January 20, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
333 
prosperous condition of the Institution and the 
marked progress which happily has been made dur¬ 
ing the year, not only in respect of its financial 
status, but also in dispensing its assistance to a 
greater number of old and worthy people whose 
circumstances and necessities have obliged them to 
seek its aid. 
At the beginning of the year 174 pensioners— 
ninety-five men and seventy-nine widows—were re¬ 
ceiving £20 and £16 a year respectivel), entailing 
an annual liability of £3,160. Of this number, dur¬ 
ing the year nine men and one widow have passed 
away, while another man whose circumstances have 
changed has voluntarily relinquished his pension, 
thus leaving a total number of 163 on the funds at 
the close of the year. The committee propose to 
increase this number, and recommend that sixteen 
pensioners be added—ten by resolution under power 
conferred by Rule iii. 5, and the remaining six by 
the votes of members and subscribers, giving a total 
number of 178 pensioners, being four more than the 
number on the corresponding date last year. The 
number of beneficiaries will then be larger than at 
any period of the Institution’s past history ; and 
whilst keenly alive to the increased liabilities neces¬ 
sarily to be incurred, the committee are also confi¬ 
dent they may rely upon the continued and increased 
support of the friends of the Institution. 
The committee have to report that the anniversary 
festival dinner in aid of the funds, under the presi¬ 
dency of the Right Hon. the Earl of Derby. K.G., 
P C., proved most successful, and they desire to 
place on record their grateful thanks to his lordship 
for his able and effective advocacy of the claims of 
the Institution, which resulted in such a .substantial 
addition to the funds, as well as for bis lordship’s 
own generous contribution. In reply to the vote of 
thanks tendered by the committee, Lord Derby was 
pleased to send the following communication:— 
Derby House, St. James’s Square, W. 
July 3rd, 1899. 
My Dear Sir,—I thank jou for your letter of this 
date conveying the kindly message sent by your 
committee with reference to the festival dinner of the 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution on the28th 
ult. I am very glad to learn the result of he dinner 
is considered to have been satisfactory. For my 
own part I certainly say that I am very happy to 
have attended so pleasant a gathering, and that I am 
sincerely grateful for the assistance and support 
which I received as your Chairman from all present, 
and especially from the Treasurer and yourself.—I 
remain, my dear Sir, yours very faithfully, 
(Signed) Derby. 
George J. Ingram, Esq. 
The committee take this opportunity of gratefully 
acknowledging their indebtedness to the stewards, 
donors of flowers, and the horticultural press, and to 
others who in any way contributed to the success of 
the anniversary. They likewise tender their best 
thanks to the honorary secretaries of the several 
auxiliaries for their kind services, and also to other 
friends throughout the country, who, by arranging 
concerts, flower stalls, opening their gardens, and in 
other ways have so materially assisted the Institu¬ 
tion. The committee are glad to announce the 
formation of an auxiliary at Reading under the pre¬ 
sidency of Charles E. Keyser, Esq., and the 
treasurership of Arthur W. Sutton, Esq., which they 
feel will be of great advantage in diffusing fuller 
information of the Institution and creating a wider 
interest in its work in that district. Their thanks 
are specially due to Mr. Sutton, to whose influence 
and indefatigable exertions the establishmen of the 
branch is due. 
To the Messrs. N. M. Rothschild & Sons, who 
have again contributed their generous annual gift of 
£105; to the anonymous donor who left four £5 
notes at the office " In Memory of Robert Fortune,” 
and to other friends too numerous to mention who 
have so generously given to the funds, the Con mittee 
offer their most grateful thanks. 
The Committee are glad to be able to announce 
that the additional sum required to complete the 
" Victorian Era Fund ” has been obtained, the total 
amount thus raised for this fund being £5,000, which 
has been invested in Great Western Railway 5 per 
cent. Consolidated Stock, the interest derived 
therefrom, it may again be stated, being devoted ex¬ 
clusively to the benefit of unsuccessful candidates 
who have been subscribers to the Institution. 
During the year the following persons have bene¬ 
fited from this fund, and the grateful letters which 
have been received from them show how much the 
help was needed, and how keenly it was appreciated : 
—David BenniDg, £8; Andrew Bryan, £10 ; Sarah 
Bullen, £5 ; George Chitty, £10 ; JaDe R. Edwards, 
£10; Thomas Evans, £5; John Gibbons, £10; 
William Gould, £2; Elizabeth Hackwell, £8; 
Samuel Mills, £6; Lucy Mitchell, £7; Francis 
Nixon, £10; William Thomas, £2; Isabella Watt, 
£10; George Wills, £10. Two of the above have 
since passed away, and the timely aid thus afforded 
to them was doubly acceptable. 
