374 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Feb. 14th, 1885. 
Before being sent to market the Mushrooms have to 
be “ graded,” and three distinct grades are in demand, 
which are known as Buttons, Cups, and Broilers, the 
relative values of which may be gleaned from the 
statement that when large Mushrooms, or broilers, 
realize Is. per lb., the cups will sell for l.s. 3d. and the 
buttons for Is. 6 d. Two of the grades are repre¬ 
sented in the illustrations on p. 373 (kindly placed at 
our service by the author) which also show the manner 
in which the produce is arranged in punnets. 
“Buttons are Mushrooms in embryo—that is to say, 
the cap of the pileus is united to the stalk, and the 
lamin®, or gills, are not visible. It does not matter 
what the size of these young Mushrooms may be, 
whether of the dimensions of a small Cob-nut or a 
large Walnut; if the gills are veiled they are still 
buttons. ‘ Cups ’ are a step advanced in develop¬ 
ment. Immediately the membraneous covering that 
united the hood with the stem breaks, the term 
‘ buttons ’ is no longer applicable, and the young 
Mushrooms are recognized as ‘ cups,’ but only retain 
that designation so long as they are unopened, and do 
not show more than a ring of the larnin®, half-an- 
inch in diameter. When they expand fully and 
assume the form of an inverted tea saucer, showing 
the gills clearly, they are matured for culinary 
purposes and become broilers; but they are not 
perfect for the purpose of reproduction, as spores are 
not distributed until the laminre have changed from a 
lively pink colour to a brownish-black, and they should 
be gathered, sold and eaten before that change 
occurs.” 
There are a number of other subjects to which we 
should have liked to allude, did space permit, but 
must now content ourselves with the remark that the 
author has done his work thoroughly well, and we 
trust an early result of his labours will be a supply of 
Mushrooms for the million all the year round. 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL 
BENEFIT AND PROVIDENT 
SOCIETY. 
It is matter for great regret that a knowledge of 
the existence of this admirable Society is not more 
widely distributed. It is doing an excellent work in 
a quiet and unassuming way, and it may be said to 
take up a certain work of a beneficial character at a 
point where it is dropped by the Gardeners’ Boyal 
Benevolent Institution, inasmuch as it offers special 
advantages to under gardeners, which form a very 
numerous class in this country. The United Horti¬ 
cultural Benefit and Provident Society is an outcome 
of the United Horticultural Society, which had its 
head-quarters in the city of London some years ago. 
In 1S65, an important exhibition was held by this 
Society in the Guildhall of London, and the proceeds 
of the Show were devoted to a Benefit Fund in con¬ 
nection with the Society. This was subsequently 
merged into the Society which heads this paper. The 
original promoters were Mr. William Marshall, Mr. 
James Crute, Mr. Shirley Hibberd, Mr. B. S. Williams 
and others, and Mr. William Heale was the first 
secretary. On his resignation in 1872, Mr. J. T. 
McElroy, The Gardens, Moray Lodge, Campden Hill, 
Kensington, was appointed, and he has retained the 
office ever since. The highest tribute of gratitude 
and praise is due to Mr. McElroy. At the time he 
was appointed secretary, he was too old to be made a 
member, but he serves the Society with a fidelity, 
devotion and earnestness that could not be exceeded 
by any member; all the remuneration he receives 
for a great deal of arduous labour, comprising the 
working out of many details, is the small balance 
left over from the management fund at the end of 
each year, averaging from £3 10s. to £5 10s., more or 
less as the case may be. 
