JULY. 327 



flower garden, owe their origin to the Horticultural Society 

 of that period, as also do the Holly-leaved Berberry, Spirasa 

 ariccfolia, Vaccinium ovaturn, Garrya elliptica, Rubus specta- 

 bilis, Gaultheria Shallon, the Ribes sanguineum, aureum, and 

 speciosum, the Douglas Fir, and many more of our noblest 

 and hardiest Coniferous trees. To this may be added the 

 names of the Fuchsias, Salpiglotts, Schizanths, Oenotheras, 

 Petunias, Calceolarias, Verbenas, brought from Chili and else- 

 where, which laid the foundation of races unrivalled for the 

 brilliant effects produced by their descendants in modern 

 flower gardens. 



The council next allude to the measures taken after the 

 report of the committee of inquiry had been received, and 

 give the history of their garden exhibitions, which have ren- 

 dered the modern history of the society memorable. The 

 experiment was made in 1833, and proved successful ; the 

 exhibitions were popular ; the number of elections began to 

 increase ; a profit of 340/. was carried to the credit of the 

 society, and a reduction of the dead weight to the amount of 

 951/. was immediately effected. Since that time the garden 

 exhibitions have yielded about 43,000/. of clear profit. 



The council remark that with such means at command 

 the incumbrances of the society could have been readily 

 liquidated, had there been no other purpose to gain than that 

 of paying off" liabilities. But it was obvious that however 

 desirable extrication from debt might be, the managers of the 

 society were appointed for other purposes. A part of the 

 debt dated as far back as 1824 ; the whole of it was incurred 

 before 1830 ; and it seemed unjust to the Fellows elected 

 since that time to apply the funds supplied by them to no 

 other purpose than the discharge of debts, to contracting 

 which they had been no parties. Nor could the various 

 councils avoid feeling that to discontinue the improvement 

 and encouragement of horticulture would be virtually to 

 abandon the purposes for which the society was incorporated. 

 They therefore endeavor to combine the liquidation of lia- 

 bilities with a vigorous prosecution of the objects declared in 

 their charter. Since 1830 nearly 11,000/. has been expended 



