108 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 13, 1894. 
enjoyable and interesting character, and when 
employers duly appreciate a painstaking and success¬ 
ful man, and servants seek in every respect the 
pleasure and goodwill of those whom they have 
engaged to serve, there is a community of interest 
formed, coupled with a close observance of all 
phases of vegetable life, a commingling of thought 
and ideas, and an open-heartedness in the expression 
of the same, so that enjoyment of a most elevating 
character is shared by each. This eventually acting 
and reacting must improve the whole being and the 
life of both. 
—--f-- 
A RAMBLE ROUND THE GREAT 
ORME’S HEAD. 
(i Concluded from p. gi.) 
Continuing my observations on the wonders and 
wildness of the north-west corner of this great pro¬ 
montory, I ought, perhaps, to remark that, for the 
benefit of those who are unwilling or unable to 
undergo the fatigue necessary to accomplish the 
climb, a well-made road has been constructed at a 
cost of ^14,000, from which, at a point near the 
lighthouse, an easy ascent can be made. Therefore 
there is no excuse for missing the glorious prospect 
which is to be obtained from here. If one descends 
cautiously near here he will find the common Thrift 
growing in great abundance, while up above, clinging 
to the loftiest rocks, the wild Cabbage (Brassica 
oleracea) appears to be quite at home. Although the 
British habitat of this remarkable progenitor of all 
our succulent garden varieties is, I believe, somewhat 
restricted, I have seen it in similar positions on the 
cliffs of Dover, and about the precipitous heights of 
Beachy Head. 
The generic name of the plant, I think, implies an 
ancient usage, for it is of Celtic derivation, and 
corresponds to our word " Cabbage.” On the other 
hand, the specific term oleracea rather suggests that 
the plant was used as a subject from which to 
extract oil, than for the purpose for which we 
moderns use it. But look ! there are the bright, 
dark-green, lance-shaped fronds of the Sea Spleen- 
wort (Asplenium marinum), another plant which is 
much localised in its natural homes, and therefore 
sufficiently rare to constitute a find. What a 
beautiful bright, glossy-green colour are its sturdy- 
looking fronds! Where not inaccessible, it cannot be 
removed, for its slender rootlets persist in separating 
themselves from their dark-brown stems—so much 
the better for the Fern. The common Maidenhair 
Spleen wort (Asplenium trichomanes) was also there, 
looking like lace-work against the rugged rocks. 
Amid the barrenness, to the eye of the critic :— 
"These serve him with a hint that Nature lives .” 
But as times flies, we had better remount, for 
there is much to observe on the breezy heights ere 
we return. Here we are, once more, on the top of 
the giddy precipice, wiping the perspiration from our 
brows. I think it is Wordsworth who says that : — 
" Nature never did betray 
The heart that loved her.” 
I don’t quite comprehend this, for a step here in the 
wrong direction would certainly lead to the most 
disastrous of results—oblivion. Still, although the 
prospect from here is sombre and gloomy, the eleva¬ 
tion in itself is sure to produce a feeling of delight, 
and to inspire us with the utmost enthusiasm. Let 
us, then, admire and proceed. 
In addition to the Heather and the Gorse, wc 
have here, in a partially sheltered spot, behind a 
cottage, a fine piece of the Rest-harrow (Ononis 
arvensis) with its pretty rosy-coloured, pea-shaped 
flowers. A glass of milk, and an inquiry at the 
cottage, produced the im formation that visitors 
always admired the flower, but no one about here 
knew the name of it. Alas ! there are very few of us 
who are well acquainted with the names of those 
vegetable products of nature, by which we are sur¬ 
rounded. Later on, I tested the knowledge of a 
learned-looking man, who said that he used to study 
botany (but he couldn’t tell me the name of this 
plant). The term onos an ass, was no doubt given to 
the genus, from its stubborn propensities; this 
particular species, anyhow, is somewhat difficult 
of eradication : and has no reference whatever to the 
stupidity of the human individual. 
