March 21, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
465 
niggardly with the water supply. Tulips want plenty 
of water at the root, and any failure on the part of 
the cultivator to attend to this requirement is sure 
to cause the flowers to come weakly and the 
segments to be thin and flimsy in texture. If you 
have any later batches this hint may be of service. 
- .|-- 
CATTLEYA REX. 
The first importation of this grand Cattleya will 
still be fresh in the minds of all concerned ; and it is 
matter for much satisfaction that the supply is 
not yet exhausted, for there are many collections 
which do not contain it. The species was known to 
M. J. Linden about fifty-five years ago, but it was 
not till the end of 1890 that it reached Europe alive- 
Thirty years after its first discovery it was again 
found by Wallis, who failed to send living specimens 
to Europe. Twenty years later one of the collectors 
of Messrs. Linden, L’Horticulture Internationale, 
Parc Leopold, Brussels, was more successful, as most 
Orchid growers are now aware. Its native home is 
one of the least accessible in South America, and the 
journey to obtain it had to be made across mountains 
and rugged rocks, sometimes cut vertically and almost 
impassable. In many cases both plants and 
collectors had to be carried on the backs of Indians. 
No more than thirty plants of this Cattleya have 
ever been found in one place, so that this fact alone 
and the difficulty of transporting the plants will 
sufficiently explain the scarcity of the species in 
European collections. 
On Thursday, the 19th inst., Messrs. Linden had a 
selected lot of established but unflowered specimens 
of this splendid Cattleya on sale in the great rooms 
of Mr. J. C. Stevens, 38, King Street, Covent 
Garden. There is always a chance of getting some¬ 
thing good, for the flowers vary in the purity of white 
sepals and petals and the intensity of the orange and 
crimson of the lip. Another writer says that the 
“purple combined with gold is modified into a 
crimson of the hue of Spanish wine, and the 
marblings and the veins are of exquisite elegance.” 
A coloured plate in the Lindenia PI. 265, represents 
the beauty of a Cattleya which will long remain a 
desirable addition to many collections. 
Along with the above were recent importations of 
Cattleya labiata (Syn. C. warocqueana), Coelogyne 
virginale, Miltonia moreliana atropurpurea, the 
beautiful Burlingtonia Lindeni, Odontoglossum 
vexillarium of Messrs. Linden’s fine type, and some 
unflowered Cattleyas, supposed to be natural hybrids. 
As they came from the same district from whence 
C. hardyana LindeDi, C. h. Luciani, C. h. Dalle- 
magni and others were obtained, the chances are that 
something very good may turn up amongst them 
when they come into bloom. 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT 
INSTITUTION. 
A public meeting vas held on Wednesday, the 4th 
inst., in the Guildhall, Exeter, with a view to forming 
in the city an auxiliary branch of the Gardeners’ 
Royal Benevolent Institution. In the absence of the 
president of the Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ 
Association (Mr. C. R. Collins, J.P.), through 
illness, the proceedings were opened by the Right 
Worshipful the Mayor (Mr. R. Pople,) who, with the 
Sheriff (Mr. F. Templer Depree), was obliged to 
leave the meeting early, owing to a prior engagement. 
On the departure of his worship, the chair was taken 
by Mr. P. C. M. Veitch. Among those also present 
were the Rev. Dr. Dangar, Messrs. S. Jones, H. J. 
Veitch (Royal Exotic Nurseries, Chelsea), G. J. 
Ingram (secretary to the Gardeners’ Benevolent 
Institution), J. H. Vallance (hon. secretary and 
treasurer Bristol and Bath Auxiliary), G. H. Vallance, 
G. D. Cann (hon. secretary Devon and Exeter 
Horticultural Society), R. J. Mills, C. Berry (Devon 
County Council lecturer), A. George (Heavitree), 
Trelease, Lloyd Jones, Andrew Hope (secretary of 
the Exeter Gardeners’ Association), J. Weeks (Stoke 
House Gardens), D. C. Powell (Powderham), W. 
Rowland (Parkerswell), F. C. Smale (Torquay), 
G. Locke (Crediton), Abrams (Peamore), Baker 
(Pennsylvania), T. H. Slade (Poltimore), W. 
