February 11, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WO R L D. 
871 
Precocious Springtide- 
papers mention of very 
-We already Dead in the 
early evidence of spring, 
either in the appearance of flowers or of the incuba¬ 
tion of birds, or some other feature which leads 
thoughtless people to imagine that spring is already 
here. The sharp frosts of the mornings of Sunday 
and Monday remind us that we are by no means out 
of the wood of winter yet, and ere the present month 
or even March is out may find that the spring, such as 
we would have, is very remote. It is true the 
weather lately has been for the time of year fairly 
•soft and mild, but how often have we had similar 
• experience in January even, and then found winter 
of a very bitter kind following. It would be unfor¬ 
tunate did any unsuspecting one be tempted to 
garden undulyearly. There is ample time yet formost 
things, and certainly for the bulk of crops. 
Frozen Flowers from New Zealand. — At the meeting 
-of the Scientific Society of Ipswich on Wednesday 
• evening of 1 -st week, a letter was read from Air. E. 
Herbert Fison stating that he should shortly be 
-receiving a large consignment of New Zealand 
flowers packed in ice. They would be stored in a 
London frozen meat warehouse and sent on to 
Ipswich when he wanted them. He should be 
pleased to have them unpacked at the Museum, in 
the presence of the members of the Scientific 
Society about the end of the present month on a 
-convenient date. 
Gardeners in Council at Kingston. Judging by 
-reports to hand, the gardeners of Kingston and 
Surbiton seem to be waking up to the importance of 
having an association for mutual improvement, and 
they held a meeting at Albany Hall, on Thursday of 
last week, the moving spirit of which o.i behalf of 
the craft was Mr. A. Dean. In spite of wretched 
-weather there was a large attendance, and Mr. T. 
'Cusbon, Surbiton Park Gardens, was placed in the 
• chair. The aims and objects of gardeners’ associa¬ 
tions having been expounded, it was unanimously 
resolved to form such a society for the district, and 
a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Cusbon, 
Wilkins, Henbest, Hawkes, Hughes, Benson, Ward, 
Woods and Woodward, was appointed to prepare a 
mode of rules, and submit the same to an adjourned 
-meeting to be held at the same place, on Thursday 
;next. 
Manchester Flower Shows- —The provisional 
-arrangements of the Manchester Botanical and 
Horticultural Society for this year are:—Spring 
flower show, at the Town Hall, March 14th 
and 15th; sacred concert, at the Gardens, on 
Good Friday afternoon; miscellaneous concert, at 
the Gardens, on Easter Monday; spring flower 
show, at the Town Hall, April 25th; Whitsun¬ 
tide exhibition, open at Gardens, May igth ; Rose 
show, at the Gardens, July 22nd ; Chrysanthe¬ 
mum and hardy fruit show, at Town Hall, Novem¬ 
ber 21st and 22nd. In addition to the above, the 
• exhibitions of the National Auricula, Tulip, Carna¬ 
tion, and Pink societies will be held. The time will, 
in each case, be duly announced. Technical horti- 
tcultural education, Friday afternoons or evenings; 
-.musical days, Wednesdays and Saturdays during the 
months of June, July, and August. 
Flowers from the Scilly Isles.—To give an example 
of the extent of this year's flower growing business 
at Scilly, it is only necessary to narrate the fact that 
last week no fewer than twenty-five tons of flowers 
in boxes were despatched to the Midlands and 
Covent Garden Market. This, for so early in the 
year, may be looked upon as remarkable. Last year 
about 330 tons of floA-ers were sent away, but this 
year's growth will, it is said, be nearly double. The 
gardens in Cornwall are beginning to look quite 
bright with early spring flowers, Primroses, Snow¬ 
drops, and the like being in full bloom. This is very 
early, even for Cornwall. Vegetable crops are 
looking particularly well. 
The New Railway Rates.—A meeting of the Com¬ 
mittee of the London Fruit, Flower and Vegetable 
Buyers’ Protection Association, Limited, and of 
growers and salesmen, was held at the Mona Hotel, 
Covent Carden, on the 3rd inst., at which it was 
resolved :—" That a deputation, representing all the 
different interests of the fruit, flower and vegetable 
trade, should be appointed to wait upon the President 
of the Board of Trade and the President of -the 
Board of Agriculture, in relation to the above 
matter, and to invite the co-operation of all kindred 
associations in the proposed deputation in order that 
the same may be fully representative." 
the 
be- 
IMPORTED FRUIT. 
