256 
December 2G, i39L 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
can be thus effectively demonstrated. 
Our best pi irate schools of horticulture 
are found in good class private gardens in 
nuiscries, and in tiie muket plant, fruit, 
and vegetable gardens. These, however, 
arc accessible only to the few, and only 
a'so to bona-fide workers. But in the 
majority of cases, so far as County Council 
efforts at technical instructionareconcerned, 
the students or auditors at least have oppor¬ 
tunities to put the theories taught them 
in the lecture room into practice, more or 
less, in their small plots of ground. 
It may be said that we do not want a 
nation of gardeners, and that is so in the 
same way that we do not want the nation 
to be entirely dependent upon any other 
vocation. But it does happen that there 
is no trade which can be followed as a mere 
partial recreation with such exceeding 
pleasure and benefit to all as gardening. 
Therefore, although a nation of professional 
gardeners is not desired, we do wish to 
see the nation attached to gardening as a 
recreation and having concerning it good 
practical knowledge. To produce that 
result the efforts now being put forth will 
largely help. 
he Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution.— In a recent issue we 
pleaded the cause of the Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund, and now ask further for the kindly 
consideration of our readers at this Christ¬ 
mas season for the much older institution, 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent. The 
one provides for children, the other for 
those of our profession who, having gone 
through many years ofoften hardprobation, 
are now getting into the sere and yellow 
leaf of life, and in some instances to a 
condition of second childishness. 
The next annual election of pensioners 
on the Benevolent fund takes place early 
in the new year, and it would seem that 
out of a list of no less than thirty-five 
applicants or candidates for help in their 
old age only thirteen can be elected. That 
will leave twenty-two out in the cold very 
literally, and to suffer the pangs of dis¬ 
appointment. Probably some know before¬ 
hand that their success on first asking is 
very doubtful. But it is not so easy in 
some cases to be assured that really the 
most meritorious applicants will be suc¬ 
cessful now. Certainly six out of the 
thirteen come on the fund by right, having 
been subscribers for a certain number of 
years. That is a matter of such importance 
that it seems to be a pity far more of those 
who maj' be looking forward to benefiting 
from the Institution do not place themselves 
in the same position. 
Possibly the payment of one guinea per 
annum to entitle them to that privilege or 
right, proves to be too exacting, and per¬ 
haps it would be far more readily met were 
it possible to make the payment of such 
annual subscription by instalments either 
quarterly or half yearly. Did a very much 
larger number of those who eventually may 
desire to become annuitants also become 
subscribers, then very much more encour¬ 
agement would be given to honorary sub- 
cribers to help whilst some effort at self- 
help was shown. However, we do earnestly 
hope that at this Christmas season the 
claims of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution will receive hearty consider¬ 
ation. 
hristmas Products. — Somehow, no 
matter the time of the year, we seem 
always to have in our markets and shops 
some description of garden produce, while 
even though Christmas falls in mid-winter 
it would seem as if the supplies were almost 
unlimited. Let ustake flowers for instance, 
and See what is now on offer in almost 
plenty. Chrysanthemums, a wealth, 
Camellias, Gardenias,Eucharis, Carflatioris, 
Hyacinths, forced Lilac, Narcissi, Christ¬ 
mas Roses, Tea Roses, Violets, Orchids, 
and man)' other things. To this list may 
be added plants in pots, both flowering and 
foliage in great abundance, with Holly and 
Mistleto, and evergreen branches in pro¬ 
fusion. Such are some of the elements 
gardening produces for Christmas delec¬ 
tation. 
Then of fruit we have Apples, Pears, 
Grapes, Pines, Tomatos, Nuts, &c., for if 
of these the supply now is limited yet there 
seems to be a profusion none the less, and 
what may be our deficiencies other and 
more favoured countries make up. We 
have now a wondrous wealth of fruit sent 
us from all parts of the world, all mostly 
green and dried, and thus it happens that 
even at Christmas the shops and markets 
literally reek with abundance, and the 
purchasers are in a comparative state 
of bewilderment as to what to purchase. 
There is no lack of vegetables either, of 
those which are ordinarily in season. 
Potatos, Coleworts, Cabbages, Turnips, 
Carrots, Spinach, Celery, Endive, Lettuce, 
&c., are plentiful, and forced or from 
abroad come Dwarf Beans, Tomatos, 
Cucumbers, Mushrooms, &c. 
The aspect of our garden produce mar¬ 
kets and shops at this festive season may 
well make us proud, not merely of national 
but of international Horticulture. Still 
we could wish that far more of material 
could be produced at home. Some day 
perhaps we shall materially expand our 
insular capacities, but for the time of year 
it is too evident that such capacities must 
chiefly be artificial. 
/)'hristmas 1891.—We offer to all our 
^ readers very hearty Christmas good¬ 
will and kind wishes. The usual holiday 
and festive season comes to us at the close 
of the year, and at a time when nature at 
least is most restful. It is at a time when, 
even better than at any other period of the 
year, men may rest from their labours, even 
if for ever so short a time, for soon the sun 
of the new year will rise, the days of the 
coming season will expand, and once more 
work, hard work, will be the order of the day. 
