetings to be held at the Drill Hall was 
a decided success in every way. The display of Orchids was remarkable 
alike for the diversity, superb quality, and unusual numbers. The 
exhibits pertaining to the Floral Committee were not so numerous, but 
the quality was high throughout. 
Feuit Committee. —Present: P. Crowley, Esq. (in the chair); with 
Rev. W. Wilks, Messrs. H. Pearson, J. H. Veitch, T. J. Saltmarsh, 
J. Mclndoe, J. Cheal, G. Norman, J. Smith, A. Balderson, G. Wythes, 
G. Sage, J. Hudson, T. Glen, A. J. Laing, A. Dean, T. J. Miles, and 
J. Wright. 
As will be perceived there were more men to do the work than work 
to be done on the present occasion — a reverse of the circumstances 
existing in many, if not most, gardens. The duties of the Committee, 
however, if light were pleasant—namely, in awarding a vote of thanks 
to Mr. G. Wythes for a dish of ripe St. John’s Figs, produced by a 
heavily cropped tree in a 10-inch pot ; and in examining and tasting 
Strawberries — Stevens' Wonder (fig. 42), which was unanimously 
awarded a first-class certificate. When we consider the size, freedom, 
colour, high perfume, and evidently good forcing qualities of this 
variety, and especially in conjunction with the singularly unfavourable 
season, this Strawberry must be considered of great value for ripening 
in February and March onwards. 
One of our correspondents, Mr. J. Inglis, who knows what is good, 
has informed us that he had the pleasure of inspecting 2000 plants of 
this Strawberry in full bearing on February 21st in Mr. Stevena’ 
Nursery at Hassocks, Sussex, and 50 lbs. of fine fruits had then been 
sent to market. At that time the plants were each bearing from 
eight to sixteen berries, many of them weighing from 1 oz. to IJ oz. 
Several pots of a similar nature were brought before the Committee, 
and Mr. Glen, one of the members, observed he had seen plants last 
year ripening from twenty to thirty fruits, the largest girthing 6 inches. 
The plants exhibited were remarkable for their dwarf character, 
producing tufts of leaves about 3 inches high, the majority of the leaflets 
only slightly exceeding an inch in diameter, the large scarlet fruits 
hanging down and resting against the sides of the pots. In general 
appearance the fruits appeared intermediate between Sir Charles 
Napier and Noble, yet quite distinct from both. They are as large as 
Noble, but firmer and decidedly of better flavour. The fruit may be 
described as large and angular, with a somewhat corrugated surface ; 
skin bright red, in some cases quite pale; the seeds not deeply 
embedded ; calyx segments reflexed. They vary in form, some being 
nearly conical, but the larger are more of the shape of the one figured, 
which may be taken as a typical example. 
So far as we can learn Mr. Stevens knows nothing definite as to the 
origin of this variety ; it seems to have come “ by chance,” and no doubt 
FIG. 42.— STEAWBEEEY STEVENS’ WONDEE, 
the possessor of it felt himself in luck’s way when he gathered and 
sold 600 lbs. of fruit last year, when prices were high, and not less so 
this year, with his larger stock of plants now in full bearing. Stevens’ 
Wonder Strawberry will be “ looked after ” for forcing, but the 
character of the plants exhibited did not suggest rapidity of increase, 
though in this respect they can only be rightly judged when growing 
in the open ground. 
At the close of the business Mr. A. Dean, in well chosen terms, 
referred to the death of Mr. George Taber, paying a well deserved 
tribute to the value of his services and his genial character, concluding 
by moving the following resolution : “ The members of the Fruit and 
Vegetable Committee, having learned with deep regret of the death of 
their esteemed and capable colleague, Mr. George Taber of Rivenhall, 
desires to give to that expression of regret the fullest publicity, and also 
requests that the purport of this resolution may be embodied in the 
minutes of the Committee’s proceedings.” This resolution was seconded 
by Mr. Saltmarsh, who said he had been acquainted with Mr. Taber for 
fifty years, and it was passed unanimously. 
Floeal Committee. —W. Marshall, Esq. (in the chair); with 
Messrs. J. Fraser, J. Laing, C. T. Druery, H. B. May, H. Herbst, George 
Stevens, Robert Owen, R, B. Lowe, J. H. Fitt, W. C. Leach, C. J. Salter, 
J. Jennings, J. W. Barr, Chas. Jeffries, Geo. Gordon, W. Briscoe-Ironside, 
Cbas. E. Shea, J. D. Pawle, R. Dean, Chas. E. Pearson, H. H. D’Ombrain, 
E. Beckett, H. J. Jones, G. H. Ingleheart, James Walker, Ed. Mawley, 
Harry Turner, and George Paul. 
Mr. J. Fitt, gardener to Earl Cowper, Panshanger, Hertford, 
exhibited a bunch of Ghent Azaleas, John Weathers (see below). 
Mr. Fitt also staged a vase of Calla aethiopica, the flowers and foliage 
being exceedingly fine. Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, staged 
a fine collection of bulbous flowers, conspicuous amongst which were 
pots of Galanthus Elwesi, Iris reticulata, Scilla bifolia, and flowers of 
Narcissus Odorus, Sir Watkin, Emperor, Horsfieldi, Obvallaris, Poeticus, 
Ornatus, and incomparabilis Cynosure. Anemone fulgens was promi¬ 
nent in the group, as also were plants of Spiraea japonica multiflora 
compacta, which is a compact free-flowering variety of Spiraea japonica 
(silver Banksian medal). 
Messrs. W. Paul& Son of Waltham Cross, Herts, exhibited a group 
of flowering plants consisting of Clematis indivisa lobata. Camellia 
