October 20 , 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
113 
when additional assistance is needed, as for instance, 
doctors’ bills, accidents, and sudden unforeseen calamities. 
The payment of 6d. a week, or 26s. a year, insures 
10 s. 6d. weekly in case of sickness ; 9 d. weekly, or 
36s. a year, insuring 16s. weekly. Members con¬ 
tributing 26s. yearly to the sick fund pay 2 s. annually 
to the benevolent fund ; those paying 39 s. yearly 
contributing 3s. annually to the above fund ; and all 
pay 2s. 6 d. annually to the management fund. These 
are the whole of the liabilities ; and I may state, as 
showing the very light nature generally of the demands 
on members, that the payments to sick members during 
the present financial year have amounted to £30 11 s. 8 c?., 
this being met by deducting only 2 s. 6 d. from those 
members who contribute 26s. a year, thus leaving 
£1 3s. 6d. of their subscriptions to be added to their 
deposit account. After attaining seventy years of age 
the member ceases to pay into the sick fund at all, 
and he is provided for by the benevolent fund. The 
society has been established twenty-two years, and the 
sum of £4,200 is invested in Consols, and is the 
property of the members, each member’s share being 
debited to him in a separate account. He concluded 
by saying that there could be no question respecting 
the advantages of such a society, and he had great 
pleasure in proposing its continued success. 
In replying, Mr. N. Cole briefly traced the progress 
of the society, and referred to the valuable assistance 
Mr. J. "Wright had rendered in making it so widely 
known, which had led to a large increase in the 
number of members. “ Success to Kindred Societies ” 
was proposed by Mr. H. J. Yeitch, who remarked that 
he was not prepared to furnish the meeting with such 
important statistics as the chairman had done, but he 
could say that he was sure the kindred societies might 
and ought to help one another. As an example he 
stated that within a few months of the death of Mr. 
McElroy, the late secretary of the United Horticultural 
Benefit Society, the committee of the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution was able to place the widow on 
the funds as a pensioner. The toast was associated with 
the names of Mr. Cutler and Mr. G. Deal, who responded. 
The “Honorary Members,” was proposed by Mr. 
Hudson (the treasurer), coupled with the names of Mr. 
J. Laing and Mr. "W". Paul, who replied. Responding 
to the “Health of the Chairman,” proposed by Mr. 
Sherwood, Dr. Hogg observed that his sympathies were 
always with gardeners and gardening. 
In proposing the next toast, “The Trustees, 
Committee, and other Officers of the Society,” Mr. 
J. Wright said the United Horticultural Benefit 
and Provident Society was started by gardeners for 
gardeners, and its directorate consisted wholly of 
gardeners—the trustees, Messrs. G. & J. Wheeler and 
J. George ; the treasurer, Mr. J. Hudson ; and secretary, 
Mr. W. Collins, all being well-to-do members of the 
craft, men of high character, shrewd, practical, business 
men, who had steered a safe course, which was all- 
important. The committee might, and no doubt would, 
have gone ahead faster but for the stringency of the 
rules leaving them practically without an administrative 
fund. The fundamental difference between this and 
ordinary benefit societies was forcibly stated to him a 
few years since by Mr. George Baker, late gardener at 
Coombe Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames, and now of 
Membland Hall, Ivybridge, Devon, to whom the society 
was much indebted for its success, and who was its 
treasurer for many years. “ I have paid,” observed Mr. 
Baker, “ 7 d, a week into the Odd Fellows (or Foresters, 
he forgot which), since I was eighteen years of age, and 
I am now fifty. I had, fortunately, had nothing out in 
that time, and if I go on paying all my life there will be 
£12 at my death.” And then he continued—" I have 
paid Id. a week less into our Gardeners’ society for 
seventeen years, and now have nearly £40 to my credit, 
and if I continue paying as long as I paid into the 
other I shall have £100. This is £100 if alive at 
seventy, against £12 at death, and Id. a week more 
paid for the latter privilege than the former ! 
Mr. J. Wheeler (trustee) and Mr. Chard (committee) 
replied briefly, and Mr. W. Collins (secretary) remarked 
that before the proceedings commenced Dr. Hogg had 
handed him a cheque for £ 10 , and Mr. Sherwood had 
signified his intention of becoming a life member. 
They had now 207 benefit members and thirty 
honorary members, the numbers steadily increasing. 
