4 
Supplement to THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 3rd. 1903. 
and now, with increased facilities and I he greater strength it 
possessed, greater results would he expected from it. (Ap¬ 
plause.) About fifty or sixty years ago gardens were, perhaps,- 
the monopoly of ■ the few ; now they were found surrounding 
the homes of the many. Indeed, home would not be home to 
a lot of people if it were not for the garden. (Applause.) How 
many thousands, after the turmoil of a busy day, could sit in 
their gardens, almost away from the world, and enjoy Nature’s 
colours, amid sweet-smelling flowers of every colour known to 
art, the testimony of their own industry and taste! (Applause.) 
Horticultural societies in different parts of the United Kingdom 
were all doing a great and useful work. In their support of 
every flower show much good is done. There was instruction 
to all in realising the results of another’s skill. Then, again, 
there was the encouragement they gave to the working popula¬ 
tion of our towns and villages to keep their own gardens, thereby 
inculcating habits of industry and thrift. (Applause.) The 
Royal Caledonian Society of Edinburgh, founded no longer ago 
than in the year 1828, intended holding an international exhi¬ 
bition at Edinburgh in the month of September, 1905. Per¬ 
sonally, he was glad to hear that colonial exhibits would be a 
feature. (“ Hear, hear,” and applause.) Proceeding to address 
a few remarks to gardeners themselves, his Lordship said they 
could do much to leave the world better for their 
being in it. They could add much to the material 
welfare and happiness of their fellow countrymen. Gar¬ 
deners, he presumed—and he said this with all re¬ 
spect—sprang from the classes and the industrial com¬ 
munity. Many of them, especially those of them who were 
middle-aged, had not the advantage of education which was now 
within the reach of all children. (Applause.) Yet he might 
safely say that they had, by devotion to duty and by hard and 
persevering work, succeeded in raising the art of gardening in 
Great Britain to as high, if not a. higher plane, than in any part 
of the world. (Hear, hear and applause.) In addition to charm¬ 
ing the palate with luscious fruit and tender vegetable in and 
out of season, gardeners were judged by their artistic methods, 
by the manner in which they added to one pleasure by providing 
another in the shape of bright and beautiful bouquets. Con¬ 
sequently, they were treated more as friends than as servants. 
(Applause.) Passing on to refer to gardening in Ireland, the 
Chairman said that very much had been done to encourage it, 
but much yet remained to be done. (Applause.) On his estate 
nearly all the cottages had gardens attached, and while in some 
of the cottages the pig was under the dresser—(laughter)—with 
his head in the saucepan—(renewed laughter)—a great many of 
the gardens were well arranged with pretty, well-kept flowers. 
(Applause.) The interior of the cottages had also happily im¬ 
proved, and, compared with others, what a great contrast there 
was ! They had in his particular district a place well adapted 
for the growing of fruit. Apples did exceedingly well, and there 
was often a superabundance of Plums which could be grown 
commercially. They had a warm climate and -a good soil, and 
he was persuaded that with care, attention, and education, fruit 
growing in Ireland, both on a large and a small scale, could be 
made a profitable enterprise. (Applause.) There was one thing 
which was certainly against it at present, and that was the diffi¬ 
culty of finding a market. They were unable to get their fruit, 
vegetables, or flowers into the English market at a reasonable 
hour in the morning. At that point he should like to say a 
word of testimony to the efforts of his own gardener, who was 
a member of their association. (Hear, hear and applause.) He 
was always ready to give assistance to the people, and endea¬ 
voured to instil into the minds of the youth of the sur¬ 
rounding country his own love of his garden. The result of 
his work might not be immediate, but it would manifest 
itself in the future. (Hear, hear.) He himself was for¬ 
tunate in having a beautiful garden; and there were many 
fine and pretty ones in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) His was 
richly endowed with Nature’s beauty. But that beauty had been 
enhanced by the talent of the amateur. The gentle comrade of 
his married life loved and studied her garden. (Applause.) And 
she was much more entitled than he was to take the chair on that 
occasion. (Laughter and applause.) All lio could say—and 
he said it with great sincerity—was that if any one of them hap¬ 
pened to be passing his way, and if they gave him a call he would 
be delighted to see them. (Applause.) He had said enough 
to commend the toast to them. Long might the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society and all the other societies continue in their 
paths of usefulness ! Long might they exist to encourage those 
who were endeavouring to make more beautiful the natural beau¬ 
ties of God’s earth ! Long might they live in their desire to add 
to the pleasures and the welfare of every class of the community 
in our beloved country ! (Loud applause.) 
