26 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 14,1887. 
The Chairman : I should just like to say a word or two upon the matters 
mentioned. The point with regard to the charge for the annual report, 
balance sheet, and list of subscribers is, I think, an important one in this 
sense, that if you do not make some charge you may have to print a very 
large number, and as it is hoped that all the gardeners of England will 
ultimately belong to this Society, you will find that to get up a book of 
subscribers will be a very expensive affair. Consequently you will diminish 
the fund which you are establishing for the benefit of the orphans. I there¬ 
fore think it would be better to charge one shilling, or some sum which will 
amply cover the cost of the book. With regard to the second proposal, on 
the whole I agree with the gentleman who said that February is not a good 
month, as some later month for an annual meeting. There is this to be 
remembered, that the Committee hope gardeners will come from all parts of 
England to attend this meeting. As you know the month of February this 
year was very disagreeable, and the weather was very bad, and many people 
would hesitate before they took the journey up to London. Gentlemen who 
live in the country would not be very anx : ous to come here even to attend 
the annual meeting of such a useful institution as this. What I suggest to 
the Committee is, that they might put in the word “ Spring,” which will 
leave a little margin to the Committee to fix the exact rate of tbs meeting. 
It does not signify very much whether it is held in April or May. (Heir, 
hear.) Witn regard to the mode of election, I very much sympathise with 
what Mr. Fish has said. Belonging, I think, to about forty institutions. 
I get applications without number to vote for vaiious candidates, and if I 
had not a very excellent Secretary, who is good enough to keep lists of all 
these institutions, and the persons to whom I have promised my votes, I 
should be in very great difficulty. At the s ime time we must look at the 
practical side of the question. Theoretically it would be a good thing if 
the Com mittee could select the most deserving candidates, but you must 
remember that everybody is not so high-minded and generous as 
Mr. Fish ; and consequently some people like to have what they call fu'l 
value for their money, and to many people full value for their money 
even when given in the form of a subscription is the vote. I have 
tried over and over again in other institutions to persuade the subscribers 
that they would relieve themselves of great trouble by dispensing with their 
voting power, and they have replied, “ It is not trouble, but a pleasure.” 
Therefore, what are you to do? On the whole, I think the Provisional 
Committee have struck a very capital road between these two opposing 
powers. If you look at the latter part of the clause, they say that “ before 
the annual general meeting, the Executive Committee shall examine the 
claims and qualifi :at : o ns of candidates, and prepare and approve a list of those 
eligible, and from this list the election shall be made.” That indicates that 
the Committes will strike out any candidates whom they do not consider to 
be deserving candidates. In that respect they exercise a certain amount of 
selection. Having chosen the eligible and deserving candidates, they say to 
those who subscribe, “Oat of those you choose whom you like.” I think, 
therefore, it is a good middle road between the two opposing powers, and on 
the whole, though sympathising very much in what Mr. Fish has said, I 
should advise the meeting to adopt the plan suggested in the proposed 
rules. 
Mr. Green said that the month of May was a busy time with gardeners, 
and would be an inconvenient time for the annual meeting. He suggested 
that it should be held in August or September—(No, no)—or, at all events, 
at a le-s busy time of the year. He would also, suggest that at the same' 
time there should be some other ttractions for gardeners, such, for instance, 
as the show like that which was being held. (Hear, hear). 
Mr. Veitch proposed that the annual meeting should be held in July. 
This was agreed to. 
The motion for the adoption of the report was then carried. 
Mr. Veitch proposed that Sir Julian Goldsmid be elected President of 
the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. He felt that in selecting him they woull 
have the right gentleman in the right place. Sir Ju ian had already told 
them that he was connected with forty institutions. He (the speaker) was 
thankful to say that theirs was the forty-first wi h which he had associated 
himself. He was quite sure that the experience which Sir Julian Goldsmid 
had gained in connection with oth- r institutions would be for the advantage 
of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. Sir Julian was in great sympathy with the 
gardeners of England, and the interest which he took in their occupation 
was shown by the beautiful place which he had at Tunbridge Wells, and the 
beautiful gardening which he carried out, by means of an English gardener, 
in the south of France. He might mention, as another evidence of the 
interest which the Chaiiman took in this movement, the fact that he had 
given £100 towards the Fund. He thought they would agree with him that 
they could have no more excellent President than Sir Julian Goldsmid. 
