February 17, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
133 
you see that this complication of height as reckoned from the hud 
stages must necessarily complicate the time when the “buds ” show. 
We now come to another complication as regards height and bud 
formation. On page 4(i, fig. 8, is an engraving of a dwarf plant repre¬ 
senting “ Peter the Great,” 8 inches in height. Here we have a plant 
with only six leaves, producing a flower 5 inches across. What influence 
here has the height of the plant on the size and quality of the bloom ? I 
answer, Little or none, because in this case the flower bud would be 
formed before the cutting was taken from the parent plant, and no 
doubt had received a certain amount of highly elaborated support from 
the parent stem to begin with. Let us take another cutting of the same 
sort from another plant of the same height, or it may be taller, or 
dwarfer, no matter ; but if owing to the complications of bud-forming 
we probably find this cutting situated 12 inches nearer the point where 
the last bud was formed on the shoot from which it is taken, although 
it may be at the apex of the plant, the consequence will be that instead 
of a pretty little plant we shall have it 20 inches high, more or less, and 
very probably the flower produced on it will be much worse than the 
one on the 8-inch plant. From this point of view it will be quite 
apparent that anyone setting out with the idea that all they have to do 
to insure similar success is to insert the cuttings on a specified date, may 
very easily be disappointed. All these complications occurring through 
a collection of Chrysanthemums are very puzzling, and all of them have 
a decided influence on the time when the buds show, which the 
cultivator is anxious to secure, and will have to be considered by 
him in his daily practice. It is therefore essential that he be 
master of so important a clue to the causes of them, so as to understand 
what otherwise would appear anomalous. 
(To be continued.) 
HARDY FRUIT CULTURE. 
I planted many acres of land with Apple, Pear, and Plum trees 
years before Mr. Gladstone foolishly urged farmers to grow fruit for 
jam instead of corn. I experimented with nearly all the good old sorts 
and most of the new that have been sent out with a good character. 
I write the above because some might say, What can a man know 
about fruit trees who has devoted most years of his life to Orchids, and 
many years to hardy bulbs and plants for flower mission work 1 In your 
issue of February 3rd there is a very interesting and instructive article 
under the head of “ The Beginning of Wisdom.” 
The only exception I take to it is the recommendation of Lord 
Suffield Apple as suitable (by inference) for all soils. My experience 
has been that it does not succeed on the soil here. 
I have no doubt it does well in many places or Mr. Wright would 
not recommend it. The point, therefore, that I wish to draw attention 
to is the want of information as to the sorts suitable for each descrip¬ 
tion of soil and subsoil. Even in Kent, the garden of England, all the 
land is not fit for fruit-growing. In many parts of Essex the soil is 
heavy, with subsoil of clay ; in other parts it is light. Mine is the 
former, and the sort for an early crop is Pond’s Seedling, as I find it far 
superior to Lord Suffield. Warner’s King also does well. It often 
weighs at Walton-on-the-Nazc, close to the sea, 22 to 25 ozs. without any 
particular care in cultivation, and on heavy soils keeps longer than 
when grown on light land. With me the Myrobalan stock is much 
better for Plum* than any other I have tried ; but a Kent grower of 
large experience told me that he had known places where it did not 
answer. Therefore I consider that what we mainly want now is a 
tabulated statement of different soils and the subsoils, with the names 
of the sorts and the stocks that are most suitable for each. If such 
particulars could be sent by cultivators in various districts for publica¬ 
tion in the Journal much useful information would be disseminated.— 
Robert Warner, Broomfield, Essex. 
[We will readily publish information of the nature suggested, and 
shall be obliged if our esteemed correspondent will favour us with a tabu¬ 
lated statement of his own experience, and his example would probably 
be followed by other cultivators. A circular somewhat of the nature 
indicated, but containing no columns for soil, can be obtained from Mr. 
E. J. Baillie, F.L.S., Hon. Secretary of the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, 
under the auspices of which it is proposed to have an exhibition of 
hardy fruits (Apples and Pears) on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of March next, 
and to make it an occasion for holding a Fruit Conference, when papers 
on various subjects relating to the question of fruit-growing will be 
read, and opportunity for free discussion will be given at the close of 
each paper.] > 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL BENEFIT AND 
PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
The twenty-first annual meeting of this excellent Society was held on 
Monday evening last at the “ Caledonian Hotel,” Strand, London, Mr. 
Richard Dean, one of the honorary members ably presiding. The meeting 
was the largest ever held by the Society, the room not being half large 
enough for the accommodation of the members. After the election sf 
ten new members and the nomination of several others the Chairman 
called on Mr. James Hudson, the Treasurer, who since Mr. McElroy’s 
death has efficiently discharged the duties of Secretary, to read the 
report, which was as follows :— 
Annual Report for 1886. 
The offioers of the above Society have much pleasure in again presenting 
to the members of the same (and for the information of the profession in 
general) the report and balance-sheet of the j ear ending January 10th, 1887. 
