98 THE FLORIST. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The adjourned general meeting of this Society took place on the 11th 

 of March, to receive the report from the committee appointed at the 

 preceding special meeting, " to investigate the Society's accounts, 

 and report on what is best to be done as to the continuance of the 

 Society." After some discussion, the original motion, for adopting the 

 report, was lost ; and an amendment carried, that the report be 

 referred to the Council, to consider and report on it to the next adjourned 

 meeting, to be held on March 31. We believe this was all that could 

 legally be done, as, according to the Society's charter of incorpora- 

 tion, the management of the whole of its aft'airs is vested absolutely 

 in that body. 



We abstain this month from makir\g any comment on the report 

 which the committee drew up, reserving our remarks until we see 

 what is really to be done with the Society, which we presume must be 

 settled one way or the other on the 31st inst., a day too late for us to 

 apprise our readers of the result. There can, however, be no harm 

 in appending a few suggestions of our own, which may be worth con- 

 sideration, if the Council decide to retain the Cliiswick establishment. 



In the first place it is certain that the Pomological department of the 

 gardens is the one which has conferred most credit on the Society, and- 

 proved of most benefit to the Fellows and the country generally. Not- 

 withstanding this, it has failed of late years to keep up with the 

 requirements of pomologists ; and an independent society has been 

 established, with every prospect of its fulfilling the intentions of its 

 promoters. It cannot be questioned that if the Horticultural 

 Society had paid more attention to this department than they have 

 lately done, a Pomological Society would not have been needed. Now 

 we see no reason (supposing the Pomological Society agreeable) why a 

 union should not be effected between the two — i. e., that the Pomo- 

 logical Society should merge into that department of the Horticultural 

 Society. If combined together, the advantages to those Fellows of the 

 Horticultural Society attached to Pomology would be increased, and 

 the members of the Pomological Society would likewise be benefited 

 by the union. We would suggest a new class of Associates belonging 

 to this department, which should also comprise those members of the 

 Pomological Society who might wish to join, under the name of 

 Pomological Associates of the Horticultural Society, allowing them 

 the privilege of attending the exhibitions of hardy fruits, of having the 

 Society's reports on fruits, and a share in the distribution of grafts, &c. 

 The subscription might perhaps be the same as is now paid by the 

 members of the Pomological Society, or, as the privileges would be 

 greater, raised to 15s. or 21s per annum, with a guinea for the 

 admission fee. 



The mode of obtaining correct information as to the value of orchard 

 and other hardy fruits, whether in reference to their quality, pro- 

 ductiveness, or hardiness, as practised by the Pomological Society, is 

 much more comprehensive, cheaper, and altogether better calculated to 



