July 7, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
709 
Delphinium nudicaule merits passing notice on 
account of its singularity of colour—bright orange-red. 
Its advent was welcomed as a glad surprise, and high 
hopes were entertained that it would prove the parent 
of a new race in the hands of the hybridist, but so far 
as we know nothing whatever has been accomplished. 
If it could be procured, a scarlet Le Mastodon would 
prove one of the most startling novelties ever produced 
by cross-breeding. D. nudicaule, whether grown in 
pots or planted in small groups in the flower borders, 
is always attractive, and should find a place in all 
collections of herbaceous plants.— JF. B. Gf. 
-->3=o- 
LOBELIA, KING OF THE BLUES. 
Whether named King of the Blues or Attraction, 
this fine variety of Lobelia erinus—now so extensively 
used for bedding purposes—has a perfect right to such 
distinguishing epithets. We noticed a large quantity 
of it recently at the “Home for Flowers,” Swanley, 
Kent, where Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons grow a con¬ 
siderable stock of it in pots, even after the ordinary 
bedding or planting out has been completed. The 
plant is dwarf and compact in habit, forming a com¬ 
plete mass of flowers, and judging from its behaviour 
in pots, we think that no better could be used for the 
decoration of balconies or the window-sills of suburban 
or even town houses, where nothing in the way of blue 
flowers succeeds better or forms a more brilliant display 
along with Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Chrysanthemum 
coronarium, white Marguerites, and other market stuff. 
All this, of course, is independent of its value for 
bedding purposes, than which nothing forms a more 
brilliant blue edging to beds or borders. In the centre 
of the flower, or, rather, at the base of the lower lip, is 
a large pure white blotch, which is brought out all the 
more prominently by the intensity of the blue colour 
of the rest of the flower. The white spot reminds us 
of that on the corolla of Downingia pulchella, another 
beautiful member of the same family, but only an 
annual. o3:< , _ 
THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL 
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. 
The forty-fifth anniversary festival of the above 
institution was held at The Albion, Aldersgate Street, 
E.C., on Wednesday evening last, when a large company 
sat down to dinner. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., 
presided, in the absence, through illness, of the Eight 
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., who had been 
announced as chairman of the evening. Grace having 
been sung, the chairman announced that he had 
received a letter and a subsequent telegram from 
Mr. Chamberlain, but he would refer to them later 
on. 
The chairman next proposed “The Queen,” and 
alluded in touching terms to the great sorrow Her 
Majesty had lately experienced. On the other hand, 
they all hoped that Her Majesty’s grandson had before 
him a long, happy, prosperous, and useful career. 
The Chairman then proposed the toast of the Prince 
and Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family, 
and remarked that, not only was His Royal Highness 
patron of the institution, as was his illustrious father, 
but the Duke of Connaught not very long ago took 
the chair at one of their dinners. It was their hope 
that some member of the Royal Family might again 
occupy a similar position. 
Mr. J. R. Bourne next proposed the Navy, Army, 
and Reserve Forces, each service being responded to 
severally by Admiral Field, M.P., Major Bolton, and 
Major Gole. 
The chairman upon rising to propose the toast of the 
evening, “Success and Prosperity to the Gardeners’ 
Royal Benevolent Institution,” was received with loud 
cheers. He said he need hardly say what a keen sense 
of disappointment he felt when he heard that the 
Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain had been prevented 
by illness from being in the chair that evening. He 
had had the pleasure of listening to many speeches on 
many subjects from that gentleman, and he (the 
chairman) was bound to say that whatever the occasion 
and whatever the subject, Mr. Chamberlain had been 
always able to bring to the subject some new illustra¬ 
tion, some new method of interesting his hearers in 
what he was speaking about, and something which 
recommended what he said to the judgment of those 
whom he was addressing. He had in his hand a letter 
from Mr. Chamberlain, and also a telegram, in which 
he said, “Thanks for kind expressions; I shall be happy 
to come some other night.” He was sorry that the 
Committee of Management had not been able to find 
somebody who would have been more able to bring 
a little freshness to the toast. The objects of the 
institution were well known to everyone, as well as its 
claims, but in looking through the list of subscribers, 
he was sorry to say that he found the names of a large 
number of friends of his own absent, who derived a 
large amount of pleasure from their gardens, and he felt 
sure it had not been brought to their notice that they 
ought to subscribe to the institution. The institution 
did not do anything that was at all extravagant. 
