I 
26 8 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, January 20, 1857. 
with longer scales. He collected it in the mountain 
parts of Wales.” 
Mr. W. lleevo very correctly observes that Pchjstichum 
angulare will thrive romarkably well under the same 
courso of treatment as was given for P. aculeatum; for 
like that it delights in a well-drained, shady situation, and 
in the same compost. It is a very desirable and a very 
hardy plant; yet, when cultivated in pots or situations 
where the roots are much exposed, a slight protection 
will be necessary during severe weather. It may be 
increased in the same manner as aculeatum. 
The Annual Meeting of The Gardeners’ Royal Be¬ 
nevolent Institution was held at 21, Regent Street, 
on Wednesday, the 14th inst. 
The chair was occupied by Mr. John Lee. The Meet¬ 
ing was very numerously attended, both by members 
from the vicinity of the metropolis, and also from the 
country, and all seemed to manifest a lively interest in 
the welfare of this admirable Institution. 
After the Secretary had read the Report, which was 
unanimously adopted, Mr. Wrench was re-elected Trea¬ 
surer, Messrs. Charlwood, Lee, and Forsyth, Auditors, 
and Mr. E. R. Cutler, Secretary, for the ensuing year. 
By the rules of the Society, six members of the 
Committee retire annually, and on this occasion Messrs. 
Atlee, Glendinning, Palmer, Forsyth, Taylor, and J. A. 
Henderson, gave place to Messrs. Eagles and Hutt, of 
Idighgate ; W. B. Smith, of Great George Street, West¬ 
minster; WoodrofFe, of Harrow Road ; Andrew Hender¬ 
son, of Pine Apple Place; and Howe, of York Terrace, 
Regent’s Park, who were elected unanimously. 
The attention of the Meeting having been drawn to 
a letter signed by “ An Old Subscriber,” in the Gar¬ 
deners’ Chronicle of the 2nd of August last, reflecting 
upon the conduct of the Committee and Secretary, the 
Meeting unanimously resolved that the charges and 
allegations contained in that letter are entirely without 
foundation, and considerable indignation was expressed 
by many of the members present that publication 
should have been given to an anonymous communica¬ 
tion, tending to peril the prosperity of an Institution, 
with which all who are connected have no other object 
than to carry out, conscientiously, the charitable pur¬ 
pose for which it was established. 
The ballot was then proceeded with, when it was 
found that the election had fallen on 
Mary Anne Farquharson, who polled 818 votes. 
Ann Arnold „ 570 „ 
Robert Hodge „ C08 „ 
In consequence of the death of Henry Schneider, one 
of the pensioners, in December last, it was resolved by 
the general Meeting that the next highest on the poll 
should be added to the list of pensioners, and conse¬ 
quently John Davey, having polled 526, was added 
accordingly. 
We cannot too strongly impress upon the attention of 
our readers the importance of this valuable institution, 
which has for its object the relief of those who, during 
life, have followed the pursuit of gardening as a liveli¬ 
hood, and who, in the evening of their days, from various 
causes, are deprived of the necessities and comforts of 
life. There are few who know anything of gardening 
and gardeners who do not also know, that as a class, 
gardeners are very much underpaid, many receiving 
little more than the wages of a London carman, some 
not more than that of a day-labourer, and others not 
that of a butler or “ man-cook;” and still they are ex¬ 
pected to appear respectable, to bring up a family, and 
to keep them respectably. What, then, can a man 
under such circumstances save during his lifetime to 
serve as a solace to him in his declining years ? Wo do 
hope the sympathies of some who read this notice will 
be excited, and that they will apply to Mr. Cutler, the 
Secretary, who will, we know, furnish every information 
on the subject. 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE.— January 10th. 
This is written on “ handsel” Monday ; but I had my 
handsel on Saturday, the 10th instant, when I was 
tempted to go out thus early in the season to see the 
first Exhibition of poultry, pigeons, and rabbits, which 
“came off” most triumphantly. Poultry people, or 
some of them, may say that I only mean this in order 
to please, without knowing anything of the matter; but 
such is not the case. 1 keep poultry, and have been 
studying the new races these five years past. I have 
two of the best Cochin-China hens in the country. They 
are the very best of those bred by the Rev. E. Phillips, 
our worthy Incumbent of Surbiton, who is as good a 
judge of that breed as auy one can be, and for being the 
next best judge of them hereabouts Mr. Phillips made 
me a present of that pair. Everybody ought to go to the 
“ show ” of any particular things he likes and studies, 
whether they be plants or bullocks, pigs or poultry, or 
caps and bonnets, and all the fashions. I often go on 
purpose through all London to see the bonnets, shawls, and 
dresses in St. Paul’s Churchyard, just because I like to 
see such things. 1 used to go to Cattle Shows till they 
got the beasts so fat that they were beastly to look at, 
and so I am in a condition to repeat it, that nothing in 
the world is so good for learning about anything as to 
attend shows of it. 
I had no idea that I could have learned so much 
about poultry at one show, and, to tell the truth, I did 
not know till then that there was so much to learn 
about them. I saw Mr. Stevens there, and he appeared 
to be as much pleased as I was, although he had not 
a quarter so much to learn. 
The Exhibition was held in the south wing. The 
awful noise peculiar to a Poultry Show was not half so 
“ stunning ” as usual, owing to the great size and 
height of the place, and at a distance it was rather 
pleasant. The rabbits and pigeons were in the lower 
gallery of the front of the Palace, a long way off from the 
noisy show, but on the same level. The rabbits were 
almost all of the long-eared classes, and some of them wero 
as big as hares. Black was the prevailing colour; but 
the most extraordinary thing which struck me was the 
scarcity of good cocks of the Cochin breed, or Shanghaes. 
There were only four really good cocks there, whilst the 
hens were almost uniformly first-rate. I do not know 
one of the Judges or exhibitors, so 1 cannot speak from 
favour or prejudice; but to let you see I know something 
of this breed, although I may not know tho rules for 
judging them, I would disqualify tho first prize pen 
altogether if they were plants, on account of one of the 
hens wanting feathers on that part of the body whioh 
