66 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 27,1887. 
leftdestitutc, or the establishment of institutions that have for their ob¬ 
ject the advancement of the profession to which they belong. I have 
not the least doubt that on the present occasion, when the object to be 
attained is set forth, and a plan of action decided upon, plenty of willing 
workers will be found, and the spirit that has characterised other efEorts 
in the past will not be wanting. The leading article in the Journal 
(Jan. 13th) gives the first suggestion of a national character—namely, 
as to the institution of a “ home ” for the Royal Horticultural Society. 
It is ably advocated, and if carried out might be the means of rein¬ 
stating that Society in the honourable and useful position it was de¬ 
signed to fill. Of late years its usefulness has been fettered by 
uncertainty and liability. Fortunately it is now freed from the latter, 
and fresh quarters will have to be found soon. If the Council approve 
of the scheme brought forward in the Journal the question arises 
whether such a project would meet with general approval. I do not 
question the ability or foresight of the Council to decide such matters, 
but I think it would be better decided by them in conjunction with a 
representative assembly of horticulturists from the provinces as well as 
the metropolis. There might be a difficulty in getting them together to 
discuss the matter, but their views on the subject could be ascertained. 
1 think this is requisite if the scheme contemplated is carried out, for 
the fact cannot be overlooked that the “ Royal ” is by no means 
popular in the provinces. For some years past it has been losing 
the position that it undoubtedly held when in a more prosperous 
condition. 
The work and doings of the “ Royal ” are by no means generally 
known, even amongst gardeners, as they only have such information as 
from time to time appears in the Journal and other gardening periodi¬ 
cals. The reports that have been issued of late find their way only 
into the hands of the few, and thousands do not know from whom they 
can be obtained. The various conferences were worthy of that institu¬ 
tion, and would if continued quickly bring it again into popularity. 
However flourishing the Society may be, it will alwaysiprove most 
profitable to those who reside within easy distance of London and can 
attend its meetings, conferences, and exhibitions. But independent of 
this, I think the “ Royal ” might have been raised to a more prosperous 
condition of it had widened its methods of procedure and management. 
From time to time the best and most successful institutions need re¬ 
organising if they are to do real service and keep pace with the times. 
If the Society is to be a great success in the future reorganisation is 
necessary on such a basis that horticulturists generally can aid in 
carrying out its work. 
If it is decided to carry out the proposed scheme I think the Council 
would welcome suggestions and opinions, and therefore I think it just 
to say that I do not believe the foundation of a “ home ” will be 
favourably received in the provinces without a system for remodelling 
the Society as well or setting forth clearly its aims and intentions if 
restored to prosperity. I do not reflect the slightest discredit on the 
existing Council of gentlemen ; on the contrary, I think they have 
clung to the Society in its enfeebled condition in a highly praiseworthy 
manner. The Council should be subject to re-election on some popular 
system the same as is the case with all other societies and institutions. 
The members might be greatly increased by lowering the fee, or by 
creating associates, say upon payment of one guinea annually, and 
members by payment of half the amount. The fellowship could remain 
as it is now. Some such scheme would add largely to the annual in¬ 
come, and if worked on economical principles and in harmony with 
every society in the provinces it could not fail to become a most useful 
and popular institution.—W. B. 
In reference to the proposition of a “home” for the “Royal,” no 
doubt it is a pressing necessity, but whether it is the most important 
“ public want ” is an open question. However necessary a “ home ” for 
the “ Royal ” may be, there are matters of even wider importance that 
are worthy of consideration. The first of these—-and its importance will 
not be questioned -is how to provide employment for our surplus stock 
of gardeners. There are hundreds of able, intelligent, and willing men 
who need work with a fair wage until the approach of better times, 
when something more lucrative might turn up for them. Could not 
some experimental garden be established, or some establishment formed 
for the culture of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, the produce to be sent 
' to market ? Land could be rented or bought in a suitable locality at a 
moderately cheap rate. The money only would be wanting, and if any 
such scheme was advanced that would be forthcoming, an appeal for 
such a worthy object could not well be resisted. 
When the article of the Journal was shown to a prominent horticul¬ 
turist he remarked, “ A home for the ‘ Royal 1’ Far better raise a home 
for old and disabled gardeners in poor circumstances.” This is by no 
means a bad idea, for if endowed many an unfortunate man might be 
sheltered aud cared for. If £20,000 or a larger sum was raised, and 
worked in connection with the Royal Gardeners’ Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion, with or without the “ home,” a large amount of distress amongst 
-aged gardeners might be prevented that the Society in its present con¬ 
dition is unable to cope with. If this could be realised it would be a 
worthy monument of Her Majesty’s Jubilee, and one that could be 
pointed to with pride and admiration by all horticulturists.— One in 
the Provinces. 