The committee have also to announce that the 
Good Samaritan Fund, which was inaugurated at 
the commencement of the year, has received con¬ 
tributions to the amount of £520 17s. Of this 
amount ^520 has been invested in 2% per cent. 
Consols. The object of this fund is to grant tem¬ 
porary relief in urgent cases of trouble and distress. 
The committee therefore very earnestly commend 
the fund to the practical sympathy and support of 
their friends. 
In concluding their report, the committee have to 
refer with great regret to the losses the Institution 
has sustained during the past year by the death of 
many supporters, amongst whom they have to record 
with deep sorrow that of their valued and generous 
president, the Duke of Westminster. His Grace had 
occupied the office of president for a period of 
twenty-one years, and throughout the whole of that 
time had evinced a warm interest in its work, and 
was ever ready to afford it his powerful aid, both by 
his advice and practical support. His Grace will be 
greatly ruLsed, and the committee deeply deplore 
his decease.. They have also to refer to the death of 
their old friend and colleague Mr. John Lee. He had 
been connected with the Institution for sixty years, 
and as chairman of committee and trustee for 
many years, had taken an active interest in its affairs. 
He died at the ripe old age of ninety-six, beloved by 
everyone, and warmly appreciated for his devoted 
services to the Institution. The committee have 
likewise to record their great regret at the death of 
their colleague Mr. M. Dunn, of Dalkeith, and they 
desire to take this opportunity of expressing their 
high appreciation of his efforts on behalf of the 
Institution. 
These many losses have created gaps in the ranks 
of the supporters of the Institution which it will be 
difficult to fill, and the committee, therefore, plead 
the more earnestly for new friends and helpers to 
take the places of those who have passed away. 
BALANCE SHEET, 1899. 
Dr. £ s - d - 
To Balance ... .. 975 u 4 
amount on deposit. . 
Annual subscriptions . 
£'574 
5 
"s' 
Donations at Festival, &c., inclu- 
ding collecling cards . 
Donations. Victorian Era Fund 
I56O 
6 
10 
3 8 3 
12 
6 
Donations, Good Samarit n Fund 
including leg. cy from tbe late 
Mr. John Lee . 
520 
17 
0 
Return ot i at 01 e tax . 
24 
11 
3 
Advertisements in annual list ... 
38 17 
0 
Dividends and interest . 
912 
7 
9 
Cr. 
By Pensions and g. atuitles.. 
Expenses ot annual u.eettng and election ... 
Secretary's salary.£275 0 0 
Office assistance . 26 10 ° 
Rent of office, filing, lighting, &c. 67 3 1 
Piinting. including annual re- 
ports and lists ot subsc ibers, 
appeals, &c. 
102 
0 
0 
Stationery . 
26 
7 
6 
Expenses Festival ... £165 16 1 
Less dinner deductions 90 6 0 
75 
10 
1 
Wteaih, tte late Mr. John Lee ... 
3 
3 
0 
Advertisement . 
3 
3 
0 
Postages, including report;, voting 
papers, appeals, &c. 
50 
14 
6 
Travelling expenses . 
9 
4 
8 
Carriage, telegrams and Inci- 
dental expenses. 
8 
12 
0 
New office safe . 
7 
17 
6 
Bank charges . 
0 
3 
0 
Transferred, Victorian Era Fund 
383 
12 
6 
Transferred, Good Samaritan 
Fund .. 
520 
17 
0 
Ai ount placed on deposit 
3115 
10 
0 
Baianca with Treasurer. 
980 
6 
0 
Balance with Secretary. 
0 
8 
7 
£8682 19 2 
3011 17 0 
14 19 g 
368 13 1 
286 15 3 
4019 19 6 
980 14 7 
£8682 19 
2 
VICTORIAN ERA FUND. 
Balance Sheet, 1899. 
To Balance 
... 
... 
56510 
6 
Divi lends 
. £127 3 
4 
Donations 
. 383 12 
6 
Returned income tax . 3 I 9 
4 
— 
— 
51415 
2 
£1080 5 
8 
By gratuities to unsuccessful candidates. it4 to 0 
Purchase of £503 Great Western 
Railway 5 per cent. Cons Stock 
at £i82j ' ". 
