80 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  28,  19C4. 
and  Cannell  and  Sons.  Silver  Banksian  to  John  Russell,  Rich¬ 
mond  . 
Fruit  Committee. — Silver-gilt  Banksian  to  T.  Rivers  and 
Son,  Savvbridgeworth.  Silver  Knightian  to  Earl  of  Harrington, 
Idvaston  Castle,  Derby. 
Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
The  annual  general  meeting  was  held  on  January  21,  at 
Covent  Garden  Hotel,  London,  and  was  fairly  well  attended.  Mr. 
Harry  J.  Veitch,  treasurer,  irresided,  and  the  following  report 
and  statement  of  accounts  as  audited,  were  read  and  unanimously 
adopted : 
Report  of  the  Committee  for  1903. 
In  presenting  their  annual  report  and  statement  of  accounts 
(as  audited)  for  the  year  1903,  the  committee  have  the  pleasure 
of  again  congratulating  the  members  and  subscribers  of  the 
Institution  on  its  continued  success  and  increased  usefulness  in 
affording  relief  both  of  a  permanent  and  temporary  nature  to 
those  who,  through  sheer  misfortune,  due  to  accident,  ill-health, 
old  age,  and  reduced  circumstances,  have  been  compelled  to  apply 
for  its  assistance  in  their  time  of  need. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  204  persons — being  fourteen 
more  than  at  the  corresponding  period  in  the  previous 
year: — 116  men  and  88  widows  w’ere  receiving  life  annuities 
of  £20  and  £16  respectively.  Of  this  number,  during  the 
year  sixteen  have  died — nine  men  and  seven  widows.  Six  of  the 
men  left  widows,  w’hose  cases  were  .such  as  to  warrant  their  being 
placed"  on  the  funds  for  the  widow’s  annuity  of  £16,  without 
election,  and  in  accordance  with  Rule  HI.  The  committee  have 
also  reinstated  on  the  funds  a  former  pensioner,  who  had  volun¬ 
tarily  relinquished  hi.s  pension  for  the  time  being  on  account  of 
his  altered  circumstances.  There  were  thus  at  the  close  of  the 
year  192  pensioners  on  the  funds,  and  the  committee  recommend 
an  election  this  day  of  twelve  additional  pensioners  to  fill  the 
vacancies  created. 
They  much  regret  that  in  view  of  the  present  income,  and 
having  regard  to  prudence,  they  are  unable  to  recommend  the 
election  of  a  larger  number,  the  more  so  as  the  list  of  candidates 
shows  so  large  an  increase  on  that  at  any  previous  election,  but 
they  would  remind  the  subscribers  that  no  less  than  twenty-eight 
additional  pensioners  were  placed  on  the  funds  in  the  Coronation 
Year  (1902),  ivhich  materially  added  to  the  liabilities  of  the 
Institution. 
The  special  funds,  viz.,  the  “Victorian  Era  Fund”  and  the 
“  Good  Samaritan  Fund,”  are,  happily,  still  a  source  of  incal¬ 
culable  benefit  and  help.  From  the  former  fund,  £135  10s.  has 
been  distributed  during  the  year  to  the  unsuccessful  candidates 
who  had  previously  been  subscribers,  in  proportionate  amounts, 
according  to  the  number  of  years  they  had  subscribed;  and  from 
the  latter  fund,  which  is  for  the  assistance  of  subscribing  and  also 
not-subscribing  applicants,  no  less  than  £81  has  been  awarded 
in  temporary  assistance  in  cases  of'  urgent  need,  many  of  which 
were  of  a  particularly  distres.sing  and  pathetic  character.  The 
grateful  letters  which  have  been  received  from  the  recipients  of 
aid  from  these  special  funds,  as  ivell  as  from  the  general  fund, 
show  how  much  the  help  was  needed  and  how  greatly  it  was 
appreciated. 
The  committee  would  also  refer  to  the  generous  and  thoughful 
kindness  of  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood,  a  trustee  and  member  of  the 
committee,  who  at  the  last  election  presented  each  unsuccessful 
candidate,  who  had  been  a  subscriber,  or  the  widow  of  such, 
with  the  sum  of  £5.  Mr.  Sherwood’s  generous  liberality  proved 
most  acceptable  and  was  greatly  valued. 
