July 26, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
743 
teaching of their business was always to be looking into 
the future. He knew of no occupation which so en¬ 
couraged a man to speculate as to what the future 
would bring forth. He (the gardener) put seed into 
the ground and watched the barometer that he might 
be guided in his work. Every part of his work was 
trusting to the elements, and was in the largest sense 
of the word, trusting to Providence. Gardeners were a 
provident body, and they would scarcely meet a gar¬ 
dener who was not a member of some club or some 
society or fund that had for its object provision for the 
future, and they would remember that gardeners 
had a fund of their own now formed into what 
was called the United Horticultural Provident and 
Benefit Society, which might have been a bigger 
thing than it is except for some strange accident in the 
early days of its career, but which was now perfectly 
sound and prosperous, and had before it, he believed, a 
very good future. Now, it was worthy of notice—none 
knew it so well as many who were present—that the 
demands upon gardeners in their daily life were very 
many and heavy. Gardeners were brought constantly 
under the action of what were called the laws of hos¬ 
pitality. In places that were frequented by visitors 
gardeners were put to considerable expense, about which 
they said nothing. He saw much of it—so did they ; 
but they put the best face upon things. Many costs 
they would incur in the daily pursuit of their duties 
which did not come into the daily round of their 
business ; consequently there were many apd heavy 
demands upon the gardener’s purse, and his love of his 
business led him to many expenses. They would take 
a man engaged in building ; he went plodding on 
making money. A gardener went about to see exhi¬ 
bitions, to look at gardens, as his business was one of 
observation. He must be always’ observing, always 
learning, and taking the measure of the world he was 
in. Consequently there was much to be said in miti¬ 
gation of the general charge of want of provision for 
the future ; but where would they find, amongst a body 
of men earning their living by labour and skill, not a 
few who were cast down by calamities of various kinds, 
and who had had no opportunity to make provision 
for their children. There must be a certain number of 
orphans, and therefore there was no exceptional case 
there, and they should deal with it as liberally as they 
could, having liberal sympathy with the children. 
Here was a curious case. They had, say, a list of 
seventeen candidates, and suppose they elected them, 
would that put an end to the trouble in those seventeen 
families ? No. In every case except three in the list 
of seventeen there were other children unprovided for. 
One child was selected to put before the subscribers, but 
there remained others in the same family for whom, of 
course, provision was equally needed. The list of seven¬ 
teen was in reality a list of fifty-two children in want. 
When he said fifty-two children in want, there might 
be some half-dozen of them just beginning to earn a 
living, so that it would be seen that there was a large 
case to be dealt with, and not easily disposed of with a 
few guineas. If they took notice of one child in a 
family, what had they to say about the rest ? Well, he 
hoped that the time would come when they would be 
able to say something about the rest. It had been 
said most properly that Mr. George Deal should be kept 
in remembrance in connection with the Fund by an act 
of special generosity on their part assembled that night. 
Let them understand how the case stood. There were 
at the meeting to-day seventeen candidates ; ten were 
elected, and seven remained not elected. Mr. Sherwood 
spoke of giving £50, and Mr. Yeiteh spoke of giving 
£50, but the proposal had taken a better shape. It was 
so gratifying that he knew not in what terms to put it. 