(Cheer sh 
Dr. Masters seconded the motion, which was unanimously adopted. 
The Chairman in acknowledging Lis appointment said : I am very much 
obliged for the kind observations which my friend, Mr. Veitch, has made. 
Of course we all know that he stands at the head of that enterprising pro¬ 
fession to which he does to much honour. I am quite sure that in the 
interest that can be taken in the progress of gardening I can equal anyone, 
because I know that more is to be gained by the observation of the beauties 
of Nature than almost any other kind of intellectual work, and I am satisfied 
that you who spend your lives in producing beautiful things are devoted toa 
profession that doet you great honour. I have to thank you for the honour 
you have done me, and I have great pleasure in accepting the po 3 t of 
President. 
Mr. Deal proposed that Messrs. H. J. Adam=, E. J. Beale, W Bull 
Shirley Hibberd, Dr. Hog.?, Dr. Masters, J. M’lntosh, H. M. Pollett, Baron 
Schroder, Messrs. A. W. Sutton, H. J. Veitch, and F. G. Tautz be elected 
Vice-Presidents of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. He explainfd that this 
was only the list made up to the present time, and that under the rules the 
Committee would have power to add to their number. 
Mr. Wynne seconded the motion, which was carried. 
On the motion of Mr. Fraser, seconded by Mr. Noble, Messrs. S. 
Courtauld, J. T. D. Llewelyn, and A. H. Smee were appointed Trustees of 
the Fund. 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd moved the election of Mr. T. B. Haywood as 
Treasurer, and said many of them knew Mr. Haywood was Treasurer of the 
National Ro;e Society, and in various ways was interested in horticulture. 
The important point was as to the custody of their money. The opinion 
appeared to be that it would be pe fectly safe in Mr. Haywood’s hands. 
(Laughter and hear, hear). He would take this opportunity of saying in 
reference to the suggestion which had been made, tnat holding the annual 
meeting in July would afford them an admirable opportunity of increasing 
the burdens on the Treasurer’s shoulders. (Laughter.) A gentleman 
had suggested that on th9 occasion of the annual meeting, or in con¬ 
nection with it, they should have some kind of floral jollification. (Laughter.) 
If that could be carried out in a large way there was no doubt whatever 
that it would conduce to the prosperity of the Institution. They might 
have some outdoor festival in which gardeners and horticulturists gene¬ 
rally might take an interest. He would mildly suggest a comfortable 
meeting, in which the ladles might be associated with them, and where 
something to eat and drink he provided; or they might have a Straw¬ 
berry feast or what they liked. An outdoor festival for the benefit 
of the orphans would have a certain domestic character, and he was sure 
would be calculated to enlarge the labours of their worthy Treasurer- 
daughter and cheers.) 
Mr. Laing seconded the motion, and it was carried. 
Mr. Dean proposed the el ction of Mr. A. F. Barron as Secretary of the 
Fund. He said that in asking Mr. Barron to accept the post they were 
selecting a gentleman who was known to all of them. There were three 
reasons why they should appoint Mr. Barron to the secretaryship. The 
first was that he was the best known man in the horticultural community. 
(Hear, hear.) In the second place he was greatly esteemed for his high 
personal character and business capacity. In the third place, from the very 
inception of the Fund, Mr. Barron had taken an important part in bringing 
the scheme up to its present point of succe-s. (Caeers.) 
Mr. Roberts seconded the motion, and it was unaiinously adopted, 
Mr. Wright moved the appo’ntment of Messrs. J. Fraser and W. Sharp 
as auiitors, remarking tbat both those gemlemen were well and widely 
known—the former as a horticulturist, the latter as being specially identi¬ 
fied with work of the nature indicated—and he did not think that two 
more suitable for the position could be chosen. 
