282 
>ri:XA[.  OF  HOilTWULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  27,  1902. 
lorn© — but  let  us  hope  present^  unseen  but  felt,  “  From  yon  blue 
heavens  above  us  bent,”  looking  down  in  sympathy  with  their 
brethren  who  are  still  in  “the  body  pent.”  They  were  a  source 
of  inspiration  when  living,  and,  though  passed  from  mortal  ken, 
a  source  of  inspiration  yet.  Notable  among  these  were  Mr. 
Malcolm  Dunn,  who,  we  fear,  has  left  no  successor  as  an  indefati¬ 
gable  worker  for  public  horticulture;  also  the  accomplished  and 
genial  Mr.  David  T.  Fish,  whose  Euskinesque  presence  was  much 
missed. 
The  Dinner 
Was  a  characteristic  and  elegantly  served  meal,  to  which  ample 
justice  was  done,  and  was  of  an  essentially  Scottish  character. 
The  bill  of  fare  was  printed  in  Scotch,  and  the  dishes  wei'e  Scotch, 
while  the  drink  was  also  chiehy  “  Scotch,”  of  very  excellent 
quality.  The  menu  card  was  of  an  ornate,  “  flowei-y  ”  character, 
Avith  coloured  representations  of  Sweet  Peas,  Salpiglossis,  &c., 
which  Avere  hardly  in  keeping  with  so  much  “  Scotch.”  Why 
Avere  Thistles  not  adopted?  The  menu,  too,  Avas  not  easily 
understanded  by  the  Southerner,  and  Ave  are  not  quite  sure  if 
it  quite  observed  the  “Unities” — (Are  Leeks  and  “German” 
greens  sj)ecially  Scottish?) — Avhile  the  roasted  and  “  biled  ”  beef, 
Ave  thought,  was  more  characteristic  of  the  Southerner.  Perhaps 
at  the  full  jubilee,  tAventy-flve  years  hence,  friend  Chalmers 
Avill  try  some  “  braxy  ”  mutton  and  “  biled  Thistles”  for  a  change. 
We  rather  expected,  too,  to  find  the  AAaiters  to  be  stahvart 
Scotchman,  clad  in  the  “garb  of  old  Gaul,”  instead  of  the 
A'ery  common  type  “  made  in  Germany.”  These  little  inconsis¬ 
tencies  notAvithstanding,  the  dinner  Avas  excellent,  and  exceed¬ 
ingly  enjoyed  by  the  large  comiiany.  Then  came!  the  time  for  the 
feast  of  reason  and  flow  of  soul.  Avhen  the  , 
Toasts  and  Speeches 
became  the  order  of  the  night.  In  a  happy  vein  Mr.  Comfort 
proposed  the  Royal  toasts,  Avhich  Avere  loyally  responded  to,  and 
then  the  feast  of  intellect  and  eloquence  was  introduced  by  the 
toast  of  the  “  Imperial  Forces,”  proposed  by  Mr.  Alexr. 
Mackenzie  in  a  speech  full  of  his  characteristic  eloquence  and 
fervour,  and  of  patriotic  sentiment  and  feeling.  Had  volunteers 
been  Avanted  there  and  then  for  the  front  Mr.  Mackenzie  at  the 
close  of  his  poAverful  speech  might  have  placed  himself  at  the  head 
of  the  entire  meeting  to  march  at  once  against  the  enemy. 
Mr.  McKinnon  then  proposed  the  toast  of  “  The  Lord  Provost, 
Magistrates,  and  Toavii  Council  of  Edinburgh  ”  in  a  neat  speech, 
thanking  them  for  their  liberal  and  continuous  support  to  the 
Chrysanthemum  ShoAV,  as  Avell  as  for  their  sympathy  and  help 
in  all  the  undertakings  of  the  Association.  Bailie  BroAvn  replied 
to  this  toa.st,  and  expressed  the  Avarm  appreciation  by  the  city 
authorities  of  the  beneficent  Avork  of  the  Association  in  improving 
the  tastes  of  the  people  and  educating  them  to  higher  ideals 
of  life.  ‘ 
Then  came  the  toast  of  the  evening,  “  The  Scottish  Horti¬ 
cultural  Association,”  proposed  by  ex-Bailie  McDonald,  of 
Dundee.  In  an  eloquent  and  beautifully  expressed  speech,  the 
worthy  ex-Bailie  eulogised  the  Avork  of  all  such  societies  in  their 
endeavours,  not  only  to  improve  the  cultivation  of  jjlants, 
flowers,  and  fruits  by  gardeners  and  professional  horticulturists, 
but  to  create  a  taste  for  their  cultiA^ation  among  the  masses  of 
the  people,  and  pointing  out  that,  even  where  not  a  yard  of 
garden  ground  Avas  possessed,  a  window-box  could  be  utilised 
AA^here  to  groAV  a  few  flowers  to  beautify  the  homes  of  the  i^oor. 