The  annual  festival  dinner,  which  took  place  in  June,  under 
the  presidency  of  the  Right  Honourable  the  Earl  of  Warwick, 
was  very  successful,  and  resulted  in  a  substantial  .sum  being 
raised  in  aid  of  the  funds,  and  the  committee  are  much  indebted 
to  his  Lordship.  They  also  take  this  opportunity  of  tending  their 
best  thanks  to  the  stewards,  collectors,  donors  of  flowers,  the 
Horticultural  Press,  and  to  other  friends  and  helpers  throughout 
the  country,  -who  in  any  way,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  con¬ 
tributed  to  the  success  of  the  festival.  The  committee  have  like¬ 
wise  to  express  their  grateful  thanks  to  the  Earl  of  Ilchester  for 
kindly  allowing  his  beautiful  gardens  at  Holland  House  to  be 
opened — on  the  occasion  of  the  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society — to  the  public,  part  of  the  proceeds  obtained 
therefrom  being  handed  over  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  Insti¬ 
tution. 
The  several  auxiliaries,  viz.  ;  Bristol  and  Bath  (hon.  secretary, 
W.  J.  Harris),  Worce.ster  (hon.  secretary,  Mr.  Percy  G.  White), 
Devon  and  Exeter  (hon.  .secretary,  Mr.  W.  W.  Mackay),  Wolver¬ 
hampton  (hon.  secretary,  Mr.  R.  Lowe),  Reading  (hon.  secretary', 
Mr.  H.  (4.  Cox),  and  Liverpool  (hon.  secretary,  Mr.  R.  G.  Water¬ 
man),  still  continue  to  be  a  source  of  strength  and  much  support 
to  the  Institution,  both  financially  and  by  creating  a  wider 
interest  in  the  work,  and  the  committee  gladly  record  their 
gratitude  to  the  hon.  secretaries  and  local  committees  for  their 
kind  and  much-appreciated  services. 
It  is  with  deep  regret  the  committee  have  again  the  melancholy 
and  sorrowful  duty  of  referring  to  the  many  losse.s  amongst  the 
friends  and  supporters  of  the  Institution  they  have  sustained 
during  the  past  year — losses  which  will  be  severely  felt,  and 
vacant  places  it  Avill  be  difficult  to  fill.  Nevertheless  they  feel 
confident  that  the  friends  of  the  Institution  rvho  remain  will  not 
relax  their  efforts,  but  rvill  use  their  utmost  endeavours  to  fill 
up  the  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  those  who  so  kindly  and  generou.sly 
assisted  to  maintain  the  v'ork.  There  are  at  this  election  no 
fewer  than  fifty-three  applicants,  and  if  only  twelve  are  elected, 
forty-one  must  perforce,  beyond  what  assistance  may  be  afforded 
from  the  special  funds,  to  rvhich  allusion  has  already  been  made, 
w'ait  for  another  year  before  they  can  again  apply  for  the  aid 
they  seek. 
Their  cases  are  most  sad,  and  the  committee  sincerely  wish 
it  were  in  their  pmver  to  at  once  grant  them,  or  at  least  some  of 
them,  that  permanent  assistance  for  which  they  plead,  and  of 
which  they  are  so  much  in  need.  The  committee,  therefore, 
Avhilst  thankfully  acknoivledging  the  help  afforded  them  in  the 
past,  very  earnestly  appeal  to  all  friends  and  wellwishers  for  their 
co-operation  in  obtaining  additional  support  for  this  national 
horticultural  charity  so  as  to  warrant  an  enlargement  of  its 
beneficent  objects  on  behalf  of  those,  in  their  days  of  need,  who 
in  their  time  have  done  their  be.st  to  minister  to  the  pleasures  and 
necessities  of  others. 
BALANCE-SHEET,  1903. 
To  Balance  . £1021  19  0 
,,  Amount  on  Deposit  ..  .  ..  ..  3165  10  0. 
