460 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 19, 1898i 
cover no trace of his having swallowed any portion 
of flowers. 
Last year they repeatedly attacked a batch of 
Gsrmania Carnations in the same houses just as they 
were starting into growth, entering through a hole in 
roof; even when a man was in the house they 
attempted to carry on their pranks. This year they 
have played sad havoc with our outside border 
varieties, nipping off the tops of young leaves.— 
A.P. 
- --— 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL 
BENEFIT AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
Mr. George Wythes, of Syon House Gardens, 
Brentford, presided at the annual general meeting of 
this society, which took place at S p.m. on Tuesday 
last, at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, 
Mr. George Wythes. 
Strand, W.C. After the minutes of the last annual 
general meeting had been read and signed, the 
secretary was called upon to read the report and 
balance sheet. 
Report for 1897. 
In presenting the annual report and balance sheet 
for the year ending January 10th, 1898, the com¬ 
mittee have great pleasure in stating that the society 
continues in a prosperous condition. 
Sixty-eight members joined during the year, 
twenty-one lapsed, and three died, one being a lapsed 
member, and the amounts standing to their credit 
in the ledger have been paid to their nominees. The 
membership is now 680. ' - 
The amount of subscriptions paid by metiiBers to 
the Benefit Fund, including arrears for 1896, was 
£1,064 I 4 S - 2< 3 - 
The amount paid to sick members was £232 9s., 
there having been forty-six members on the fund. 
The amount of subscriptions to the Benevolent 
Fund from honorary and benefit members was 
£129 is., and £23 10s. has been granted in small 
amounts to four members from this fund. 
The Convalescent Fund is progressing favourably. 
It is suggested that this fund should now be incor¬ 
porated in the rules. The amount received for this 
fund, including donations at the annual dinner, was 
£28 os. 8d. Two members received £1 10s. each 
from this fund. 
The Management Fund shows a balance of 
£77 15s. 7d., having benefited to the extent of 
£10 10s. by donations at the annual dinner; also 
£10 6s. 6d. by advertisements in the annual report. 
The annual dinner was again held at the Holborn 
Restaurant. H. B. May, Esq., occupied the chair, 
and fulfilled his office in the best manner possible, 
and everyone present thoroughly enjoyed the even¬ 
ing's entertainment. 
The accounts were audited by Messrs. W. Gunner 
and Geo. Dixon, and found correct. 
The committee again invite members of the craft 
to join this society, and so lay by something for a 
rainy day, taking for their motto, " Union is 
Strength.” 
The statement of accounts read by the secretary 
showed that in the Benefit Fund the total receipts for 
the year, including a balance of £8,834 5 s - 5<i - were 
£10,155 8s. nd. The expenditure for the year was 
£297 17s. 6d., thus leaving a balance of 
£9.857 ns. 5d. 
The Benevolent Fund receipts were £2,828 13s. gd., 
including a balance brought forward of£2,6o4cs. sd. 
The disbursements were £23 10s., and the balance, 
£2,805 3 s - 9d. 
The Voluntary Convalescent Fund showed re¬ 
ceipts £341 3s. 8d , including £304 6s. 6d. brought 
forward. The amount paid out was £3, and the 
balance in hand £338 3s. 8d. 
The Management Fund brought forward a balance 
of £44 14s. 7d., the total receipts being £175 is. gd., 
as against £97 6s. 2d. expenses, the balance in hand 
being thus £77 15s. 7d. 
The treasurer’s statement of accounts was 
presented by Mr. J. Hudson. The total receipts for 
the year had been £1,749 14s. 9d., obtained from 
members' subscriptions, donations, advertisements, 
and dividends on investments. The expenditure 
totalled to £1,677 I0S - 3^-» of which £232 9s. had 
gone in sick pay, £23 10s. through the Benevolent 
Fund, £97 6s. 2d. from the Management Fund, and 
£1,305 10s. 3d. in investments and the charges 
consequent thereon. There was therefore a cash 
balance in hand of £72 4s. 6d. 
The statement of Liabilities and Assets declared 
liabilities amounting to £13,078 14s. 6L, and assets 
in the shape of various investments taken at par 
valuation of £13,100, but which at present actual 
value represented £14,742 10s., plus the cash 
balance above referred to of £72 4s. od., or a total 
balance of assets over liabilities of £1,714 14s. 6d. 
The Annual Dinner Account declared receipts of 
£41 ns. iod., and expenditure of £40 5s. 6d., leaving 
a balance of £ 1 6s. 4d. 