Let us now take a dip into a comparative hollow, 
where the cliffs have been distorted, as it were, and 
face inland. On our way we pass a stone quarry, 
where two young geologists are busy with their 
hammers. What are they looking for ? Fossils of 
course ; remnants of bye-gone times ; and there are 
some very good "specimens” here. I could not, 
however, repress a thought that some live to work, 
while others—and by far the larger number—work 
to live, a distinction with a difference. The Great 
Orme’s Head is said to be peculiarly rich in metals, 
and until lately there were several copper mines in 
working order. But to the flora. In the depression 
alluded to above, the character of the vegetation is 
slightly altered, for here we find the larger forms 
of plants and flowers, like the Snapdragon, the Toad¬ 
flax, the yellow Ragwort, the Great Mullein, the red 
Valerian, and the noble Foxglove. As to the latter 
flower, I believe the common name has no alliance 
with the animal we are apt to associate it with, but 
should rather be written Folk’s glove— i.e., the glove 
of the fairies, or good folks, which one can still find 
on this rugged mountain, although severely divested 
of all pretence to supernaturalism. We can, how¬ 
ever, forgive these illusions as to its ancient use, for 
it is a pretty flower. The poet Browne describes 
the God Pan as oftentimes running through the 
pastures, “ to pluck the speckled Foxgloves from 
their stem to place upon the fingers of his love.” 
Ah ! the speckled flowers, like the spotted leaves of 
the Lungwort, were supposed by the old herbalists 
to be a remedy against pulmonary complaints, for 
it was not thought possible that any flower or plant 
could be created without special reference to man 
This is a false and spurious view, and Science 
therefore has done some good, if only to destroy that 
egregious self-conceit which held that nothing had a 
right to live that was not of service to mankind. 
There is one other large-growing plant which obtrudes 
itself upon our notice—viz., the stinking Henbane. 
I fancy I can scent it now, for the pale yellow, 
funnel-shaped flowers, reticulated with dark purple 
veins, are most disagreeably fetid. The whole plant 
is rough and clammy, and looks forbidding, so let us 
get away from it, and mount a little higher. As I 
understood, the plant of the Great Orme was the 
common Cotoneaster. I searched long and carefully 
for its downy leaves, and red fruit, but without avail, 
so that it is quite possible that its whilom British 
habitat knows it no more. The Privet and the 
Juniper still linger here, although I could not make 
out whether the last was the common or the alpine 
species, for it was exceedingly dwarf, not to say 
prostrate, with the whippings of the wind, and the 
outpourings of the sun, which it evidently has to 
endure. 
Thus closes my ramble round the Great Orme's 
Head, a distance of about six miles. So, if you 
please, we will return to civilization, and dinner, 
both of which are essential to a full enjoyment of the 
beauties and wonders by which we are surrounded. 
— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
-- 
UNITED HORTICULTURAL BENEFIT 
AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
On Tuesday evening the eighth anniversary dinner 
of this Society took place at the Cannon Street 
Hotel, under the presidency of Mr. Arnold Moss, 
the respected head of the old establised firm of Messrs. 
Jacob Wrench & Sons, seed merchants, of London 
Bridge, who was supported by Alderman Sir Stuart 
Knill, Mr. H. J. Veitch, Mr. W. Marshall, Mr. 
Clarence Smith, M.P., Mr. W. Y. Baker, and some 
120 members and friends of the Society. 
