544 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURF  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  12, 1895. 
freedom  on  which  he  will  soon  enter,  with  the  just  and  generous 
provision  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  will  not  be  the 
least  happy  term  in  his  useful  career.  We  have  felt  from  the 
first,  and  we  feel  still  that  his  retirement  while  still  active,  with 
its  corresponding  compensation,  will  be  of  greater  advantage 
to  him  in  every  way  than  if  it  had  been  postponed  for  an 
indefinite  period,  and  we  earnestly  hope  that  it  may  be  so. 
And  now  as  one  change  suggests  another  we  may  be  permitted 
to  point  out  other  directions  in  which  we  know  that  many  persons 
think  changes  or  departures  might  be  made  by  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  that  would  be  at  least  as  popular  and 
of  wider  interest  than  the  substitution  of  one  official  for  another. 
We  have  not  in  view  anything  that  might  be  done  at  Chiswick. 
If  we  had  we  should  be  inclined  to  suggest,  having  regard  to  what 
has  happened,  that  the  Garden  Committee  or  “  Chiswick  Board  ” 
would  seem  to  have  been  superseded  by  events.  However,  we 
pass  to  a  wider  field,  not  of  administration  only,  but  of  policy. 
Rightly  or  wrongly,  there  is  a  large  volume  of  feeling  in  the 
country  that  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  is  too  much  localised. 
It  is  felt  by  hundreds  of  genuine  horticulturists  that  the  Society  is 
unduly  metropolitan,  whereas  it  ought  to  be  broadly  national. 
It  may  be,  and  has  been,  pointed  out  that  its  work  and  pro¬ 
ceedings  as  recorded  in  the  official  journal  that  is  periodically 
issued  are  brought  before  all  the  Fellows  of  the  Society,  reside 
where  they  may,  but  that  does  not  satisfy.  What  seems  to  be 
wanted  is  that  leading  provincial  horticultural  societies  should  be 
brought  in  actual  touch  with  the  Royal,  and  this  not  by  a  mere 
paper  affiliation  alone.  It  is  felt  that  efforts  which  are  made  in  the 
provinces  for  the  advancement  of  horticulture  should  be,  directly 
and  in  some  tangible  way,  countenanced  by  the  chief  society  of 
the  kingdom.  Whether  the  statement  be  altogether  palatable  or 
not,  it  is  all  the  same  a  fact  that  this  Society,  even  though  Royal, 
is  not  looked  up  to  with  the  feelings  of  pride  that  many  persons 
would  like  to  entertain  towards  it  as  if  it  were  regarded  by 
them  as  also  truly  national.  It  is  not  so  regarded  at  present  a 
hundred  miles  from  London,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  we  have  been 
desired  to  give  expression  to  the  views  of  a  representative 
assemblage  of  horticulturists  who  met  and  discussed  the  matter 
on  the  evening  of  a  groat  provincial  show. 
It  did  not  satisfy  the  leading  provincial  gardeners  and  nursery¬ 
men  to  be  told  that  the  governing  body  of  what  they  acknowledged 
as  being  the  chief  Society  was  desirous  of  making  its  influence 
felt,  in  the  advancement  of  the  art  it  was  established  to  foster,  all 
over  the  kingdom.  That  desire  was  not  questioned,  nor  was  the 
ability  and  integrity  of  its  Committees  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties.  The  appointment  of  gentlemen  who  resided  in  the 
provinces  on  those  Committees  was  admitted  and  appreciated.  The 
Society  was  referred  to  at  this  summer  gathering  in  terms  of  the 
greatest  respect,  and  not  a  word  was  heard  of  an  uncomplimentary 
character  as  applying  to  any  official,  member  of  Council,  or  Com¬ 
mittees.  Nor  was  the  excellent  tone  that  prevailed  due  in  the 
least  10  the  presence  of  members  of  the  London  Committees.  The 
meeting  took  a  higher  and  broader  view,  and  the  discussion  had 
reference  entirely  to  principles  and  not  personages.  Had  one  or 
two  members  of  the  Council  been  there  they  would  have  been 
gratified  rather  than  otherwise,  and  it  is  certain  they  would  have 
been  hea'’tily  welcomed. 
Let  it  be  said  that  the  meeting  in  question  was  in  no  sense 
convivial  in  the  usual  acceptation  of  that  term.  It  was  an 
assemblage  of  gentlemen,  many  of  whom  occupy  recognised 
positions  in  the  horticultural  world,  the  discussion  being  as  serious, 
orderly,  and  business-like  as  any  meeting  of  the  Council  at  head¬ 
quarters  could  be.  There  was  a  desire  throughout,  not  to  weaken 
but  to  strengthen  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  not  to  hinder 
but  to  help  it  in  its  progress,  and  the  progress  of  horticulture,  but 
in  what  way  ?  That  is  exactly  the  question  which  it  wa*  felt  then 
and  is  thought  now  worthy  of  the  consideration  of  the  responsible 
directors  of  the  chief  Society  at  the  Council  Board.  As  regards  the 
general  feeling  of  the  provincial  assemblage,  if  it  could  be  com¬ 
pressed  into  a  sentence  it  would  be  somewhat  in  this  form,  “  Come 
out  and  help  us,  and  let  us  help  you.” 