The motion was seconded by Mr. Richards and carried. 
On the proposition of Mr. Fish, seconded by Mr. Udale, the following 
gentlemen were appointed an executive, with power to add to their 
number:—Messrs. P. Barr, W. Bates, H. Cinnel,' R. Dean, G. Deal, 
J. Douglas, W. GoldriDg, W. Head, H. Herbst, W. Holines, W. Ingram, 
J. Laing, G. Nicholson, C. Penny, W. Richards, J. Rob its, W. Roupell, 
C H. Sharman, J. Smith, H. Turner, H. Williams, J. Woodbridge, J. 
Wright, B. Wynne. 
Mr. Deal, in reference to a wish expressed that country members should 
be represented on the Comtutte?, explained that the ruleB provided that the 
Secretaries of Local Committees were to be ex-officio members of the Com¬ 
mittee, an 1 as it was the intention of the Committee to establish a large 
number of Local Secretaries, the country would be largely represented. 
On the motion of Mr. Wright, second ’d by Mr. Deal, a cordial vote of 
thanks was accord d to the Royal Horticultural Society for the use of their 
room for this meeting. 
On the proposition of Dr. Masters, seconded by D*. Hogg, the Chairman 
was cordially thanked for his kindness in taking the chair, and Sir Julian 
Goldsmid biiefly acknowledged the compliment. 
Mr. Eull propos d, and Mr. Herbst seconded, a vote of thanks, which 
was parsed, to the Horticultural Press for their interest and assistance in 
reference to the Institution. - , 
The compliment was acknowledged by Mr. Wynne. 
The proceedings then terminated. 
FLORAL DECORATIONS. 
The Royal Botanic Society’s Evening Fete, in their beautiful, 
gardens at Regent’s Park, is one of the. events of the season which is- 
always looked forward to with considerable pleasure, and. it invariably 
attracts a large number of distinguished visitors. The Fete and show of 
the floral decorations on Thursday last would compare favourably in all 
respects with any of the productions of preceding years ; the gathering 
was also favoured by exceptionally fine weather, which assisted greatly 
in rendering it highly successful. The Society, with their Secretary, 
Mr. William Sowerby, and Curator, Mr. Coomber, have every reason to be 
satisfied with all their exhibitions of the present year, which well main¬ 
tained the fame the Regent’s Park shows have so long enjoygd. 
The spacious marquee, together with the approaches and corridor 
appropriated to the two summer shows, was as usual devoted to the- 
floral decorations, for which prizes were offered by the Society, and in 
several cases the competition was extremely keen. As is customary at 
shows of this character, much diversity of taste was displayed in the 
arrangements submitted to the Judges, and in some instances the 
latter functionaries bestowed their commendation upon efforts that, in 
the opinion of many experienced and disinterested decorators, rather 
merited condemnation. Differences of opinion always exist respecting 
matters of taste, but there are lim’ts within which we may expect such 
divergences to be confined, though some seem to endeavour to indicate 
the independence of their judgment by defyingall rules. These remarks 
do not apply to the winning exhibits in the majority of the classes,, 
which were carefully selected, and to which exception could only be 
taken in two or three instances, but to the additional recognition 
accorded to some of the unsuccessful competitors. Twelve classes were 
provided, but we can only refer to a few of the leading features, and the 
floral decorations for a dinner table, 10 feet by 5 feet, were the most 
largely represented, some sixteen competitors entering. Messrs. G. & J. 
Lane, St. Mary’s Cray, won first honours for an extremely light, grace¬ 
ful, and bright arrangement, with a single central trumi et stand, the 
base filled with white Water Lilies, double scarlet Tuberous Begonias, 
Grasses, Ferns, and Asparagus plumosus, the top containing Grasses, 
Asparagus, single and double Begonias, and a few leaves of Caladium 
