86 
JOUn^^AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  27,  1898. 
gratefully  thanking  all  who  did  so,  they  hope  it  may  not  seem  invidious 
if  they  particularise  a  few  generous  and  munificent  donations  which 
greatly  helped  to  secure  the  substantial  amount  raised  : — His  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Westminster,  President ;  Lord  Rothschild  and  Messrs.  N.  M. 
Rothschild  &  Sons ;  the  Baron  Schroder,  Vice-President ;  Harry  J. 
Veitch,  Esq.,  Treasurer  ;  N.  N.  Sherwood,  Esq.,  Trustee  ;  C.  Czarnikow, 
Esq.,  Vice-President ;  Arthur  W,  Sutton,  Esq.,  member  of  Committee  ; 
George  Monro,  Esq.,  member  of  Committee. 
The  Committee  are  happy  to  acknowledge  the  following  legacies  which 
they  have  received: — £457  5s.  lid.  from  the  late  Mr.  J.  W.  Thomson, 
formerly  gardener  [to  his  Majesty  King  George  III.,  for  the  purpose  of 
applying  the  interest  for  the  special  benefit  of  a  widow  or  widows,  and 
£100  from  the  late  Colonel  Thos.  Page,  formerly  a  life  member  of  the 
Institution.  They  also  thankfully  acknowledge  the  receipt,  just  before 
the  close  of  the  year,  of  special  donations  to  the  general  funds  of  £50 
from  the  Royal  Scottish  Horticultural  Society,  and  £26  5s.  from  the  Royal 
Caledonian  Horticultural  Society. 
In  common  with  other  Charities,  the  Committee  have  to  deplore  the 
removal  by  death  of  several  friends  and  supporters,  amongst  whom  may 
be  mentioned  the  late  Dr.  Hogg,  a  Vice-President  and  Trustee,  who  for 
many  years  took  a  warm  and  practical  interest  in  the  Institution,  and  the 
late  Mr.  Richard  Chrimes,  who  for  upwards  of  thirty  years  had  been  a 
liberal  subscriber  to  its  funds ;  the  late  Lord  Hindlip  and  J.  Travers  Smith, 
both  of  whom  had  been  annual  subscribers  for  many  years.  They  have 
also  to  record  that  in  consequence  of  advancing  age  Mr.  John  Lee  has 
felt  compelled  to  relinquish  his  position  as  a  Trustee  of  the  Institution. 
From  its  commencement  Mr.  John  Lee  has  been  one  of  its  warmest 
friends,  and  whilst  accepting  his  resignation  with  the  deepest  regret,  they 
know  that  as  long  as  he  may  be  spared  he  will  continue  to  take  a  special 
interest  in  its  welfare.  It  is  a  source  of  much  gratification  for  the  Com¬ 
mittee  to  notify  that  the  Hon.  Walter  Rothschild  and  Bruno  Schroder, 
Esq.,  have  consented  to  fill  the  vacant  Trusteeships,  and  they  desire  to 
express  their  sincere  thanks  to  those  gentlemen  for  so  kindly  giving  their 
services  in  this  way  to  the  Institution. 
In  concluding  their  report  the  Committee  have  to  make  the  welcome 
announcement  that  the  fifty-ninth  anniversary  festival  dinner  in  aid  of 
the  funds  will  be  celebrated  on  Wednesday,  .June  8th  next,  at  the  Hotel 
Metropole,  when  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Portland  (Vice-President)  has 
kindly  undertaken  to  preside,  and  from  a  long  experience  they  are 
encouraged  to  hope  that  all  those  friends  wKo  have  the  well-being  of  the 
Charity  at  heart  will  again  do  in  this  sixtieth  year  of  its  history,  all  in 
their  power  to  insure  the  success  of  the  anniversary.  And  whilst 
rejoicing  in  the  solid  prosperity  of  the  Charity,  they  still  earnestly  invite 
the  kind  co-operation  of  its  present  supporters  in  procuring  new  sub¬ 
scribers,  so  that  its  work  may  be  not  only  fully  maintained,  but  enlarged, 
and  the  ever-increasing  number  of  applicants  helped  and  benefited. 
De. 
To  Balance . 
,,  Deposit  account  . 
,,  Annual  subscriptions . 
,,  Donations  at  and  in  consequence  of  annual 
dinner,  including  collecting  cards  to 
general  fund . 
,,  Victorian  Era  Fund . 
,,  Legacies — J.  W.  Thomson  ... 
