November 22, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
181 
instruction in planting and pruning, on soils, aspects, 
and manuring ; on the sorts of fruit most profitable for 
growing; on gathering, keeping, and packing; and also 
instruction in jam-making and preserving, and on 
noxious insects and diseases of trees. To do all this 
about £20,000 would be required. The Fruiterers 
Company desired to ask the Lord Mayor to allow them 
to hold a meeting at the Mansion House to bring the 
matter before the public. The Lord Mayor said he 
had listened with great interest to what the Master of 
the Fruiterers Company had said. The subject was 
one with which he, as himself a fruit grower in a small 
way, had been acquainted for many years. There was 
no doubt that those who went in for fruit culture in 
England had to contend with many difficulties, such 
as the variable nature of the climate, the diversities of 
soil, and the general ignorance which prevailed in the 
matter. He would have pleasure in convening and 
presiding over such a meeting as was suggested, and he 
would reserve until then his decision as to raising a 
Mansion House Fund. Sir James Whitehead having 
thanked the Lord Mayor, the deputation withdrew. 
Allotments in Lincolnshire.—At Heckington, near 
Sleaford, on the 13th inst., the allotment tenants on 
the estate of Mr. Charles Sharpe were entertained to 
dinner by their landlord on the occasion of the payment 
of their rents. There was an attendance of nearly 200. 
Mr. Sharpe presided, and said that some of his allot¬ 
ment holders were now applicants for small holdings. 
The great difficulty with regard to them was the 
buildings. About a year ago he erected one for a 
twenty-acre holding, at a cost of £32, and it had proved 
most satisfactory. Several other holders had asked for 
similar buildings, and as the tenants seemed unani¬ 
mously of opinion that the experimental one answered 
the purpose for which it was erected, he intended, as 
soon as he was at liberty, to fit up some more. When 
they first commenced the allotments, they said it was 
the beginning of a new life for the agricultural 
labourer, for it would place him in a position, if he was 
thrifty, industrious, and used ordinary care and judg¬ 
ment, to improve his position. Some of the men who 
had had allotments had mastered the position, and 
they were now able to become small holders by 
increasing their land. There were many landowners in 
that part of the country who sympathised with the 
agricultural labourers, and were most anxious to serve 
,them, and when they saw the means of giving small 
holdings by the erection of buildings, at not too great 
a cost, he felt satisfied that they would grant them. 
He was quite sure that in coming in contact with them, 
Mr. Jesse Collings would, at any rate, see that they had 
done their best to fix upon the soil those who had been 
born upon it, giving them what they wanted in the 
way of land. He believed all of them were satisfied, and 
he could assure them that he was. The system adopted 
had been a great success, in fact, so successful that they 
could not have too many people looking at them so 
that they would give confidence to the possessors of 
land, and show them that they need not fear to 
distribute it amoDgst the -working classes. 
-- 
IN MEMORTAM. 
SHIRLEY HIBBERD. 
We shall all be the poorer for the less of this genial 
friend and gifted comrade in the gentle art. Leaving 
to others to estimate and measure up, if they can, his 
distinguished services to horticulture, I would pay 
grateful tribute to his social and philanthropic labours 
on behalf of gardeners. To see, hear, and converse with 
Shirley Hibberd was like a draught from the crystal 
spring to many hungry and thirsty provincial gardeners. 
He had also in a special degree the rare merit of 
clothing the dry bones of horticultural theory and 
practice with an alluring light and cultured sweetness 
that won and kept for him a wide circle of readers and 
hearers to the last. Peace be to his memory, and may 
hie words and deeds live after him in a race of young 
botanists, gardeners, and writers whose works shall 
show that they have sat at the feet and learned of 
Shirley Hibberd. I). T. Fish, Hardwick House, 
Bury St. Edmunds, Nov. 17th, 1890. 
--- 
THE ROYAL FERN AND ITS 
VARIETIES. 
