October 26, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
125 
perfectly free from all sediment. In watering, enough 
of this solution may be put in the water to colour it 
a light black, as, when given too strong, its effects 
are seen in blotched, disfigured leaves. 
■ - - 
UNITED HORTICULTURAL BENEFIT 
AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
The ninth Anniversary Dinner of this society was 
held at the Cannon Street Hotel on the 17th inst. 
James H. Veitch, Esq., presiding. All branches and 
departments of gardening were represented, some¬ 
thing like 109 of the members and their friends 
sitting down to table, so that altogether the re-union 
was a hearty and influential one. Dinner over the 
usual loyal toasts were rendered, after which Mr. 
Veitch, who was received with prolonged cheering, 
rose to propose “ The United Horticultural Benefit 
and Provident Society ” and spoke as follows :— 
" I do not purpose to¬ 
night to weary you with 
figures, nor to enter fully 
into the benefits to which 
members of this society 
are entitled, as probably 
most of you are better ac¬ 
quainted with them than I 
am ; but there are one or 
two points I would like to 
mention if you will give 
me your attention for a 
few moments. First, and 
most important of these, is 
the welcome news—news 
which, till this moment, 
has not generally been 
made known, though it 
came into force on July 
1st, and news of which I 
would beg all who are in¬ 
terested in the welfare of 
the society to take special 
note, that the committee 
have very recently felt 
themselves in a position to 
raise the weekly allowance 
in case of sickness ; thus, 
those who contribute on 
the lower scale will in 
future, should need arise, 
receive weekly 12s . instead 
of 10s. 6d., and those on 
the higher, 18s. instead of 
16s. (Applause). Striking 
indeed is this in view of 
last winter’s heavy sick 
list, due in part to the 
severe weather, and in 
part to the then prevalent 
epidemic of influenza ; but 
more especially is it note¬ 
worthy in face of the fact, 
well known to the officials 
of this society, that such 
great institutions as the 
Foresters have had to 
raise the subscriptions to 
their benefit fund, though 
allowing no more in case 
of sickness than this 
society. That the funds 
are sufficiently strong to 
permit of the weekly allowance in case of sick¬ 
ness being raised without raising the subscription 
there is no doubt—never has the society’s condition 
been so satisfactory as at the present time—the 
invested funds in trustees' stocks now standing at 
£10,300 (though I am told their market value to-day 
is close on £11,000) showing an increase of £600 on 
ths last balance-sheet. (Cheers.) For the past 
three years the investments have increased at the 
rate of £1,000 per annum. (Cheers.) Whereas but 
only ten years since, when the sum of £300 was 
invested, the members and officials of the society 
congratulated themselves on having invested more 
in that year than in any previous one. 
“ The cause of the funds permitting, as they un¬ 
doubtedly do, of this great move is to a large extent 
due to the few cases of illness the healthiest of all 
callings provides, and to the fact that the majority 
of members are in permanent work, and do not come 
on the sick fund when ill for only a few days, an 
advantage less felt by other benefit societies, as the 
system of work by the hour becomes more and more 
common ; in which case, of course, pay is stopped 
immediately the work is left, no matter for how 
short a time, and the member must in most cases 
at once seek the assistance of his society. 
“ On the necessity for thrift in general, and the 
strong advisability of joining such a benefit and 
provident society as this when young, it would be 
easy to dwell, and much might be said in particular 
on the necessity of thrift for the young men and fore¬ 
men in the bothies of the large gardens of this 
country, more especially as the occupation they have 
chosen has suffered so much, and is still suffering, 
through recent years of depression, and through the 
very large number who are continually entering its 
ranks. Travelling lately in various parts of 
this country I could not help being struck by 
the number of foremen capable in every way of 
Mr. James H. Veitch. 
taking head places, and who, even with strong 
influence to assist them, fail to obtain the much- 
coveted post. Some have been waiting for years, 
and are apparently as far off to-day as ever from 
attaining their wish. Of the right age, with ample 
experience, good characters, and with the very best 
intentions, they must see how difficult it is in the hey¬ 
day of their youth and strength to provide even for 
the immediate future, and they may rely, should 
fortune not always favour them, or should they, 
through any one of many possible circumstances, 
get thrown out late in life, it will be far harder. 
" To such would I especially recommend the Bene¬ 
fit and Provident Society. The younger one joins, the 
sooner a large deposit is acquired, and the sooner 
one will find oneself in the position of certain mem¬ 
bers at present, whose interest on their deposit is 
greater than the amount annually paid in subscrip¬ 
tions. Of its security and successful future they 
may feel assured ; and even now, despite an average 
loss per annum of thirty members, due to death and 
to some who allow their payments to lapse, the 
joining members average sixty—a net gain of 
thirty new members per annum. Not sufficiently 
well known perhaps is one very important rule— 
viz., that by which a member on attaining the age of 
seventy, when he ceases to participate in the benefits 
of the sick fund, may annually draw a portion of his 
balance (which at that age must necessarily be 
large), and at'the same time be qualified for assist¬ 
ance from the benevolent fund, should he require it. 
It is true no member has as yet availed himself of 
this rule, the reason probably being the society 
has only just existed long enough for it to be 
possible. 
“ Peculiar to this society, and undoubtedly of great 
value, is the convalescent fund, a fund which owes 
its existence to the foresight and generosity of Mr. 
Sherwood (Cheers). This fund is purely a 
voluntary one, and it is at 
the disposal of the com¬ 
mittee to send away for 
a time any member who 
may have been so prostra¬ 
ted by illness as to render 
a change imperative, but 
who may not have the 
wherewithal needful. To 
generous friends, and to 
those who are enjoying a 
larger share of the good 
things of this world than 
falls to all of us, I would 
venture to ask something 
more than a kindly 
thought for this fund when 
the United Horticultural 
Benefit and Provident 
Society next comes upper¬ 
most in their minds. 
“These, gentlemen, are 
the points especially 
worthy of notice. Most of 
us here, and certainly 
those interested in the 
three great bodies for do¬ 
ing good connected with 
our calling, are aware of 
the use this society must 
be to any member in case 
of illness, but to our visi¬ 
tors I would say, for a 
moderate monthly pay¬ 
ment he receives a liberal 
weekly allowance during 
sickness ; for no payment 
at all he may, if a fit sub¬ 
ject in the opinion of the 
committee, participate in 
the convalescent fund. 
Should he in his old age 
be wanting, the benevolent 
fund is at his service; 
and last, but not least, for 
in this point the society 
differs from others of its 
kind, he does not lose his 
deposit should his pay- 
mentj unfortunately lapse, 
and he at the age of yo t 
or in case of death anyone 
he may have named, may 
withdraw the full sum with the interest placed to 
his credit up to the time he ceased subscribing, with¬ 
out any deductions whatsoever (Cheers). 
“ Gentlemen, I have done. Briefly I have tried to 
lay before you a few important points about this 
splendid society, and will now ask you to drink with 
all cordiality to its continued and rapid success ” 
(Prolonged cheers). 
Mr. N. Cole responded to the toast proposed by 
Mr. Veitch, and said that all of those present would 
be gratified with the announcement made by the 
chairman concerning the raising of the weekly 
allowance to members on the sick list. He hoped 
that the Press would report the chairman's speech, 
so that it might be read in all corners of the land. 
Gardeners helped to make the world more produc¬ 
tive, beautiful, and better for the community gener¬ 
ally, and they deserved to be cared for by such an 
organisation as that assembled, when evil times and 
