July 27, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
759 
single out any two more than others as having worked, 
hard in this matter, he would mention Mr. Deal and 
Mr. Barron. He thought they—the subscribers—had 
struck a chord which had resounded in the heart of 
every man interested in the rising generation. Gar¬ 
deners, like other men, had wives and families, and, 
like other men, they some time or other met with mis¬ 
fortune, and it must gladden their hearts to know that 
there was a fund from which their children, if they were 
unfortunately bereft of the assistance of their parents, 
might obtain sufficient to enable them to live. They 
would gladly increase the number of recipients of the 
fund, and they trusted that from year to year that 
would be done by the committee. Now, it was hardly 
necessary or desirable that he should point out to them 
who knew more about it than he did, how much 
devolved upon the gardeners. His charming neigh¬ 
bour to his left (Mr. Shirley Hibberd) told him that 
half an hour before he had begun a discussion with 
someone on beauty. “What is beauty?” was the 
point which he and his neighbours considered. He 
agreed that if they were to pursue the discussion, 
not only would the remainder of the evening not suffice, 
but the remainder of the week would be inadequate for 
it. So far as it went he might say that if there was 
any profession which promoted and increased the love 
of beauty, the admiration of everything that was 
beautiful, it was the gardeners’ profession, because 
any man who devoted himself to any particular 
branch of the profession was quite sure to find 
out things which in themselves had new beauties 
which he could appreciate. Mr. Shirley Hibberd, for 
instance, had worked hard for years at the cultivation 
of Ivy. When he told them that there were a hun¬ 
dred varieties, and that recently Mr. Shirley Hibberd 
had discovered a Golden Ivy, he thought they 
would see that even with that neglected plant 
there was very much to be done. Why he had 
mentioned that was this, he thought that every gar¬ 
dener ought more or less to strike out if possible a 
particular line for himself, because it was evident they 
had not come to the end of the knowledge which was 
to be obtained with regard to the many varieties of 
plants and fruit with which they had to deal. He 
was quite satisfied that if each one of them would make 
up his mind to devote himself to one particular point, 
in the end he might obtain very useful information and 
most satisfactory results. He could give many examples 
of this, because they all knew that fresh varieties of 
fruit, for instance, had been produced by working 
gardeners, and many other things might be found out 
if they devoted their attention to a particular branch 
of industry. No man ought to consider himself too 
low to improve the profession to which he belonged. 
Perhaps they would say that had very little to do with 
the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. But it had to do with it 
in this way. It was obvious that if a man had 
originality and enterprise, that the possibility was that 
by finding out something he would improve his own 
position, and then instead of running the risk when he 
died of having his children thrown upon the Orphan 
Fund he would probably be a large contributor to the 
fund himself. That was an important matter, and it 
w T as for this reason that he had mentioned it. It was 
quite certain that they had shown by their attendance 
there their interest in this fund. They knew as well 
as he did the advantages which it offered to those 
placed upon it, and they ought to do all in their power 
to encourage the committee in the useful work which 
they had undertaken. It was with these views and 
these sentiments that he proposed to them “ Success to 
the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.” 
Mr. G. Deal, in responding, said that as spokesman 
of the committee of the institution, he returned Sir 
Julian and those present the warmest thanks for the 
manner in which the toast had been proposed and 
received. With regard to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, 
he was delighted to inform them that their success for 
the past year had exceeded even that of the previous 
year. It was predicted that the fund, having been 
established as a Jubilee fund, they might expect that 
the first year their contributions would exceed those 
that would follow. He was delighted to inform them 
that the very contrary had been the case. They had 
touched the spring of love in the hearts of gardeners 
towards the orphan. It seemed to him that in 1887-8 
they had only sown a seed that was to bring forth 
greater, better, riper fruit in the year 1889. In the 
twelve months, 1888-9, they had had contributions 
exceeding those of the fifteen months of 1887-8. He 
took that as a great evidence of the fact that the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund was thought to be a desirable 
institution, and that they were anxious to do their 
duty to the orphans of the less fortunate members of 
their fraternity. On behalf of the committee, he 
thanked the subscribers for the splendid manner in 
which they had come forward and contributed. 
