56 REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON GENETICS. 
Society to purely horticultural matters. We determined to stand or fall 
by that principle; we refused even to consider the renewal of the 
Badminton and tennis courts and garden parties of South Kensington. 
We said to the Fellows in effect, that if they wished us to guide the 
destinies of the Society it must go back to its real aim and object—the 
promotion of true horticulture. You can easily understand that during 
the years when I was Treasurer of the Society, with such a decided 
change of policy we had many difficulties to contend with. Retrench- 
ment was the order of the day. The Treasurer was obliged to call on his 
Finance Committee, consisting of Baron Schréder, our old friend Mr. 
Veitch, and others. We had to fight every step we took. But the real 
friends of horticulture—friends consequently of the new policy of 
the Society—combined in supporting us so heartily that in a very short 
time we began to see the old Society mend; and the prosperity and 
progress so founded and set going has continued, until at the present day 
the Society is fast approaching to 10,000 Fellows. I am also very glad 
to see that the income of the Society—I wish I were Treasurer now !—is 
something like £18,000 a year. The Society is entirely free from debt, 
and has nearly £20,000 invested. I remember well how that at one meet- 
ing of the Council we had a great discussion over the extravagance of 
spending half a guinea! and we really did not know what was to be done, 
as we felt we could not afford it. - But that ever kind friend of the Society, 
Baron Schroder, said: “TI will pay the ten-and-six myself so that the 
business of the Council can go on.’ Well, the alteration between then 
and now is really so great that I can hardly recognise the Royal Horticul- 
tural Society in its present magnificent condition. And when I mention 
the Hall, I can never do so without thinking again of Baron Schréder, 
He never ceased to urge upon us that we must have a Hall of our own. 
Gentlemen, we have got that Hall to-day, and I think we are all proud of 
it. I must also connect with any mention of the Hall the name of our 
worthy President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, who has never ceased to work for 
the Society, and has happily been able to continue to hold office all 
through this long period of growth. Nor can I pass on without paying a 
tribute of great affection, regard, and esteem for my worthy friend, the 
Secretary, who also began the reorganising work with me, and has never 
for a moment left it. No Society in the world has been so faithfully 
served as this Society has been by Mr. Wilks. We have got Chairmen 
and members of Committee, we have got Judges, we have got, in fact, one 
of the finest Societies existing in the whole world. I mentioned the 
officers, as the success of the Society is so largely attributable to their 
judgment, and upon the splendid work which they have done. I am glad 
to say there are many other features of the Royal Horticultural Society 
which deserve to be mentioned to-night. We have got our beautiful 
Garden at Wisley, and we have got the Journat. I receive it regularly 
in the West Indies, and it is a journal any Society would be proud of. 
I do not know of any other journal connected with horticulture that has. 
such a volume of information so carefully put together, and so attractive 
in its reading matter. I think the Royal Horticultural Society has done 
an excellent work in organising this Conference, which is sure to do so 
much good. In 1899 our Society held the first Hybrid Conference ever 