Col.  Thos.  Page . 
„  Return  of  income  tax  . 
„  Advertisements  in  annual  list  . 
,,  Dividends  and  interest  on  deposit 
We  have  audited  the  accounts  and  certify  the 
same  to  be  correct,  and  are  pleased  to  state 
that  we  have  found  the  books  well  and 
accurately  kept. 
We  have  also  satisfied  ourselves  that  the  securi¬ 
ties  of  the  invested  funds  are  in  the  hands 
of  the  Bankers. 
(Signed)  Jan.  18th,  1898. 
THOMAS  MANNING. 
THOMAS  SWIFT. 
JESSE  WILLARD. 
£1,511  7  0 
1,485  7  9 
4,075  0  11 
457  5  11 
100  0  0 
23  17  10 
49  2  6 
£873  2  6 
BALANCE-SHEET,  1897. 
Cr. 
£929  13  3 
2,015  0  0 
By  Pensions  and  gratuities  . 
,,  Expenses  of  electionand  annual  meetirg 
„  Secretary’s  salary  . 
,,  Office  assistance  . 
,,  Rent  of  office  ...  . 
•  •• 
8,675  4  5 
£11,519  17  8 
,,  Printing,  including  annual  reports  and  list 
of  subscribers,  appeals,  &c . 
,,  Stationery  ...  . 
„  Books  of  cheques  . 
„  Expenses  of  annual  dinner  £210  2  3 
,,  Less  tickets  sold  .  101  17  0 
,,  Diamond  Jubilee  address,  &c.  . 
,,  Wreath  for  the  late  Mr.  James  Webber 
,,  Office  repairs . 
,,  Advertisement . 
,,  Postages,  includingreports,  voting  papers,  &c. 
,,  Travelling  expenses  ' . 
,,  Carriage,  telegrams,  and  incidental  expenses 
,,  Bank  charges . 
„  Investment  (in  accordance  with  terms  of  will), 
J.  W.  Thomson  legacy,  Indian  3^  per  cents. 
,,  Investment  of  Victorian  Era  Fund,  Great 
Western  Guaranteed  5  per  cents . 
„  On  deposit . 
,,  Balance  with  Treasurer  . 
„  „  Secretary  . 
£2,953  16  8 
16  11  3 
£250 
0 
0 
26 
0 
0 
62 
10 
0 
338  10  0 
no 
15 
3 
34 
14 
6 
4 
3 
4 
108 
5 
3 
7 
17 
6 
2 
10 
0 
4 
13 
0 
3 
3 
0 
56 
13 
9 
2 
18 
2 
19 
12 
7 
0 
5 
5 
355  11  9 
457  5  11 
4,075  0  11 
2,415  0  0 
905  11  2 
2  10  0 
£11,519  17  8 
In  rising  to  move  the  adoption  of  the  report  and  balance  as  read 
the  Chairman  made  some  trenchant  remarks  on  the  features  therein,  and 
considered  that  the  details  were  so  explicit  as  to  render  detailed  references 
superfluous.  He  observed  that  the  past  year  must  be  considered  as  the 
best  in  the  annals  of  the  Institution,  both  as  regards  work  done  and 
income  received.  Touching  allusion  was  made  to  the  late  Dr.  Hogg,  and 
a  tribute  was  paid  to  his  energy  in  the  past,  as  well  as  to  the  services  of 
Mr.  John  Lee.  The  Chairman  spoke  briefly  about  the  Victorian  Era 
Fund,'and  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  amount  subscribed  was  excellent, 
more  especially  when  the  many  calls  upon  the  purses  of  donors  in  the 
J ubilee  year  were  borne  in  mind.  Mr.  Gardner  seconded  the  motion, 
which  was  carried  without  a  dissentient  voice. 
The  election  of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year  was  then  proceeded  with, 
and,  needless  to  say,  Mr.  H.  J.  Veitch  was  asked  to  continue  in  the 
position  he  so  worthily  holds,  while  Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram  was  re-elected 
Secretary,  and  Auditors  and  Arbitrators  also  stand  unchanged.  Mr.  W. 
Morgan  proposed  that  Messrs.  W.  Denning,  ,J.  Douglas,  N.  Sherwood, 
J.  H.  Veitch,  and  G.  Wythes  be  re-elected  members  of  the  Committee,  and 
that  Messrs.  E.  Ranger  Johnson  and  W.  Gleeson  be  elected  in  the  place 
of  Messrs.  R.  A.  Milligan  Hogg  and  T.  Glen,  who  retire. 
