294 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 1 , 1899. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.— 
The i6th annual General Meeting of the members of 
this institution will be held at "Simpson’s," ioi, 
Strand, W.C., on Thursday, January 19th, at 3 p.m., 
for the purpose of receiving the report of the com¬ 
mittee and the audited statement of accounts for the 
year 1898 ; electing officers to carry on the work of 
the institution during 1899, and for the purpose of 
placing seventeen pensioners on the funds. Five of 
these vacancies are to be filled under Rule III. 5, 
without the expense of an election. An election will 
take place for the remaining twelve vacancies. The 
poll will open at 3.15 p.m., and close at 4 p.m. 
precisely, after which time no voting papers can be 
received. In order that the voting papers may be in 
order they must be signed by the voter, otherwise 
they will be rejected, and the votes lost. Last year, 
if we remember rightly, there were many votes lost 
this way, and we are led to mention the circumstance 
in order to prevent as far as possible its recurrence, 
at least on so large a scale. 
The Great Gale which raged over a great part of 
the United Kingdom during the night of Monday, 
the 26th ult., and through the greater part of Tues¬ 
day, the 27th, caused damage on land as well as on 
sea. Some of the London parks suffered a good 
deal. Greenwich Park, which is the most exposed, 
had a number of large trees rooted up, while the 
bandstand and observatory sustained considerable 
damage. The wind tore with terrific violence along 
the grand avenue of Horse Chestnuts in Bushey 
Park, many branches being torn from the trees and 
hurled in all directions. In Victoria Park, Dulwich 
Park, and Lewisham Park several large trees were 
torn up and others damaged. In the more exposed 
portions of Richmond Park large limbs of many 
trees were wrenched off. The fine timber in the 
grounds of Syon House suffered severely. In Kew 
Gardens a lot of damage was done to the trees, and 
some anxiety was felt as to the safety of the roof of 
the Palm house. This stands in an exposed posi¬ 
tion, and with its great height the wind has enormous 
power upon it, but the grand old building has up to 
the present defied the elements, and as we, 
fortunately, do not often experience such heavy 
gales as that of last week, it is to be hoped that it 
will continue to defy them for many years more. 
Button's Angling Association.—Nineteenth General 
Meeting and Prize Distribution.—This annual func¬ 
tion was held in the Reading Room at Messrs. 
Sutton’s on Friday, December 23rd, Mr. M. H. F. 
Sutton presiding. The chief item on the credit side 
of the balance sheet, as rendered by the hon. secre¬ 
tary and treasurer, Mr. R. Bowsher, was a hand¬ 
some subscription of ten guineas from the firm, 
which, together with that of the president, Mr. 
Martin Hope Sutton, and a special prize donation 
by Mr. A. W. Sutton, constitute more than half of 
the receipts. The debit side was chiefly occupied 
with disbursements of a most comprehensive series 
of prizes, amounting in all to £18, in which figured 
a score of anglers (as epitomised below) out of the 
seventy members forming the association. It is 
hardly necessary to report the fact that a balance 
sheet of this pleasing nature was passed without 
demur, or that the president and vice-presidents, 
whose liberality ensures such a satisfactory result, 
were unanimously and with acclamation re-elected. 
The committee, with the substitution of Mr. W. W. 
Albury for a retiring member, as also the hon. 
secretary and treasurer, were again reinstated, the 
meeting, with the pleasing prospect of a prize distri¬ 
bution before it, being in a most complaisant mood; 
so much so, that the rules were considered sufficiently 
perfect to escape revision. Then, amid great enthu¬ 
siasm, Mr. Sutton proceeded to distribute the prizes, 
consisting largely of fishing tackle and furniture of 
every description : bag and baskets, creels and cruets, 
watches, timepieces and teapot, jewellery and cutlery, 
reel and landing net. Ultimately, the assemby dis¬ 
persed after a most hearty vote of thanks to Mr. 
Sutton for his able chairmanship, and to the Messrs. 
Sutton generally for their substantial support of and 
undiminished interest in the association, tendered 
through Messsr. Farmer and Kinchin, Mr. Sutton 
cordially responding and assuring the meeting of the 
firm’s unabated interest in all matters pertaining to 
sport. Prize-winners.—1. S. Warrilow, first roach 
Wednesday’s gross weight, fifth specimen, third 
chub, and three prizes in monthly matches, all won 
with the roach rod. 2. W. R. Smith (another 
champion of the roach pole), second roach gross 
weight, third specimen, third perch, fifth chub, and 
two prizes in monthly matches. 3. G. Critcher, 
first pike, second perch. 4. D. Cooper, three 
firsts, viz., chub (3 lbs. zozs.), miscellaneous (barbel, 
54 lbs.), and monthly match (all caught on roach 
tackle). 5. W. R. Stacey, second pike, fourth 
roach (gross), two prizes monthly matches. 6. J. 
Sadler, first roach (i lb. 5J ozs.), fourth perch, 
second miscellaneous (eel). 7. W. H. Chalk, 
second roach specimen (1 lb. 34 ozs.), fifth gross, 
two prizes monthly matches. 8. E. Tufnail, first 
perch, second chub, 9. F. J. Plumer, fourth chub, 
seventh (tie) roach, three prizes in monthly matches. 
10. W. W. Albury, third roach (gross), seventh 
(tie) specimen, n. C. Cooper, fourth roach. 12. 