He mentioned several cases in which the funds had 
been employed with considerable advantage to the 
members or their nominees, and he added that at the 
present time they had no sick members on their list. 
The chairman proposed the health of Mr. H. J. Yeitch, 
their vice-chairman, and Mr. Yeitch, aft°r replying, 
proposed the next toast, “The Health of the Visitors, 
coupled with the name of Mr. Baker, who briefly 
responded. Mr. W. Paul proposed the “ Horticultural 
Press,” which was replied to by Mr. B. Wynne; and Mr. 
Nutting moved that the best thanks of the meeting 
be given to Messrs. Williams, Laing, Cannell, Chard, 
Thomson, and others, who had contributed so liberally 
to the beautiful array of flowers and fruit provided, and 
the proposition was carried with acclamation. Dr. 
Hogg then tendered the thanks of the meeting to Miss 
Mary Belval and her musical friends for their delightful 
contribution to the pleasure of the evening, and the 
proceedings terminated shortly before 10 p.m. 
-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
New Chrysanthemum, Dorei5. 
This is a Japanese variety, of a clear or bright yellow 
colour, and of great merit at this early time of the year for 
this section of the Chrysanthemum. The flower heads 
are about 6 ins. in diameter, having spreading and 
somewhat twisted florets, with revolute margins. It 
was awarded a First Class Certificate by the Floral 
Committee of the National Chrysanthemum Society, at 
the Aquarium, Westminster, on Wednesday, the 10th 
of October. Exhibited by Messrs. W. & G. Drover, 
Fareham, Hants. 
A New Flower Tube. 
Exhibitors will soon be looking out and putting in 
order their stands, boxes and tubes in readiness for the 
coming contests, so that this is an opportune time for 
directing attention to a new form of tube invented and 
patented by Mr. Lindsay, Otterspool Gardens, Liverpool, 
and which the Messrs. Cannell, of Swanley, are bringing 
into public notice. The nature of the invention is 
well shown in the accompanying illustration, and it 
ought to prove a really useful article, inasmuch as that 
Lindsay’s Chrysanthemum Tube. 
in the easiest possible manner a stand of flowers can be 
arranged with the greatest nicety to any desired height. 
September Flowers. 
A week or two since Mr. Francis Mead called attention 
to flowers of Simon Delaux, Mons. Wm. Holmes and 
Mons. Freeman, mentioned in a report of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society’s show of early varieties at the 
Royal Aquarium, and suggested that some specific 
treatment induced these flowers to put in an appearance 
at this period ; but I doubt if there is any special 
treatment by the use of which one could rely upon 
having these varieties in bloom for another September 
show. It is like the “hen and chicken” buds we 
sometimes see—there is no accounting for them. I 
distinctly remember seeing two out of these three 
varieties at the show, and poor samples they were as 
compared with the grand blooms we are now having of 
them. Mons. Wm. Holmes is not a September flower, 
but is to be seen at its best about October 20th. 
It is a plant of a grand colour, and one that should be 
in every collection, however small. Mons. Freeman is 
a very dwarf grower, and blooms about the same time 
as Mons. Wm. Holmes, and it is only by accident that 
these plants come in time for the September show. Mr. 
Geo. Stevens, of Putney, has a lot of both these varieties 
just opening. I would recommend Mr. Mead, if he 
desires a good deep yellow, to secure, at the first oppor¬ 
tunity, plants of the new sport, Mrs. Hawkins, certifi¬ 
cated in September. At that meeting it was pronounced 
by all to be a grand flower .—A Grower. 
Golden La Petite Marie. 
Your correspondent, “A Country Mummer” (p. 83) 
will find the Golden La Petite Marie a most valuable 
addition to early-flowering Chrysanthemums. It is 
similar in all details to the white form from which it 
is a sport, differing only in the colour of the flowers, 
which are of a beautiful golden yellow. Have any of 
your correspondents tried this plant for bedding pur¬ 
poses ? I am sure it would make a first-class subject 
for ribbon borders. With us this season it was in 
flower before the Calceolarias, and has been covered 
with bloom ever since. The heavy rains seemed to 
have no effect upon it, whereas the Calceolarias pre¬ 
sented a miserable appearance. We find La Petite 
Marie to lift well from the open, and we get stronger 
cuttings from them than from those grown on in pots. 
Hermine is another miniature variety, of recent intro¬ 
duction. It is very similar to the La Petite Marie, 
but of a purer white ; it is very early and free. I 
enclose you some blooms of the golden La Petite Marie, 
which have withstood several hard frosts—on one 
occasion 10°.— J. C. B., Kelso. 