He  mentioned  that  the  Corporation  of  Dundee,  in  order  to 
encourage  this  kind  of  gardening,  had  furnished  AvindoAv  boxes 
and  soil  to  the  poorer  classes,  and  that  a  most  interesting 
exhibition  had  recently  been  held  of  the  products  of  such  gardens. 
The  ex-Bailie  expressed  the  great  gratification,  not  only  of  him¬ 
self,  but  of  all  true  horticulturists,  at  the  success  AA'hich  had 
attended  the  efforts  of  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association 
during  the  quarter  century  of  its  existence,  and  hoped  that  that 
success  Avould  have  no  ebb  tide,  but  Avould  continue  in  the  future 
in  even  greater  measure  than  in  the  f)ast. 
To  this  toast  the  president,  Mr.  Comfort,  replied  AA'ith  a  most 
appropriate  and  impressive  speech,  in  whfch  he  revicAved  in  a 
most  interesting  and  comprehensive  manner  the  past  Avork  of  the 
Association:  Hoav  educating  and  stimulating  it  had  been  to  the 
hundreds  of  young  gardeners  who  had  attended  its  meetings 
during  the  past  tAventy-five  years,  and  of  the  stores  of  knowledge 
it  had  imparted  tp  them  Avhen  they  went  forth  into  the  Avorld  to 
carry  out  their  life’s  work;  and  how  strengthening  it  haJ  been 
to  the  older  members  to  meet  month  after  month,  compare 
experiences,  and  profit  by  the  successes  and  faihires  of  one 
another ;  how  the  AA'riters  of  papers  had  profited  as  much  by  the 
research  and  study  it  had  taken  to  write  them  as  the  audiences 
had  done  by  the  knowledge  imparted  to  them.  He  considered  it 
a  source  of  great  gratification  that  the  Scottish  Horticultural 
Association  had  been  the  means  of  the  spread  of  similar  associa¬ 
tions  all  over  the  country,  and  that  a  great  adA^an cement 
had  been  made  by  the  spread  of  knowledge  through  such 
societies  which  could  not  have  been  achieved  by  the  older 
horticultural  societies,  which  merely  existed  to  promote 
flower  shoAvs,  useful  and  profitable  as  these  have  been.  He. 
expressed  the  Avarmest  gratification  at  the  Avonderful  amount 
of  success  Avhich  had  attended  the  Scottish  Horticultural ; 
and  pointed  out,  as  almo.st  phenomenal,  that  after  all  these 
years  the  monthly  meetings  had  never  grown  stale,  but 
Avere  better  attended  at  the  present  time  than  at  any  period  of 
the  Association’s  existence,  and  hoAV  that  month  after  month 
the  addition  of  n©AA’  members  Avas  alAA’ays  a  fresh  guarantee  of 
continual  prosperity.  He  Avas  specially  grateful  that  the  Asso¬ 
ciation  had  been  enabled  so  largely  to  assist  the  gardening  and 
other  charities,  and  that  they  bad  been  so  frequently  enabled 
to  relieve  urgent  distress  among  the  poorer  of-  their  oAvn 
brethren.  Mr.  Comfort  concluded  by  an  appeal  to  the  younger 
gardeners  to  Avalk  Avorthy  of  their  vocation,  and  to  thoroughly 
equip  themselves  in  youth  Avith  the  knoAvledge  necessary  to  the 
creditable  carrying  out  of  their  life’s  Avork,  and  pointed  out  that 
Avith  them  lay  the  future  of  horticulture  and  the  Horticultural 
Associjation.  The  older  members  Avould,  in  a  sad  and  sIoav  pro¬ 
cession,  one  by  one  pass  over  to  the  land  of  silence,  and  the 
blank  places  Avould  have  to  be  filled  up  by  the  younger  men,  Avho 
it  Avas  hoped,  by  taking  advantage  of  the  improved  means  and 
facilities  for  obtaining  knoAvledge  at  their  disposal,  Avould  attain 
a  position  Avhich  had  been  impossible  to  their  fathers.  Mr. 
Comfort’s  speech  atos  received  Avith  much  appreciation. 
Ex-Presidunt  R.  W.  E.  Murray  then  proposed  the  toast  of 
“Kindred  Societies”  in  a  very  appropriate  speech,  pointing  out 
that  all  such  societies,  Avhether  horticultural,  arboricultural,  or 
agricultural,  had  one  object  in  vieAv,  and  that  Avas  the  ameliora¬ 
tion  of  the  conditions  of  the  life  of  mankind,  any  rivalries  that 
existed  among  them  being,  Avho  could  best  and  most  fully 
achieve  that  object?  He  Avarmly  welcomed  the  representatives 
of  kindred  societies  present,  and  coupled  the  toast  Avith  Mr. 
