ANNUAL REPORT. 
Our Society has now completed its first decade, and having, 
during the ten years, grown to its present proportions, your 
Committee feel confident that it is now firmly established in 
Chester, and that there is an increasing interest taken in all 
matters that relate to Science ; still the large number of members 
that are on our books must, to a certain degree, fluctuate, and 
as the novelty wears off, we must expect to lose some few, but 
as long as there is a strong nucleus of genuine workers, and of 
those who really care for one or other of the pursuits which the 
Society desires to encourage, so long there need be no fear of 
vital decay. 
Since the last Annual Meeting we have elected 54 Ordinary 
Members and 2 Corresponding Members; we have lost by 
death and removal 84 Ordinary Members and 2 Honorary 
Members; and we have now on the books of the Society 561 
Members. 
The financial position of the Society is sound, and you will 
also have submitted to you a statement of the accounts of the 
funds which are managed by your Committee. 
The Botanical Garden which was commenced in 1879, in 
the Grosvenor Park—as far as laying out the beds—was last year 
stocked with representative plants of many of the principal 
Natural Orders. Owing to the abundance of rain the plants 
flourished well and made quite a handsome show, and though 
they were chiefly composed of what many people would call 
weeds, still they attracted attention, and names having been 
