Wti GARDENING WORLD. 
426 
fall away. At present tlie donations exceeded tlie subscriptions, 
a state of things which he considered was not. very desirable. 
The Fund was more successful last year than usual owing to 
the fact that it was Coronation year-, and many made an extra 
exertion on that account. At present there were close upon 
100 children on the Fund, but he hoped to be able- to give them 
even greater assistance in the future. 
Someone had asked him whether there was any money in 
gardening, and he, on looking at it in its fullest aspect, re¬ 
garded gardening as a most important industry in this country. 
Wherever a large community existed garden produce would 
be necessary, and as communities were increasing, so would a 
greater amount of garden produce be w r anted. He would 
advocate the teaching of horticulture, and considered that every 
schoolboy ought to know how to cultivate a Potato, and every 
girl how to cook it. Our animals must be fed on vegetation, 
and farmers would, or should, always be interested in grass. 
The production of tobacco and sugar were all the results of the 
horticulture we promote. He concluded by hoping that his 
audience would help the charity, help the cause of horticulture, 
and see that the Fund was maintained. 
W. A. Bilney, Esq., proposed “ Gardeners and Gardening.” 
He said he had been asked by the secretary to propose this 
toast when he had met him at an emporium in the City, where 
a £1,000 Orchid was sometimes sold for Is. 6d. He had tried 
many hobbies, but none of them were equal to' gardening, which 
gave pleasure not only to* gardeners, but to their friends. Some 
years ago they carried on gardening on what he termed the 
“ dot and carry one” system, but that had now given place to 
a. more natural style of grouping and better gardening. The 
cultivation of fruit and vegetables had not gone back. In spite 
of our changeable and uncertain climate, we could still grow 
those things exceptionally well. Instead of having the funereal 
Yew all over the grounds, we had beautified them with flowering 
f rees and shrubs. He asserted that the gardener was an honest, 
hard-working, industrious, man, and charitable according to his 
means. At the present time curates were at a premium, and 
he hoped the tune was not. far away when gardener's: would also: 
be at a premium. We should encourage and assist gardeners; 
to take advantage of the technical education classes. They 
should Ire taught gardening, economic entomology and other 
sciences which would help them in their vocation. He coupled 
the toast with the name of Mr. George Paul. 
The latter gentleman, in, rising, said that, on looking back 
for forty years, both as a business man and one who loved 
plants, he entertained for it an intense pleasure. Gardeners 
have been carrying on horticulture for centuries, very generally 
for the -love of it alone. They had to produce and maintain 
pictures of living plants in the gardens of all classes;, from the 
lordly mansion to the villa,. He referred to the small allotment- 
holders; of Lord Carrington, and thought it; a useful example 
of what could be done when the proprietor has; the- interests 
of his tenants at heart. He wished that eveiy boy should be 
taught gardening, so that he could afterwards engage in it, 
whatever his station in life. It was the pleasure of rich and 
poor alike, old and young. He hoped that, when gardeners 
had done their best and died in the struggle, none of those 
left behind them should be in want. 
Arnold Moss, Esq., proposed “The Visitors ” in a humorous 
speech, according to his usual custom. To. this the Rev. S. B. 
Ma.yall replied, and said that he would urge the cause in his. 
neighbourhood, and do his; best as; well as advocate the ne¬ 
cessities of the Fund amongst his neighbours. The next 
speaker was Mr. H. B. May, who- proposed “ The Chairman, 
and said that the festival gathering had never been happier in 
the selection of a, chairman than on that occasion. He alluded 
also 1 to the happy condition of the chairman’s tenants on the 
old-time estate at High Wycombe and elsewhere, evictions 
being unknown. 
At this; point the secretary read the results of the chairman’s 
list of donations. The chairman himself had given £25, and, 
on behalf of Covent Garden, Mr. Assbee and Mr. Poupart had 
been instrumental in getting together £121. Other donations 
were from Messrs. N. M. Rothschild and Sons, 25 gs. ; A. de 
May 16, 1903. 