The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured, 
the Chairman proposed the toast of the evening, 
“ The United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society,” and in order to enable the members and 
visitors present to grasp the importance of the toast, 
gave a number of statistics bearing upon the growth 
and present position of the Society. The institution 
was not one of the oldest in existence, and, conse¬ 
quently, had not had any very great claims made 
upon its resources, so that it stood that day in an 
exceedingly healthy and thriving condition. Since 
January last, the sick pay which had been 
distributed amounted only to a trifle over £60, three 
names only had been removed from the roll of 
members by death, and fifty-nine new members had 
been elected. In the same period the Society had 
invested some /800, which brought the total capital 
sum invested in safe securities up to /9.500, and he 
hoped at an early date to hear that the amount had 
been raised to /io,ooo, which was a nice round sum; 
the interest on which could be easily calculated. Of 
the capital sum invested some £600 was held in 
trust on behalf of lapsed members, to whose 
nominees the respective amounts standing to the 
credit of the lapsed members were paid at death or 
to the members themselves on their attainment of 
the prescribed age, so that the amount of stock 
standing to the credit of a member a! the time when 
he ceased to pay into the Society was not lost, as 
was the case in so many other so-called benefit 
societies, The members paid gd. or 6d. per week 
each, according to which scale of benefits they 
preferred, and in the first case they received sick 
pay to the amount of 16/- per week, when required, 
and in the other, 10/6 per week. Now these were 
benefits of the greatest value to any one in time of 
need ; but he understood that the Committee of 
management, so prosperous was the Society, had 
some desire to go one further, having under their 
consideration a proposition to increase the sick 
pay to 18s. on the higher scale of payments and to 
12s. 6d. on the lower. The question was one which 
deserved the best consideration of the members, 
because any increased benefits which could be given 
without endangering the financial stability of the 
Society must tend to increase the membership roll, 
and that could not be otherwise than beneficial to 
the Society as a whole. It was greatly to be 
regretted that many more gardeners, and especially 
young gardeners, did not join the Society, because 
there could be no doubt whatever it was the best 
Society of the kind which they, as a class, could 
belong to, and he could not help thinking that as the 
times were, the outlook for gardeners was none too 
rosy, and it must surely be of the greatest possible 
benefit to any man to feel that should a pinch come 
he had such a substantial resource to fall back upon, 
instead of being dependent upon the charity of 
friends. He warmly sympathised with gardeners in 
the difficulties, many and perplexing as they were, 
which they had to contend with ; and as a class they 
were by no means well paid considering their oner¬ 
ous duties, and the value of the plants and other 
things which were placed under their care. He 
could wish them all a sensible increase in the re¬ 
muneration they received, because he believed that 
that would tend to an increase of their numbers ; 
but in any case he could not see how they were 
going to improve their present position except by the 
means of self help, and in this respect their Society 
offered advantages which, as a special class of 
workers, should be appreciated by them all. How 
nice it was to feel that in case of misfortune coming 
upon them they had something to fall back upon, 
and misfortune did come sometimes when least 
expected. He wished for the Society all possible 
success in the future, and sincerely hoped that the 
results of their dinner that evening would in some 
measure tend to the increased prosperity of the 
Society, which all present so much desired. 
With the toast, was coupled the name of the 
Treasurer, Mr. James Hudson, who suitably 
responded and on behalf of the executive thanked 
the Chairman for his kindness in presiding and so 
ably advocating the claims of the Society, to wider 
support from the gardening community. The other 
toasts were “ The Honorary and Life Members ” 
proposed by Mr. Nathan Cole, and responded to by 
Mr. W. Marshall, the senior life member, and one of 
the founders of the Society; "The Visitors” pro¬ 
posed by Mr. Clarence Smith, M.P., and acknow¬ 
ledged by Alderman Stuart Knill; who in graceful 
and appreciative terms gave the health of The 
Chairman ; and “ The Press ” which was proposed 
by Mr. G. W. Cummins, and acknowledged by Mr. 
B Wynne. In replying to the toast of his health the 
Chairman gave the names of several gentlemen 
present, who had signified their pleasure to become 
Life and Honorary members, and warmly thanked 
the donors of the fruit and flowers with which the 
tables were beautifully decorated, specially mention¬ 
ing Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Messrs. John 
Laing & Sons, Messrs. W. Cutbush & Sons, Messrs. 
Cannell & Sons, Messrs. W. Thomson & Sons, and 
T. Rivers & Son, who had contributed plants, cut 
flowers and fruits ; and concluded by proposing the 
health of Mr. J. H. Laing, which was cordially 
received and acknowledged. 
Vines and Vine Culture.—The best book on Grapes. By 
Archibald F. Barron, Superintendent of the Rcyal Horticultural 
Society's Gardens, Chiswick; Secretary of the Fruit Com¬ 
mittee. Demy Svo., Handsomely bound in Cloth. Price, 5s , 
post free, 5s. 3d. Publisher. Gardening World, i, Clements 
Inn, Strand, W.C. 