Andrews (Elmfield), J. McCormick (Wear House), 
W. Seward (Creedy Park), W. Swan .(Bystock), S. 
Radley (Exeter), F. AnniDg (Ford House), Hill 
(Whipton), Barnes (Winslade), Street (Newcourt), 
Turner (Oxton), Vickery (Streatham Hall), Vickery 
St. Leonard's Rectory), E. H. Osman, Isaacs 
(Hartwell House), T. C. Gidley (Exeter), Baker 
(Exeter), G. B. Lansdale, W. Mackay (hon. 
treasurer of the Exeter Gardeners’ Association), W. 
Bale (Torquay), F. W. Meyer, F. W. Parker, H. 
Vodden, F. Hannaford (Teignmouth), E. Sparks 
(Pynes), and J. Luxton (Exeter Nurseries). Among 
those who sent apologies for their absence were Lord 
Poltimore, who said he was much in sympathy with 
the objects of the institution, to which he had re¬ 
cently become a subscriber ; Mr. G. Baker (gardener 
to Lord Revelstoke), who stated that he should be 
pleased to join the cause of the association, and 
impressed upon the young gardeners of the west the 
desirability of associating themselves with it early in 
life ; and the Rev. Prebendary Bramley. 
The Mayor expressed deep regret at the absence 
of the president, and said they all trusted that Mr. 
Collins’s illness would be only temporary. The 
Gardeners’ Association was one in which they felt a 
very deep interest, and one which must have a very 
desirable effect upon its members. He was delighted 
to see among them Mr. Veitch, of Chelsea. 
Mr. H. J. Veitch, of Chelsea, explained the working 
of the Benevolent Institution, of which he is the 
hon. treasurer. After reminding the company that 
he was standing in his native city, Mr. Veitch 
proceeded to remark that the Benevolent Institution 
was formed for the purpose of endeavouring to 
assist in their old age those who had not been so 
fortunate as to be able to make provision during the 
time they were able to work. The first question 
was—Is such an institution necessary ? The fact 
that it had been working for fifty-eight years, and 
that each year the number of claimants for pensions 
increased, showed that the institution was absolutely 
necessary, most unfortunately. And, if necessary, it 
was desirable that they should do all they could to 
advance its interests. There were now on the pension 
list 156 persons, in addition to whom there were 
thirty candidates left over from the last election. 
This institution was the parent society of all 
charitable organisations in the gardening world. It 
had a legal status, being registered under Act of 
Parliament. The great object of the institution was 
to inculcate a spirit of providing for old age, and 
every care was taken that the candidates for assist¬ 
ance were deserving. In 1895 the institution had 
£26,000 invested, and 157 pensioners, for the assist¬ 
ance of whom during the year .£2,800 was required. 
Since the commencement of the institution £67,000 
had been distributed in pensions and gratuities. 
The royal family had always evinced a great interest 
in the cause. It was not necessary for a person to 
become a pauper in order to qualify for the benefits 
of the institution. Nor were nationality and religion 
taken into account. In Devonshire there were fifty- 
five subscribers, who contiibuted £57 15s. annually. 
Of these subscribers, twenty-six were ladies and 
gentlemen, twenty-three gardeners, and six nursery¬ 
men. There were in Devon eleven pensioners — 
seven widows and four gardeners—who received 
annually £192. Altogether £2,408 had been paid 
those eleven Devonshire pensioners, against 
£182 14s. received in subscriptions from them. 
Mr. Ingram (hon. secretary of the institution) paid 
a high tribute to the value of Mr. H. J. Veitch's 
services, and emphasised the fact that the institution 
was of a national character. They desired to create 
a greater interest in the organis&iion throughout the 
country, and it was hoped that this meeting would be 
the means of increasing the hold of the institution 
upon Devonshire. * 
Mr. J. Vallance gave an interesting account of the 
progress and work of the Bristol and Bath Auxiliary, 
of which he is the hon. secretary and treasurer. 
Mr. P. C. M. Veitch thought that a great many 
more employers might make their gardeners life 
pensioners of this excellent institution, as a fitting 
recognition of long service. He proposed the forma¬ 
tion of the Devon and Exeter Auxiliary Branch of 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. Mr. 
Weeks seconded. Dr. Dangar, who supported the 
proposition, which was carried unanimously, said no 
one present could fail to be impressed with the 
substantial character of the Benevolent Institution, 
and the benefits which it afforded to those who 
received pensions from its funds. Having, as an 
amateur, received so much assistance from kind- 
Cattleya Rex. 
