2 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  3,  1901 
has  very  vigorously  pushed  forward  its  shoots,  and  the  controversy 
concerning  it  has  been  carried  on  with  some  warmth,  and  has 
elicited  much  difference  of  opinion.  There  are  some  to  whom 
Chiswick  is  a  very  fetish,  and  the  removal  of  the  society  Irom 
its  sacred  precincts  seems  to  betoken  the  beginning  of  the  end.  Now 
into  this  controversy  I  have  no  wish  to  intrude.  No  one  would,  I 
think,  wish  to  hamper  the  council  in  the  praiseworthy  efforts  they 
are  Using  to  make  the  Royal  the  true  exponent  of  all  that  is  best  and 
brightest  in  British  horticulture. 
Immediately  connected  with  this  is  another  matter  which  seems 
no  nearer  solution  than  it  used  to  be,  the  providing  for  it  a 
home  in  London,  a  place  where  the  grand  collections  which  are 
exhibited  at  its  fortnightly  meetings  at  the  Drill  Hall  might  find  a  more 
suitable  home.  We  may  grumble  at  will,  call  it  a  dnst-bin  or 
anything  else  that  we  like,  but  still  we  are  obliged  to  confess  we  know 
no  way  out  of  the  difficulty  ;  the  cause  of  the  society  is  in  good  hands, 
and  we  may  be  sure  that  everything  will  be  done  to  remedy  what 
cannot  but  be  regarded  as  a  slur  on  British  horticulture.  These 
fortnightly  meetings  have  greatly  increased  in  popularity  ;  it  is  not  as  it 
used  to  be  a.  few  years  ago,  when  only  a  very  few  persons  were  seen  at 
them,  and  one  used  to  mourn  when  splendid  collections  were  sent  there 
for  no  one  to  admire.  Now  on  most  occasions  there  is  a  goodly 
number  of  visitors,  and  I  am  told  that  it  is  one  of  the  best  places  for 
business  in  horticulture  that  we  have,  and  that  it  manifestly  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  the  gardening  world  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  no 
novelty  of  any  value  fails  to  find  its  way  there  to  be  submitted  to  the 
criticisms  of  the  various  committees. 
The  two  great  exhibitions  of  the  society,  namely,  the  one  held  in 
the  end  of  May  in  the  gardens  of  the  Inner  Temple  and  the  great, 
show  of  hardy  British  grown  fruit  in  the  Crystal  Palace  in  September, 
were  quite  up  to  their  usual  degree  of  excellence,  and  although  there 
is  but  little  variety  in  the  way  the  plants  are  arranged,  we  have  to 
consider  the  circumstances  under  which  they  are  brought  together,  and 
how  difficult  it  would  be  to  make  any  alteration.  Folks  sometimes 
allude  to  the  foreign  exhibitions  and  say  how  much  better  they  are 
managed.  But  the  cases  are  in  no  way  analogous  :  abroad  the  p'ants 
are  brought  together  the  day  before  the  exhibition  opens,  abundance 
of  time  is  given  for  the  arrangements  to  be  carried  out,  and  the 
stewards  of  the  show  seem  to  have  despotic  power  of  separating  plants 
even  of  the  same  exhibit  provided  they  think  the  arrangement  more 
artistic. 
I  have  mentioned  the  novelties  which  are  being  continually 
brought  forward,  and  it  is  curious  to  remark  that  we  owe  these  not  to 
the  explorer  so  much  as  to  the  hybridist,  and  also  how  they  run  upon 
the  same  classes  of  flowers.  Thus,  for  example,  amongst  Orchids  the 
run  is  still  upon  Cypripediums,  Cattieyas,  Laeiias,  and  Odontojlossums. 
Of  Cypripediums  fourteen  have  been  decorated,  nineteen  Cattieyas, 
seven  Laeiias,  seventeen  Laeho-Cattleyas,  and  tweuty-nine  Odonto- 
glossums.  Who  grows  all  these  ?  Amongst  the  more  ordinary 
flowers  Delphiniums,  Carnations,  Gladiolus,  Begonias,  Narcissi, 
Picotees,  and  Roses  have  been  exhibited  in  fair  numbers.  The 
exhibitions  for  special  flowers  that  have  been  held  at  tl  e  Crystal 
Palace  have  showed  no  diminution  of  interest;  that  of  the  National 
Rose  Sjciety  was  exceptionallv  well  attended.  The  provincial  shows, 
however,  somewhat  suffered  from  the  weather,  for  the  cold  weather 
of  May  sadly  interfered  with  the  southern  show  of  Roses,  held  at 
Salisbury;  while  the  spell  of  tropical  wealher  robbed  the  northern 
show,  held  at  Birmingham,  of  a  great  deal  of  its  attractiveness. 