But,  again,  in  what  way  ?  Provincial  shows,  it  was  pointed  out, 
had  been  tried  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  on  the 
whole  had  not  answered.  They  were  of  too  speculative  a  nature, 
and  gave  no  adequate  return  for  the  labour  and  expenditure 
involved.  It  was  not  in  that  direction  that  anything  was  desired 
or  expected.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  providing  shows,  but  it  was 
thought  that  something  might  be  done  that  has  not  been  done  by 
the  chief  Society  in  connection  with  leading  provincial  shows  and 
otherwise.  Let  the  provincial  managers  provide  and  conduct  their 
own  shows  in  their  own  way,  but  let  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  offiiially  recognise  them  and  the  work  that  is  being  done 
in  the  popularisation  of  horticulture  generally  in  provincial  centres. 
If  a  deputation  including  members  of  the  Council  and 
Committees  of  the  central  Society  were  to  attend  officially  some 
of  the  chief  provincial  shows,  the  compliment  in  itself  would  be 
appreciated,  and  in  addition  their  sanction  of  the  honours  bestowed 
(which  they  might  in  fact  assist  in  bestowing)  on  new  products, 
would  then  have  greater  weight,  as  certificates  would  then  be  regarded 
as  certificates  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  carrying  exactly 
the  same  value  as  certificates  granted  in  London.  That  would  be 
something  tangible  to  begin  with.  Provincial  cultivators  cannot,  as 
a  rule,  and  for  various  reasons,  attend  the  London  meetings,  but 
they  can  and  do  attend  important  district  shows  in  their  vicinities. 
Then  apart  from  new  products.  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s 
certificates  for  “  excellence  in  cultivation  ”  or  “  meritorious 
display  ”  could  be  given  as  added  honours  to  specially  worthy 
exhibits.  Such  certificates  would  cost  little,  yet  if  appropriately 
ornamental  would  be  highly  cherished. 
Then,  again,  as  an  adjunct  to  the  shows,  evening  conferences 
might  be  held  and  attended  by  authorised  representatives  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  A  short  paper  might  be  read 
by  a  local  contributor,  giving  a  concise  narrative  of  the  work 
of  the  society  he  represents  and  its  influence  in  the  district, 
and  a  discussion  follow  having  a  wider  bearing.  It  would  not 
be  very  surprising  if  out  of  such  discussion  were  to  emanate 
suggestions  for  the  formation  of  local  committees  composed 
of  Fellows  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  to  work  in 
association  with  the  central  Society  under  conditions  that  might 
be  formulated  for  effective  and  mutually  satisfactory  co¬ 
operation,  Provincial  committees  so  formed  could  organise 
meetings  of  an  educational  character  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  examine  new  plants,  flowers, 
and  vegetables  in  their  districts,  report  thereon  and  make 
recommendations  to  headquarters.  Some  such  proceedure  would 
not  in  the  slightest  degree  affect  the  London  routine,  while  it 
would  have  a  direct  tendency  to  broaden  the  character  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  invest  it  with  more  national 
attributes  than  it  is  thought  to  possess  now  by  hundreds  of  earnest 
horticulturists  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom. 
AFTER  THE  WARS. 
“  Brilliant  but  brief  ”  is  the  battle  of  the  blooms.  Necessarily 
so,  yet  a  year’s  drilling — careful,  conscientious  handling  of  the  raw 
material — must  perforce  be  given  ere  the  short  and  sharp  encounter 
takes  place.  This  is  obvious  to  the  youngest  commander  who  but 
newly  commissioned  is,  either  from  inclination  or  duty,  or  both 
happily  combined,  looking  forward  to  active  service  in  order  to 
exhibit  his  prowess  in  the  field.  There  may  be  exceptions,  though 
I  know  of  none,  under  the  more  severe  ordeals  of  modem  warfare 
in  which  the  novice  in  Chrysanthemum  culture  has  in  one  short 
year  climbed  to  the  height  of  ambition  by  bearing  off  the  blue 
riband  of  rivalry.  That  all  who  thus  compete  hope  to  do  so  is 
another  matter,  nor  would  I  damp  their  ardour  by  any  pessimistic 
preamble  to  some  few  lessons  of  the  many  suggested  by  the  late 
autumn  manoeuvres,  suggested,  too,  by  experience  gained  on  more 
ancient  battle  grounds.  “  Hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick.” 
Fortunately  this  sickness,  which  I  am  certain  is  afflicting  many  at 