916 
14 
4 
Commission (reduced) . 
3 
S 
3 
Stamps and lee . 
4 
18 
6 
924 
iq 
I 
Balance . 
40 
16 
7 
£1080 
5 
8 
GOOD SAMARITAN 
FUND. 
Balance Sheet, 
1899 
Donations . 
... 
520 
17 
0 
£520 17 
0 
Purchase ol £553 15s. 8J. sj per 
cent. Consols at ggj . 
£519 
4 
0 
Coimissitn and stamps. 
0 
16 
0 
520 
0 
0 
Balance . 
... 
... 
0 
17 
0 
£s 20 17 o 
Having audited the accounts, we certify the same 
to be correct; the books are well and accurately 
kept. We have also satisfied ourselves that the 
securities of the invested funds are in the hands of 
the bankers, through whom the dividends are re¬ 
mitted. 
Thomas Swift, j 
Thomas Manning, Auditors. 
J. Willard, ) 
January gth, 1900. 
The following resolutions were put before the 
meeting and adopted :— 
"That the report of the committee, together with 
the statement of accounts, as audited and certified, 
for the past year now read be received and adopted, 
and that the best thanks of this meeting be presented 
to the committee for their able management of the 
affairs of the institution for the past year.” Pro¬ 
posed by chairman, seconded by Dr. Masters. 
“ That Mr. Harry J. Veitch be re-elected treasurer, 
and that the best thanks of this meeting be presented 
to him for his invaluable services to the institution 
for the past year." Proposed by Mr. W. Denning, 
seconded by Mr. Osborn. 
"That Mr. George J. Ingram be re-elected 
secretary ." Proposed by Mr. Geo. Monro, seconded 
by Mr. Geo. Wjthes. 
“That Messrs. W. Y. Baker, J. Hudson, S. M. 
Segar, H. Turner, and H. Tillman, who retire by 
rotation, be re-elected members of the committee, 
and that Messrs. John A. Laing and John Jennings 
be elected members of the committee in the places 
of Mr. John Laing, who retires, and Mr. M. Dunn, 
deceased." Proposed by Mr. H. J. Cutbush, 
seconded by Mr. W. Roupell. 
" That Messrs.Thomas Manning,Thomas Swift,and 
Jesse Willard be rc-elected auditors for the ensuing 
year, and that the best thanks of this meeting be 
presented to them for their kind services during tbe 
past year.” Proposed by Mr. J. Hill White, 
Worcester; seconded by Mr. W. Dennrng. 
" That Messrs. W. F. Beste,W. Crane, H. Higgins, 
W. Johnson, and R. A. Jack be re-elected arbitrators 
for tbe ensuing year." Proposed by Mr. A J. Baker, 
seconded by Mr. W. Iceton. 
" That William Armstrong, Andrew Bryan, 
Thomas Chapman, George Chitty, William Plole, 
Francis Nixon, Samuel Smalley, Richard H. Smith, 
Joseph Willis, John Wilson, whose cases have been 
investigated and appear to be deserving and 
necessitous, be placed on the pension list without 
election under the power conferred by rule iii., 5.” 
Proposed by Mr. J. H. Veitch, seconded by Mr. S. 
Osborn. 
" That Mr. Edwin G. Monro and Mr. Thomas 
Manning be elected scrutineers, with full power to 
decide all questions arising out of voting papers." 
Proposed by Mr. W. Roupell, seconded by Mr. W. 
Iceton. 
The Annual Friendly Supper. 
In the evening about seventy members and friends 
of the institution sat down to supper in one of the 
dining saloons at " Simpson’s,” Strand. Arnold 
Moss,Esq.(of Messrs. Jacob Wrench & Sons,Ltd..Lon¬ 
don) occupied the chair.and no one is more adapted for 
the duty. After discussing a capital and well-served 
dinner the loyal toasts were given from the chair. 
The speeches which followed the propositions were 
fitting for the occasion, and loyally received. 
Following these toasts Mr. Moss made a humorous 
resume of the year's report, which had been read 
and passed at the meeting in the afternoon. The 
chairman urged the claims of the institution, point¬ 
ing out with much wisdom the dangers to his health 
which a gardener has to bear against in the perform¬ 
ance of his duties. Mr. Moss had a profound 
