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JOURKAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  30,  1897. 
responsibility,  for  circulars  were  sent  round  to  a  large  number  of 
persons  connected  with  Horticulture,  in  which  they  were  asked  to 
supply  the  names  of  those  whom  they  would  recommend.  Fortified 
with  these  lists,  and  strengthened  by  their  own  personal  experience, 
the  selection  was  made.  Of  course,  like  everything  of  the  kind, 
objections  were  put  forward.  “  Why  was  this  or  that  weakling  put 
upon  it  ?  ”  was  asked ;  and  “  Why  was  such  and  such  a  fine  fellow 
omitted?”  while  others,  in  the  true  “fox  and  the  grapes”  fashion, 
sneered  at  the  whole  thing;  but  I  believe  that  after  a  little  while  it 
will  be  generally  acknowledged  that  the  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  did  a  most  graceful  act  in  a  most  graceful  way,  and 
well  worthy  of  its  high  position  as  the  leader  of  all  things  connected 
with  horticulture  in  this  kingdom,  and  that  its  recipients  will  proudly 
add  V.M.H.  to  whatever  other  letters  they  may  take  after  their 
names.  A  brief  review  of  the  ordinary  work  of  the  Society  and  other 
matters  must  be  postponed. 
In  these  preliminary  observations  T  may  perhaps  refer  to  the 
garden  literature  during  the  past  year.  The  four  leading  journals 
have  well  maintained  their  position,  and  have  contributed  scientific 
and  practical  information  to  their  various  readers,  while  for  those  who 
are  more  economically  disposed  the  minor  ones  have  catered  success¬ 
fully,  and  it  will  surely  not  be  the  fault  of  the  Press  if  growers  do  not 
obtain  the  information  they  require.  Several  books,  too,  both  popular 
and  scientific,  have  been  produced  during  the  year,  which,  presumably, 
find  readers  in  the  horticultural  community ;  while  I  think  nothing 
more  clearly  indicates  the  great  number  of  persons  who  now  take 
active  share  in  gardening  than  the  v/onderful  catalogues  of  various 
kinds  that  are  sent  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  This 
great  literary  spread  and  feast  of  infinite  variety  shows  that  the  field 
of  Horticulture  is  a  wide  one,  and  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  those 
engaged  in  it  are  sure  to  afford  matter  of  interest. 
Nor  must  one  omit  in  looking  back  upon  those  enterprises, 
which  have  tended  to  the  enjoyment  of  its  members,  the 
proceedings  of  the  Horticultural  Club.  Its  periodical  social 
gatherings  have  afforded  alike  pleasure  and  profit;  the  papers 
read  at  its  meetings,  and  which  have  afterwards,  most  of  them, 
appeared  in  the  gardening  papers,  have  been  highly  appreciated  ;  it 
has  had  the  pleasure  of  inviting  many  foreign  horticulturists  to  be  its 
guests  ;  it  affords  to  those  who  attend  the  meetings  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  the  advantages  of  a  good  hotel  in  the  most 
convenient  position,  and  it  is  perhaps  a  happy  augury  for  the  futuie 
that  probably  the  most  successful  gathering  that  has  been  had  for 
some  time  was  its  last  meeting  for  the  present  year.  The  Club  is  now 
twenty-two  years  old,  and  has  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  Horticul¬ 
ture;  and  it  must  never  be  forgotten  that  it  was  at  one  of  its  meetings, 
many  years  ago,  that  a  proposal  was  made  which  formed  a  new  era  in 
the  annals  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  which  loosened 
the  bands  by  which  it  had  hitherto  been  bound. 
As  after  a  campaign  the  roll-call  ever  calls  forth  feelings  of  sorrow 
for  those  who  have  fallen  out  of  the  ranks;  so  year  after  year  one  has 
to  record  the  gaps  which  have  been  made  in  our  ranks,  which  always 
recall  memories  of  those  we  have  valued  in  past  years.  The  gaps  are 
not  perhaps  so  numerous  this  year,  but  many  of  them  are  very  note¬ 
worthy.  Can  we  not  say  so  especially  of  one  who  for  so  many  years 
managed  the  affairs  of  the  Journal,  and  who  occupied  so  prominent 
a  place  amongst  horticulturists— the  late  Dr.  Robert  Hogg  ?  Many 
of  us  regard  bis  loss  not  merely  as  a  public  man,  but  as  a  personal 
friend.  For  nearly  forty  years  I  had  been  associated  with  him  as  a 
contributor  to  the  pages  of  the  Journal.  I  believe  I  am  the  oldest 
regular  contributor  to  its  pages  now  ;  I  think  the  only  other  contributor 
who  can  trace  back  his  connection  to  so  long  a  period  is  Mr.  Robert 
Fenn,  and  he  is  only  an  occaHonal  contributor.  I  need  hardly  say 
that  nothing  ever  occurred  “  to  strain  our  relations,”  and  the  Doctor 
and  myself  continued  good  friends  to  the  very  last.  He  is  already 
much  missed.  His  extensive  knowledge  of  fruit  made  him  ever  a 
welcome  member  of  the  Fruit  Committee  of  the  R.H.S.,  and  1  am  very 
thankful  that  his  name  will  be  held  in  continual  remembrance,  for 
some  of  his  many  friends  have  obtained  a  die  which  will  be  presented 
to  the  R.H.S.,  who  will  award  medals  struck  from  it  at  some  of  their 
exhibitions  from  time  to  time. 