Dean,  Avho,  though  specially  representing  that  night  the 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society,  was  also  intimately  asso¬ 
ciated  Avith  other  horticultural  bodies,  and  by  his  many  services, 
as  Avell  as  by  his  AAmrk  and  his  pen,  had  done  more  than  most  men 
living  for  the  promotion  of  horticulture. 
Mr.  Dean,  Avho  received  a  Amry  warm  Avelcome,  in  a  neat  and 
beautifully  expressed  speech  thanked  the  audience  for  their  warm 
Avelcome  to  him  personally  and  for  the  hearty  appreciation  they 
had  shown  for  the  Avelfarq  and  Avork  of  kindred  bodies.  He 
narrated  the  work  carried  on  by  many  of  the  metropolitan 
societies,  and  that  good  Avork  AA’as  being  accomplished  by  some 
of  the  sinaller  sectional  societies  by  keeping  up  an  interest  in 
flowers  Avhich  otherwise  might  fall  into  neglect.  Mr.  Dean 
expressed  the  pleasure  it  gave  him  to  be  present  on  such  an 
occasion,  and  the  gratification  it  gave  him  to  knoAv  of  the  good 
Avork  for  horticulture  Avhich  the  Scottish  Association  had 
achieved.  He  concluded  by  appealing  to  the  members  to  slacken 
none  of  their  efforts  for  horticulture,  and  that,  though  fashions 
changed  in  floAvers  as  in  other  things,  the  efforts  and  energies 
of  horticulturists  never  changed.  Mr.  Dean  closed  his  invigorat¬ 
ing  speech  amid  a  perfect  storm  of  applause.  Other  toasts 
followed :  “  Our  Guests,”  proposed  by  Mr.  Robert  Laird  and 
replied  to  by  Councillor  McMichael ;  “  The  Press,”  proposed  by 
Mr.  McHattie  and  responded  to  by  Mr.  Gilbert,  of  “  The  Scots¬ 
man  ;  ”  “  Officials,  Past  and  Present,”  proposed  by  Mr.  Murray 
Thomson  and  responded  to  by  Mr.  Todd  (who  received  a  very 
warm  welcome) ;  and  Mr.  Loney,  “  The  Croupiers.”  “  The  Chair¬ 
man  ”  brought  the  toast  list  to  a  close. 
During  the  evening  a  most  excellent  programme  of  songs 
Avas  gone  through  and  added  greatly  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  com¬ 
pany;,  and  towards  the  close  of  the  meeting  “  Sandy  ”  Johnston, 
the  “Poet  Laureate”  of  the  As.sociation,  recited  with  great  fervour 
his  patriotic  poetic  effusion  “  Britannia  Yet.”  Mr.  Chalmers  (who 
AA^as  convener  of  the  dinner  committee),  Avith  characteristic 
energy,  had  most  successfully  arranged  the  musical  proceedings 
as  Avell  as  all  the  arrangements  for  the  dinner.  A  verj^  hearty 
vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  him,  and  at  tAvelve  o’clock  the  com¬ 
pany,  in  most  enthusiastic  fashion,  sang  “  Auld  Lang  Syne.” 
Thus  ended  a  most  successful,  enjoyable,  and  memorable 
function. 
Mr.  Robert^  Laird  was  for  many  years  identified  with  the 
Association  as  its  honorary  secretary,  and  during  his  period  of 
oflice  the  success  of  the  society  was  constant  and  very  obvious. 
He  is  a  gentleman  in  the  prime  of  life — a  tall,  handsome, 
hearty  Scotchman.  As  younger  partner  in  the  robust  firm  of 
Messrs.  R.  D.  Laird  and  Sons,  Limited,  nurserymen,  &c.,  Edin¬ 
burgh,  he  is  well  known  and  respected  by  his  very  many  friends  and 
business  acquaintances.  His  elder  brother,  Mr.  D.  P.  Laird,  J.P., 
is  an  Edinburgh  “character,”  whose  presence  always  signifies 
joviality,  mirth,  wit,  and  happiness.  Both  brothers  are  capital 
business  men,  and  stand  in  the  forefront  among  the  Scottish 
nurserymen.  Robert,  manages  the  office  work  and  seed  establish¬ 
ment  in  Frederick  Street,  while  the  nurseries  and  his  auction¬ 
eering  business,  occupies  Mr.  David  P.  Laird. 
Mr.  Mackinnon,  the  present  honorary  treasurer  to 
the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association,  is  reputedly  a  strict  and 
safe  business  gentleman.  On  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Alexander 
Mackenzie  the  treasurership  a  year  or  two  since,  Mr.  Mac- 