The Poyai Fern (Osmunda regalia) is one of the most 
distinct and striking of the British Ferns, and is 
popularly known as the Flowering Fern. Notwith¬ 
standing the large number of seedlings that have been 
raised, only one distinct variety has appeared in this 
country—namely O. r. cristata, which has the tip of 
the frond and that of all the pinnae crested. This 
form is also remarkable for its dwarf habit, as it seldom 
exceeds 12 ins. or 18 ins. in height, even out of doors. 
This cresting is carried to a much greater extent in 
O. r. corymbifera, better known in gardens as O. 
japonica corymbifera, an introduction from Japan. 
This is one of the best forms for decorative purposes, 
and in a greenhouse remains green all the winter. The 
same may be said of O. r. palustris, a very graceful 
and slender form from America. The young 
petioles, and indeeedthe whol of the young fronds are of 
a beautiful soft red colour, and when the plant is 
grown in an intermediate house in winter, it continues 
to throw up fronds of this hue all through the winter, 
so that at all times it is a beautiful and most interesting 
Fern. As its name implies, it naturally inhabits moist 
places, and should be plentifully supplied with water 
at all times, particularly w’hen making growth. The 
accompanying illustration represents the typical form 
very much reduced, and gives a very good idea of the 
habit of 0. r. palustris, which is naturally dwarf. 
-- 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
Centenary Festival Banquet. 
This event took place on Thursday evening, November 
13th, at St. Stephen’s Hall. Lord Brooke, M.P., 
president of the society, occupied the chair, and the 
presence of ladies proved to be a very pleasing innova¬ 
tion. The company numbered about 150, and among 
thosewho sat down to dinner were:—Captain the Hon. — 
Greville, Sir Guyer Hunter, M.P., Sir Valter de Souza, 
Major Isaacs, M. P., Lady Bouche, Captain Molesworth, 
T. Lennox Irwin, Esq.,Major Creswell, Shirley Hibberd, 
Esq., K. Ballantine, Esq., E. C. Jukes, Esq., J. R. 
Starling, Esq., E. Sanderson, Esq., H. Jay, Esq., Mr. 
R. Dean (secretary), Mr. and Mrs. Laing, H. Briscoe- 
Ironside, Esq , Mr. James H. Yeitch, Mr. A. Yeiteh, 
Mr. H. Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Harman Payne, Mr. 
Barron, Mr. and Mrs. IVills, Mr. and Mrs. Seagar, Mr. 
Crane, Mr. G. Stevens, Mr. C. Gibson, Mr. E. Molyneux, 
Mr. T. Bevan, A. H. Powell, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. H. J. 
Jones, Mr. T. W. Saunders, Mr. G. Daniels, Norwich, 
Mr. D. P. Laird, Edinburgh, Mr. Glendinning, Mr. and 
Mrs. Cannell, Mrs. Marion Thrower, Tasmania, Mr. 
H. Herbst, Dir. J. Nicholson, Mr. Crute, Mr. Vynne, 
Mr. and Miss Brewer, Mr. and Mrs. Gilson, Mr. and 
Mrs. Vard, Mr. and Miss Waud, Mr. Percy, Mr. 
Needs, Mr. and Mrs. Hayward, Mr. J. R. Chard, Mr. 
G. Gordon, Dir Castle, Dir. Wilkinson, Dir. Cates, &c. 
The large hall was tastefully decorated with choice 
specimens of Chrysanthemums and other flowers, and 
the tout ensemble reflected great credit upon those 
responsible for the arrangements. 
After dinner the usual loyal toasts were proposed and 
duly honoured, and the president next rose, amid 
cheers, to propose the toast of the evening, “The 
National Chrysanthemum Society.” He said he felt 
very much the great honour of occupying the position 
of chairman on that important and interesting occasion. 