The toast was enthusiastically pledged. 
Rev. W. Wilks, M.A., responded. He said that the time had 
now come when they should begin to forget the unfortunate days- 
of the Royal Horticultural Society. It was perfectly true that 
in 1887 the life of the society was in a critical state. It was then 
that Sir Trevor Lawrence and Baron Schroder, Mr. Beach, Mr. 
George Hall, and others came forward and delivered the society 
from the death which was hanging over it. (Applause.) Now 
that they had reached their hundredth year in safety, let them 
forget the gloomy days that were past. (Applause.) The his¬ 
tory of the society since 1887 to the present time had been one 
of unrecorded prosperity and advance. (Hear, hear.) In that 
year they had only 770 subscribing Fellows. At the present 
moment they had almost, if they had not more than 7.000. 
(Applause.) In that year, 1887, they had a debt of £1,200. At the 
present moment they had an income from subscribing Fellows of 
£7,000 a year, and they had accumulated funds from which they 
derived an income of £450 a year. What was it that 
had caused this growth in the society? It was simply 
this, that in 1887 the society abandoned all side shows and. 
minor issues, and concentrated all its energies upon gardening 
pure and simple. (Applause.) After referring to the proposed 
new hall, and the great want that- would he provided for by 
the garden provided by Sir T. Hanbury, Rev. Mr. Wilks re¬ 
minded those present, that £15,000 was still required for the 
former, and £5,000 for the latter. (A Voice : “ You’ll get it,” and 
applause.) Were there any rich men in England, or ladies like 
her Ladyship of Duneannon—(applause).—who, fond of their 
gardens, rejoicing in flowers, delighted with fresh fruit and 
vegetables, would not. help to raise the. paltry sum of £20,000.' 
(Hear, hear, and applause.) It might be asked why the society 
did not- use its accumulated funds for the purpose indicated. 
They did not do so for a very good reason. When the hall was 
built, and the garden was laid out, they would entail an enor¬ 
mous expenditure in maintenance. (Applause.) If they took 
away their invested money they would be left with increased 
expenditure and decreased income. (Applause.) He appealed 
to them, as reasonable men, was that 'a business way of pro¬ 
ceeding? (Applause.) Rev. M. Wilks concluded by appealing 
to those present to assist in raising the money, and by thanking 
them for their reception of the toast. 
Mr. F. W. Burbidge, M.A. (Dublin) and Mr. C. S. Fuidge also 
responded. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence proposed “ Gardening and Gardeners. 
Amateur and Professional.” In the course of his remarks, he 
said that if they found a cottage garden well kept, they would 
be certain to find inside a happy, comfortable home. (Applause.) 
The art of gardening was understood in England as it was not 
understood on the Continent, and the skill displayed was so 
good as not to be equalled in other countries. (Applause.) Re-, 
ferring to the training of women gardeners, he said they would 
all, as practical men, be glad to extend the hand of friendship 
to them, especially if they did not interfere too much with the 
Apples. (Loud laughter.) 
Mr. T. Challis, f Wilton House, and Mr. .T, Mclndoe, Hutton 
Hall, responded. 
The other toasts were “ The Trade Charities,” proposed b$ 
Mr. Dean, and responded to by Mr. H. J. Veitch for the Gar¬ 
deners’ Benevolent Society, Mr. H. B. May for the Orpliar 
Fund, and Mr. C. Curtis for the Provident Society. The toas 
of “ The Horticultural Pi'ess ” was proposed by Mr. O. Thomas 
and duly responded to. “ The Horticultural Trade ” was sub 
mitted by Mr. W. Crump, and acknowledged by Mr. A. Wl 
Sutton, Mr. G. Bunyard, Mr. G. Dickson, and Mr. P. Kay. 
An excellent musical programme was sustained by profes; 
sional artistes. 
Peaks the Chief Failure in Fruit. —Those who visited ch. 
great exhibition of fruit at Chiswick on Tuesday last will haw 
observed that Pears were noticeable by their absence from nnxnj 
of the exhibits in which they usually figure in quantity. Thosj 
who have been in the habit of visiting the show held at th 
Crystal Palace till this year will remember that Pears were th: 
prevailing or predominant fruit on one occasion only. In oth; 
years they have usually held their own in proportion to tliei 
importance. They may be written down as a signal failure oi 
this occasion. They were not entirely absent, there being som- 
excellent exhibits on a small scale, but throughout the *sho\ 
they were exceedingly scarce. 
