168 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 15, 1890. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
Its Origin and Growth. 
The opening of the Grand Centenary Exhibition at the 
Royal Aquarium, and its attendant festivities, which 
form the principal events of horticultural interest for 
the current week, afford ample food for reflection upon 
the progress and expansion into a thoroughly national 
organisation of a society which originally had hut a 
local repute. The programme of the proceedings is an 
ambitious one, and will undoubtedly be carried through 
with an enthusiasm and eclat that past experience 
justifies us in assuming will not be wanting at this 
important juncture in the history of the society. 
We propose to glance at the society retrospectively, 
and remember that about forty-four years ago a few 
ardent florists resident in Stoke Newington, meeting 
in the parlour of the “Rochester Castle”—where they 
enjoyed their evening pipe and glass in company with 
its genial landlord, Robert James, of blessed memory in 
the annals of the Chrysanthemum—decided to start a 
society for the cultivation and exhibition of a flower 
that was then beginning to be somewhat generally 
grown. The first exhibition was held in the autumn 
of 1847, and its dimensions were as modest as the aims 
of its promoters were unpretentious. Among the early 
members, the names of Mr. William Holmes, sen., Mr. 
George Taylor, Mr. Tant, Mr. Edwin Merry and others 
long remained famous as supporters and exhibitors, but 
they had little idea, prosperous as some of the latter 
shows were, that they had laid the foundation of one of 
the most remarkable horticultural associations of modern 
times, and that before half a century had passed, the 
small local society would expand into a huge National 
Chrysanthemum Society, destined, like a famous monk 
of old, to move the world. 
For some years the affairs of the Stoke Newington 
Florists’ Society for the Cultivation and Exhibition of 
the Chrysanthemum, as it was rather lengthily called, 
went on satisfactorily, but without making much of a 
stir outside its own little sphere. In 1851 Mr. E. 
Sanderson was appointed secretary, and has continued 
his membership to the present time, holding such 
offices in the society from time to time as he thought 
most expedient in its interest, and thus, as a working 
member, may be looked upon as the doyen of the society. 
It was about this period that Mr. George Taylor read 
his famous essay on cultivation, which formed the 
basis of his little book, now so scarce as to be quite 
unobtainable. 
The society jogged on in a comfortable way for some 
years longer, its doings being periodically chronicled 
in the gardening press, until internal dissensions arose, 
and the society became two, an arrangement which 
happily afterwards resulted in an amalgamation of the 
divided forces. The Chrysanthemum, receiving much 
support in other directions, notably at the Temple, 
where Mr. Broom and Mr. Dale had been doing much to 
popularise its cultivation with the outside public, now 
began to be regarded as an important autumn flower. 
Numerous Chrysanthemum shows were being started in 
other quarters, and a general interest being taken in it, 
the Stoke Newington Society migrated to the Hackney 
Town Hall, and re-named their society the “ Borough of 
Hackney Chrysanthemum Society.” This occurred in 
1874, and three years subsequent to that date, so 
marked was the improvement in the quality of the 
exhibits and the patronage bestowed upon the society, 
that the exhibitions were removed to the Royal Aqua¬ 
rium, Westminster, where they have since been always 
held. Mr. William Holmes, the son of one of the 
founders, was appointed secretary, and within a few 
years of his appointment the society was in a far more 
flourishing condition financially and numerically. 
The last schedule of the Borough of Hackney 
Chrysanthemum Society lies before us as we write these 
lines, and affords a striking contrast to the voluminous 
document of the same nature of the N. C. S. for this 
centenary year with its numerous distinctive features. 
It is dated 1883, and consists of twenty-six pages 
inclusive of the advertisements. Most of the officers are 
still occupying similar positions in the National Society, 
but the General Committee consisted only of twenty- 
one members. The highest prize for pot plants was a 
silver cup valued at £5, with a second prize of £3 in 
cash, and a third of £2. Forty-three classes were open 
to competitors, including those in which special 
prizes were offered. For cut blooms there were 
cash prizes of £10, £3, and £1 for forty-eight 
flowers, half the number to be incurved, and half 
Japanese. The total income from all sources amounted 
to £232 Is. 2d., out of which the Aquarium Company 
contributed £100 10s. The prize money paid was 
£155 2s., and the members on the society’s books at 
the close of the year numbered 143. 
