CONSTITUTION AND RULES 9 



the Committee has freedom to develop them, little or 

 nothing further is needed. 



III. MEMBERSHIP 



The Society shall consist of Members subscribing not less 

 than 2s. 6d. per annum. 



The minimum subscription should be stated, and in some 

 Societies, where members are divided into Gardeners, 

 Nurserymen, Amateurs, Cottagers, and Allotment 

 Holders, it will be necessary to state and define the 

 various kinds of members, and the minimum subscrip- 

 tion for each. The Royal Horticultural Society regards 

 every one as an Amateur who does not grow horticultural 

 produce for sale, but in local Societies this general 

 definition is not regarded as sufficient, and, for show 

 purposes, professional gardeners employed in private 

 gardens are regarded as a class distinct, and not as 

 representing their amateur employers, consequently 

 Amateurs are then defined as " those not employing a 

 gardener regularly," or in some other way that satisfies 

 local requirements. The National Sweet Pea Society 

 provides Classes either '* Open to All," or " Trade 

 Excluded," but it has a sub-section of its schedule for 

 " Growers who do not employ a gardener regularly." 

 An Amateur, strictly speaking, should not compete for 

 money prizes, but in horticultural circles the law or 

 custom is not so severe as in the world of athletics. 



Here is a helpful definition of a Cottager : A Bond- 

 fide Cottage Gardener is a person not employing any 

 assistance in the cultivation of his garden, or working 

 for any other person as a Gardener, Assistant-Gardener, 

 Day Gardener, or a Market Gardener. 



A Rule defining the various grades of Membership 

 should obviate the need of a Regulation for the Classi- 

 fication of Competitors. 