Although he agreed with the suggestion of their distin¬ 
guished chairman, that it would be well to establish a 
fund of £10,000, he thought there was such a future 
in store for the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, as would 
justify them in electing a larger number of children 
annually upon a smaller sum. The case was different 
to that of an insurance office, where they hardly knew 
the length of time to which some people might live. 
In the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund there was the limit of 
age of fourteen years, and, therefore, the committee 
were in hopes that even with the present influx of 
capital, they might at some future time be able to 
elect a greater number of children pro rata, than they 
had hitherto done. If similar success awaited them in 
the future to that which had attended them in the 
past, then they had a splendid future before them. 
The tree which they had planted in the Jubilee year 
would, by-and-bye, shed forth large branches, and take 
under its shelter the orphans of gardeners who had 
borne the heat of the day. He now had to propose a 
toast which he was sure would meet with a hearty 
reception. It was the health of their president, Sir 
Julian Goldsmid. To him they were deeply indebted 
for the success of that movement, and he thought they 
were particularly fortunate in having so able and so 
distinguished a president. He wished to embellish the 
toast with a little feminine adornment. It had been 
their good fortune, by the generosity of the Duke of 
Bedford, backed up by the Covent Garden growers and 
standholders, to hold floral fetes in aid of the insti¬ 
tution, and the great magnet of attraction there was 
Lady Goldsmid. He hoped they might have her 
presence on many future occasions, and as they were 
so much indebted to her for her interest in the fete, 
he begged to couple her name with the toast. 
The Chairman briefly returned thanks, and said that 
Lady Goldsmid was very glad indeed to attend the 
floral fete. He had great pleasure in attending that 
dinner, and he was most grateful for the kindly way in 
which they had received the toast. 
Mr. Veitch proposed “ Gardeners and Gardening.” 
He said he was pleased to see such a numerous company, 
and he thought it augured well for the future of the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. In asking them to drink 
this toast he had the pleasure of coupling with it the 
name of Mr. D. T. Fish, than whom no one was better 
known, and no one could be selected more representative 
of the gardening fraternity of Great Britain. The only 
point that he would speak about was the liberality with 
which gardeners had come forward in support of the 
fund. They saw by the list of children elected last 
year that no fewer than ten candidates were placed on 
the list, in addition to one who was put on in 
connection with the Sherwood trust. That spoke 
volumes for the success of the institution. To-day they 
had the satisfaction of putting on five more in the 
regular way, and another one in consequence of the 
munificent donation of the Duke of Bedford, but 
that made only six as against eleven last year. 
He did not like to see the number less than last year. 
He thought that Mr. Sherwood had given them a lead 
which should be followed. He was anxious to follow 
his friend Mr. Sherwood on certain conditions. He 
found from the chairman of the committee, Mr. Deal, 
that £100 would put a child on the list, and keep him 
until fourteen years of age, and if those present would 
find £100 to put on a candidate, he would find £100 
to put on another candidate. They could not afford to 
let too many orphans be waiting for their generosity. 
They had elected six that day, and they had eight who 
were not elected. When would their next election be ? 
They could not tell at present, therefore he asked them 
earnestly to provide the £100, on condition of which he 
would provide £100 himself within three months from 
that time. He knew they were gardeners to whom 
every shilling was of consequence ; at the same time he 
urged them to make a special effort in this matter. He 
thought they might congratulate themselves that, 
considering their position in the world, there was no 
more liberal body of men in existence than gardeners 
were, and what they had done in the past justified the 
statement. 
The President said he trusted they would support 
Mr. Veitch. It would be -well for them to get another 
£100, and towards that he proposed himself to send 
to Mr. Deal the sum of £25. He apologised for having 
to leave to fulfil another engagement, and asked Mr. 
Shirley Hibberd to take his place. 