They are glad ti say that the number of members continues to increase 
steadily, and there is constant inquiry being made by gardeners throughout 
the country for the rules and regulations governing the Society. They 
appeal to each member for assis ance in furthtring the interests of the 
Society by making its btn fits and advantages known whenever they have 
the opportunity so to do. Everyone can thus aid in a considerable measure 
towards mtkine it a still greater success, remembering, as we do so, tha 
our motto is “ Uuion is Strength,” which, with “unity” in regard to our 
interests, must result in making us a far stronger body than we are at 
present. 
We have now reached our twenty-first annual meeting, and in revising 
the work of the past twenty-one years there is reason for cougratulation 
that the objects had in view by those of our number who aided in forming 
the Society have been verified to a considerable extent. We have assisted 
those who have been laid aside by sickness ; have aided those children who 
were bereft of both parents ; and, last but not least, we have been able in 
many cases to hand over a good sum of money to the widows of our late 
members, the thankfulness with which the latter sums have been received 
has been testified to in many instances. 
We Lave to deplore the loss of our indefatigable and hardworking 
Secretary’, the late Mr. John F. McElroy, who had the interests of our 
Society so thoroughly at heart for the entire period of his srrvice in that 
capacity—viz., fourteen years. The letters that have been rec ived by the 
Treasurer whilst acting as Secretary pro tem., have with one accord borne 
the highest testimony to his earnest endeavours on their behalf; whilst the 
punctuality of his communications, the kind advice given to those who 
reside at a distance, and the opinions formed by several who had never seen 
him, but framed their value of his labours by the character of the man as 
shown in his letters to them, could hardly have been exceeded had they had 
the pleasure of hiB personal acquaintance, which so many of us have derived 
benefit from during the long period which he served us. 
In respect to tbe benefit fund the accounts show that the income 
during the year has been £346 8s. 10cL, this including the contributions 
of 177 members,and the interest amountingto £63 6s. 4d. accruing from 
invested funds. The disbursements, including a payment of £19 9s. 7)d. 
to the widow of a deceased member, being £46 8s. 4)d. The payment 
to the widow referred to brings out a striking feature of the Society. 
The deceased member had ceased his payments for ten years, and in 
accordance with the rules of ordinary benefit societies would have had 
no further claim ; but in this case his accumulated surplus, that had 
been invested for him, was promptly handed over at his death to his 
widow as his nominee. As the general result of this fund we observe 
the balance in hand on January 10th, 1886, was £2183 8s. 6 jd.; on the 
corresponding date this year it is £2482 5s. 10fd., an increase of 
£298 17s. 4id. 
The benevolent fund, from which no grants have happily been called 
for, has increased from £1018 2s. lid. to £1092 0s. ltd. during the year— 
a gain of £73 17s. 2£d. 
The management fund shows a balance in favour of the Society of 
£5 16s. 6d., and this sum the Chairman was instructed to send to Mrs. 
McElroy with a letter of sympathy expressive of the feelings of the 
members. The balance from this fund is the only emolument the late 
Secretary has accepted, though the rules empower the payment of £20 a 
year to the Secretary. It is most desirable that means be devised for 
increasing this fund, and suggestions were made with that olject, as at 
present it is quite inadequate for providing the Secretary’s salary, apart 
from furthering the interests of the Society and extending the useful¬ 
ness. The additions of honorary members include C. M. Major, Esq., 
Cromwell House, Croydon ; Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading; and Mr. 
John Laing, Forest Hill. Further additions are hoped for, and it seems 
difficult to imagine anything that merits support better than this 
Society of steady and prudent gardeners striving to provide for the 
vicissitudes of life. 
The payments to sick members during the year amounts to £17 7s., 
this being met by deducting Is. 8d. from those members who contribute 
£1 6s.ayear, the remainder, or £1 4s. 4d., being added to their deposit 
accounts. In the case of some of the older members the interest arising 
from their accumulated deposit now equals their annual contributions. 
The sum of £352 17s. 6d. has been invested in Consols during the year, 
making the total sum now invested £3650. 
The Report being adopted, the meeting proceeded to elect four mem¬ 
bers of Committee in the place of an equal member retiring by rotation. 
Seven members were nominated, the following being accorded the 
greater number of votes, and were consequently elected—namely, Messrs. 
E. Berry, H. Heims, E. Wheeler, and W. Wright. There were three 
applicants for the secretarial vacancy—Mr. W. Collins, gardener, Chivos 
House, Poynders Road, Clapham Park, London, S.W., being elected 
almost unamimously. Mr. W. Foreman was elected in his place on 
the Committee. 
A suggestion made by the Chairman to the effect that the Society 
having attained its majority in the Jubilee year of Her Majesty’s reign, 
the occasion would be appropriate for a commemorative gathering of 
the members, met with general approval, and the subject will be con¬ 
sidered at a future meeting. 
In respect to the death of Mr. McElroy it was desired that the follow¬ 
ing expression of the meeting be recorded on the minutes, “ The mem¬ 
bers of this Society in annual general meeting assembled desire 
earnestly and unanimously to record their deep sense of the loss the 
Society has sustained by the death of Mr. J. F. McElroy, who, for 
a period of fourteen years, was the indefatigable Secretary of the 
Society, during which time he won not only the confidence, but the 
affection of the members.” 
