THE COUNCIL. 65 



much more difficult than now. It will be noticed, that, 

 in accordance with the provisions above mentioned, the 

 committees on Nurseries, Fruit Trees, and Fruit, on 

 Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers, on the Products 

 of the Kitchen Garden, on the Library, and the Execu- 

 tive Committee, are in 1829, 1830, and 1831, spoken of 

 as Standing Committees of the Council, while in 1832 

 and 1833 they are said to be appointed by the Council ; 

 but the members of these committees were not necessa- 

 rily members of the Council, though a large majority 

 were. In the by-laws adopted in 1835 it was provided 

 that all standing committees should be chosen at the 

 annual meeting of the Society : indeed, this course seems 

 to have been pursued on all occasions after the 24th of 

 March, 1827, when they were established and appointed 

 by the Council. The Committee on the Synonymes of 

 Fruit was established and appointed by the Society on 

 the 20th of June. The Council itself was found so 

 cumbrous, that at a meeting on the 5th of December, 

 1829, it was resolved " That an Executive Committee of 

 the Council be chosen, to consist of five members, with 

 authority to exercise all the powers of the Council ; and 

 said committee to convene at such times and places as 

 may be deemed expedient, and to make report of its 

 proceedings to the Council at the stated meetings of 

 that board, and at such other times as may be required." 

 Originally the Council consisted of not less than twenty- 

 four members, besides the president and all other offi- 

 cers of the society, who were members ex officiis ; but, by 

 the by-laws of the Society adopted in 1835, the num- 

 ber was fixed at not more than twenty-four, in addition 

 to the officers. The constitution adopted in June, 

 1841, made no provision for a Council. 



