Jnne 20 , issa. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
491 
, iCMAk'&Rn - 
jppM 
j 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL 
Wm 
j) 
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION, j 
4 FIFTIETH anniversary of an institution is a noteworthy 
event, and the jubilee festival of this excellent charity, which 
•was celebrated last week, demonstrated the existence of much 
•warmheartedness amongst the wealthy towards a class which con¬ 
tributes largely to the enjoyments and necessities of life. It 
was considered fitting that something should be done to mark the 
year 1889 as an important stage in the life of the Institution, and 
at will be conceded that in no other way could this be so appro¬ 
priately effected as by raising a sum of money sufficient for placing 
the seventeen unsuccessful candidates at the last election on the 
pension list. For the accomplishment of this admirable object an 
appeal was made for £3000, and, as may have been seen in our 
■•advertising columns, it was nobly responded to, and more than 
that amount was raised. 
The Institution was undoubtedly fortunate in securing as 
President for the day a member of the great house of Rothschild, 
“the members of which have for a long time ranked among its 
most munificent supporters. The subscription list of the Chairman 
•of the Jubilee banquet, Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., amounted 
to £1500, and he showed by his speech his admiration of the work 
of gardeners, and his deep sympathy with those of them who 
meed assistance in the eventide of life. It is with great pleasure 
that we have been able to record from time to time in the 
published list handsome donations from the affluent ; but it is 
mot with less gratification that we are able to announce that 
the gardeners of the kingdom contributed to the Jubilee Fund 
£950. This at once affords evidence of their prudence, and of 
'their desire to help their less fortunate brethren through the 
Institution which they have supported so well. In the course of 
his remarks the Chairman referred not only to the great develop¬ 
ment of floriculture in the form of Orchids for the rich, but to the 
•expansion of the trade in flowers for the masses ; he said the value 
of cut flowers sold daily in London amounted to between £5000 
;and £G000. His desire was to see the trade still further developed, 
;and to see flowers brought within reach of the poorest classes, as 
nothing tended to elevate the people and improve their morals so 
much as to bring them in contact with the beauties of Nature. 
Mr. John Lee, the “ father of the Institution,” was present at 
the celebration of its fiftieth anniversary, and received a great 
•ovation. His deep interest in its progress and prosperity was 
manifested in his speech, and his reception was possibly enhanced 
in consideration of his happy recovery from a serious illness, 
•contracted, it may be said, in the discharge of the duty he accepted 
as a member of the committee on the cold storage of fruit. As in 
everything else he undertakes he discharged that duty thoroughly 
and conscientiously amidst the surroundings of ice and snow in 
the Leadenhall Street Chambers. As a friend of gardeners and 
gardening no one is more consistent than Mr. John Lee. 
Mr. H. J. Yeitch joined in responding to the toast of the evening 
which the Chairman had proposed, and in doing so imparted, as 
Treasurer of the Institution, some interesting information. After 
referring to the munificent support accorded by the Rothschild 
family during a number of years he showed the progress that had 
ibeen made. Fifteen years ago the annual subscriptions were 
£720, now they were £1360; donations then £700, now £1165 ; 
there had been paid in pensions then £930, now £2100 ; while 
f No. 469.—Vol. XVIII., Third Series. . •• » 
during that time the expenses had decreased from 25T to 16'8 
per cent. The funded stock in 1874 was £10,400, but has now 
increased to £21,100 ; and in 1865 the pensions were increased 
from £16 and £12 to £20 and £16. The pensioners had increased 
from 1 in 1840 to 50 in 1860, 60 in 1870, 80 in 1830, and they now 
number 134. The oldest of them, 101 years of age, had subscribed 
£18 18s., and in twenty-nine years has received £4i0. They now 
hoped to raise the pensioners to 150. They had no buildings to 
maintain, no commissions to pay on donations, and the staff 
consisted of “ one old man and a boy, with an odd man to help 
occasionally.” 
It will be understood that Mr. Yeitch referred to the Secretary, 
Mr. E. R. Cutler, who has grown grey in working for the Institu¬ 
tion with untiring zeal. He probably thinks about little else, 
and no doubt considers those people the best in the world who 
give it the most support. The Chairman, in proposing the health 
of the “Old Boy,’’ humorously alluded to Mr. Cutler once falling 
through the ice at Gunnersbury and being rescued by one of the 
Rothschild family. He promised if Mr. Cutler should fall in 
again he should have the best bottle of port in the house. The 
Secretary in his reply announced amidst cheers that the sum 
collected on the occasion of the festival was £3469 ; that he did 
not want to go through the Gunnersbury ice again, but he should 
like to taste some of that fine old port. 
Mr. F. A. Philbrick, Q.C., in a brief but excellent speech 
proposed the healths of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 
institution. He said sometimes they lost sight in the keen compe¬ 
tition of business of that which refined and elevated the taste. 
Nothing was more calculated to alleviate those who were distressed 
and hard run in the daily conflict of life than that restoration 
which the contemplation of the objects of Nature, fostered by the 
art of the gardener, eminently tended to produce. The best and 
wisest and noblest of mankind had found their delight and 
recreation in the garden, and it was the boast of the English 
people that they encouraged the science of horticulture, and were 
in no sense behind the other great nations of the world. He 
coupled with the toast the name of Dr. Hogg, who briefly re¬ 
sponded, as did Mr. G. Monro for the Committee of Management. 
The approaches and banqueting hall were beautifully decorated 
with Palms and other plants, and the proceedings rendered the 
more enjoyable by the accomplished Miss Mary Belval and her 
talented assistants. The assemblage was one of the largest that 
has been seen in connection with the Institution, and never was 
more earnestness nor hopefulness displayed. 
The fiftieth anniversary of the Queen’s reign has been cele¬ 
brated by various persons and organisations in various ways, but 
by no class more worthily nor towards more worthy objects than 
by the horticultural community, for in commemoration of the 
event nearly £700 was specially raised, and an extra grant of 
£5 made to the pensioners. The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, the 
second anniversary of which will be held next month, was 
also established. We now find that considerably more than 
£6000 has been raised in two years for charitable purposes— 
the amount above named for the Institution under notice, and 
an equal amount for the Orphan Fund. The extent of distress 
relieved and the amount of good done to aged gardeners and 
widows and practically destitute children can scarcely be com¬ 
prehended, as by none can the benefits be fully appreciated 
except by the needy recipients, or the scarcely less needy, per¬ 
haps, on whom several of them have mainly depended. And 
it is alike gladdening and encouraging to know that the Insti¬ 
tution for the aged has made its greatest advance during the time 
the Fund for the young has been established. The organisations 
will help, not hinder each other, as through their agency cases 
of distress that would otherwise have remained in obscurity will 
be made known, and their existence will stimulate efforts towards 
their alleviation. Both equally have our sympathy, and at present 
No. 2125.—VOL. LXXX., Old Series „ • 