Another  man  well  known  to  the  older  generation  has  also  passed 
away  in  the  person  of  Mr.  James  Bateman,  whose  beautiful  place  at 
Biddulph  Grange  (which  displayed  not.  only  his  knowledge  of  Horti¬ 
culture,  but  also  an  artiltic  taste,)  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  chief 
gardens  of  interest  in  #ie  kingdom.  At  that  time  he  and  Mr- 
Warner  of  Chelmsford  wefe  perhaps  the  two  most  prominent  cultivators 
of  Orchids,  but  their  collections  could  not  vie  wdth  those  of  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence  and  Baron  Schroder  in  the  present  day.  ilr.  Bateman  was 
a  kindly  man  and  a  fluent  speaker,  who  used  often  to  recount  his 
experiences  in  Guatemala  and  Mexico,  to  the  great  pleasure  of  all 
who  heard  him. 
A  contemporary  of  his,  and  one  who  was  well  known  at  the 
meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  was  Col.  R.  Trevor 
Clarke.  He  had  an  extensive  and  varied  knowledge  of  plants,  and 
was  never  more  happy  than  when  communicating  information  to  some 
of  his  younger  brethren.  He  was  one  of  the  recipients  of  the  Veitch 
medal,  and  also  of  the  gold  medal  of  the  Cotton  Supply  Association  of 
Manchester  for  his  experiments  in  the  cross-breeding  of  cotton  in 
order  to  obtain  better  varieties. 
Another  name  which  is  very  dear  to  us  florists  is  that  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  Fellowes  of  Shottesham.  All  lovers  of  the  Picotee  and  Dahlia 
know  how  much  they  are  indebted  to  him  for  the  raising  of  new  and 
beautiful  varieties.  The  rosarians  also  miss  the  cheery  presence  of  the 
Rev.  E.  N.  Pochin,  one  of  the  best  judges  of  the  Rose  that  I  ever 
knew,  and  at  one  time  a  very  successful  exhibitor. 
Another  personal  friend  w’^hose  loss  I  mourn,  bnt  who  never  was 
much  of  a  public  man  (one  of  the  heads  of  the  great  firm  of  Messrs. 
Sutton  &  Sons),  Mr.  Alfred  Sutton,  will  be  sorely  missed,  not  only 
amongst  horticulturists  but  by  many  a  man  whom  he  has  helped 
forward  by  his  loving  words  and  generous  aid.  He  was  ever  foremost 
in  all  religious  and  philanthropic  work,  especially  in  his  native  town 
of  Reading,  and  was  one  of  those  of  whom  it  can  be  truly  said,  “and 
his  works  do  follow  him.” 
Mr.  Head,  too,  the  able  garden  superintendent  of  the  Crystal 
Palace,  is  gone,  and  so,  also,  is  Mr.  Robert  Owen,  who  had  been  so 
successful  a  raiser  and  cultivator  of  Chrysanthemums,  while  to  men 
in  the  North  of  England  the  name  of  Mr.  E.  J.  Baillie,  the  managing 
director  of  the  great  firm  of  DicksonV,  Chester,  recalls  one  who  was 
ever  valued  for  his  genial  and  happy  disposition.  He  w'as  cut  off  in  the 
prime  of  life,  for  he  was  only  forty-seven  when  he  died;  he  was  a 
man  of  varied  talents,  a  musician  and  an  artist.  Then,  also,  the 
loss  is  mourned  of  such  well  known  and  leng  respected  men  as  Mr. 
James  Cocker,  Aberdeen;  Mr.  Charles  Sharpe,  Sleaford;  Mr.  James 
Webber,  a  familiar  name  in  Covent  Garden  ;  and  Mr,  James  Brown 
of  Abercairney,  wdio,  as  will  be  found  on  another  page,  passed  to  his 
rest  on  December  22nd.  So  one  generation  goes  and  another  comes, 
and  the  world  goes  on  as  it  has  ever  done. 
And  so,  my  friends,  the  veteran,  as  some  are  pleased  to  call  him,  or 
the  old  fogey  as  others  represent  him  to  be,  has  once  more  had  his  say 
with  regard  to  the  past,  and  once  more  wants  to  give  encouragement  to 
his  younger  fellow  workers  in  the  same  cause  for  the  future.  No  matter 
what  may  be  the  department  in  Horticulture  to  which  your  fancy  leads 
you,  there  is  everything  to  help  you  on.  We  older  ones  can  testify 
to  the  great  pleasure  which  our  loved  pursuit  has  given  to  us,  and 
although  we  are  old  we  can  still  love  and  cherish  our  favourites. 
The  sportsman  has  to  give  up  his  gun,  as  he  cannot  see  the  birds  as 
he  used  to  do  ;  the  follower  of  the  chase  cannot  save  himself  as  he 
was  wmnt  to  do — “  his  bridle  and  saddle  are  laid  on  the  shelf the 
entomologist  cati  no  longer  pursue  his  small  game,  but  the  lover  of 
flowers  need  not  abandon  that  which  has  given  such  pleasure  in  the 
past.  Believe,  then,  one  who  speaks  with  the  experience  of  fourscore 
years  that  some  of  your  happiest  hours  will  be  those  that  you  spend 
in  your  garden.  Ever  around  you  are  there  many  lessons  to  be 
learned ;  the  means  whereby  your  thoughts  may  be  lifted  from  the 
perishable  things  of  time  and  sense  to  the  eternal  verities  of  our 
Father’s  kingdom. — D.,  Deal. 
