3)4 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER „ 
April  25,  1901. 
It  would  thus  be  seen,  said  the  chairman,  that  the  Society  decided 
how  it  would  celebrate  its  centenary,  and 
Gave  the  Council  a  Mandate 
to  find  a  suitable  site.  This  being  so,  the  Council  by  private  inquiry, 
by  advertisements  in  journals  specially  affected  by  land  agents,  &c.,  and 
by  application  to  eminent  firms  of  auctioneers,  have,  said  Sir  Trevor, 
been  aotively  engaged  in  endeavouring  to  carry  out  the  instructions  of 
the  Fellows.  Numerous  sites  (about  fifty)  have  been  proposed ;  many 
have  been  visited,  and  due  consideration  has  in  all  cases  been  given  to 
those  sites  brought  forward  for  notice. 
About  Easter  of  this  year,  the  Farningham  site  was  presented  for 
their  consideration,  and  after  having  inspected  this  land,  the  Council 
decided  that  this  was  far  and  away  the  most  suitable  ground  they  had 
hitherto  been  asked  to  pronounce  upon.  Sir  Trevor  said  he  himself 
was  laid  up  by  illness  at  Easter,  and  so  was  unable  to  visit  the  ground, 
and  had  not  seen  the  site  at  all.  He  was  perfectly  impartial  in  the 
matter;  and  the  Fellows  were  simply  asked  to  give  their  opinion  on  the 
subject.  If  they  passed  the  proposal  to  buy  the  land,  well  and  good; 
if  not,  the  proposal  fell  to  the  ground.  The  Fellows  need  not  think 
that  the  Council  would  take  a  negative  decision  as  a  slight  to 
themselves ;  this  they  had  no  intention  of  doing.  He  hoped  that  the 
meeting,  as  gathered,  would  be  able  to  settle  the  matter,  and  so  save 
the  trouble  of  causing  a  vote  of  the  Fellows  all  over  the  country  to  be 
taken.  The  Society  was  never  more  flourishing,  continued  the  president, 
and  he  thought  the  Fellows  would  give  the  Council  credit  for  having 
had  considerable 
Success  in  the  Fast, 
and  would  accept  the  Council’s  guarantee  on  the  point,  that  the  latter 
would  not  put  forward  any  proposal  which  they  had  not  complete  and 
utter  faith  in. 
Sir  Trevor  then  called  upon  Harry  J.  Yeitch,  Esq.,  to  make  a 
proposal  on  behalf  of  the  Council.  Mr.  Yeitch  (who  was  Chairman  of 
the  Committee  appointed  by  the  Council  to  go  into  the  question  of  the 
Farningham  site)  started  by  detailing  the  whole  progress  of  affairs, 
from  first  to  last.  He  cited  the  many  disadvantages  that  Chiswick 
labours  under — the  exhausted  soil,  the  excessive  drainage,  the  smoke, 
and  the  crowds  of  surrounding  houses.  The  garden,  he  said,  was 
utterly  inadequate  for  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  It  was  nothing 
better  than  a  small  suburban  garden,  and  certainly  no  proper  trials 
could  now  be  carried  ut.  The  objects  of  the  society  were  : — 1,  The 
promotion  of  the  science  and  practice  of  horticulture.  2,  The  testing  of 
new  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables.  3,  Educational  demonstrations. 
4,  The  system  of  training  students.  (With  their  10  acres  at  Chiswick 
they  at  present  can  only  take  a  very  limited  number  of  students,  and 
many  more  could  be  got).  5,  The  propagation  of  plants  for  di  tribution 
amongst  the  Fellows. 
Proposals  for  Farningham  Site. 
If  Farningham  site  was  bought  it  has  been  proposed  to  lay  out  40 
of  the  48  acres  as  follows  20  acres  for  fruit  and  vegetables  ;  15  acres 
for  flowering  and  foliage  trees  and  shrubs  ;  and  5  acres  in  ponds  and 
rockery  gardens.  In  deciding  on  a  site  the  Council  had  deemed  it 
advisable  to  remove  at  least  twenty  miles  out  of  London,  and  to  have 
access  to  one  or  other  of  the  great  London  railway  termini.  Sites  had 
been  visited  at  Reigate,  Feltham,  Slough,  Woking,  and  elsewhere,  but 
there  had  been  serious  objections  to  all  of  them,  and  Farningham,  the 
last  visited,  appeared  to  his  fellow  Counoilmen  as  being  distinctly  the 
best.  It  has  the  advantage  of  a  very  full  exposure,  so  that  the 
northern  Fellows  would  have  an  equal  interest  in  any  trials  that  might 
be  made,  with  southerners.  As  regards  shelter  it  is  proposed  to  plant 
Beech  trees  on  the  north-east  side,  and  while  we’re  sleeping,  they’ll 
be  growing.”  A  number  of  nurserymen  have  expressed  themselves  as 
willing  to  provide  shrubs,  and  doubtless,  added  Mr.  Veitch,  many  others 
would  also  contribute. 
