February 18, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
147 
nastic apparatus granted by the association was in course of 
.■ .. Norfolk Square recreation ground (Islington), All 
hints’ Hall (Buxton Street), and m the Crypt of St. I’ctei s 
Churcliyard (Walworth). Tree planting proposals ware agreed 
to in the (roswell Road. It was decided to seek for the with¬ 
drawal or modification of clauses for the exchange and barter of 
anv public spaces in the Council’s possession contained in the 
T 0 y J 0n County Council’s General Powers Bill, and to suggest an 
amendment to the Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Li . 
!„ , pier to facilitate the inclusion of as many grounds as possible 
m tins Bill. Poplar Churchyard, ShadWellFish Market, vacant 
and in Upper Sydenham and Notting Hill, and various other 
s ites also occupied the attention of the meeting. 
XiTi'ixAL Dahlia Society.- The annual report, list of mem- 
hprs and schedule of prizes of this society arc now before us. 
i\-, u 0 t e that during tlie past year tirst-class Certificates were 
(riven to one show Dahlia, fourteen Cactus Dahlias, two Pom- 
nons and four single Dahlias, the financial statement shows 
that the income of the society, including the balance from last 
Vl ‘ar amounted to £189 8s. 5.1., and the expenditure reached 
£166 3s. lid., leaving a balance in favour of the society oi 
£23 4s 6d. Last year the prize-money was very much in¬ 
creased ; nevertheless the society has been able to further in¬ 
crease it by nearly 20 per cent, A few more classes have been 
added to the schedule, and we note that a valuable silver 
Challenge Cup is again offered in the nurserymen’s classes^ 
eighteen varieties of Cactus Dahlias in as many bunches. 
Amateurs are also encouraged by the offer of a silver Challenge 
Cup for twenty-four distinct show or fancy Dahlias, or inter¬ 
mixed. A more valuable silver Challenge Cup is offered for 
nine varieties of Cactus Dahlias, ami a Gold Badge is offered 
by Messrs. Dobbie and Co. for twenty-four blooms, distinct. 
Recently there was a change in the secretaryship, but readers 
interested in the show may obtain a schedule from Mr. H. L. 
Brousson, Boy ton, Foots Cray, Kent, who is now the hon. 
secretary. 
Her Majesty the Queen and the Lixneax Society.- -As we 
announced last week, the Queen has been approached by the 
president of the Linnean Society in order to obtain her consent 
to become an honorary- member under the provisions of the 
supplementary charter and new bye-laws. A letter was re¬ 
ceived which ran as follows:—“I have the honour of submit 
ting your letter and reports to the Queen. I am commanded to 
inform you that Her Majesty will be pleased to compij with 
your request to become an honorary member of the Linnean 
Society.” This letter was signed by Sidney Greville. 11ns 
letter was read by the president, the Fellows present upstand¬ 
ing in their places. The president then wrote a reply as 
follows :—“ I have the honour to state that the gracious expres¬ 
sion of your Majesty’s wish to become an honorary member of 
this society was duly communicated to the general meeting of 
the Linnean Society of London, held yesterday at Burlington 
House, and was received with acclamation, the bellows all up¬ 
standing in their places. The roll of the society will be sub¬ 
mitted for signature at your Majesty’s pleasure. This letter 
was signed by the president of the society, William A. Herd- 
man. 
* * * 
Chelmsford and District Gardeners’ Association. —At the 
weekly meeting of the association, on Friday, February 10th, 
under the presidency of Mr. Simpson, Mr. F. J. Chittenden 
read a paper on “ Gardening in Olden Times.” A paper on 
such a subject, said the speaker, was instructive in showing 
(1) the errors that hacl been made, so that we may be on the 
watch to avoid them ; (2) wliat successes and progress have 
been attained, and the way to attain future successes ; and 
(3) the better lot of the gardener to-day when compared with 
that of our forefathers ; and that the knowledge of their suc¬ 
cesses under such adverse circumstances should spur us up 
to higher attainments, we being so much more blessed than 
they. The speaker alluded .to gardening as the oldest, and 
therefore the most honourable, of professions. In the early 
ages our forefathers grew nothing but what was eminently 
useful. Flowers for tlieir beauty is quite a modem idea. The 
Egyptians, Jews, and Romans had gardens of herbs, Gliveyard3 
and Vineyards, Onions, Garlic, and strong-smelling herbs 
being abundantly grown. The Romans brought their love of 
gardening to Britain, and thus tilled the lands and taught the 
Britons to do so. When they left the country was sacked by 
Piets, Scots, etc., and thus the art seemed to die out. Later 
on, however, the monks, having built their monasteries in the 
fertile valieys, rekindled the love for gardening, and th 
were the chief gardeners, growing plants for both food and 
medicinal purposes. About 1340 it seems lliat some of th 
monks kept account of the expenditure, etc., of the gardemi: 
operations, and this is probably the earliest record • xistii _ 
The “maze” seems to have come into fashion in. the. thin i 
century, although that in Hampton Court was not mad • I I 
about 1700. In the fourteenth century man r imo- - an i 
farmhouses were surrounded by a garden, tlnan.di <mh nf 
herbs. ’The earliest book on gardening is by John Gai l n r 
(1400), and it seems that flowers began to l> ■ u1 11 . ai • 1 Im 
their beauty ” 'about the sixteenth Century, and under th - 
patronage of Elizabeth this branch of gardening became' fashion¬ 
able, and, undergoing many changes and improvements sine • 
then, we arrive at the present time, when the flower-garden is 
foremost. A discussion followed.— S. M. Crow. 