If there is one proverb more than another which had need to be 
applied to the Royal Horticultural Society it is “ Let bygones be 
bygones,” for in truth its history of recent years has been a sad and 
humiliating one; in fact, ever since the day it became associated with 
the South Kensington scheme, for it is as useless to talk about what 
might have been the case as to ask what might have been the course of 
events had Cleopatra’s nose been half an inch longer. When one 
considers the money that has been spent, the bickerings that have 
taken place, the utter disregard of public feeling and of the interests 
of horticulture that have been too often displayed in past years, we 
might well wish that all could be forgotten. It is of no use calling 
these things to mind save to point to this, that from one cause or another 
the Society, in this the Jubilee Year of Her Gracious Majesty, is in a 
most critical condition, and one that calls upon all true horticulturists 
to ask themselves, Can anything be done ? and I, for one, cannot but feel 
thankful that the honoured Editor of the Journal has broached the 
subject in so true and loyal a manner as in a recent Journal. If anyone 
has a right to speak and write upon it he has, for we cannot forget that 
when everything was at sixes and sevens some years ago, he, with great 
self denial, undertook, in the midst of his manifold engagements, the 
duties of the Honorary Secretary, and so infused into the horticultural 
world, who fully confided in him, an amount of confidence in the 
Society that it sorely needed at the time, and which up to that time it 
had not enjoyed. 
It is, I think, undeniable that one great cause of the Society’s diffi¬ 
culties has been the presence in it of two conflicting elements ; these 
were the Horticultural element and what may be called the South 
Kensington element. The former of these desired to regard it as simply 
for the benefit of horticulture, grudged very much the expenditure 
on making the gardens into a place for lawn tennis, and a sort of 
square into which nurses and babies might be turned. Then the South 
Kensington element regarded it as especially designed for those who 
lived round about, to whom it might be a fashionable lounge, or a safe 
place for their nursemaids and children, free from contact with the out- t 
side world. The Council in adjudicating between these two opposing 
parties had a difficult task to play, and no wonder that failure was too 
often the result. It would seem that this latter element is rapidly dis¬ 
appearing, the greater part of the gardens will most probably be appro¬ 
priated by the proposed Institute to commemorate Her Majesty’s 
Jubilee, and so the South Kensington subscribers are rapidly withdraw¬ 
ing, and with them go, of course, a large portion of the funds. 
It is stated that a proposition is to be made by the Royal Albert Hall 
Corporation to acquire the Conservatory and the upper part of the gardens, 
and open both as a place of amusement, and the idea has been enter¬ 
tained of somehow connecting the Royal Horticultural Society with 
this scheme, but surely anyone can see what a miserable and undigni¬ 
fied position this would be. The scheme is for many reasons considered 
by the best judges doomed to failure commercially, and with the new 
place of recreation what promises to be a success at Olympia this would 
be quite unnecessary, and we must only hope that some better plan 
may be devised if the Society is to be still connected with South 
Kensington. 
The question is asked in the leading article of the Journal, on page 
25, whether something may not be done in this the Jubilee Year of Her 
Majesty, and whether organisation should undertake it. There is one 
body which, although its numbers are not great, is yet most thoroughly 
representative—I mean the Horticultural Club, and I am happy to say 
that it has already taken the matter up. A large and influential 
meeting was held on Tuesday, the 8th inst., at which were present 
persons so well known in the horticultural world as the Hon. and Rev. 
J. T. Boscawen, Drs. Hogg and Masters, Messrs. Veitch, Rivers, Deal, 
Pearson, Druery, &c. The subject was most thoroughly considered. It 
was stated by the Secretary that the President of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society was ready to meet the members of the Club and to hear 
their views, and arrangements were made for that purpose. After a 
long discussion it was determined to appoint a sub-Committee of the 
Club to consider the whole matter, so as to be prepared to lay their 
views before the President of the Royal Horticultural Society, and thus 
the utility of the Club has beeniabundantly justified. I have always 
felt that a time would probablyi come when it would form a very useful 
rallying point for all who were desirous of promoting the interests of 
the cause we have at heart. I shall not be betraying confidence when I 
say that the project which “ our Doctor ” has brought forward in the 
Journal was mooted by him at the meeting and met with a most favour¬ 
able reception. Nor shall I be wrong in mentioning the direction in 
which the ideas of many present ran, and which will be brought under 
the consideration of the Committee. It was felt that the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society ought to be put upon a more modern and popular basis. 
The charge of exclusiveness has always somehow or other clung to it, 
and has been deserved I fear —at some times, at any rate. For this pur¬ 
pose it was suggested that the Council should be enlarged and reformed 
more on the lines of the Royal Agricultural Society, and that represen¬ 
tatives of the business element in horticulture, in the persons of two or 
three leading inurserymen, should be placed upon it ; that attempts 
should be made to connect all Societies throughout the kingdom with 
it, and that in so doing it should be acknowledged that the benefits of 
such connection should be mutual. This is natural, for it would tend 
to a better understanding and much mutual help. I know a good deal 
about Horticultural Societies throughout the kingdom, and I may say 
with confidence that I know of none to whom the Royal Horticultural 
Society is anything more than an empty name, or name synonymous to 
them (whether right or wrong), with wasteful expenditure, aristocratic 
reserve, and continuous blundering, and to whom the extension of the 
Society would mean nothing whatever, I may be pardoned if I say 
