48 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  16,  1886. 
has  long  been  felt,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  only  on  this  account 
the  work  will  meet  with  success,  which  it  undoubtedly  deserves. 
A  great  amount  of  interesting  matter  respecting  the  naming  of 
Orchids  in  the  first  eighty  pages  of  the  book  is  marred  to  some 
extent  by  the  harsh  criticisms  indulged  in  by  the  author,  and  in 
places  by  a  certain  coarseness  of  expression.  The  majority  of 
British  readers  are  hardly  reconciled  as  yet  to  such  adjectives  as 
“  long-ways-down,”  “daily-fresh-to-order,”  and  such  like,  and 
abhough  this  may  be  our  insular  prejudice,  we  think  that  in  a  book 
of  this  kind  they  are,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  superfluous.  Under  this 
questionable  surface  there  are  nevertheless  many  cogent  arguments 
and  a  good  deal  of  plain,  sensible  reasoning,  so  that  no  one  interested 
can  peruse  the  book  without  benefit,  while  the  thanks  of  all 
orchidists  are  undoubtedly  due  to  Mr.  Hansen  for  the  immense 
amount  of  painstaking  labour  involved  in  its  preparation. 
THOUGHTS  OF  THE  FUTURE. 
Whilst  idly  scanning  the  Journal  the  other  day  my  attention 
was  directed  to  the  notice  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Gardeners’ 
Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  This  suggested  many  thoughts  of 
the  future,  that  boundless  expanse  of  time  into  which  we  are 
unable  to  see  with  any  degree  of  certainty  for  even  ths  short  space 
of  an  hour,  and  yet  which  occupies  almost  the  whole  attention  of 
the  entire  community.  Unlimited  in  its  extent,  inconceivable  in 
its  possibilities,  and  altogether  mysterious  and  unaccountable  in  its 
workings  and  fulfilments,  the  study  of  the  future  is  one  into  which 
the  deeper  one  goes  the  more  involved  one  becomes,  until  after  our 
thoughts  are  scattered  and  divided  into  a  chaos  of  disorder,  we  are 
bound  to  admit  our  utter  helplessness,  and  how  entirely  we  are  in 
the  hands  of  the  Supreme  Power  which  governs  it. 
After  admitting  all  this,  however,  the  fact  still  remains  clear 
that  the  thoughts  and  anticipations  of  what  lies  before  us  is  the 
spirit  that  moves  this  busy  work-a-day  world  ;  in  fact,  'it  is  the 
beginning  and  end  of  human  existence,  and  it  is  not  till  old  age 
creeps  on,  and  the  race  is  nearly  run,  that  man  ceases  to  worry 
over  the  things  of  to-morrow,  and  is  satisfied  with  those  of  to-day. 
And  yet  is  not  all  this  natural,  quite  in  order  with  the  perfect 
machinery  of  the  universe  ?  It  is  the  hopes  and  anticipations  of 
what  is  before  us  that  buoys  us  up  and  urges  us  on  to  strive 
still  more.  What  is  present  at  one  minute,  be  it  pleasant  or 
painful,  is  past  and  beyond  recall  the  next,  and  we  find  ourselves 
assuredly,  though  perhaps  unconsciously,  looking  for  the  moments 
that  are  yet  in  the  future  ;  these,  each  in  its  turn,  come  and  are 
passed  on  to  be  entered  in  the  book  of  time.  From  this  it  would 
almost  seem  that  it  is  not  the  past,  nor  even  the  present,  but  the 
future  that  is  the  main  feature  in  human  existence.  And  is  it  not 
so  ?  Surely  yes,  for  in  catering  for  the  wants  of  to-day  we  are  to  a 
great  extent  providing  the  store  for  to-morrow. 
Nature  herself  sets  the  example,  for  does  not  the  flower  blossom 
in  the  spring,  and  by  so  doing  insure  the  future  seed  time  and 
harvest  ?  And  so  it  is  in  the  animal  kingdom.  The  lively  squirrel, 
darting  from  tree-top  to  tree-top,  backwards  and  forwards,  here, 
there,  everywhere,  perhaps  to  the  casual  observer  appears  to  be 
doing  nothing  more  than  enjoying  himself  ;  but  look  closer,  and 
you  will  find  that  he  is  at  work,  busily  engaged  in  the  preparation 
of  a  store  of  provisions  by  the  aid  of  which  he  will  be  able  to 
withstand  the  long  winter  siege. 