The  R.H.S.  trials  are  fully  reported  in  the  Society’s  Journal,  and 
so  the  lessons  of  the  garden  are  disseminated  abroad  all  over  the 
kingdom.  Should  the  Farningham  site  be  bought,  it  is  not  intended 
that  the  whole  of  the  ground  would  be  laid  out  at  once.  This  would  be 
done  gradually,  and  according  as  the  Society’s  finances  allowed  it.  For 
a  year  or  two  there  would  probably  be  no  glass  houses  raised  ;  but  the 
main  thing  was  to  secure  the  land.  It  would  be  a  good  investment  of 
capital,  and  would  form  a  valuable,  and  ever  increasingly  valuable, 
asset ;  for  in  years  to  come  such  land  would  almost  certainly  be  worth 
much  more  money. 
Mr.  Yeitch  then  turned  to  the  suggestion  made  by  Arthur  W. 
Sutton,  Esq.,  that  a  hall  should  take  the  place  of  a  garden.  Mr.  Veitch, 
thought  Mr.  Sutton’s  suggestions  at  this  time  were  rather  incongruous, 
especially  as  he  (Mr.  Sutton)  had  succeeded,  while  he  was  a  member  of 
Council,  in  getting  a  deputation  to  visit  a  site  at  Reading  for  the 
proposed  garden.  Now  Mr.  Sutton  seemed  against  a  garden.  The 
question  of  refreshments,  hotel  accommodation,  conveyances,  the  labour 
problem,  and  such  other  points,  were  brought  under  examination  by 
Mr.  Yeitch  in  a  very  fair,  honest,  and  able  speech.  He  then  proposed 
The  Resolution:  — 
That  the  Council  be  empowered  to  purchase  for  the  Society  48  acres  of 
land  adjoining  Rabbits  Farm  at  South  Darenth,  in  the  county  of  Kent. 
The  proposition  was  seconded  by  Charles  E.  Shea,  Esq.,  who  became 
immersed  in  an  argument  “  for  ”  and  “  against  ”  a  hall  versus  a  garden. 
Dr.  Masters  interrupted  him  on  a  point  of  order,  but  Mr.  Shea  wis 
allowed  to  proceed  with  his  expressions.  He  quoted  figures  to  show  the 
steady  financial  advance  that  has  taken  place  each  year  since  1890 — 
1901.  The  figures  show  an  enormous  advance,  and  were  received  with 
applause.  But  great  as  was  the  sum  they  had  on  hand  now,  it  would 
not  go  far  on  a  hall.  The  subject  of  a  hall  had  been  ridden  to  deith, 
but  bo  far  as  the  funds  were  concerned,  the  question,  he  said,  was  as 
dead  as  a  door  nail.  (Cries  of  “  No !  ”  “  No !  ”)  Mr.  Shea  admitted  that 
a  hall  was  needed,  and  they  would  by-and-by  have  to  have  one,  but  not 
just  yet. 
The  Amendment. 
After  Mr,  Shea  had  seconded  Mr.  Veitoh’s  motion,  Mr.  A.  W.  Sutton 
rose  to  propose  an  amendment.  In  a  word  or  two  he  dismissed  what 
had  been  said  about  his  proposition  of  the  Reading  site.  He  said  that 
at  one  of  the  first  meetings  he  found  the  Council  practically  wedded  to 
the  Limp8field  site.  They  asked  him  whether  he  had  a  better  site  he 
could  suggest,  and  he  only  pointed  out  land  suitable  for  this  purpose 
at  Reading.  He  then  expressed  his  conviction  that  the  vast  majority 
of  the  Fellows,  having  had  time  to  consider  the  matter,  do  not  want  a 
garden  at  all  to  celebrate  the  centenary,  but  would  rather  have  an 
horticultural  hall.  Horticulture  oould  be  promoted  by  their  fortnightly 
meetings,  at  which  may  be  found  the  best  products  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  ;  this,  with  a  small  garden  down  at  Chiswick.  The  Council, 
continued  Mr.  Sutton,  had  laid  great  stress  on  “  the  mandate  given  by 
the  Fellows,”  &c.,  but  “  none  of  us,”  said  the  speaker,  “  thought  we  were 
committing  ourselves  to  celebrating  the  centenary  in  this  manner.” 
(Council  groans  and  cries  of  “Oh!  Oh!”).  He  then  proposed  the 
amendment  as  follows  : 
While  thanking  the  Council  for  the  trouble  they  have  taken  in  seeking 
a  site  for  the  new  garden,  this  meeting  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  proposed 
[garden]  site  is  not  the  best  means  of  celebrating  the  forthcoming 
Centenary  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  Dr.  Masters  seconded. 
