MAY 1, 1848. n3 



ject. The Committee have recommended a better classification 

 and more minute subdivision of prizes, together with the aboli- 

 tion of what were termed " Collections of Fruit," and an ex- 

 clusion of Fruiterers from exhibition. By the new arrangement 

 26 heads of competition are provided instead of six. This 

 largely increased variety of classes will, it is hoped, afford to 

 every good fruit grower, however humble his means, a fair op- 

 portunity of exhibiting his skill. 



Up to the begiiming of May the sale of tickets had been un- 

 usually large, but at that time tlie weather became unfavourable, 

 and greatly impeded the issue. The first meeting in May proved to 

 be a day of gloom or incessant rain, and the number of Visitors 

 was only 1644, more tlian 3200 below the number in May 1846, 

 and representing only 1479 out of 11,580 tickets that had been 

 issued. The second meeting in June was on a beautiful day, 

 but it had been preceded by such continued rain, that the issue 

 of tickets had been again diminished, and only 10,940 Visitors 

 passed into the Garden, which was 2481 fewer than in 1846. On 

 the third meeting, on wliich occasion his Grace the President, 

 with his accustomed liberality, threw open the grounds of Chis- 

 wick House to visitors, 6827 persons passed the gates, a number 

 considerably beyond that of 1846, notwithstanding that the day 

 was usliered in with a tempest, and tliat the weather, although 

 eventually fine, deterred many from using their tickets. 



The loss in May and June was, however, never made up, and 

 at the end of the year the ticket account stood thus, as compared 

 with 1846 :— 



1846. 1847. 



Tickets issued at 3*. 6d. . . . 9,254 . . 9,661 



„ at 5* 12,610 . . 10,340 



at 7s. 6d. . . . 2,053 . . 1 ,072 



23,917 . . 21,073 

 Fellows present without tickets . 736 . . 616 



Total . . 24,653 . . 21,689 

 Deduct Visitors 24,362 . . 19,411 



Tickets not- used 291 2,278 



The comparative cost of the Exhibitions in 1845, 6, and 7 

 will be seen fi-om the following- return. 