* * * 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. 
The monthly committee meeting of this society was held at the 
Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, Strand, W.C., on Monday 
evening last, with Mr. Thomas Winter in the chair. Thirty five 
new members were elected, the largest number of members ever 
elected at one time, this result being due in a great mensiir • to 
an article which appeared in “The Gardener” of the 21>t nil. 
The sick pay has been heavy during the past month, the amount 
paid out being £51 11 s. Several members were allowed to 
transfer from the lower to the higher scale. The annual general 
meeting will he held on Monday, March 13th next, particulars 'if 
which will be duly announced in the Press. 
* * * 
Royal Horticultural Society. —Apart from the report 
issued in book form by the society, a separate pamphlet gi\ s 
that information, and has now been sent us by the secretary. 
The second page shows the numerous advantages accruing to 
Fellow’s paying four guineas, two guineas, one guinea, and 
associates paying 10s. 6d. respectively. Amongst other advan¬ 
tages, Fellows are able to get the society’s journal, which 
includes the papers read at meetings, conferences, and the 
reports and trials made at the gardens. They are also ab'e 
to purchase fruit, vegetables, and flowers at a reduced rate, 
provided they are not actually required for experimental pur- 
pospk They can also participate in the distribution of surplus 
plants, and obtain analyses of manures, soils, etc., by letter 
from the consulting chemist; also to have their gardens in¬ 
spected by the society’s officer for certain fees ; also to exhibit 
at shows, meetings, and to send seeds, plants, etc., for trial, 
lit© last page of the pamphlet shows what papers are to he 
read at the meetings and shows during the year. 
-* * *■ 
Croydon Horticultural Mutual Improvement Society.— 
The fortnightly meeting of the above society took place at 
the Sunflower Temperance Hotel, Croydon, on the 7th inst., 
when Mr. C. H. Curtis came as a delegate from the British 
Gardeners’ Association to expound the aims and objects of the 
same. Notwithstanding the antiquity of the gardening pi >- 
fession, until twelve months ago it had not a recognised organi¬ 
sation. He explained the prospectus issued at the meeting of 
June 1st last, thus clearly placing before the members the 
aims and objects which the association now has at heart. He 
explained that some people had described the scheme as a 
trade union, but this he emphatically denied, as no coercive 
measures were ever intended. The scheme would be equally 
beneficial to employers and employed. Many letters had been 
received by the executive council from employers of labour, who 
admitted true sympathy with it. hoping for its ultimate success. 
A register of all members would be kept at a central office in 
London, and this will contain the name, age, and qualifications 
of each individual, so that an employer requiring the services 
of a gardener may apply to the secretary for the necessary in¬ 
formation, and thus get his wants supplied. The regulation of 
wages on the minimum scale is to be nothing beyond a fair 
rate of pay, and in most establishments this would be found 
to be equal to or under the present existing wage. The working 
hours in summer, or, rather, for a period of nine months, 
extend to 56 hours per week, and in the winter three months 
48 hours. If work is continued beyond this maximum limit, the 
association proposes that this should be counted as overtime 
and to be paid for. The question of apprentices was also dis¬ 
cussed. At the conclusion of the lecture it was agreed by those 
present that a decision should be arrived at at the next meeting 
■whether a local branch of the association should be founde 1 in 
Croydon, apart from the gardeners' society alia ady in existence. 
In any case, the lecturer received encouraging support. 