At the annual meeting in January, 1884, it was 
resolved that this, as the oldest Chrysanthemum Society 
extant, and holding its exhibitions in the metropolis, 
should thenceforth adopt the title of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, and almost immediately 
following this resolution, active preparations were made 
by the executive to justify the step taken. The 
General Committee was enlarged, and a Floral Committee, 
consisting of eight members, was appointed to adjudicate 
upon novelties, and award Certificates of Merit. In 
those days the Floral Committee were accustomed to 
meet of an evening, and do their work by gaslight at 
the society’s meeting place, the “Old Four Swans,” 
Bishopsgate, a plan which they were not long in 
altering. 
A new step was taken in the spring of 1885. A 
medal was designed and struck, for distribution among 
deserving exhibitors, and the scheme for the affiliation 
of provincial societies promulgated. Fifteen of such 
societies availed themselves of the privilege the first 
year it was in operation, and the number rapidly 
swelled as the years went by. The first edition of the 
society’s catalogue was published in the autumn of 
1884, but it was found necessary to revise it very 
shortly afterwards. 
The year 1886 was full of success for the National. It 
began early in the year, for on January 13th the first 
exhibition of late-flowered Chrysanthemums was held 
under its auspices ; and in September following, the 
first show of early-flowering varieties was attempted. 
The ordinary November exhibition was a very success¬ 
ful one, and to mark their sense of appreciation of the 
way in which Mr. William Holmes was carrying on the 
work of the society, a handsome testimonial, consisting 
of an address on vellum, and a sec of dinner epergnes 
was presented to him at the annual dinner of the 
society on the 13th December. 
The work of electing a new General Committee at 
every annual meeting was considered tedious and 
unnecessary, and this course was obviated by a decision 
in 1887, that one third of its members should retire 
annually, but be eligible for re-election. The guinea 
Fellowship was also instituted, and the society received 
substantial recognition from the Veitch Memorial 
Trustees, who allotted six Yeitch medals and sums of 
cash to accompany them, for competition among the 
society’s members at the ensuing November show. 
The annual dinner of the society was now moved to 
Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, as being a more 
central position than Bishopsgate Street ; and shortly 
following that event, the ordinary business meetings of 
the society were transferred there too. The importance 
of its proceedings may be readily estimated when we 
say that at these meetings every English horticultural 
journal of any standing has a representative to report 
the business done. 
The Victorian Horticultural Improvement Society 
paving desired to become affiliated was but a prelude to 
other Colonial societies embracing the scheme, so that 
now there are others in Australia, Tasmania and New 
Zealand on the books, with every indication of a speedy 
increase. 
1888 was one of the busiest years in the annals of 
the National. One of the first items in the programme 
of the society was the preparation of a new official 
catalogue, a large committee being appointed for the 
purpose, consisting of thirty eminent specialists. The 
labours of the committee extended over a period of 
seven months, but the delay was of considerable service 
to the society, as it enabled the work to be carried out 
somewhat more carefully than on the two former 
occasions. The publication of this third edition 
materially added to the reputation of the society, and 
also aided in making it known more widely at home, 
and also abroad. It was much appreciated by American 
Chrysanthemum cultivators, and was freely circulated 
on the Continent, in the Antipodes, and likewise in 
China and Japan. 
The exhibitions of early and late-flowered varieties 
were still continued with unvarying success, and a few 
foreign members now began to join the society, princi¬ 
pally from France. At a meeting of judges, growers, 
and other persons interested in the Chrysanthemum, 
held at the Crystal Palace towards the close of the 
year, it was resolved that the Centenary of the intro¬ 
duction of the Chrysanthemum into Europe in 1789 
should be celebrated, and the National Chrysanthemum 
Society, after fully discussing the matter in committee, 
decided to take steps to celebrate the event this year, 
which is considered the hundredth anniversary of its 
introduction into this country, and thus make it a 
distinctly English celebration, leaving continental 
societies to do so in connection with its introduction 
into Europe. 