Passing  on  to  humanity  let  us  for  a  brief  moment  pause,  stand 
aside  and  survey  this  nineteenth  century  struggle  for  existence. 
What  is  it  that  makes  competition  so  keen  ?  Why  do  men, 
literally  speaking,  scramble  over  the  bodies  of  their  brothers  in  the 
race  as  they  fall  browbeaten  and  disheartened  ?  Capitalists  are 
scheming,  socialists  are  raving,  while  all  sensible  men  are  up  and 
doing,  and  whatpromptsitall?  Greed  for  gold  some  may  answer,  love 
of  power  and  position  others  may  say  ;  but  is  this  really  the  case  ? 
No,  I  think  not ;  but  rather  in  the  majority  of  instances  it  is  that 
dread  fear  of  old  age  and  infirmity  creeping  on,  and  finding  us 
without  provision  for  it.  Yes,  that  is  the  true  answer.  It  is  the 
fear  that  when  the  faculties  are  dimmed,  and  the  right  hand  has 
lost  its  cunning,  that  we  may  find  ourselves  at  the  mercy  of  a  cruel 
pitiless  world,  that  impels  men  to  throw  themselves  so  impetuously 
into  the  battle  of  life.  Thus  it  is  that  the  weak  often  go  to  the 
wall  while  the  strong  prevail. 
Provision  for  the  future.  This  is  doubtless  the  primary 
question  of  the  working  population  of  the  present  age,  not  only 
amongst  gardeners  but  every  other  walk  in  life.  Brilliant  states¬ 
men  have  from  time  to  time  propounded  and  framed  schemes  for 
state  insurance  by  which  all  men  would  be  provided  for.  Socialist 
leaders  by  their  brush  and  level  system  advocate  individual 
independence,  resulting  in  all  men  being  provided  for.  Of  the  two 
the  former  idea  appears  to  be  the  most  feasible,  but  even  that 
happy  millennium  seems  a  long  way  off,  and  while  the  grass  is 
growing,  so  to  speak,  the  horse  is  starving,  and  in  the  meantime 
gardeners  (to  whom  my  remarks  will  be  now  confined)  should  do 
their  best  to  help  themselves  by  rallying  round  the  banners  of  the 
noble  institutions  connected  with  the  craft. 
It  may  not  be  stretching  a  point  to  say  that  no  other  profession 
or  calling  is  more  fortunate  than  gardeners  in  having  entirely 
connected  with  themselves  three  such  beneficial  societies.  True, 
other  trades  have  their  unions  and  combinations,  by  which  men  are 
able  to  assist  each  other  in  time  of  need,  and  schemes  of  a  similar 
nature  have  from  time  to  time  been  proposed  for  the  mutual 
benefit  of  gardeners.  The  circumstances  and  conditions,  however, 
are  so  entirely  different  that  no  headway  has  been  made  in  this 
direction,  nor  does  there  seem  any  likelihood  of  it ;  therefore  it  is 
much  to  the  interest  of  all  gardeners  to  support  one  at  any  rate  of 
its  institutions — the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution,  the 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  and  the  United  Horticultural 
Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
It  is  not  my  intention  to  deal  with  the  rules  and  benefits 
connected  with  any  of  the  above  :  most  gardeners  are  familiar  with 
them,  and  a  postcard  to  the  respective  sec-etaries  will  obtain  the 
desired  information  for  those  who  are  not.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
one  and  all  they  are  founded  on  sound  principles,  equal  to  any  and 
superior  to  many  of  their  kind  in  the  United  Kingdom.  The 
Gardeners’  Benevolent  Institution,  as  perhaps  all  are  aware  provides 
pensions  for  gardeners  who  have  paid  in  a  certain  sum  and  are  not  in 
receipt  of  a  stated  income,  or  by  vote  if  incapacitated  from  work, 
without  any  means  of  a  livelihood.  Now  it  is  patent  to  all  that  the 
average  income  of  gardeners  at  the  present  day,  especially  if  they 
have  a  family  to  provide  for,  is  not  sufficient  for  them  to  lay  much 
by  for  the  proverbial  rainy  day  of  old  age — a  day  which  all  thrifty 
men  are  anxious  to  provide  for.  Then  how  can  it  be  done  better 
than  by  joining  the  above  society  ? 
