31 



The Committee beg to call the attention of the Society to 

 a few of the principal features of this statement. The Income 

 of the Society during the past year must be regarded with 

 unmixed satisfaction ; it has accrued from the following 

 sources : — 



Subscriptions, &c. of Members. ... £ 3,000 

 Payments for Admission to Gardens. 22,248 

 Miscellaneous 1,205 



Total . . £26,453 



It will be seen that the total Income exceeds that of 1850, 

 by the sum of 11,495; and that of 1849, by the sum of 

 £17,682 ; the gross Receipts for three years standing thus: — 



For 1849 £ 8,771 



— 1850 14,957 



— 1851 26,453 



It is worthy of especial notice that the whole of this increase 

 is due to the payments for Admission at the Gates, the sums 

 received from this source standing thus : — 



For 1849 £ 4,651 



— 1850 10,462 



— 1851 22,248 



Although your Committee do not for a moment lose sight 

 of the fact, that the extraordinary influx of Visitors last year 

 was in a great measure due to the Exhibition of Industry of 

 all Nations, which attracted to the Metropolis visitors from 

 all parts of the world, still they cannot attribute the increase 

 to this cause alone, but firmly believe it to result from that 

 liberal policy which was cordially commended in their last 

 Report; they allude especially to the reduced charge on 

 Monday, and the judicious outlay in making the Gardens 

 more attractive. 



The Committee cannot dismiss this branch of the subject 

 submitted to their supervision, without congratulating the 

 Society on the fact, that this great increase of Visitors shows 

 that a taste for Natural History has been thoroughly awa- 

 kened amongst the people, and that the Gardens of the Society, 

 if not the sole cause of this improvement, must still be re- 

 garded as affording the most available means of gratifying 

 this taste, and of supplying all classes of the people with an 

 orderly, innocent and elevating recreation. 



Turning to the Expenditure, your Committee find an in- 

 crease over that of last year, amounting to £8796 ; and an 