Mr.  W.  Denning  moved,  and  Mr.  H.  E.  Tillman  seconded,  that  Messrs. 
John  Battersby,  .John  Berry,  Daniel  Brockham,  George  Daniels,  William 
Davidson,  Thomas  Ffoulkes,  John  Mitchinson,  John  Perkins,  John  Rolfe, 
and  Silas  Warr,  whose  cases  have  been  investigated  and  come  within  the 
terms  of  Rule  HI.,  5,  be  placed  upon  the  pension  list  without  election 
from  January  1st,  1898.  This  was  carried,  and  having  appointed  Messrs. 
A.  Outram,  T.  Manning,  and  E.  J.  Monro  scrutineers  of  the  ballot  the 
company  dispersed  until  the  declaration  of  the  result  of  the  poll. 
Declaration  op  the  Poll. 
The  result  of  the  polling  of  votes  for  the  election  of  new  pensioners 
upon  the  funds  of  the  Institu.ion  was  declared  at  4.50  p.m.  The  names 
of  the  nine  successful  candidates  for  election  were  read  out  by  Mr.  A. 
Outram,  and  were  as  follows  Henry  Ellis,  4249  ;  Thomas  Bundy,  3900  ; 
Robert  Begbie,  3878  ;  James  Baker,  3868;  Wm.  Wood,  3790;  David 
Cornell,  3663  ;  George  Hewitt,  3651 ;  Edwin  Thomas,  3550;  and  Lydia 
Rose,  3534.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  McCulloch,  who  receives  3031  votes,  being 
the  second  widow  on  the  list,  was  elected  to  receive  the  benefit  of  the 
interest  accruing  from  Mr.  Thomson’s  legacy.  The  interest  of  this  legacy 
is  scarcely  sufficient  to  support  a  beneflciaire,  and  it  was  decided  by  the 
Committee  that  the  deficiency  should  be  made  good  from  the  general 
funds.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  McCulloch  will  in  future  be  known  as  the 
Thomson  pensioner. 
It  was  announced  that  the  poll  that  day  had  been  the  heaviest  on 
record,  no  fewer  than  97,951  votes  having  been  registered.  It  is  a  matter 
of  much  regret,  however,  that  the  spoiled  votes  should  have  aggregated 
to  so  heavy  a  total  as  1152.  Of  these  1035  were  brought  about  by  the 
neglect  of  the  voters  to  sign  the  ballot  papers  in  the  prerjcribed  way.  The 
remaining  117  votes  were  nullified  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  the  voters 
were  in  arrears  with  their  subscriptions,  as  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
Society  votes  coming  from  such  quarters  cannot  be  recognised. 
The  Annual  Friendly  Supper. 
This  was  held  at  6  P.M.  in  an  adjoining  room,  a  goodly  number  of 
members  and  friends  sitting  down  to  a  well-served  re])ast. 
A.  W.  Sutton,  V.M.H.,  Esq.,  of  Reading,  occupied  the  chair.  The  musical 
arrangements  were,  by  the  kindness  of  the  Chairman,  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  Red  Band.  A  lengthy  list  of  toasts,  interspersed  with  vocal  and 
instrumental  music,  had  been  drawn  up,  and  after  the  physical  man  had 
been  well  at  ended  to  this  was  proceeded  with.  The  services  of 
IMr.  Mel.  B.  Spurr  of  the  Egyptian  Hall  had  been  secured  by  the 
Chairman,  and  his  songs  and  musical  sketches  were  received  with 
vociferous  applause  and  general  pleasure. 
After  the  customary  loyal  toast  had  been  honoured,  the  toast  of  the 
evening,  “  Continued  Prosperity  to  our  Institution  and  the  Victorian  Lira 
Fund,  ’  was  given  by  the  Chairman.  Mr.  Sutton  said  that  his  association 
with  the  Society  was  a  comparatively  short  one,  and  dated  only  from  last 
year,  but  he  was  greatly  struck  with  the  efficiency  of  its  organisation. 
He  then  briefly  reviewed  the  most  salient  points  in  the  history  of  the 
Society.  It  was  started  in  1838,  and  in  1851  Queen  Victoria  became  its 
patroness  and  the  Prince  Consort  its  patron.  In  1864  the  Prince  of 
Wales  took  the  place  of  his  deceased  father  as  patron.  In  1851  the  total 