There are three separate funds in connection with 
the Society—viz., a Benefit Fund, a Benevolent Fund, 
and the Management Fund. From the Benefit Fund 
comes a certain rate of sick pay for those who need it, 
and assistance is rendered from the Benevolent Fund 
after a member attains seventy years of age in time of 
sickness, in seasons of distress, and in special circum¬ 
stances at the discretion of the Committee. A 
member who pays the sum of 2s. monthly both to the 
Benefit, Sick and Deposit Fund, a sum of 2s. annually 
to the Benevolent Fund, and a sum of 2s. 6 d. annually 
to the Management Fund receives a weekly allowance 
in sickness during twenty-six weeks of 10s. 6 d. If he 
pays 3s. to each of the two first named funds, and 
2s. 6 d. to the last he receives 16s. per week during 
that time. After twenty-six weeks’ full allowance half 
the amount is allowed for twenty-six weeks more, he 
is then transferred to the Benevolent Fund, to receive 
such sum as the Committee deem fit. 
During the time he is on the Benevolent Fund no 
money is taken from his deposits. No sum is provided 
for at death, as the members’ deposits, with the interest 
accumulating, will more than counterbalance any 
funeral money. Should any member die in straitened 
circumstances, the Committee are empowered to assist 
the widow and children, if any. After attaining the 
age of seventy years, the member ceases to pay into 
the Sick Fund at all, and he is provided for from the 
Benevolent Fund in case, of sickness or distress, irre¬ 
spective of any sums he may have invested. Three 
trustees are appointed, and the Society is managed 
by a Treasurer, Secretary, and Committee of twelve 
persons, four of whom retire annually, but are eligible 
for re-election. There are monthly subscription nights, 
these being held at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi 
Terrace, Strand. The Society, which, except during 
the past two years when it obtained a greater share of 
publicity, has somewhat hidden its light under a 
bushel. In consequence of this publicity, forty-seven 
new members joined in 1883, and thirty-five in 1881. 
There are now 163 on the books, and the increase of 
the past two years is certain to continue. 
During the past year the sum of £307 17s. 6 d. was 
invested in Three per Cent. Consols, and the Society 
has now £3,000 so invested. The annual income of 
the Society is something like £360, and during the 
past year £23 2s. 6 d. has been paid from the Sick 
Fund, the largest sum ever before paid in one year. 
These particulars were furnished in the annual finan¬ 
cial statement made by the Secretary on the occasion 
of the annual meeting of members on Monday evening 
ast, at the Caledonian Hotel, Mr. Bichard Dean, 
one of the honorary members presiding. There was a 
full attendance of members, who took great interest 
in the proceedings. There is no doubt but that the 
position of the Society is one greatly in advance of 
that of the Foresters, Odd Fellows, Druids, &c. Its 
affairs are administered in themost economicalmanner, 
and were the assets of the Society realized and equally 
divided among the members it would amount to 
nearly £19 per head 1 About two-thirds of the 
interest derived from the money invested in Consols 
is paid over to the Benefit Fund, and the remainder 
to the Benevolent Fund. 
Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. James 
Hudson, the excellent Treasurer, and Mr. McElroy, 
the Secretary, and they were well deserved. It may 
be added that the Society is governed entirely by 
those who participate in its benefits, and not a few 
members come long distances in order to attend the 
annual general meeting. 
EARTH MOISTURE. 
I am in a position to fully corroborate the statements 
of yourself and whilom correspondent with reference 
to the condition of the earth as regards moisture. I 
have had occasion during the last ten or eleven years 
to remove and rearrange some hundreds of trees and 
shrubs. This has been done annually, commencing as 
soon as the season comes round for the operation to 
be performed with safety. This season I have found 
the soil very much drier than I ever remember. Some 
of the balls of earth attached to the roots did not 
appear to have a particle of moisture in them. How¬ 
ever, we have had some copious showers lately, and 
the rain is finding its way to the roots, so that, as I 
have now completed my work of removals for the 
season, there is every probability of a satisfactory issue 
resulting therefrom. 
I hand you a sketch of an Arbutus, or Strawberry- 
tree, one of the many shrubs that I have had under 
my special charge since they were very small plants. 
