creased by 13, notwithstanding the erasure of 60 names 

 from the hst, which for the most part were those of persons 

 whose arrears being irrecoverable, it was evidently useless 

 to retain. 



The elections and proposals for election which have been 

 received since the 1st of January last have exceeded the 

 corresponding period of 1853 by 50 per cent., and there is 

 therefore every probability that the present gratifying in- 

 terest which has been excited amono- the hijiher classes of 

 society will now continue to add annually to the number 

 of the Fellows. 



2. Finances. 



a. Income. 



The gross income of 1853 has exceeded the expectation 

 which the Council felt themselves warranted in expressing 

 at the last Anniversary. It has not only equalled that of 

 the favourable year, 1850, but has considerably exceeded 

 it, the total amount being £17,508 8^. Gd. 



As compared with 1852, it presents an increase of 

 £4705 13*. 3rf., and an increase of no less a sum than 

 £9742 13s., as compared with 1847. 



The principal items of the increase over 1852 consist of 



Admission Fees £ 140 Qs. Od. 



Annual Subscriptions ... £ 135 3*. Od. 



Garden Sales £1130 7s. 3d. 



Receipts at the Garden Gate . £3413 18*. Od. 



The increase in Admission Fees and Subscriptions can- 

 not fail to be felt as conclusive evidence of the continuance 

 of the reaction in favour of the Society, which first evinced 

 itself in this direction in the year 1852, and from the 

 statement above given, there can scarcely be a doubt that 

 this increase will be rather added to than diminished. The 

 very considerable increase which appears under the head 

 of Garden Sales is due to the number of duplicates which 

 naturally accumulate in so rich and generally healthful a 

 Collection as that which the Society now possesses. But 

 at the same time, it is not to be supposed that the income 

 from this source will always amount to so large a sum as 

 that obtained in 1853, when circumstances particularly 

 favoured it. 



The increase which took place in the Receipts at the 

 Garden Gate is particularly gratifying to the Council, as 