In rising to move the adoption of the report and 
statement of accounts,Mr.Wythes spoke of the great 
pleasure it had given him to listen to the most satis¬ 
factory accounts of the progress of the society. It 
was a matter of some suprise to him that the num¬ 
ber of members bad not increased more rapidly. 
This could not be due to the fact that there was any 
hesitancy as to the society being on a sound financial 
basis, when they had £14,742 10s. invested in sound 
stocks. There were about 720 paying members at 
the present time,so that the average amount lying to 
the credit of each member would be £20 10s. Mr. 
Wythes warmly complimented the management of 
the society, and said that he was very gratified to 
learn that the working expenses for the past year 
were only 6 per cent, of the income. The annual 
investments averaged £1,100 for the last two years, 
and a total of over £10,000 had been invested during 
the last thirteen jears. He was suprised to find, 
however, that 3 per cent, could have been paid for 
so long to the members on the monies standing to 
their accounts, as at the present time sound trustee 
stocks only realise from per cent, to 2f per cent. 
In conclusion, Mr. Wythes spoke of the indebted¬ 
ness of the society to the Horticultural Press, and 
advised all, young gardeners especially, to join the 
" United ” without delay. 
Mr. W. Marshall seconded the adoption of the 
report and balance-sheet, saying that the society had 
made great progress since it was first started by 
eight or ten members. The motion was duly 
carried. 
It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Cole, that 
2,500 copies of the report and balance-sheet should 
be printed and circulated. 
At the election of officers, which followed, Messrs. 
W. P. Thomson, Wheeler, E. T. Cook, and Wood 
were unanimously re-elected to serve upon the com¬ 
mittee, whilst Mr. W. Collins received quite an 
ovation when the chairman proposed and Mr. Hud¬ 
son seconded that he should be asked to continue 
the secretarial duties he had so worthily performed. 
Mr. Hudson proposed that, according to the rules, 
Mr. Collins should receive a salary lor 1897, £20, 
and 6d. per head for each member on the lists over 
the number 300, together with a special bonus 
of £5- 
This was carried unanimously, and responded to 
by Mr. Collins. 
Mr. Cole moved that a vote of thanks be given 
their esteemed treasurer, Mr. J. Hudson, who had 
stuck to and done such good work for the society. 
The meeting signified its complete accord and 
received Mr. Hudson very heartily when he 
responded. 
Votes of thanks to the trustees, the committee, the 
Press, and the chairman were subsequently moved, 
seconded, and carried. Mr Cole replied for the 
committee, and Mr. C. H. Curtis for the Press. 
The Special Meeting. 
This meeting was called for the purpose of con¬ 
sidering certain alterations in and addition to the 
rules governing the society, and followed immediately 
upon the heels of the " annual." 
Mr. J. Hudson proposed that Rule VIII., affecting 
the secretary’s salary should read £30 instead of 
£20. 
Mr. Burge proposed and Mr. Cole seconded that 
to Rule XIV., after the words " lower scale ” should 
be added the words "with the privilege of increasing this 
to." 
Mr. W. P. Thomson proposed, and Mr. Winter 
seconded, that in that part of Rule XIV., dealing 
with the time for which full sick pay should be paid 
to members, the word successive after the word 
“ twenty-six ” should be struck out. Mr. Thomson 
showed how necessary this was in the case of a man 
going on the funds for, say twenty-four weeks, 
declaring off, and going on again, since as the rule 
stood he would be eligible on the second occasion 
for the whole series of twenty-six weeks. 
All these alterations were duly carried, the last 
one after some lively discussion. 
Mr. Cole proposed, and Mr. Marshall seconded, 
that a new rule, to be called Rule XVIIa., re the 
Convalescent Fund, should be added. It ran as 
follows :— 
Voluntary Convalescent Fund.—The object of this 
fund is to give members a change of air during con¬ 
valescence. The committee of management to have 
power to relieve members of this society from this 
voluntary fund as they may deem advisable. All 
cases must be recommended by a duly qualified 
medical practitioner. 
With the adoption of this rule, the proceedings 
terminated. 
-- 
SIMPLICITY HOLDER AND 
INDICATOR. 
This is an ingenious but simple invention for hang¬ 
ing thermometers in glasshouses, dwelling rooms, 
Empty. Full. 
Simplicity Holder and Indicator. 
infirmaries, hospital wards and other places where 
the maintenance of the temperature at any given 
figure is a matter of importance. By the employment 
of them in gardens, they save the gardener a con¬ 
siderable amount of trouble and attention in keeping 