It measures 24 ft. in circumference and about 6 ft. 
high, and is one amongst a variety of plants of equal 
proportions, consisting of Hollies, Portugal Laurels, 
Aucubas, Laurestinus, Phillyrea, Euonymus, &c., 
which -were planted twelve years ago. The beds 
and borders are for the most part made up with the 
top spit of a meadow, the subsoil being a strong 
retentive clay, the beds being raised considerably 
above the surface, secures efficient drainage, and 
although the soil below is cold, the plants are never 
water-logged, as is sometimes the case when shrubs 
are planted in similar soils on the level ground. I 
have removed shrubs at nearly all seasons of the 
year, but to succeed great care must be taken in doing 
so, and proper attention given subsequently. In the 
winter of 1860-61 I was engaged to remove some 
Deodars, Arbor-vita 1 , Ac., 12' ft. high. The weather 
at the time was very severe, and the trees had to be 
removed by a given time or left behind through the 
property changing hands. I had no alternative but to 
proceed in spite of the severity of the frost. In fact, 
I enlisted the aid of the Ice-king, inasmuch as I had 
trenches dug round each tree, leaving a good ball of 
earth attached to the roots, and securing the trees by 
good strong stakes, I left them to the mercy of the 
frost until the balls of earth became like a solid mass 
of concrete and could be removed in their entirety. 
In this way I succeeded in transporting them to their 
new quarters, and they did well, although it was a 
question with some whether the experiment would 
not prove fatal to them, but by adopting the plan I 
preserved a good ball of earth. On the other hand, 
had I not done so, I should not have had a particle 
of soil adhering to the roots, as it was of a light sandy 
texture. There was no lack of moisture, the year 
1860, having been (unlike 1884) a very wet one.— 
G. F., Lewisham. 
ON BUILDING GREENHOUSES. 
In these flower-loving days the subject of green¬ 
houses is one of increasing importance. The materials 
for building a greenhouse cost very little, but the cost 
of one supplied by a professional builder is compara¬ 
tively high ; for the builder employs skilled workmen 
whose high-priced labour he pays for, and he must 
have his own profit. A handy amateur, with the help 
of a plan, could build his own greenhouse, and an 
excellent plan supplied by the well-known firm of 
Messrs. Boulton & Paul was published in The 
Gabdening Would of the 17th of last month. As 
some details of construction might be useful to those 
who wish to be their own builders, I send you the 
following ;— 
In building a greenhouse two things should be 
especially attended to. The first, that the pitch of the 
roof should be neither too high nor too low. When 
the pitch is too high the upward current of air is 
rapid, and plants become quickly dry; on the other 
hand, when the pitch is too low there is not sufficient 
slope for the rain to run off as it should, and some of 
it drips into the house ; also, there is not near room 
enough for working comfortably within. The happy 
medium appears to be one not less than 25 degs. or 
more than 40 degs. With such a pitched roof, the 
temperature would be even, and there would be 
sufficient head room for the worker. The second, that 
the plants should have plenty of light, and be as near 
to the glass as possible ; the panes should therefore 
be large. The position of the house is also a matter 
of importance. That of a span-roofed house should 
depend on the purpose for which it is intended. 
Where plants requiring high cultivation are to be 
grown to perfection, the custom of some of our best 
market-growers is to build their houses from east to 
west, and as the southern sides of houses so built are 
exposed to the full rays of the hot summer sun, they 
generally whitewash those sides. But if the house is 
chiefly required for the protection of bedding plants 
during winter or for growing Cucumbers or Tomatos 
which rejoice in the sun, the house should run from 
north to south. A lean-to house is, for sake of 
economy in fuel, generally built against a south wall. 
Assuming that the house is to be 10 ft. wide, 
according to the plan of Messrs. Boulton and Paul, 
let us take its length at any convenient number of 
feet—say 20 ft. 9 ins. to suit the width of the glass. 
As a 10-ft. house is narrow, the pitch of its roof 
should be correspondingly high to give head room for 
the worker—say about 40 degs. The height of the 
walls should be 2 ft. 6 ins. above the ground level, 
and 6 ins. below for foundation; the height of the 
house from the level of the ground to the apex of the 
roof will be about G ft. 6 ins.; the pathway down 
the middle should be 2 ft. wide, the border on 