The  Doctor  read  extracts  from  a  letter  by  Sir  William  Thiselton- 
Dyer,  Director  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  from  a  Fellow  resident  in 
Kent,  and  also  from  Sir  Michael  Foster,  all  of  which  were  strongly  in 
favour  of  a  hall  and  opposed  to  a  garden. 
Fellows  Ill-informed  of  Affairs. 
H.  J.  Elwes,  Esq.,  who  next  spoke,  stated  that  he  was  disappointed 
that  the  meeting  had  not  had  the  opportunity  of  hearing  the  whole  of 
Sir  William’s  letter.  He  never  bad  read  a  fuller  or  a  fairer  statement 
of  the  case,  for  the  letter  described  the  entire  history  of  proceedings 
from  first  to  last.  (We  believe  the  letter  is  published  in  the  “  Gardener’s 
Chronicle”  of  this  week).  Mr.  Elwes  complained  that  the  whole 
business  had  been  kept  far  too  secret,  and  that  the  Fellows  were  not 
well  enough  informed  about  the  position  of  affairs.  After  G.  Frederick 
Roumieu,  Esq.,  Rev.  Geo.  E  lgleheart,  and  N.  N.  Sherwood,  Esq.,  had 
spoken  in  favour  of  Mr.  Sutton’s  amendment,  the  ohairm  in  put  it  to 
the  vote,  by  a  show  of  hands.  Mr.  Sherwood  pointed  out  that  £29,000 
had  been  guaranteed  when  the  hall  was  proposed  and  discussed  some 
years  ago.  If  the  society  could  get  £29,000  when  there  was  no 
oentenary  celebration,  what,  he  asked,  would  they  be  able  to  get  now 
that  there  is  a  celebration  in  view  ? 
£3000  promised. 
The  mention  of  money  matters  for  a  hall  brought  Mr.  Elwes  to 
his  feet,  all  in  a  hurry,  to  astonish  those  present  by  a  promise  of  £1000 
if  a  hall  was  agreed  upon.  Immediately  Mr.  Sutton  promised  another 
£1000  from  his  firm,  and  a  third  offer  of  £1000  was  shouted  out  by  Mr. 
Sherwood.  The  audience  laughed  long  and  loud,  as  well  it  might  do, 
for  here  surely  was  enthusiasm  and  a  good  promise  for  the  future 
hall.  Oq  the  motion  being  put,  a  very  large  majority  favoured  the 
amendment.  Nearly  everyone  rose  to  go,  but  the  chairman  drew 
attention  to  bye-law  46,  where  it  states  that  :  — 
With  respect  of  any  proposal  brought  before  a  general  meeting,  and 
considered  by  the  chairman,  or  by  a  majority  of  the  members  of  Council 
present  at  such  meeting,  to  be  of  vital  importance  to  the  welfare  of  the 
society,  the  chairman  may,  and  (if  requested  by  a  majority  of  the  members 
of  Council  present)  shall  (whether  a  vote  shall  have  been  taken  or  not) 
adjourn  the  consideration  of  such  proposal  to  a  subsequent  general  meeting 
(to  be  held  within  twenty-eight  days  thereafter),  to  enable  the  Council,  if 
they  think  fit,  to  refer  the  decision  on  such  proposal  to  the  whole  body  of 
the  Fellows ,  and  to  take  a  poll  of  the  Fellows  “  for  ”  or  “  against  ”  it ;  and 
in  the  event  of  suoh  adjournment  any  vote  already  taken  upon  such 
proposal  shall  be  deemed  inoperative,  and  not  to  have  been  taken. 
The  Counoil  were  unanimous  that  the  amendment  proposal  “  was  of 
vital  importance  to  the  welfare  of  the  Society,”  and  had  signed  their 
names  in  favour  of  calling  the  above  bye-law  into  requisition.  It  was 
strongly  hinted,  if  not  absolutely  deoided,  that  a  poll  would  be  made ; 
and  some  discussion  arose  as  to  withholding  the  despatch  of  voting 
papers  till  the  end  of  this  week,  so  that  the  Fellows  might  be  enabled 
to  read  the  reports  from  the  horticultural  papers.  The  Council  pointed 
out  that  unless  voting  papers  were  sent  out  immediately  there  would 
not  be  time  to  receive  all  the  papers  and  decide  before  the  latest  day 
on  which  the  offer  is  left  open — viz  ,  the  13th  of  May.  We  learn, 
however,  that  on  reconsideration  the  Council  agreed  to  abide  by  the 
decision  of  the  general  meeting,  as  the  majority  had  been  so  very  large. 
Thus  there  will  be  no  poll,  and  in  the  meantime  the  matter  is  in 
abeyance. 
A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman  was  proposed  by  Mr.  Elwes  and 
seconded  by  Dr.  Masters.  The  meeting  broke  up  at  4.30  p.m. 