Rothschild, Esq., 10 gs.; Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., 10 gs.; 
N. N. Sherwood, Esq., £25 ; Leonard Sutton, Esq., £25 ; Sir 
Weetman D. Pearson, Bait., M.P., £20; Mr. George Cuthbert. 
£12 10s. 6d.; Mr. Whitpaine Nutting, £11 19s. 6d.; Messrs. 
James Veitcli and Sons, Limited, 10 gs. ; Mr. T. F. Blackwell. 
10 gs.; Mr. G. H. Richards, 10 gs.; Mr. G. Caselton, 7 gs.; Mr. 
Anthony Waterer, 5 gs.; Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 5 gs.; 
Mr. T. W. Sanders, £10 ; Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, £5 ; Sir 
John Gilmour, £5 ; Mr. James Douglas, £5 ; Mr. Charles Heid- 
seick, £5 ; Mr. H. B. May, £5 5 s.; Messrs. G. Bunyard and 
Co., £5 5s.; Messrs. Bair and Sons, £7 7s.; Mrs. W. G. Head, 
£10; Messrs. E. and Win. Shemure, £5 each; Mr. H. J. 
Veitch, 5 gs;.; and Mrs. Veiteh, 5 gs. The total aggregate of 
donations came to £680. 
Mr. H. J. Veitch then proposed “ The Press ” instead of Mr. 
George Bunyard, who was unavoidably absent through illness. 
He said that they were all much indebted to the Press for help- ; 
ing make known the cause of the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund. He also; said that their thanks in general were due to 
tlie Press for help given in all gardening matters, and in assist- ; 
ing to diffuse gardening through the; community generally. 
He coupled with the toast the name of Mr. T. W. Sanders, who 
replied. 
The Chairman also* replied on his own. behalf, and said that 
the donors of flowers had greatly helped to brighten the tables 
that evening, and heartily thanked them for their liberality. 
Saxifraga Grisebachii. 
(Nee Coloured Plate.) 
On page 163 we gave a. photographic representation of this 
new species', and we are now in a. position, to represent it in the 
natural colours. When exhibited at the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on February 10th, many suspected that 
it was identical with what has been known in gardens for so 
many years under the name of S. calyciflora, We have had 
the plant under observation, however, and are perfectly satis- 
lied that it is abundantly distinct either from that or the other 
species in gardens having coloured leaves. It is also' more 
distinct from either than the other two are from one another, 
though all are more distinct as species than many of the mossy- 
leaved species in gardens. 
S. Grisebachii was discovered in Macedonia about two years 
ago and produces large tufts of leaves' in close rosettes, the 
leaves being spathulate, blunt, with a short point and a line 
of pores just within the cartilaginous margin, and, in time, are 
covered with a grey deposit of chalk on both suifaces, which 
gives them a. grey appearance. The flower-stems vary from 
3 in. to 6 in. in height, and in the young stages are covered 
with a. dense pubescence of glandular hairs. The; stem-leaves 
are also’ spathulate and red, with a. coating of the same glandu¬ 
lar hairs; except at the tip, which is smooth and green. The 
flowers are produced in. a spike 1 in. to 3 in. long, or possibly 
more when, the plants get strong. Tlie tracts and sepals are 
also red, and the petals are of the same deep colour, but, being 
very small, they are completely hidden by the sepals. The 
species comes into bloom some time between Christmas and 
the early days of February, according to the temperature in i 
which the plants are grown, and is very choice amongst 
alpine plants at that early period of the year. 
S. media, is the correct name of the plant named S. calyci¬ 
flora. Tlie leaves are subulate, pointed and produced in dense 
rosettes of. small size. The leaves of the stem are coloured 
much as in the above species; though differing in shape. Tlie 
flowers are produced in a terminal cyme, and are of large size 
compared with those of its congener above named, the petals 
being obovate, and longer than the sepals. S. porophylla most 1 
resembles; S', media, but the rosettes of leaves appear to be 
smaller, and the red leaves on the stem are fewer. 
The painting of S. Grisebachii was executed in the nursery 
of Messrs. R. Veitch and Sons, Exeter. 
