824 
January 23, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
accidents to which they are liable, and the 
many ailments to which human flesh is heir. 
It is hard, very hard, for a gardener who 
has struggled all his life to maintain himself 
in a respectable position, to do his duty, and 
keep his head above water, to find in the 
decline of life that he is no longer able to 
continue the struggle, and that nothing 
remains to tide over the remainder of his 
natural term of existence, to say nothing of 
those, who by misfortune, have been placed 
in a similar position, it may be, comparatively 
early in life. 
Taking these things into consideration it 
is not surprising that the various members 
of the craft should recognise the necessity 
of assisting one another by means of some 
organised body. This purpose the Gar¬ 
deners’ Royal Benevolent Institution has 
been striving to fulfil ever since it was 
inaugurated about fifty-nine years ago. 
To-day it is more alive to its responsibilities 
than ever, while at the same time recognising 
its inability to meet the numerous cases of 
hardship brought to its knowledge at the 
annual election of pensioners. The list of 
candidates for 1897 included forty-nine 
names of gardeners, or their widows, appeal¬ 
ing for help. The election was held on the 
14th inst., and a detailed account of it will 
be found in another column. The resources 
of the institution could only allow twenty to 
be placed on the pension list, so that the 
other twenty-nine must needs manage to 
eke out an existence as best they can for 
another year, perhaps longer. Ten applic¬ 
ants, having complied with the regulations 
of the Institution, were placed upon the 
pension list without the trouble or expense 
of election, while the other ten were 
elected in the usual way by the votes 
of the subscribers, from a list of thirty- 
nine. Of the latter number four had 
applied for help for the fifth time, and 
only one of them succeeded ; six had 
applied for the fourth time; nine for the 
third time; eleven for the second time ; 
and nine for the first time. 
On behalf of the unsuccessful Candidates, 
who, in addition to their necessities, have 
been subscribers to the Institution, a mag¬ 
nanimous effort is being made to raise a 
fund to be called “The Victorian Era 
Fund,” the income from which is to be 
devoted to the purpose of affording them 
temporary relief till they succeed in being 
placed upon the pension list. This 
endeavour, excellent in itself, should also 
be specially gratifying to Her Majesty The 
Queen, who, through the Prince of Wales, 
recently expressed her wish that in what¬ 
ever way her people should choose to com- 
merrmorate the happy event of the sixtieth 
year of her reign, they should remember 
the charities established for relieving the 
distress of the poor and the afflicted 
amongst her subjects. The executive of 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institu¬ 
tion have identified themselves with this 
laudable endeavour to establish a special 
fund on behalf of the needy amongst their 
subscribers who may be waiting to be 
placed on the list of those receiving regular 
help. Something like 14,000 letters have 
been issued to gardeners and amateurs 
throughout the country, and we subjoin the 
text of the appeal in the form addressed to 
gardeners, together with a list of the sums 
promised on behalf of the fund previous to 
the election, but which has been materially 
augmented since then. Surely such a 
liberal nucleus, already materially aug¬ 
mented at the annual election of pensioners 
on the 14th inst., cannot fail to find the 
additional support required, the purpose of 
which is in itself the best recommendation. 
The text of the appeal is as follows : — 
“ The extraordinary event —unique in our 
country’s history—of Her Majesty com¬ 
pleting in June next, the sixtieth year of her 
beneficent reign, demands from us all, I 
venture to suggest, some special effort 
testifying to our deep thankfulness for the 
wonderful progress made in every way 
by our nation during the past sixty years, 
and for the many blessings we now so freely 
enjoy. 
“ Animated by this feeling the executive 
of che Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Insti¬ 
tution (of which our beloved Queen has 
been the patroness for forty-five years) have 
determined to endeavour to celebrate so 
remarkable an occurrence by establish¬ 
ing a special fund to be called ‘The 
Victorian Era Fund,’ the income from 
which shall be devoted to affording tem¬ 
porary assistance to those applicants who 
are waiting to be placed on the pension 
list and who have been subscribers to the 
institution, every friend of which it is con¬ 
fidently felt may be relied upon to do their 
utmost to help raise a sufficient sum, the 
interest of which shall be devoted to the 
benefit of those, who, when in a position to 
do so by becoming subscribers, did what 
they could to assist others. 
“The committee consider that a sum of 
at least ^5,000 will be required to enable 
them to adequately carry out what they 
propose; and this, in addition to the amount 
required to meet the yearly outgoings of the 
institution which exceed ^3,000 (the sum 
paid at the present time in pensions alone 
being ^2,840), and I as chairman of the 
committee, appeal to every gardener in the 
country to aid us in raising this sum :— 
1. By giving what he can himself 
and urging his brother gardeners to 
do the same. 
2. By earnestly appealing to all 
lovers of gardens to contribute some¬ 
thing to this object. 
and I feel certain that if only every gardener 
will do what he can the proposal of the 
committee will be fully realised. 
Any further information or details of the 
scheme will be most readily given, either by 
myself or by the secretary, Mr. George J. 
Ingram, 50, Parliament Street, S.W., 
London, who will also be pleased to forward 
to any applicant collecting cards or boxes. 
Earnestly begging you to give the matter 
your warmest support.” 
I am, etc., 
Harry J. Veitch. 
