12 



and from 1855 to 1864, it will be found that th. 

 following average yearly sums were obtained from 

 admissions to the Gardens, and from Members' Sub- 

 scriptions. 



Admissions. Subscriptions. 



1. First period (nine years) £959 £573 



2. Second period (fourteen years) 648 336 



3. Third period (ten years) 827 243 



The first of these periods corresponds with the time 

 when the uniform admission fee to the Gardens was 

 sixpence ; and the third period is that, during which 

 the Society has enjoyed the National Grant of £500 

 per annum. 



The financial condition of the Society has engaged 

 the anxious attention of your Council during the past 

 year, and shortly before Christmas, 1864, it was felt 

 to be impossible, with honour, to postpone any longer 

 the payment of certain bills due, amounting to 

 £304 19s. 9d. Your Council felt reluctant to make 

 a renewed appeal to the liberality of the general 

 public, which had contributed already so promptly to 

 the special appeal of the Fence Fund Committee, and 

 they accordingly adopted, in preference, the following 

 Eesolution at a Special Meeting convened to consider 

 the financial position of the Society, on the 24th of 

 December, 1864 : — 



"That each Member of Council advance £12 to enable the 

 Council to pay off the above debt of £304 19s. 9d. ; such con- 

 tribution to be a loan to the Society, to be paid off as soon as 

 possible." 



This Resolution was responded to by 21 Members 

 of Council, who have thus become Creditors to the 