What did it do ? It simply gave to the men who 
were pensioners £20 a year, and to the women £16 ; 
surely it would be impossible to do less than 
that. It had got on its lists a very considerable number 
of gardeners, and he was glad to see that it was enabled 
to add to the comforts of their old age, and a consider¬ 
able number of them. The average age of the pensioners 
he found was seventy-four, and their oldest pensioner 
was 100 years of age ; therefore, gardening did not 
appear to be an unhealthy occupation. The number of 
applications was larger than the charity was able to 
help. The total expenditure was only £2,250, and 
when he recollected the enormous interest which the 
people of this country took in gardening, he must say 
it was a reflection upon the wealthier people of the 
country that they did not support the institution more 
largely. The institution had made it a rule to help those 
who helped themselves, and that preference was given to 
those who had been on the books of the society fifteen 
clear years before any help was given to others. A lady 
had once asked him whether he thought an Orchid was 
more beautiful than a Rose. He thought the proper 
course to take in such a case was to show them the 
door at once, because he did not think they could take 
any interest in any form of gardening. It was quite 
possible to take an interest in a Rose and admire an 
Orchid at the same time. He had been successful in 
gaining a prize at a show for twelve Roses, and he had 
also gained one of the National Rose Society’s Gold 
Medals, the only fault he had to find with which was 
that it was so small he could hardly see it. He ventured 
to think that they ought to work the field of gardening, 
and the interest the people took in their gardens, more 
largely than was done, in the interests of the society. 
Possibly at no period of the history of the society was 
so much money spent upon gardening as now. 
Therefore he thought the society should be brought 
under the notice of the proprietors of gardens 
who spent large sums in getting pleasure out of 
their gardens. Gardeners often found themselves in 
a position of having very little for their declining years, 
and he could not believe that people who got enjoyment 
out of their gardens would not be prepared to provide 
for the maintenance of that admirable institution. 
(Cheers.) He did not think that he need detain them 
any further, only to wish that his friend Mr. 
Chamberlain had been present. So far as he was per¬ 
sonally concerned, he felt he should occupy the position 
very imperfectly. (No, no.) He coupled with the toast 
the names of Mr. John Lee, who had only missed one 
dinner out of forty-five, and Mr. H. J. Yeitcli. 
Mr. John Lee, in response, thanked the company for 
the enthusiastic manner in which they had received his 
name, and went on to say that they owed a great debt 
of gratitude to the chairman for having at a moment’s 
notice consented to preside that evening, and to those 
gentlemen present for the generous support they had 
given to the institution, as it was through their 
generosity that it had been raised to a high pitch of 
excellence and had been placed on a solid basis, 
which he, and he knew they all, hoped it would main¬ 
tain for many years to come. 
Mr. Harry Veitch also responded, and having 
returned thanks for the hearty reception accorded him, 
alluded, as treasurer, to the financial position of the 
institution, which, he said, was managed as carefully as 
it was possible to manage any institution. He would 
again like to remind them that the interest on the 
money subscribed all went in benefiting their 
pensioners. They had no large buildings to keep 
up, and no expensive staff to maintain, but they were 
obliged to have a secretary, whom they paid as little as 
possible. "With that one exception, the whole of their 
money was devoted to the purpose for which it was 
given. They had 126 pensioners, but at present they 
had only one election a year ; and at the last 
election they were obliged to omit fifteen unfortunate 
candidates for want of funds. That was a sad thing 
for either men or women, but one case was particularly 
sad, as in that instance the applicant lost by only nine 
votes after having secured 700. The present bad times 
affected gardeners even more than most other servants, 
as they were the first to be discharged in times of 
scarcity. He knew of cases where gardeners had been 
out of employment for three and four years, and they 
were compelled to spend what little savings they had 
put by for old age. This society tried to meet those 
cases, and he was bound to say they made the funds at 
their disposal go as far as they possibly could. (Hear, 
hear.) Unfortunately for the society, they had lost 50 
guineas a year by the conversion of the Three Per Cent 
Consols. That was not, however, the place for speak¬ 
ing politics, but he simply wished to allude to 
the fact. In conclusion, he said if they could only 
see the tears of joy in the eyes of recipients they 
would not fail to continue their liberal support to the 
institution. 
Dr. Masters proposed the health of the chairman, 
who briefly responded, and then the secretary, Mr. 
Cutler, made the gratifying announcement that the 
night’s donations amounted to 1,000 guineas. Their 
chairman had given £10 10s., and Mr. Chamberlain’s 
list amounted to £435, while quite £200 had been 
subscribed by gardeners in small sums. The chairman 
then proposed the health of “ our old friend, Mr. 
Cutler,” who responded amid great applause. Mr. 
Tidswell then proposed “The Houses of Parliament,” 
which was responded to by Mr. H. L. W. Lawson, 
M.P. The last toast was that of “ The Honorary 
Officers,” which was responded to by Mr. B. S. Williams. 
Lobelia, King of the Blues. 