I trust that no measures will be taken through 
legislation to check in any way the free importation 
of foreign fruit into this country. Parliament is to 
be invited during the ensuing session to deal with 
the subject of fruit importation in sjjjne way, but if 
it be in the direction of restriction, not only will 
that course seriously affect our common trade, by 
which so many live, but it will serve to rob 
poorer classes of foods to which they have 
come accustomed,' and are for them sources of 
health and happiness. We cannot conceive for one 
moment that the removal from our midst of the 
healthful stimulus of foreign competition, whether 
in relation to fruits, flowers, or vegetables, would 
be productive of good to any one. 
It is terribly hard work as it is to induce persons 
to embark in the cultivation of these products of 
the best form and character, even with the examples 
of foreigners before their eyes. Remove that 
stimulus and there would be collapse of effort. If 
we have been so much beaten at our own game, 
it is so largely because our practices and methods 
have been so inferior to those of our competitors. 
It is not enough that we should equal them in 
quality and in productiveness, we must learn to 
excel them. If they sample and pack better than 
we do, and therein lies most largely our deficiencies, 
we have but to do better than they. If their 
favoured climate enables them to send us products 
that we cannot produce, it would be folly for us to 
attempt to compete with them so far as those pro¬ 
ducts are concerned. Still, we have myriads of 
products in which none can excel us if we will try to 
produce them. No nation in the world is so depen¬ 
dent as we are upon the productions of others, yet 
we have on the whole a grand climate. Sometimes 
it seems indifferent to our needs ; but on the average 
it is a very good climate, and one which might be 
very much worse.— X. 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN 
FUND. 
The annual general meeting of the subscribers to 
this charity was held on the 3rd inst. at the Cannon 
Street Hotel, Dr. Masters, F.R.S., presiding. The 
following report of the committee and statement of 
accounts was presented :— 
"The executive committee have great pleasure in 
presenting their fifth report, and in congratulating 
the subscribers to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund on 
the closing of another successful financial year, and 
the continued prosperity of the charity. 
“ The claims of the fund having been brought 
under the notice of Her Royal Highness the Princess 
of Wales, the committee have the honour to 
announce that Her Royal Highness has been graci¬ 
ously pleased to become Patroness of the fund, and 
has expressed the hope that * the fact of her name 
appearing as Patroness may assist the objects of the 
charity.’ Such exalted patronage being extended to 
the fund is most gratifying to the committee, and will 
be of the greatest value and importance in the pro¬ 
motion and furtherance of the cause. 
“ The munificent donation of £500 from Mr. and 
Mrs. Harry J. Veitch, as a thank-offering- on the 
celebration of their silver wedding, was an’ acf of 
generosity unexampled in the history of gardening 
charities, and the warmest thanks of all concerned in ; 
the welfare of the fund are due to them. 
" The committee are under deep obligation to Sir 
James Whitehead, Bart ., M.P., for his great kindness 
in presiding at the annual dinner, at the Hotel 
Metropole (which was a new departure in the man¬ 
agement of the fund), and whose eloquent appeal for 
support resulted in the sum of nearly £1,000 being 
received on that occasion. The committee hereby 
tender him a most cordial vote of thanks. 
“ During the past year fifty children have been 
receiving the benefits of the fund, and the committee 
recommend that eight be elected this day, bringing 
the roll up to fi fty-eight. Two of the orphans on the 
list, viz., Victor Spyers and Ralph Joseph Gardiner, 
having attained the age of fourteen years, are no 
longer chargeable to the fund. See Rule 13. 
“ The committee again take advantage of the pre¬ 
sentation of their annual report to tender their most 
sincere thanks to the many kind friends throughout 
the country for efficient help rendered in many ways, 
but whose names it would be inviduous to mention. 
" A slight falling off occurs in the annual subscrip¬ 
tions, which is to be regretted, as this should form 
the chief source of income. The committee appeal 
strongly for increased efforts in obtaining new sub¬ 
scribers and more earnest support from the garden¬ 
ing community generally, in whose interests the fund 
was established and is maintained. 