,.  Annual  Subscriptions  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  £1580  11  3 
,,  Festival  Dinner .  ..  2049  17  3 
,,  Return  of  Income  Tax .  63  1  0 
,,  Advertisements . .  55  12  0 
,,  Dividends  and  Interest .  868  10  3 
-  4617  11  9 
£8805  0  9 
By  Pensions  and  Gratuitie.s  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  £3716  6  8 
,,  Expenses  of  Annual  Meeting  and  Election  ....  12  8  9 
,,  Rent,  Cleaning,  Firing,  Light,  &c.,  and  Secretary,  and 
Clerk  s  Salaries. .  616  0  0 
,,  Printing,  including  Annual  Reports,  Polling  Paper3,&c.  £103  7  3 
,,  Stationery,  including  Cheque  Books  .  26  18  11 
,,  Advertisement  in  Fry’s  Charities .  3  3  0 
,,  Festival  Dinner  Expenses,  £174  2s.  ;  less  Dinner 
Charges,  £109  4s.  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  64  18  0 
,,  Postages, includingRep)rts,Appeals,VotingPapers,&c.  53  0  4 
, ,  Travelling  Expenses  .  374 
,,  Carriages, Telegrams,Repair3,  and  Incidental  Expenses.  7  17  10 
,,  Bank  Charges  .  064 
-  267  19  0 
Amount  placed  on  Deposit .  3265  10  0 
Bal  ince  with  Treasurer  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  1022  3  10 
Balance  with  Secreta  y  ..  .  6  12  6 
-  1027  16  4 
£8805  0  !» 
VICTORIAN  ERA  lUND,  1903. 
Balance,  December  31,  1902  .  £139  4  10 
Donation,  1903  .  5  5  0 
Dividends,  1903. .  .  122  17  6 
Return  of  Income  Tax,  1903  . v.  8  19 
-  137  4  3 
£276  9  1 
Gratuities,  1903 .  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  135  10  0 
Balance,  December  31,  1903 .  140  19  1 
-  276  9  1 
£276  9  1 
GOOD  SAMARITAN  FUND,  1903. 
Balance,  December  31,  1902 .  £208  13  7 
Annual  Subscriptions,  1903. .  .  110 
Donations,  1903. . ,  ...  .  65  14  0 
Dividends,  1903  .  55  1  0 
Return  of  Income  Tax  .  3  19  9 
-  125  15  9 
£.334  9  4 
Gratuities,  1903  . £81  0  0 
Balance  in  hand  December  31,  1903  .  253  9  4 
-  334  9  4 
£3.34  9  4 
(Signed)  THOMAS  MANNING. 
T.  SWIFT. 
J.  WILLARD. 
The  election  of  iiensioners  Avas  then  proceeded  with,  and  at 
5.30  p.m.  the  poll  was  declared  in  favour  of  the  following  candi¬ 
dates: — 1,  Henry  Cross,  3,923  votes;  2,  Wni.  Chambers,  3,545; 
3,  Abram  Stansfield  3,444  ;  4,  Frederick  Smith,  3,300;  5,  Eliza 
E.  Dohertv,  3,297;  6,  Richard  Nisbet,  3,224;  7,  Jane  Edivards, 
3,186 ;  8,  Henry  Rabbits,  3,091 ;  9,  Win.  Turner,  2,960  ;  10,  James 
M^orthington,  2,955;  11,  Richard  Skinner,  2,902;  12,  Ed.  Fo.ster, 
2,842;  13,  Andrew’  Armstrong,  2,838;  14,  Geo.  Dale,  2,796. 
The  tw’o  last  ivere  placed  on  the  list  to  fill  the  vacancies 
caused  by  two  deaths  since  the  voting  papers  were  issued.  Mr. 
Arthur  W.  Sutton  generously  offered  to  find  the  year’s  pension 
for  another  candidate,  and  as  the  next  highest  on  the  list,  Wm. 
Smith,  with  2,784,  was  elected;  while  la.stly,  the  committee 
have  the  pow’er,  under  Rule  HI.,  clause  10,  to  place  one  pensioner 
on  the  list  who  may  have  failed  to  be  elected;  and  on  this 
occasion  they  chose  TJ-os.  Cridland,  who  is  totally  blind,  and  has 