It was a matter of very deep regret to him that he was 
unable to be present on the opening day of the show, 
owing to the death of a very old friend, but his wife was 
present, and she was very much pleased with the beau¬ 
tiful exhibits, and the hearty welcome she received from 
all. Yesterday he had the opportunity of going the 
round of the show with Dir. Dean, and he thought 
he had never seen an exhibition of such beautiful 
flowers. It was needless for him to recount the history 
of the Chrysanthemum. It was one which went back 
2,000 years, [and even before that time in China and 
Japan this most charming flower was cultivated. It 
was in Japan looked upon almost as a royal flower, 
because it was, he thought, an emblem of the Dlikados 
of that country. Although it was known so early it 
was not until the year 1790 that the large-flowering 
Chrysanthemum was introduced into England. Since 
that time there had been many growers and lovers of 
the flower who had taken a deep interest in the Chry¬ 
santhemum, and brought it to the perfection in which 
they now saw it. He believed that in 1820 there were 
only about twelve different varieties of the flower, and 
now if they looked through the catalogue of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society they would be 
perfectly astouuded at the number of varieties. The 
Chrysanthemum was a very satisfactory flower which¬ 
ever way it was looked at. If they looked at the 
reverse side there was some lovely colour to enhance the 
beauty of the petals. It was beautiful in every shape 
and form, and many growers in the country had 
brought it to such perfection that it was worthy to 
adorn any palace in the kingdom or in the world, 
and the great merit of the flower was that it could 
be as successfully cultivated by the small as well as the 
great growers. With regard to the exhibitors, of 
course it was not possible for everyone to be successful, 
but the unsuccessful exhibitors knew that by competing 
they stood a chance of being, to use an apt expression, 
“ quite at the top of the tree,” and to occupy such a 
position on an occasion like the present must fill every 
other grower with deepest envy. There had been many 
additons to their ranks since last year. He had the 
honour of taking the chair at their dinner last year. 
The members then numbered 615, but now they had 
increased to 734. It was satisfactory to feel that not 
only the number of growers was increasing, but that 
the number of those who took an interest in the flower 
was also increasing, and he trusted that the show had 
been a benefit, not only to the society, but to the pro¬ 
prietors of the important establishment in which they 
had met. It was only right that it should be so, 
because of the generous manner in which the manage¬ 
ment had met the National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The subject was one that he could dwell on at consider¬ 
able length, as he was very fond of flowers. He could 
not imagine anything more beautiful than the snow- 
white Avalanche or the lovely Stanstead White, and it 
was most pleasing to know that in their efforts to 
cultivate this beautiful flower they had the sympathy 
and support of their fellow countrymen in all parts of 
the world. In conclusion he thanked them for giving 
him the opportunity of occupying that proud position 
that evening, and he felt sure that though the flowers 
they had been exhibiting were fading, the memories of 
the hundredth anniversary of the introduction of the 
flower into this country would be long before they 
faded from their recollection. 
Dir. Shirley Hibberd then proposed the toast, “ To 
the eternal glory of the golden flower that claims and 
obtains the constant homage and service of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society.” He said it was his duty to 
recommend to their favourable consideration the flow er 
that had brought them together that night. He was 
quite incapable of doing so, and it seemed to him the 
wiser course to leave the flower to commend itself, for 
if they were not all of one mind the persuasion of the 
flower would lieal their differences. It seemed to him 
however, that it was impossible that they could be 
otherwise than of one mind on that happy occasion. 
The Chrysanthemum had been cultivated in China for 
more than 3,000 years, probably 5,000 years, and had 
been with us iu England 100 years. He asked them to 
consider, in all that time, how much strength of 
generations of men had been bestowed on that beautiful 
object—their time, their means, their patience, and 
their thoughts by day and by night—and yet they had 
never obtained from it a loaf of bread or a medicine. 
It almost approached the impossible to obtain even a 
walking-stick from the Chrysanthemum. He had seen 
that done, but the stick was of no use. And that 
applied to flowers in general. Our Roses, Dahlias, 
Carnations—they ministered iu no way to our material 
necessities, but they were spiritual food for the soul of 
man, and sustained him amidst his trials. Flowers 
were symbols. Roses were the symbol of strife in the 
dark days of English history ; the Lily was associated 
with the history of France ; then the simple Primrose 
reminded them of the sudden removal from among 
them of a great genius at a time when his country 
needed his wise guidance. But the Chrysanthemum 
was emblematic of all that was pleasant. It came at a 
time of the year when the world was preparing for the 
Christmas festivities. It was essentially a joyous 
flower, it was suitable for the palace, and it was 
suitable for the cottage. Our flowers commemorated 
