THE BANQUET. 41 
The chair was taken by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., President of the 
Society, who was accompanied by Lady Lawrence. 
Dinner being ended, the following toasts were proposed :— 
1. “ Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen and Empress.” 
(Patron of the Society.) 
Proposed by the Chairman, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
2. “ Horticulture.” 
Proposed by the Rev. Professor George Henslow, M.A., V.M.H., &ce. 
Responded to by Herbert J. Webber, Esq., Special Envoy from the United States 
Department of Agriculture. 
Professer Hugo de Vries, Amsterdam University. 
Monsieur Henry de Vilmorin, Horticultural Society of France. 
3. “ Hybridists.” 
Proposed by W. Bateson, Esq., F.R.S., Cambridge University. 
Responded to by Monsieur de la Devansaye. 
Walter T. Swingle, Esqy., Washington, U.S.A. 
4. “ The Royal Horticultural Society.” 
Proposed by the Master of the Rolls (Lord Justice Lindley). 
Responded to by the President of the Society (Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart.) 
5. “ The Visitors.” 
Proposed by Charles E. Shea, Esq., Member of Council. 
Responded to by His Excellency the Belgian Minister. 
6. “ The Chairman.” 
Proposed by Monsieur Mark Micheli, Geneva, Switzerland. 
Responded to by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. (President of the Society.) 
In proposing the first toast, the President, Sir TRevor LAWRENCE, 
said :—Your Excellencies, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—The toast 
that I have to propose to you is “The health of Her Most Gracious Majesty 
the Queen, Empress of India, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the 
Rest of the Royal Family.” It is not necessary for me to say a single 
word about Her Majesty the Queen. During the many years that she has 
reigned over us we have becom? more devoted to her year by year. Her 
Majesty the Queen is the patron of our Society, and in years past Her 
Majesty’s illustrious consort was President of the Society, and did all he 
possibly could to promote its welfare. With regard to Their Royal 
Highnegses the Prince and Princess of Wales, without claiming for them 
that they are special devotees of the art and science of horticulture, I 
have had the honour of escorting His Royal Highness and Her Royal 
Highness and the Duke and Duchess of York round the exhibitions of the 
Society at the Inner Temple and elsewhere on more than one occasion, 
and they have always expressed themselves highly delighted, as indeed 
they may well have been, with what they saw. I propose to you ‘‘ The 
health of Her Gracious Majesty the Queen, Their Royal Highnesses the 
Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Rest of the Royal Family.” 
In proposing the second toast, the Rev. Professor HENsLow said :— 
Your Excellencies, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—No one can regret 
more than myself that I am speaking to you at the present moment. 
We hoped to hear Sir Michael Foster, Secretary of the Royal 
Society, on this occasion; but at the last. moment, I regret to 
say, he is laid on a bed of sickness and cannot be with us 
to-night. Having been asked by Sir Trevor Lawrence, at a moment's 
notice, to take his place, you can imagine that it was with no 
