ISO REPORT OF THE COUNCIL, 



nmkiug the financial position better, in this point of view, 

 than in 1853, to the extent of 103/. 16s. 9d. Doubtless it would 

 have been in the power of the Council to augment this improve- 

 ment by the discontinuance of all attempts to improve the 

 property and increase the efficiency of the Society. But on the 

 one hand, they did not feel justified in delaying the repair of the 

 house in Regent Street, which had long been necessary, and on 

 which a sum of Sil. has now been expended ; and on the other, 

 the state of the Arboretum and its approaches called for improve- 

 ment, which had in fact been decided upon in 1852, but was 

 arrested by the incessant rains of that year and the following. 

 At a cost of 149/. 18s. 2d. extensive alterations have been 

 effected; the American garden has been connected with the 

 Arboretum, the beds of Rhododendrons have been wholly re- 

 modelled, a large portion of the turf has been raised and relaid, 

 and such changes in the level of the surrounding ground as 

 attention to effect demanded have been carried out. A new roof 

 has been also fixed upon the great iron Tent, and the glass wall, 

 erected by Mr. Pilkington, has been purchased on very advan- 

 tageous terms. Altogether these expenses have amounted to 

 350/. Tip. lOd. The ordinary garden disbursements of the 

 Society have moreover been unexpectedly increased by the high 

 price of coals, and by the necessity of advancing the wages of the 

 labourers in the Garden, in order to enable them to meet the 

 general rise in price of food and fuel. It is to be expected that 

 the last-mentioned source of expense is merely temporary. 



Passing from the subject of expenditure to that of income, the 

 Council have to advert to the fact, that although there has been 

 on the whole an increase of income, and although the present 

 year's account is decidedly better than the last, yet the receipts 

 from annual subscriptions appear less by the sum of 320/. Os. Sd. 

 This is principally owing to a large amount of arrears outstanding 

 having been collected dm*ing the previous year, and which has 

 left a smaller amount to be received this year ; but partly also to 

 a diminution in the number of Fellows from deaths, resignations, 

 removals, and life subscriptions. The number of elections this 

 year has been forty-one, against thirtj'-eight in 1852-3, and the 

 loss of members from all causes has been forty-nine against sixty ; 

 so that here also an improvement is manifested. But it is 

 evident that unless the elections exceed the losses from death, 

 resignation or removal taken together, this part of the revenue 

 must be expected to diminish. The Fellows of the Society are 