Sir Julian Goldsmid then left the room amidst cheers, 
and the chair for the remainder of the evening was 
occupied by Mr. Shirley Hibberd, who, on taking this 
position, said they had lost a good shilling and had got 
a bad sixpence. He should get out of the difficulty by 
asking Mr. Fish to illuminate them—to bring some 
phosphorescence from the sea. 
Mr. Fish then rose to respond to the toast. He said 
the report which they had heard of their progress had 
been a most cheering one. He thanked Mr. Veitch 
for associating his name with the toast, which he 
considered almost the toast of the evening. They 
knew how humble the gardeners of England were. It 
could not be otherwise. No man could have sat at 
the feet of Nature for the number of years that he had 
and not have learnt the first lesson which it taught— 
that of humility. He was reminded before he came to 
London that it was a curious place, and they would be 
able to tell him whether it was true or not ; but it was 
said that one of the first effects of London was to melt 
down all individual cleverness into one great lump of 
cleverness. He believed there was a good deal of 
cleverness there that night, but he did not think that 
London had had the effect which was attributed to it in 
their case. They certainly had had one distinguished 
lump of cleverness, and something better—of goodness 
-—in their chairman who had just left. There was a 
good deal of originality about gardeners, who were 
never content with their present attainments. They 
were always reaching forth to something better. He 
was much pleased with the suggestion of Sir Julian 
that each one should strike out some new path as the 
way to pleasure and wealth. Now he (the speaker) 
had been trying to strike out new paths all his life. 
They had led to a great deal of pleasure, interest, 
enjoyment, and happiness, but the one thing they had 
not led to yet was wealth. The fact was, gardeners 
had to take their wages in beauty. That was one of 
the chief reasons why they wanted this Orphan Fund. 
It was because, work as they would, do what they 
might, improve their business and themselves as they 
would, the one thing, wealth, was not attained. One 
thing, however, they had accomplished. In starting 
their Orphan Fund they had succeeded in linking 
beauty with beneficence. It used to be said that time 
and tide wait for no man, but in Covent Garden 
Market the power of their little orphans had been such 
that they had succeeded in arresting the progress of 
beauty from the producers to the consumers just long 
enough to allow them to get £200 out of it. Beauty, 
like mercy, was twice—aye, many times—blessed. The 
plants were more beautiful and the flowers more 
beautiful and fragrant after they had exacted contri¬ 
butions for their helpless orphans. Up and down the 
country their example with reference to the floral 
fete was being followed. If there were any who were 
hesitating as to whether they should follow the example 
of the president, he begged of them not to hesitate any 
longer, but to make a strong effort on behalf of their 
orphans, and in due time they would be sure to meet 
with their reward. He could not sit down without 
saying a word or two about gardeners and gardening. 
Gardeners found the earth a wilderness, and they were 
fast making it a Garden of Eden. With reference to 
the future of gardening, he contended that it had no 
limits and no bounds. Talk about finality, they knew 
nothing of it in horticulture. Gardeners who had done 
most were the readiest to tell them that they seemed 
like little children picking up pebbles on the sand 
while the great ocean of truth lay all unexplored. 
With the knowledge which their horticultural press 
was spreading broadcast around them they could not 
now have any stupid gardeners. He feared that their 
brothers of the knife and spade would be entirely driven 
off the course by their brothers of the pen ; they were 
so wise and far-seeing, they could do the work so easily 
on paper. He himself found it much easier to garden 
on paper than at his own home. He believed there 
was a great future before gardeners, and they were 
only just beginning the great art of horticulture. 
Mr. A. Dean proposed “The Vice-Presidents, 
Trustees and Auditors.” He said that one of the 
speakers had referred to the eight children who had 
been elected to the benefits of the Orphan Fund, and 
he (Mr. Dean) had thought of the feeling of disappoint¬ 
ment that would be experienced by unsuccessful candi¬ 
dates. Mr. Veitch had made a magnificent lead, and 
could not the other sixteen gentlemen who were 
associated with him, and included in the toast, make 
up the other £100 ? The President had also made a 
generous offer, and he trusted that others would follow 
his example. 
Dr. Masters, who acknowledged the toast, said that 
from a list placed in his hands there had already been 