Within the narrow scope of a sketch like the present 
we can scarcely do justice to the provincial shows held 
by the National Society in conjunction with the 
Sheffield and Hull Chrysanthemum Societies in 1888 
and 1889 respectively, but must pass on to the begin¬ 
ning of last year, when the constitution of the society 
was somewhat changed to meet the requirements of its 
rapidly increasing national character. Mr. E. Sanderson, 
who had been for thirty years president of the society, 
resigned his post, and Lord Brooke, M.P., was invited to 
assume the presidency, which he accepted. The rules 
were codified and amended, and the society started on 
a new basis. 
The Agricultural and Botanical Society of Ghent, as 
will be remembered, invited the National to take part 
in their Centenary fete, and several members were 
present on the occasion. 
The schedule for the present year, and the new 
centenary edition of the catalogue afford ample proof 
of the extraordinary vitality of the National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society, and the business-like way in which it 
has been managed. Much of this is due to the 
exertions of the late Mr. William Holmes, whose 
lamented death occurred just a little before what would 
probably have been the crowning triumph of his 
career as secretary to the society, in whose interest he 
worked so effectively and zealously. The best memorial 
to his memory will be for each and every one connected 
with the society to put his shoulder to the wheel and 
do his utmost to promote that success which a common 
accord will alone secure. 
-» X<- 
THE OFFICERS OF THE N.C.S. 
[With Supplementary Sheet of Portraits.] 
In the preceding columns we have given some account of 
the origin and growth of the N. C. S., which this week in 
a fitting manner celebrates the Centenary of the intro¬ 
duction of the flower. Such a vast number of people 
now take an interest in the Chrysanthemum, and so 
many will this week assist in celebrating its advent 
into this country, that we have thought it not an 
inopportune moment for presenting our readers with the 
portraits ot the officers of the society, which of all others 
has taken the lead in promoting the culture and im¬ 
provement of our autumn queen of flowers ; and happy 
indeed we are in being able in this way to pay a 
compliment to several old friends, and in some measure 
to render honour to whom honour is due for years of 
patient, voluntary labour bestowed on the society’s 
management. 
Lord Brooke, M.P., 
The president of the society, whose election last year 
was hailed with so much satisfaction by all the 
members, is the eldest son of the Earl of Warwick, 
and member of Parliament for the Borough of 
Colchester. As his lordship told us last year when 
he came among the “Mumites” for the first 
time, he is “very fond of gardening without 
claiming to be much of a horticulturist,” and we know— 
what he did not tell us—that he has more than a 
kindly regard for the Chrysanthemum, of which, at 
his Essex seat, Easton Lodge, Dunmow, his gardener 
every year grows an admirable collection. The wisdom 
of his election as president has since been abundantly 
proved, by the admirable manner in which he has 
discharged the duties of his office. 
Mr. Edward Sanderson. 
Having filled the important office of president of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society for thirty years, and 
being now a vice-president, no apology is needed for in¬ 
cluding the portrait of our genial old friend with those of 
the present active officers of the society. He saw the for¬ 
mation of the original Stoke Newington Chrysanthemum 
Society in 1846, commenced growing “Mums” in 
1848, became a member of the society, then a member of 
the committee, then secretary, chairman, and ultimately 
president, an office which he held until last year, with 
honour to himself and to the great advantage of the 
society. In February, 1862, his friends in the society 
presented him with a valuable silver snuff-box, and 
again in April, 1881, his services to the society were 
recognised by the presentation of a very handsome 
illuminated address, which still adorns his drawing¬ 
room at Harlesden Park. In his young days, Mr. 
Sanderson entered very keenly into the competition 