If  any  class  of  men  have  need  of  such  an  institution  surely  it 
is  ours  ;  for  is  not  a  gardener’s  position,  even  amongst  the  most 
fortunate,  a  sinecure.  He  knows  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth, 
through  the  death  of  his  employer,  reduction  of  establishment, 
and  many  other  causes  known  best  to  gardeners  themselves,  he 
may  find  himself  thrown  out  of  employment.  It  is  then  that  he 
realises  the  keenness  of  competition.  He  may  be  months,  perhaps 
years,  before  he  again  meets  with  a  suitable  situation,  and  in  the 
meantime  he  is  drawing  on  his  little  capital  of  savings,  which  have 
been  the  results  of  thoughts  of  the  future.  Surely  in  such  cases 
as  these,  and  there  are  many  of  them,  the  knowledge  that  old  age 
is  provided  for  by  the  Gardeners’  Benevolent  Institution  must  be 
gratifying. 
On  the  other  hand  there  is  the  gardener  who  has  been 
fortunate  in  obtaining  one  of  the  plums  of  his  calling,  in  the 
shape  of  a  first-class  situation  ;  he  may  as  he  sits  philosophically 
napping  by  his  comfortable  fireside  pat  himself  graciously  on  the 
back  and  say,  Why  need  I  join  this  Society  ?  My  future  is  provided 
for.  To  such  a  man  I  would  say,  All  the  better  for  you,  my 
friend,  if  it  is  ;  but  that  does  not  release  you  from  the  responsi¬ 
bility  of  doing  something  to  help  those  who  have  been  less 
fortunate  in  life. 
To  those  young  in  the  craft  I  would  particularly  impress  the 
desirability  of  taking  advantage  of  the  facilities  afforded  for 
providing  for  the  future.  A  young  man  starts  on  the  journey  of 
life  full  of  hope  and  ambition  ;  a  first-class  situation  as  head 
gardener  may  be  his  goal  and  “  Nil  desperandum  ”  his  watchword. 
Bothy  days  pass  pleasantly  enough,  and  then  he  realises  the 
responsibilities  of  life.  Some  are  fortunate,  others  are  not,  and 
under  the  present  condition  of  affairs  it  must  necessarily  be  the 
case,  as  the  supply  of  head  gardeners  is  greatly  in  increase  of  the 
demand.  Some  may  think  I  am  taking  a  pessimistic  view  of  the 
affair,  but  facts  are  stubborn  things,  and  you  who  are  members  of 
the  Gardeners’  Benevolent  Institution  have  only  to  glance  at  your 
voting  papers  as  they  come  round  to  see  the  names  of  those  who, 
after  years  of  hard  and  honest  labour,  find  themselves  without  the 
means  of  obtaining  even  the  common  necessaries  of  life.  Some  obtain 
the  coveted  positions  on  the  pension  list,  others  are  doomed  to 
disappointment.  And  why  ?  Simply  because  the  funds  of  the 
Society  are  not  sufficient  to  meet  all  demands.  If  gardeners 
throughout  the  country  would  only  realise  more  fully  the 
importance  of  supporting  these  societies,  both  for  the  benefit  of 
themselves  and  those  around  them,  what  a  much  happier  condition 
of  things  would  be  brought  about.  That  they  have  made  rapid 
strides  in  a  few  years  is  very  gratifying,  but  the  fact,  pitiable  as  it 
is,  still  remains — that  the  doors  have  to  be  closed  to  many  deserving 
cases  through  want  of  funds. 
The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund  is  as  worthy  as  it  is 
unique,  its  mission  being  to  fulfil  the  Divine  command  in  providing 
for  the  fatherless  and  the  widow.  Many  a  gardener  is  struck  down 
by  the  cruel  hand  of  Death  early  in  the  battle  without  having 
been  able  to  make  any  pro?i«ion  for  the  wife  and  family  he  leaves 
