December 19, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
249 
PROPOSED HOME OF HORTI¬ 
CULTURE. 
A GIFT IN HONOUR OF QUEEN VICTORIA’S 
GLORIOUS REIGN. 
Part I. —The Promotion and Formation. 
act as trustees. These gentlemen, and others, should 
be solicited to give the start, and also to appoint the 
treasurer, secretary pro tem., and banker. 
4. Second Step : Deputation to the Right Hon. the 
Lord Mayor. —A deputation from the trustees should 
wait upon the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, and lay 
6. Fourth Step : Provincial Rose Festivals. —That all 
the Horticultural Societies in Great Britain be com¬ 
municated with, and urged to take a prominent part 
in the scheme for the establishment of the Home of 
Horticulture by holding Rose festivals (Victoria 
Rose Festivals) about June 20th, or other most 
Home of Horticulture. 
1. The Need. —The need for a metropolitan horti¬ 
cultural institute has been recognised for years, each 
succeeding year accentuating the need, until this 
year we find from all parts of the country letters 
and suggestions for its early establishment. 
2. The Opportunity .— No better monument can be 
raised to perpetuate the memory of Her Majesty's 
beneficient reign than the establishment of a •’ Home 
of Horticulture," a " Victoria Palace," or "Queen’s 
Home of Horticulture." The present is the time for 
its inauguration, and all that is required to carry out 
the scheme is united effort. 
before his Lordship the needs of horticulture, and 
request that a meeting be held at the Mansion House 
to consider the desirability of founding a Metro¬ 
politan Home of Horticulture in honour of the 
sixtieth year of Her Majesty’s reign, and to decide 
upon the most suitable site for it. If possible, H.R.H. 
the Prince of Wales should be approached respecting 
this meeting. 
5. Third SLp : Rose Festival and Banquet at Mansion 
House. —The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor should be 
waited upon at an eariy date and petitioned to give 
the first impulse to the movement by holding a 
convenient date, on behalf of the institution. No 
more appropriate exhibition can be held on that day 
than one of Roses (our national emblem), but the 
details of these exhibitions would be left to the 
respective committees. These floral festivals might 
all conclude with a banquet to augment the funds. 
To the gifts already promised, and special large 
donations expected (aDd I would add with the 
earnest trust that my wish may be acceded to, the 
invaluable support of the horticultural papers) may 
there be added the Nation's affectionate tribute in 
commemoration of our beloved Queen’s glorious 
S 
Home of Horticulture. 
3. The Start, —The first step appears to be the 
formation of a body of trustees, to be elected from 
the Councils of the Royal Horticultural Society and 
other Societies, whose co-operation is, of course, 
essential; and it is confidently hoped that a sufficient 
number of gentlemen of influence may be induced to 
Rose festival in the Egyptian Hall, upon the same 
lines as those so successfully held during the 
mayoralties of Sir J. Whitaker Ellis and Sir David 
Evans. If convenient, this would be about June 20th, 
1897. The Rose festival to conclude with a banquet 
in aid of the funds. 
reign. I hope the horticultural Press will open their 
columns for subscriptions, however small, with a 
kindly word from the pen of a ready writer. By 
their aid in this united effort, I feel confident success 
will be ours, with a balance to spare to enable us to 
add to the tribute by a gift to the benevolent societies. 