Garden  literature  has  ' certainly  not  diminished  in  vigour  or  in 
popularity.  The  various  weekly  papers  still  contrive  to  interest  large 
circles  of  readers.  There  has  certainly,  been  a  great  advancement 
in  advocating  the  ae.-thetic  side  of  horticulture.  Growers  ot 
flowers  are  not  content  in  filling  their  gardens  with  good  things, 
but  they  want  to  have  them  artistically  arranged.  Such  a  garden 
is  that  of  my  neighbour,  the  Poet  Laureate,  who  in  his  charming 
little  books,  “The  Garden  That  I  Love  ”  and  “Veronica’s  Garden,’’ 
has  taught  so  many  valuable  lessons  on  this  subject.  Miss  Jekyll, 
of  Munstead,  too,  who  has  now  assumed  the  joint  editorship  ot 
“The  Garden,”  has  laboured  zealously  in  this  direction,  and  the 
•  ssay  which  she  contributed  to  the  National  Rose  Socie'y,  “On  the 
Decorative  Use  of  Roses  in  Gardens,’’  has  been  most  valuable  lor  this 
end.  Raisers  of  new  Roses  have  also  worked  to  carry  out  this  object, 
tspecially  Messrs.  Paul  &  Son  of  Cheshunt;  and  there  is  no  doubt 
there  is  a  great  desire  among  the  public  for  information  on  this  point. 
The  love  of  flowers,  which  is  so  strong  amongst  us,  prevails  in  all 
lanks  of  the  community.  We  find  sufficient  proofs  of  this.  The 
encouragement  given  by  those  who  work  lor  the  bettering  of  the  con¬ 
dition  of  the  labouring  poor  in  our  great  metropolis,  have  been  much 
assisted  by  those  who  have  the  management  of  our  parks  and  gardens, 
and  who  distribute  to  all  proper  applicants  the  plants  which  have 
been  used  in  the  bedding  out  during  the  summer  season. 
The  various  special  societies,  or  rather  the  societies  for  encouraging 
some  special  flower,  are  still  energetically  supported.  The  National 
Rose  Society  tells  a  tale  of  continuous  advance,  the  number  of  its 
members  being  larger  than  at  any  previous  time ;  the  National 
Chrysanthemum  Society,  the  National  Dahlia  Society,  the  Carnation 
and  Picotee  Society  are  also  welt  supported  by  their  members.  There 
are  some  who  carp  at  these  special  societies,  but  anyone  who  has 
watched  how  largely  they  contribute  to  the  advancement  of  the 
special  flowers  which  they  are  designed  to  encourage  will  see  how 
ridiculous  this  is.  There  is,  however,  one  class  of  flowers  which 
seems  to  be  in  disfavour — I  mean  what  we  of  the  older  generation 
call  florists’  flowers.  The  Auriculas,  Carnations,  and  Picotees,  Pinks 
and  Pansies  are  not  in  such  favour  as  they  used  to  be.  One 
expatiates  to  me  on  the  beauty  of  some  Auriculas,  but  coming  to 
closer  quarters  I  find  that  he  is  thinking  of  what  are  called 
fancy  and  border  varieties,  but  that  he  has  no  eye  for  our  beautiful 
edged  and  florist  varieties.  In  the  same  way  the  Dahlia  which  is  so 
commended  is  not  the  large  and  perfectly  shaped  flower  of  former 
days,  but  what  is  called  the  Cactus  Dahlia,  without  form  or 
symmetry,  but  attractive  for  its  quaint  and  bizarre  character ;  and  so 
fashion  change*,  and  societies  must  only  accommodate  themselves  to  its 
shifting  moods. 
And  now  I  come  to  what  is  always  the  most  painful  part  of  my 
retrospect,  when  I  have  to  call  over  the  death  roll  of  the  past  year. 
Some  of  those  whose  loss  we  have  to  deplore  were  personal  and  much 
valued  friends.  First  and  foremost  we  must  place  my  valued  friend, 
Ben  Cant,  the  very  chief  of  our  Rose  exhibitors,  and  the  very  model 
of  what  an  exhibitor  ought  to  be.  I  made  bis  acquainta'  ce  many, 
many  years  ago,  when  I  went  down  to  Colchester  and  drove  with  him 
to  see  Mr.  Hedge  of  Reed  Hall,  who  was  then  the  most  celebrated  of 
our  amateur  Rose  growers.  How  genial  and  hearty  he  always  was; 
at  that  time  a  good  cricketer  and  a  good  shot,  but  above  all  these  a 
good  Rose  grower  and  exhibitor.  His  stands  of  Roses  were  perfection; 
not  only  were  the  floweis  good,  bright,  and  fresh  in  colour,  but  they 
were  never  “  dressed ;  ”  beautifully  arranged  as  to  colour,  which, 
by-the-bye,  is  no  small  matter.  I  have  seen  a  box  of  Roses  where  reds 
of  various  tints  followed  in  succession,  and  the  box  would  have  been 
immensely  improved  by  the  placing  of  a  white  flower  amongst  them. 