Chairman of Committee and Treasurer: 
The Fifty-Eighth Anniversary Festival 
Dinner will be held at the Whitehall Rooms, 
Hotel Metropole, on Wednesday, May 26th, 
1897, when the Right Hon. Lord Roth¬ 
schild will take the chair. The donations, 
etc., already promised, are as follows :— 
His Grace the Duke of Westminster, 
£ 
S. 
d. 
President . 
100 
0 
0 
The Baron Schroder, Vice-President 
200 
0 
0 
C. Czarnikow 
N. N. Sherwood, Trustee (In memory 
50 
0 
0 
of Emma Sherwood) 
200 
0 
0 
Harry J. Veitch, Treasurer .. 
W. Sherwood (In memory of Emma 
25O 
0 
0 
Sherwood) . . 
100 
0 
0 
E. Sherwood, ditto 
100 
0 
0 
May Sherwood, ditto .. 
100 
0 
0 
George Monro .. 
100 
0 
0 
James Veitch & Sons .. 
250 
0 
0 
Thames Bank Iron Company 
21 
0 
0 
A. Watkins .. .. .. ., 
10 
0 
0 
James Hudson .. 
5 
0 
0 
J. W Seden (Life Subscription) 
10 
10 
0 
J. Seden. 
2 
2 
0 
* 
The Free Distribution of Seeds by the American 
Government last year weighed over 230 tons, 
occupied thirty mail cars in transportation, and cost 
70,000 dollars in carrying the same. Isn't it 
ridiculous ? 
Ireland must, in times gone by, have been very rich 
in colossal Yews, judging by the evidences of the peat 
bogs, in which remains of large trunks are often 
found. 
The distribution of plants, says Dr. James Clark, 
is dependent upon climatic conditions, such as heat, 
moisture, and light, in varying degrees according to 
the species. 
Early Potato.—A correspondent from Lymington, 
Enniscorthy, testifies to having dug Potatos on the 
19th of May in the open air from tubers planted in 
February. 
Amongst Agricultural Chemists an idea is more or 
less prevalent that cultures of the nitrifying bacteria 
of the soil will be made on an extensive scale for the 
use of farmers. This, of course, would be equally 
advantageous to gardeners. If scattered upon fer¬ 
menting manure heaps, the idea is that these bacteria 
would fix the ammonia, and thereby prevent its loss 
from the manure. Seeding the ground with the 
bacteria would also bring about beneficial results. 
The Silver Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. T. Whillans, 
Blenheim Palace Gardens, was ce'ebrated in a very 
pleasant manner on January 6th, on which occasion 
His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough generously 
sanctioned the use of the capacious corridors of the 
new south block of greenhouses, which were prettily 
decorated, for the purpose of entertaining the many 
friends, including the principal domestics at the 
palace, who assembled in goodwill and amity to the 
hosts to honour the event. A most enjoyable evening 
was spent, and, for those who were present, wilt 
form a very pleasurable remembrance. Mr. and 
Mrs. Whillans were the recipients of numerous 
tokens of friendship and kindly congratulation; 
amongst others a handsome silver cake basket given 
by the garden emplojes, and which will, as we 
trust, for many years to come, be regarded as a most 
sincere expression of kindly sentiments. 
Royal Botanic Society of London.—At a meeting of 
this society on the 9th inst., the secretary, Mr. J. B. 
Sowerby, showed stems of the Egyptian Papyrus cut 
from the plant in the Victoria regia house in the 
gardens. This plant made an exraordinary growth 
last year, forming a clump 7 ft. in diameter, and 14 ft. 
high. Some of the individual stems had a diameter 
of 2J in. at the base. The ancient Egyptians made 
a paper of remarkable durability from these stems, 
simply by slicing the pith into flat strips and laying 
them together with their ends and edges overlapping 
until a piece of sufficient dimensions was obtained. 
By applying pressure these pieces adhered together, 
forming a smooth surface that could be written upon, 
rolled up, and laid away as we would a book. The 
secretary also showed paper made in this way from 
the garden specimen, and compared it with a speci¬ 
men which Dr. Birch considered was 3,000 years 
old. The ancient Egyptian specimen was darker in 
colour, but otherwise similar to the home-made 
paper. 
* 
In Defence of the Sparrow.—In a recent issue the 
Times published a letter by Mr. Geo. L. Lepper, of 
Mark Lane, concerning the sparrow question. Mr. 
Lepper, says in effect, that the sparrow is a pest 
of the deepest dye. No more grievous error could 
possibly be made. I find in " Chambers' Encyclo¬ 
paedia” that in Europe,” Sparrows devour vast num¬ 
bers of insects and their larvae " ; and that in France 
the destruction of sparrows was followed by an 
increase of caterpillars, vastly more injurious to 
crops than the sparrows. In Sussex, the home of the 
Sparrow Clubs, the destruction of small birds grows 
apace. Despite criticism and ridicule the clubs of 
Sussex pursue the even tenour of their way. A local 
bird destruction club recently boasted of having 
killed 5,922 sparrows and tomtits in twelve months, 
and a report to hand of the last periodical meeting 
of the Burwash Weals Rat and Sparrow Club states 
that the members present produced the beads of 173 
birds, a total rather below the Burwash average. 
Small wonder that caterpillars were " very numerous 
and troublesome ” in some of the fruit growing 
districts of the south last year ! Michelet, the author 
of that wonderful book, L'Oiseau,” says : " If all 
the birds should die not a human being could live on 
the earth, for the insects on which the birds live 
would increase so enormously as to destroy all vege¬ 
tation.”— Joseph'jCollinson , IVoolsingham, Co. Durham. 