Mr. Sherwood and Mr. Yeiteh proposed on condition 
that those assembled that night provided £250 as a 
minimum, that they would find the rest. That was the 
case he had to put before them, and if they subscribed 
liberally they would be enabled to place seven orphans on 
the Fund as an act of commemoration of the services of 
Mr. George Deal. The chairman then invited subscrip¬ 
tions towards the Fund, and in a few minutes announced 
tbat Messrs. J. Weeks & Co. had subscribed £50, 
Sir Julian Goldsmid£10 10s., Baron Schroder £10 10s., 
Mr. J. Wills £5 5s., Mr. Pollett £5 5s., Mr. Mitchell 
£5 5s., and himself £5 5s., a contribution which he 
subsequently doubled. He then proceeded to call 
attention to the statement of accounts. The sub¬ 
scriptions for the year had amounted to £463 16s., and 
in addition the donations had been about the same 
amount. The money invested in securities was £3,538, 
and the balance at the bank was £807. That was after 
having provided for all incidental expenses, and 
making provision for the orphans on the fund. He 
had always thought that a substantial reserve fund 
must be of considerable importance in an affair of 
that kind. It gave stability in reality, and it 
also gave the appearance of stability to the public at 
large. If they had not a good reserve fund they were 
liable to disaster in the event of the loss of friends who 
had been largely supporting the institution. They 
were liable to disaster in the event of depression in 
trade or other circumstances which told upon charities, 
and it should be remembered that a reserve fund placed 
at interest produced an income for the enlargement of 
the society’s usefulness. Tbe reserve fund, of course, 
should never be built up beyond reasonable pro¬ 
portions, which could only be judged by circumstances, 
but it should be the largest sum possible for a certain 
number of years, until the persons connected with the 
institution’s management had felt their way. Strange 
things happened. They saw charities rise and fall— 
though, thank God, very few of them failed, they 
mostly prospered in this country. The committee had 
always been of a careful calculating frame of mind, and 
had lost no opportunity of obtaining help from various 
quarters ; and he must return thanks to the many 
persons who had assisted that fund by flower shows, 
concerts, and other entertainments. He must also 
return thanks to those who had taken charge of 
collecting boxes, and he hoped that all these various 
aids would be continued, for he was quite sure the 
money they brought in would be not a little. He 
hoped, before they separated, they would have seen 
their way to provide for seven orphans. The amount 
required was not a large sum for a gathering of some 
160 persons to make up. In conclusion, he asked them 
to drink in bumpers, “ Success to the Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund.” 
The toast was honoured with enthusiasm, and 
Mr. John Laing replied in a few well chosen words, 
expressing the hope that the Fund might go on and 
prosper in its object of helping the orphans. 
Mr. H. J. Yeitch then proposed “Gardeners and 
Gardening.” He said that he claimed for the Orphan 
Fund what Mr. Shirley Hibberd had said, that it had 
been a very great success from the first, and tbat the 
success was due to the gardeners of this country. If 
they analysed the list of donors and subscribers they 
would find that it was the practical gardener—in which 
term he included the nursery and seed trade—who had 
supported that excellent institution. Therefore he 
thought they had every right to drink to “ Gardeners 
and Gardening.” He should like to say a word or two 
about what had been said with regard to Mr. Sherwood 
and himself. They were most anxious that something 
worthy of the late Mr. Deal should be done, and he 
was quite willing to admit that if they succeeded in 
putting the orphans on the Fund they had succeeded in 
doing something. But there was also another reason, 
as it might enable them tojmake a slight alteration as 
regarded the date at which the annual subscriptions 
would be due. In consequence of the subscriptions 
being due in July some little confusion was caused, and 
if they were payable on the 1st of January he thought 
the money would come in a great deal better. If they 
could therefore assist in clearing the board of candidates 
for election, it would make it easier for the Committee 
to deal with the date at which subscriptions would be 
due, because there would be no election pending. That 
was a matter which weighed with them, though in a 
secondary degree. With the toast he desired to couple 
the name of Mr. John Wills, an honour to the gardeners 
of this country ; a man proud to call himself a working 
gardener, who had worked his way up from a practical 
gardener to be one, if not the foremost, decorator of 
his age. 
Mr. John Wills, in reply, said that as an old gar¬ 
dener nothing was more conducive to his happiness than 
to meet his fellow gardeners on every and any occasion. 
It had been a great source of pleasure to meet those 
who loved flowers, and he was sure the present meeting 
could not be more happy than it was when they came 
there to assist those little children who wanted support. 
As long as he lived it would be a source of pleasure to 
him to help in every way he could to support those 
who could not support themselves. He hoped they 
would see that society increase to such an extent that 
they would be not only in a position to elect seven, but 
seventy-seven children to the benefits of the insti¬ 
tution. 
Mr. Alexander Dean proposed the next toast, that 
of “The President, Sir Julian Goldsmid, M.P., the 
Yice-Presidents, the Trustees, and Auditors.” He 
said that the chairman had omitted to refer to the 
death of their dear old friend, Mr. Wildsmith, whose 
memory had been commemorated in a method similar 
to that now proposed in the case of Mr. George Deal. 