Then  you  never  saw  the  scowiing  brow  or  heard  the  bitter  taunt  when 
he  was  beaten ;  he  always  took  his  beatings  in  good  part,  and  never 
fell  foul  of  the  judges.  He  had  many  a  story  to  tell  of  his  long  and 
varied  experience,  and  was  never  shy  of  imparting  what  he  knew 
about  ihe  Rose.  I  alwavs  think  of  him  as  a  good  frienl  gone  away 
from  us,  and  1  hope  and  believe  that  his  sons  will  be  able  to  walk  in 
the  steps  of  their  father. 
Then  again,  we  have  lost  our  much  valued  friend  Mr.  T.  B. 
Haywood,  who  for  seventeen  years  had  been  the  treasurer  of  the 
National  Ro>e  Society,  and  with  whom  I  had  necessarily  been  brought 
much  into  contact,  and  to  whose  careful  management  the  financial 
prosperity  of  the  National  Rose  Sochty  is  greatly  due.  Then  there  is 
good,  sturdy,  honest  John  Laing,  whom  1  first  knew  when  he  was  one 
of  the  firm  of  Downie,  Laird,  &  Laing  in  Edinburgh,  and  with  whom 
for  forty  years  I  had  much  pleasant  intercourse.  Alfred  Salter,  too, 
has  also  passed  away  from  among  us;  his  name  brings  me  bark  also 
to  the  long  past.  I  remember  well  the  pleasant  pilgrimages  I  used 
to  make  to  the  Versailles  Nurseries,  Hammersmith,  where  his  much 
valued  father  was  the  doyen  of  the  Chrysanthemum  world.  I  was 
there  when  the  first  Japanese  (Ragged  Japs,  as  they  were  called)  were 
first  introduced,  but  neither  father  or  Bon  ever  anticipated  the 
revolution  they  would  make  in  the  Chrysanthemum  world.  Both 
father  and  son  were  pleasant  agreeable  men,  and  the  horticultural 
world  is  much  indebted  to  them.  In  a  humbler  rank  of  life  one  has 
to  recall  the  death  of  William  Gater,  who  for  many  years  was  the 
Rose  grower  in  Mr.  Turner’s  nursery  at  Slough.  It  was  under  his  care 
that  those  marvellous  bushes  of  Roses  were  produced  which  so 
astonished  foreign  visitors  at  the  great  exhibition  of  1866,  held  at 
South  Kensington.  Besides  these  were  others  not  perhaps  so  directly 
connected  with  English  horticulture,  but  prominent  in  the  sciences 
allied  to  it  ai  d  in  other  intellectual  paths.  Such  was  Sir  John 
Lawes,  so  long  identified  with  agricultural  chemistry;  Mr.  G.  J. 
Symi  ns,  ti  e  meteorologist;  Mr.  Blackmore,  the  novelist  and 
pomoculturist ;  and  the  Marquis  cf  Bute,  a  sterling  patron  of  all  rural 
avocations.  The  death  ot  Mr.  Philip  Crowley  is  so  recent  as  scarcely 
to  necessitate  mention  other  than  to  emphasise  the  geueral  regret  felt 
by  all  who  used  to  meet  him  at  the  metropolitan  meetings.  Truly 
our  losses  have  been  considerable. 
And  now,  my  good  friends,  having  told  my  story  of  the  past  let 
m°,  according  to  my  usual  custom,  add  a  few  words  with  regard  to  the 
future.  We  are  on  the  threshold  of  the  century,  and  some  of  us  will 
only  get  a  step  or  two  into  it.  We  may  have  our  seasons  of  gloom,, 
but  we  shall  also  doubtless  have  our  seasons  of  joy.  Many  of 
you  will  not  be  able  to  enjoy  your  gardens  as  you  have  done  ;  but. 
still,  if  I  may  judge  from  my  own  case,  they  will  afford  you  much 
pleasure  and  leach  you  many  a  lesson — above  all,  that  our  Master 
has  taken  the  flowers  of  the  field  as  a  text  whereby  to  assure  us  that 
we  mav  ever  rely  upon  His  loving  care. — D.,  Deal. 