It would seem as if we were to have a 
cold, frosty Christmas time, but between 
the period of writing and publication there 
is plenty of time for a change. Frost 
may be transformed into rain, or the 
present lower temperature may become 
soft and mild. Generally we believe a dry, 
cold Christmas time is the most acceptable. 
All who wish to enjoy the festival can 
certainly do so better when it is some¬ 
what frosty than when it is mild and 
wet. We have had so much of rain during 
the year that it would be no matter for 
surprise if the year should go out moist. 
Gladly, however, will we wish to see a 
long truce to the rainfall, as for some time 
to come our needs have been more than 
satisfied. 
Christmas time to gardeners comes 
very much as a resting place in the long 
journey of life. There is very little of rest it 
is true, indeed with many of the craft there 
is really no cessation from toil, because 
artificial growth is created even when 
nature is most at rest. Still it is generally 
a restful time, and for that reason is heartily 
welcome ; very soon after comes the usual 
annual movement in vegetation, the spring 
and summer cycles soon follow, and we are 
again right into the thick of the work 
almost before it is conceivable. Well may 
we wish to make the most of the Christmas 
rest and holiday, for it is after all short and 
fleeting, just as it where a temporary 
stoppage of the mill wheel, and then again, 
if will commence iislong revolution. May 
the rest time be a pleasurable one to all 
readers, may it be the precursor of a bright 
prosperous new year, and therefore again 
most heartily do we wish for all our friends 
a happy Christmas. 
The Parks Appointment.— We understand that the 
question of appointing a superintendent for the 
London Parks, has been shelved for the present, the 
General Purposes Committee of the County Council 
having postponed further consideration of the subject 
for an indefinite period. 
Mr. William Leith, a late foreman to Mr. Lambert, 
at Onslow Hall, succeeds Mr. Townsend, as gardener 
t° T. R. Greatorex, Esq., Mytton Hall, Shrewsbury. 
Mr. James Whitehead, Barming House, Maidstone, 
has been nominated by the council of the Royal 
Agricultural Society as its representative on the pro¬ 
visional committee for organising the Great Inter¬ 
national Fruit Show of next year. 
Mr. A. Porteus has been engaged to succeed Mr. A. 
Wright as gardener to E. H. Watts, Esq., Devonhurst 
Chiswick. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.— The 
annual general meeting of the subscribers to this 
institution will take place at ” Simpson’s,” 101 
Strand, on Friday, January 15th, at 3 p.m. An elec¬ 
tion of seven pensioners will take place the same 
afternoon. At 6 p.m. the annual Friendly Dinner 
will take place, and those who intend to be present 
should make early application for tickets (7s. 6d. 
each) to Mr. G. J. Ingram, 50, Parliament Street, 
S.W. 
Ealing Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society.— 
At the weekly meeting of members on the 15th inst., 
Mr. G. Cannon presiding, the paper read was on 
the subject of “Villa Gardening,” being the first prize 
essay by Mr. A. Pentney, foreman at Hanger Hill 
House, in the competition originated by the late Mr. 
J. Thornhill Harrison. A number of interesting 
plants were exhibited by' various members. 
Veitch Memorial Prizes.—At a meeting of the 
Trustees of the Veitch Memorial Fund held on the 
18th inst. it was decided to offer Veitch Memorial 
medals and prizes for the year 1892 as follows :—At 
the Temple show of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
on May 27, a medal and prize of ^5 for the best six 
hardwooded greenhouse plants in bloom. At the 
special exhibition of Orchids at the Royal Botanic 
Gardens at Manchester, to be held in June, a medal 
and prize of £5 for the best hybrid Orchid already 
in commerce; and a medal and prize of £5 for 
the best hybrid Orchid in bloom not in commerce. 
These medals and prizes can be competed for by 
amateurs and their gardeners only. It was also 
decided to award a silver medal to Mr. William 
Watson, of Kew, and a similar medal to Mr. John 
Heal, of the Royal Exotic Nursery', Chelsea, as a 
recognition of their skill as hybridisers and culti¬ 
vators. 
The Queen and Horticulture.—The gold medal of 
the Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society of 
Manchester having been awarded to her Majesty 
the Queen for her exhibition of fruit at the recent 
show in that city, Mr. Bruce Findlay, the secretary 
of the society, recently proceeded to Windsor Castle 
and presented the gold medal, of which he in 
acknowledgment has received the following letter:— 
“ Windsor Castle, December 16, 1S91. Sir,—I am 
commanded by the Queen to convey to the members 
of the Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society of 
Manchester the expression of her Majesty’s thanks 
for the gold medal which the society has awarded to 
her for the fruit exhibited by her Majesty on the occa¬ 
sion of the last exhibition there, and to express her 
Majesty’s satisfaction that the Apples and Pears sent 
from the Royal gardens should have been so highly 
approved of by the society.—Believe me, y’ours 
faithfully', J. C. Cowell. Bruce Findlay, Esq, 
Secretary' of the Royal Botanical and Horticultural 
Society of Manchester.” 
A Potting Competition.—A somewhat novel com¬ 
petition took place recently' in the Madison Square 
Garden, New York. Three prizes were offered for 
the greatest number of plants potted in a workman¬ 
like manner in one hour. The “ plants ” were really 
Arbor vitae cuttings, and the pots used were 2-in. of 