Dr. Masters, in acknowledging the toast, said that 
the absence of their president was caused by indispo¬ 
sition, but they would be glad to hear that Sir Julian 
was now progressing satisfactorily. Though absent in 
body he was sure Sir Julian Goldsmid would be present 
with them in spirit. 
Mr. A. H. Smee proposed “The Committee and 
Officers of the Fund,” remarking that the stability of 
the Fund bore testimony to the exertions of those 
gentlemen. At present they were only a young 
institution, but he hoped that before many years were 
past, instead of £3,500 invested in the name of the 
trustees, they would have at least £10,000. It would 
not be many years before they had 120 orphans on the 
books, and it would require a large reserve fund and a 
large income to meet all contingencies. 
Mr. J. Asbee, in reply, said he must say that he 
had seldom seen any committee so solicitous for the 
welfare of any institution as theirs. 
Mr. G. Bitnyard proposed the health of “The Local 
Secretaries,” suggesting that gardeners in what might 
be called a “show place” should place a collecting box 
in a conspicuous position for the benefit of the Fund. 
Mr. Turton replied. 
Mr. B. Hardy in complimentary terms asked the 
company to drink the health of the chairman. 
The Chairman in responding to the toast announced 
that the sum required had been nearly raised, and he 
hoped it would be altogether before the company 
separated. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than to 
be amongst gardeners and men who loved gardening. 
He cast in his lot with gardening early in life, and had 
never regretted it for a single hour since. 
The remaining toasts were “ The Visitors,” proposed 
by Mr. H. Turner and acknowledged by Mr. McCallum, 
and “The Horticultural Press,” proposed by Mr. 
Sharman and responded to by Mr. B. "Wynne. 
A most enjoyable evening was rendered still more 
pleasant by the excellent music contributed, under Mr. 
Herbert Schartau, by Miss Lizzie Jones, Mr. W. G. 
Torington, Mr. Harper Kearton and Master Charles 
Stewart. 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND.—CASH STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30th, 1890. 
RECEIPTS. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
To Balance from last Account. 
G05 13 
9 
Subscriptions, General . 
342 
10 
6 
Ditto through Local Secre- 
taries . 
121 
6 
0 
— 
CO 
o 
16 
0 
Donations, General. 
359 
7 
3 
Ditto through Local Secre- 
taries . 
103 
18 
11 
— 
463 
6 
7 
Subscriptions given by and in 
response to appeal by Mr. Harry 
J. Veitch . . 
... 
200 13 
0 
Wildsmith Memorial. 
138 
14 
9 
Covent Garden F6te. 
262 
8 
0 
Annual Dinner. 
88 
8 
9 
Sundry Entertainments . 
10 
19 
6 
Advertisements in List of Subscribers 
... 
31 
0 
0 
11 
Interest and Dividends on Stock ... 
73 
16 10 
EXPENDITURE. 
By Allowances to Orphans . 
,, Printing and Stationery . 
,, Annual Meeting .. 
,, Hire of Rooms for Meetings. 
,, Postages. 
,, Secretary’s Clerk . 
,, Bank Charges. 
,, Sundry Expenses (Petty Cash) 
,, Covent Garden Fete. 
,, Annual Dinner. 
,, Purchase of £500 2J% Stock. 
„ Ditto £51216s. 21% Stock ... 
,, Balance at Bank . 
,, Ditto in Hand . 
£ 
s. 
d. 
41 
14 
0 
9 
4 
0 
10 10 
0 
19 
17 
0 
40 
0 
0 
0 
9 
5 
19 
ii 
0 
491 IS 
0 
500 
0 
0 
807 
8 
11 
7 
14 
9 
£ s. d. 
247 0 0 
141 5 5 
88 19 5 
54 10 S 
991 18 0 
815 3 8 
£2,33S 17 2 
£2,338 17 2 
Note :—Investments. 
21% Consols . 3,038 15 10 
3 % Canadian Stock . 500 0 0 
£*,538 15 10 
Having inspected the Securities, and examined the Books and 
Vouchers supplied to us, we certify the above account to be 
correct. 
(Signed) JOHN FRASER, Lea Bridge .) 
WM. SHARP, Chartered Accountant, > Auditors . 
60, Gresham Street, E.C.) 
Dated July 11th, 1S90. 
