524 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 8 , 1894. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
Annual Dinner. 
The social gathering which the members of the above-mentioned 
Society hold annually is always a pleasant ending to the Chrysanthemum 
season, and that which took place at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, 
E.C., on Thursday in last week, was no exception to the rule. Sir 
Edwin Saunders, President of the Society, occupied the chair, and he 
was supported by a large company, about 150 sitting down to the tables. 
Amongst those present were Messrs. Coles-Child (President of the 
Bromley Chrysanthemum Society), H. Briscoe-Ironside, Forsyth, 
P. Waterer, J. Halse, R. Ballantine, C. E. Pearson, J. W. Wilkinson, 
C. Harman Payne, H. J. Jones, G. Gordon, B. Wynne, T. W. Sanders, 
D. B. Crane, H. A. Needs, J. H. Witty, S, Mortimer, J. W. Moorman, 
with other numerous supporters of the Society. The tables were 
beautifully decorated with flowers and plants, supplied by various 
friends, a liberal supply of fruit for dessert also forthcoming from 
similar sources. As usual, the arrangements were carried out in a most 
efficient manner by the Honorary Secretary, Mr. E. Dean, to whose 
energies the success of the dinner may be accredited. 
Sir Edwin Saunders, after the customary patriotic toasts had 
been duly honoured, in proposing the toast of “ The National Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society,” said :—Again we are privileged to meet together in 
celebration of the annual festival of our Society, and to felicitate 
ourselves on the amount of useful work accomplished since we last met 
in capying out the objects for the promotion of which the Society was 
constituted. Since January last 118 members and nine Fellows have 
been added to the muster roll, and eighteen societies have become 
affiliated—a very gratifying and encouraging proof that the National 
Chrysanthemum Society is not only fulfllling the expectations originally 
formed of it, but is steadily growing in influence and power. The 
number of members now upon the books is 734. Losses are sustained 
annually through deaths and removals, and some decline to continue 
subscribers, but the flowing tide of increasing membership reaches to a 
higher level year after year. The societies in affiliation appear to 
greatly appreciate the privileges they enjoy; the parent Society is of/en 
able to be extremely useful to them in various ways, and tbe attendance 
of representatives of affiliated societies at the meetings of the General 
Committee is very satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) The exhibitions held in 
October and November were in each instance worthy of the Society, and 
with the single exception of the incurved varieties, which were not seen 
at their best owing to the incidence of the season, all the types of the 
Chrysanthemum were well represented. Such an exhibition of 
illustrations of the decorative value of the Chrysanthemum was never 
before seen in London, and called forth the warmest encomiums from the 
daily and gardening Press. (Cheers ) The preparation of a Year Book 
or annual, which is to be published on January 1st, marks a new 
advance upon the part of the Society, and the Committee may be 
congratulated on entering upon an enterprise likely to be very popular 
in the Chrysanthemum world. These are but a few among other matters 
of interest which have engaged the attention of the Society, which 
appears to be making progress in every direction, and is now the leading 
special floricultural Society whose base of operations is in London. 
(Applause.) Considering the lack of sunshine which had characterised 
this year, it was a matter of surprise that such beautiful blooms had 
been staged at the exhibitions. In connection with this a table 
indicating the hours of sunshine that had been automatically registered 
in the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society in 1893 and the present 
year would be interesting. This read :— 
1893. 
Hours. 
Minutes 
January .. .. 
.. 30 
February.. 
.. 23 
March .. .. 
.. 16 
April .. .. 
.. 34 
May. 
.. 46 
.Tune. 
.. 23 
July. 
2 
August ., .. 
,. 30 
September 
.. 56 
October .. .. 
.. 58 
1374 
.. 18 
1894. 
Hours. 
Minutes 
January .. .. 
.. 20 
February 
.. 46 
March .. .. 
48 
April .. .. 
.. 51 
May. 
.. 50 
June.. ,. .. 
.. 25 
July. 
., 22 
August .. .. 
., 26 
September 
.. 7 
October ,. ,. 
1 
1012 
.. 56 
Even if we had been unable to report any considerable increase 
during the past year, continued Sir Edwin, we should not have felt 
discouraged, for in societies as in commercial enterprizes, progress is 
not to be looked for as continuous, but as subject to periodical remissions, 
like the incoming tide on the seashore, where an all-conquering wave 
seems to rush on, carrying all before it, and reaches a higher level than 
any yet recorded ; but which is not maintained at that altitude, being 
borne down again by the backward rush of the retreating waves. Such 
has been the experience, as we all know, of too many large industrial 
organisations during the past two years, and not a few, it is to be 
feared, have been swept away by the swirl of the back-rushing waves 
of excessive competition, over-production, strikes, and the perpetual 
recurring and disastrous conflicts between capital and labour. But as in 
the physical world, there is in the rising tide areal advance notwith¬ 
standing an apparent recession ; so in the social and commercial world 
there is in the sum total a real advance in prosperity which more than 
compensates the temporary depression. Happily there are not wanting 
signs of a good time coming in the financial and commercial world 
after a prolonged period of suspended animation, from which, however, 
our society has been fortunately free. Reverting to the November 
exhibition of the Society, he thought no one could have visited it 
without noticing the great variety of flowers, the splendid Zonal 
Pelargoniums from Swanley being particularly brilliant. (Hear, hear.) 