Propagating the Early Varieties. 
Will you allow me to ask Mr. Witty through your 
columns if he will oblige me by saying what month he 
takes cuttings of Simon Delaux and Lyon to have them in 
bloom in September 1 I can never get them in flower 
till the end of October, and should be so very glad to 
have them earlier. The early Chrysanthemums are 
such great favourites of mine that I want all the best 
ones I can obtain, as they make the garden gay when 
other flowers are over, and the cut blooms last so long 
in water.— L. H. 
La Petite Marie. 
Your correspondent, “ A Country Mummer,” complains 
that his cuttings of this variety are always very small, 
but it is the nature of the sort; still, with a little care 
these small cuttings will make good plants without 
putting five in a pot. My plan is to lift a few plants 
from the border when they have finished blooming, 
and, as a rule, I have succeeded in getting better 
cuttings than when I bloomed them in 48-size pots in 
the house ; and as there are plenty of other good things 
for indoor decoration at the time this plant is in 
bloom, I only use them for the borders. I have never 
tried lifting them when in bloom, but I doubt if 
they would suffer much if lifted when in bud, and 
treated in the same manner as many thousands of 
plants are treated that are sold in 48-size pots 
in our London markets Although I say in the same 
manner, I would add, but a trifle more kindly than 
market plants. The only variety as diminutive as this 
plant is the sport Golden La Petite Marie. If your 
correspondent wants a good yellow summer bloomer let 
him try Golden Fleece; it is a bright yellow, growing 
about 2 ft. high, and blooms out in the open from July 
until the frost cuts it down. Flora is also a very useful 
free yellow, but it is not early. This is one of the 
unfortunate class with three names, viz., Flora, Late 
Flora, and Yellow Perfection.— Practical. 
Both this, which is pure white, and the Yellow Petite 
Marie should always be grown where summer and 
early autumn-flowering Chrysanthemums are cultivated, 
whether for pot-work solely or for growing out of doors 
as well. Indeed, for the latter purpose it is admirably 
adapted, although some complain of its being difficult 
to grow. It succeeds very well with Messrs. R. B. 
Laird & Sons, at their Pinkhill Nursery, Edinburgh, 
where a quantity of it is planted in an open border 
every season. Last year with the dry weather the two 
kinds formed one sheet of white and yellow bloom 
respectively, while the stems did not exceed 6 ins. in 
height. With the wet of the past summer they have 
grown 6 ins. or 8 ins. high ; but were flowering equally 
profusely on the occasion of our recent visit. — F. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The Floral Committee at the Aquarium on Wednesday, 
October 10th, had a very easy time of it. Only one 
Certificate was awarded, the fortunate flower being a 
bright yellow Japanese, with slightly drooping florets, 
named Doree ; the blooms shown by Messrs. W. & G. 
Drover, although somewhat early, have the making of a 
good flower, and I shall hope to see it on the exhibition 
board next year. "We can always do with good yellow 
flowers. Mr. Molyneux sent for inspection two grand 
flowers of Edwin Molyneux, confirming the Certificate 
awarded this excellent addition to our list of top-row 
Japs. Mr. R. Owen, of Maidenhead, exhibited a board 
of new varieties, amongst them being M. Leveque, 
said to be a sport from James Salter of a somewhat 
darker shade, with straight broad petals ; Sam Hen- 
shaw, very similar toM. Freeman ; and a new incurved 
named George Addison, sent out by Mons. Reydellet, a 
small compact flower after the style of Lady Talfourd, 
but somewhat darker in colour. 
At the general meeting of the society, held on 
Monday last, the business was light. No less than 
sixty-one new members and two Fellows were elected, 
bringing the total roll up to 573. The secretary 
reported that £70 had been paid for prizes at the 
September show. Mr. C. H. Payne, hon. secretary of 
the Catalogue Committee, reported to the meeting 
upon the work which was now in the hands of the 
members, and a resolution, proposed by Mr. Holmes, 
was unanimously carried, expressing to Mr. C. H. 
Payne, Mr. George Gordon, and Mr. Lewis Castle the 
thanks of the society for the very able way in which 
they had turned out the 1888 Catalogue, and awarding 
to each of those gentlemen a Silver Medal, suitably 
inscribed with the thanks of the society. 