“ The committee have to lament the death during 
the year of Mr. C. H. Sharman, one of their most 
zealous and active colleagues, who took a very warm 
interest in the fund from its commencement. The 
committee have elected Mr. Robert Ballantine, as a 
member of their body, in the place rendered vacant 
by the death of Mr. Sharman.” 
The report and statement of accounts was unani¬ 
mously adopted on the motion of the Chairman, 
seconded by Mr. G. Gordon. Mr. T. B. Haywood 
was re-elected treasurer on the motion of Mr. Harry 
Turner, seconded by Mr. John Wills ; and on the 
motion of Mr. A. W. G. Weeks, seconded by Mr. 
B. Wynne, Mr. John Fraser was re-elected auditor. 
Mr. A. J. Brown and Mr. A. Outram moved and 
seconded that Messrs. W. G. Head, John Laing, G. 
Nicholson, W. Poupart, J. Smith, and J. Walker be 
re-elected members of the executive committee, 
and this also was carried, as was the re-election of 
Mr. Barron as honorary secretary, on the motion of 
the Chairman, seconded by Mr. W. Marshall. These 
gentlemen were also thanked for their past services. 
On the motion of Mr. Wright, seconded by Mr. 
W. G. Cummins, Sir James Whitehead, Bart., M.P., 
and Sir Edwin Saunders were unanimously elected 
vice-presidents. Messrs.. A. W. G. Weeks, R. Dean, 
W. Poupart, and B. Wynne were elected scrutineers 
of the ballot, and the meeting adjourned until four 
o’clock, when the result of the poll was declared as 
follows: — Frederick Price, 445; Nellie Ede, 254; 
Ada Beddoes, 228; John Mitchell, 227 ; Emily Kate 
Neve, 220; Otto Kosbab, 217; Philip Arthur 
Stevens, 216 ; Minnie Rapley, 195; Winifred Helen 
Doherty, 59 ; Robert Houston, 185 ; John Keates, 
52; Alice Maud Milne, 81; John Titley, 114; Rose 
Emily King Ward, 143 .; and Robert Clement Blake, 
154. The first eight were declared duly elected. A 
vote of thanks to the chairman and scrutineers con¬ 
cluded the business. 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND.—CASH STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 
DECEMBER 31ST, 1892. 
RECEIPTS. 
To Balance from last Account 
„ On Deposit with Bankers 
,, Subscriptions, General 
„ Ditto Collected 
Local Secs. 
by 
£629 19 
I 
600 0 
0 
347 6 
0 
112 19 
0 
174 5 
3 
120 4 
0 
£ s- d - 
1,229 19 1 
Donations, General... 
Ditto Collected by Local 
Secs. 
Silver Wedding Thank-offering 
from Mr. and Mrs. Harry 
J. Veitch. 
Annual Dinner . 
General Card Collection ... . 
Advertisements in List of Subscribers 
Collections in Boxes (General). 
Dividends on Stock and Interest on Deposit 
460 
294 9 3 
500 o 
998 4 
134 3 
31 16 
1 7 17 
M3 17 
£3,810 12 4 
Note Investments, &c. 
2il% Consols 
3 % Canadian Stock 
On Depos ; t with Bankers... 
£ 6,070 
500 
6 10 
£ 6,570 
300 
£ 6,870 6 10 
EXPENDITURE. 
By Allowances to Orphans . 
,, General Card Collection. 
,, Annual Dinner 
,, Printing, &c., Lists of Subscribers 
,, Secretary’s Clerk . 
,, Printing and Stationery . 
„ Annual, General and Committee 
Meetings. 
„ Postages . 
,, Bank Charges. 
„ Sundry Expenses (Petty Cash) ... 
,, Purchase of £1,000 2f % Stock.. 
,, Ditto £500 2% % Stock 
,, Ditto £514 2S. 3d. 2-2% 
Stock . 
„ O11 Deposit with Bankers... 
,, Balance at Bank . 
£ s. 
625 17 
43 5 
167 10 
26 13 
52 10 
6 
iS 
2 
32 
900 
485 
5°4 
134 9 S 
1.9(5 
30D 
567 
£ 3 ,Sio 12 4 
We have examined the Securit'es, and the Books 
and Vouchers supplied to us, and certify the above account 
to be corre :t. 
(Signed) JOHN FRASER, Leyton. ) 
WM. SHARP, Chartered Accountant, - Auditors. 
60, Gresham Street E.C. ] 
Dated January 13th, 1893. 