Flowers, he might observe, represent the poetical side of human 
existence. They cannot be said to be necessary—as light, air, and 
water are necessary—for physical existence. But man doth not live 
by bread alone, and when the intellectual side of humanity begins 
ti assert itself, flowers play a very important part; in religious 
ft'stivals, in national triumphs, in state ceremonies, and no less in the 
great events of individual life—birth, marriage, and death. In ancient 
times they have been the crown and glory of the victorious warrior, the 
brilliant orator, the successful statesman, the inspired poet, and in our 
own day they confer an added charm and a new grace to those great 
gatherings of distinguished men and beautiful women which give 
animation and colour to modern society. Everywhere they diffuse 
their fragrance, and raise pleasurable emotions by their beauty of 
form and colour. (Hear, hfar.) The appreciation of flowers and their 
cultivation belong essentially to a high state of civilization and refine¬ 
ment of manners, and their appreciation will be in exact ratio to the 
stage of civilization attained by a people. They are and always have 
been used in all countries and at all times as symbols of courtesy and 
affection, or of tender remembrance. They are employed as ornaments 
in all costly fabrics of the loom, in works of art in silver, bronze, and 
marble, in cbina, in the decoration of our furniture, our houses, our 
palaces, and our temples. Indeed, we might well ask, where would art 
be if it were not for the suggestions, the inspiration, and the uses of 
flowers 1 Have we not all felt how the enjoyment of a concert is 
enhanced where there is a liberal floral display 1 May we not say that 
the floral display at our own board has added immeasurably to our 
enjoyment to-day ? But flowers have also always been the delight and 
inspiration of poets of all ages. What would our poetry be if deprived 
of the images, the ideas, the symbols and emblems, the graces of thought 
and expression to which they give rise ? And what would this world be 
without flowers—flowers that abound every where, in peaceful and fertile 
valleys, in primeval forests and wild uplands, amidst alpine mountain 
ranges, as well as in low-lying pestilential swamps that give rise to 
miasma, fatal alike to health and life? Can we imagine a dull, prosaic 
earth, without a blade of grass or group of wild flowers to relieve its sad 
and dreary monotony ? The poets have been fond of comparing flowers 
to the stars, and we could as soon realise the world bereft of flowers as 
the darkly blue vault of night with all its myriad sapphires blotted out. 
What a dreary waste ! what a blackness of despair I Longfellow had 
seized, appropriated, and amplified this thought in his beautiful lines 
" In wild and cultured places, and in all seasons, 
Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings; 
Teaching us by most persuasive reasons 
How akin they are to human things.” 
Having recited a few more verses from the American poet, Sir 
Edwin concluded his speech with a quotation from Wordsworth’s 
poems. (Applause.) 
Mr. H. Briscoe-Ironside rendered the toast of “ The Affiliated 
Societies,” and in doing so spoke of the advantages accruing to 
provincial and other societies through affiliation. He said that since 
March last twelve societies had become connected with the N.C.S., and 
at the present time they had no less than 111 affiliated societies, one of 
the last being a society in South Australia. Each affiliated society had 
the power to send a delegate, who was entitled to speak at the meetings 
of the parent society. This, he was happy to say, had been appreciated, 
and, moreover, they were indebted to many valuable suggestions which 
some of the delegates had made. (Hear, hear.) By affiliation growers 
in the country were kept in touch with the National Chrysanthemum 
Society and all advances made with it. With regard to the class for 
forty-eight blooms at tbe November exhibition, and open to affiliated 
societies, he considered this one of the principal classes, because it was a 
combined one of Japanese and incurved flowers. It appeared to him 
that the combined classes tried the powers of growers better than the 
others. In this class alone at the recent exhibition nearly 200 flowers 
had to be pointed, and they knew that the chief honour was won by the 
Bromley Society. He was happy to see Mr. Coles-Child present, and 
hoped they would have the good fortune to see him elected a Fellow of 
the National Chrysanthemum Society. (Cheers.) 
Mr. Coles-Child, in responding, said that as President of the 
Bromley Chrysanthemum Society it seemed to him a melancholy fact 
that out of the 111 affiliated societies only five had entered into com¬ 
petition at the November exhibition. The Bromley Society had become 
affiliated with the determination of competing for the champion shield, 
and the members had won it. He hoped their success would stimulate 
others to try and win the prize (cheers). 
Mr. R. Dean at this point handed the challenge shield to the 
Chairman, who presented it, with a cheque for £10, as first prize to Mr. 
Coles-Child for the Bromley Society. The other cups and medals won 
by various exhibitors during the season were also handed to the respec¬ 
tive winners. These included Mr. W. Mease and Mr. W. H. Lees, who 
were the recipients of the Holmes Memorial cups, Mr. Lees also having 
another cup. Mr. H. J. Jones was presented with the President’s piece 
of plate for so admirably demonstrating the decorative uses of the Chrys¬ 
anthemum this season, and was enthusiastically cheered on receiving 
his prize. Medals were also presented to various exhibitors. Mr. Dean 
then remarked that from an analysis prepared by Mr, A. Taylor it 
transpired that no less than 3674 blooms were staged at the November 