C. A. M. Morris, first perch (juniors’ class). 13. 
H. Belcher, first monthly match. 14. H. Church, 
second monthly match. 15. H. Swain, senr., third 
miscellaneous (eel). 16. W. T. Bartholomew, sixth 
roach. F. W. Carter, first prize pike at Wool- 
hampton (Mr. Sutton’s prize) ; W. T. Bartholomew, 
second prize at Woolhampton ; W. H. Stacey, first 
miscellaneous at Woolhampton ; E. H. Leaver, 
second miscellaneous at Woolhampton 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. John McLennan. 
From London to Castle Boro’, Enniscorthy, Co. 
Wexford, is not a great distance as reckoned by the 
modern means of rapid transit, and postal inter¬ 
communication ; but it is sufficiently distant to make 
a common rendezvous the happy meeting ground of 
gardeners from many a remote corner of the British 
Isles. The great horticultural centres form the 
meeting grounds, and the Chrysanthemum is the 
incentive to travel when the busy season of gardening 
is beginning to slow down. Under such circum¬ 
stances we made the personal acquaintance (other¬ 
wise an old friend) of Mr. John McLennan, gardener 
to Lord Carew, of Castle Boro’, both at Dublin and 
Edinburgh, in November last. 
Mr. McLennan commenced his career at Blair 
Drummond, Stirling, the seat of the Earl of Moray, 
where he gained a practical knowledge of forestry 
under that famous old forester, Mr. J. King. From 
there he went to Deanston House, in the same 
county, where he served an apprenticeship of three 
years, the usual period of probation for young men 
learning the art of gardening in Scotland, and which 
is quite sufficient to prove not only the material of 
which they are made, but their adaptability or other¬ 
wise for the profession of gardening as a career. 
The next move was to Shandon House, Helens¬ 
burgh, which was his first place as journeyman. 
About this time he desired to gain experience in 
Orchid culture, and for this purpose he secured a 
berth in the gardens at Carrickarden, near Glasgow, 
then noted for its collection of Orchids. Still 
advancing in the profession, Mr. McLennan next 
made his way to the famous gardens at Archerfield, 
Drem, East Lothian, as foreman in the glass depart¬ 
ment, where Pineapples and Grapes were well grown 
under the able management of Mr. J. Morrison, still 
gardener to Mrs. Hamilton, Ogilvy. There was 
much to be learnt at Archerfield, and the subject of 
these notes stayed for two years. 
The Emerald Isle was his next destination, and 
his first footing there was as general foreman in the 
gardens of Viscount Powerscourt, Powerscourt, 
Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, under the noted gardener, 
Mr. D. Drombie, who was at that time the 
leading Chrysanthemum grower and prize-lifter 
at the Dublin shows. Here Mr. McLennan remained 
for a period of nearly four years, deeply engrossed in 
the varied subjects under his care. Still anxious to 
see and learn, or in other words being desirous of a 
change, he engaged himself to go as general foreman 
in the gardens of the Earl of Mansfield, Scone 
Palace, Perth. After staying for nearly three years 
in this historical neighbourhood, he returned to the 
Emerald Isle as head gardener to the Earl of Kenmare, 
Killarney House, Killarney, Co. Kerry, amidst the 
beautiful scenery of the distant yet well-known 
south-west corner of the Sister Isle. 
As if disinclined to settle down to the business of 
life, Mr. McLennan made another move, this time to 
the south-east of Ireland, where he engaged as head 
gardener and forester to the Right Hon. Lord Carew, 
Castle Boro', Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, which 
situation he has now held for eight years to the 
satisfaction of all concerned. Active and restless as 
he was in youth, we now find him settled down to 
the serious business of life in all earnestness and 
untiring diligence, to improve and adorn what is by 
Mr. John McLennan 
nature a beautiful place. His wide experience 
served him in good stead, for he erected a large saw¬ 
mill, extended the garden, renovated houses and 
heating apparatus, buildings, &c. 
By this time he was able to devote his energies 
more especially to the best interests of horticulture ; 
for after finishing the needed improvements about 
Castle Boro’ he commenced the ardous and exciting 
career of an exhibitor, making his power and presence 
felt in the competitive ranks, at the Dublin shows 
particularly. Some of his feats have been recorded 
in our pages, but by no means all. As a vegetable 
grower he has already made his mark, having been 
awarded thirty-four first prizes. Many of his 
vegetable exhibits were the finest ever staged in 
Ireland. Cut flowers were by no means neglected, 
for he has secured twenty first prizes, a R.H.S.I. 
Medal and a certificate for exhibits of the same. For 
plants and fruit he has been awarded fourteen first, 
and fifty second prizes, in all classes—truly an 
enviable record for a man who has so many and 
varied duties to perform. Incidentally we may 
remark that Mr. McLennan is a member of the 
Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, which is in 
keeping with his duties and professional studies in 
the capacity of forester at Castle Boro'. 
The accompanying portrait shows a man still 
relatively young and capable of disconcerting many 
a good gardener on the exhibition table; and we 
venture to predict that his record of first prizes is 
still far from complete. Personally he is most 
enthusiastic in his work, and a courteous and agree¬ 
able man to meet. 
- — 3 ^-- 
Tlie Orcljifl Brower’s Calendar. 
Stock-taking.— With the advent of the New Year, 
we, as a rule, have a general look through the whole 
of our stock, comparing notes that have been taken 
during the season, also dried flowers, with those of 
the previous year, believing, as we do, that to be 
thoroughly master of one's business, some such 
record of the season's work should be kept. Each 
one of our plants that flowers and is considered 
worthy of a place in the collection is carefully de¬ 
scribed, and each characteristic noted in a book kept 
for that purpose by my employer, besides which a 
flower is dried and kept also for comparison. 
The improvement made in some varieties, especi¬ 
ally of Odontoglossums after they become established, 
is simply astounding. So much so, that anything 
