236 Horticultural Society and Garden. 



the Society would give him credit for their not being intentional ; and he 

 had the consciousness, and it gave him great pleasure to reflect on it, that 

 much good had been done by the Horticultural Society through his instru- 

 mentality. If any persons were offended at any part of his conduct, he was 

 extremely sorry for it ; and he could assure them, and every member of the 

 Society, that, whatever he had done, he never meant any thing unkindly. 

 (Hear, hear.) He most cordially gave his support to the motion, and 

 would promote the objects of the committee to be appointed by every 

 means in his power. 



Exhibited. Raphia Palm and Vaquois Plant, from Rear-Admiral Gage, 

 F.H.S. Forty sorts of Apples, from Mr. Joseph Kirke, F.H.S. Fifty-two 

 sorts of Apples, twelve sorts of Pears, Oxnoble Potatoes forced in pots, Bucks 

 Rhubarb, Elford Rhubarb, i?heum undulatum, and Large-rooted Succory. 



Feb. 16. — Mr. Gordon made the following Report from the Committee of 

 Enquiry : — " The Committee appointed at the last General Meeting beg 

 leave to report that they are diligently proceeding in their investigation, and 

 intend to lay before the Society a full statement of its affairs with as little 

 delay as possible. The Committee consider it as an imperative duty, to 

 report that considerable embarrassment has arisen to the Society from the 

 arrears of subscriptions not having been paid up ; and that, according to the 

 statements laid before them, such arrears, on the 1st of January last, toge- 

 ther with money due for Transactions sold, exceeded the sum of 6000/. *, of 

 which but a small portion has since been collected. They therefore strongly 

 recommend that every Fellow should be called upon to lose no time in pay- 

 ing up his subscription." 



Exhibited, from the Garden of the Society. Forty-two sorts of Apples, and 

 seventeen sorts of Pears. 



March 2. — Exhibited. Five sorts of Apples, from George Toilet, Esq. 

 Oranges and Lemons, from the Rev. J. L. Luscombe, Coombe Royal, De- 

 vonshire. A seedling Pear, from George Toilet, Esq., of Betley Hall. 

 Fifty-eight sorts of Apples, and nine sorts of Pears. 



The Report of the Committee was read by Mr. Gordon, its Chairman, and 

 the following is its essence : — 



Accounts. — The Committee have commenced their enquiries into the 

 finances of the Society from April 30. 1815, it being found impossible to 

 commence a useful investigation at an earlier period. From 1815 to the 

 present time the accounts have been annually audited, and a " State of the 

 Accounts of the Horticultural Society of London " (which did not include 

 the Garden Account), printed and distributed to the Fellows at the Anni- 

 versary Meetings. But the Committee observe, with regret, that the prac- 

 tice of stating in such audit-sheets the amount of debts due to and from the 

 Society was discontinued after the 1st of May, 1826. The Accountant of 

 the Society, in his evidence, says that he was specially ordered, in the year 

 1827, in making up the account, not to add, as he had formerly done, a 

 statement of the debts of the Society. From this omission, the auditors, 

 such of them at least as did not belong to the Council, may have been 

 unable to obtain a just view of the affairs of the Society. Audit-sheets 

 have also been delivered at the Anniversary Meetings, entitled " A State- 

 ment of the Accounts of the Garden of the Horticultural Society ; " but 

 such audit-sheets never contained any entry of the debts, either on bond 

 or simple contract, due for garden expenses. The Committee consider that 

 these audit-sheets, taken either separately or together, did not give the Fel- 



* A considerable number of Fellows are in arrear with their subscriptions, and upwards of 

 twenty have not even paid their admission fees. The list includes one king (George IV.), for his 

 subscription to the garden, 500 guineas ; one duke, one marquess, thirteen earls or lords, seven- 

 teen honourables or sons of lords, and twelve clergymen. The amount of unpaid admission fees 

 amounts to upwards of 100/., and they are almost entirely due by honourables. In the list of com- 

 moners there is not a name of an obscure individual, of a nurseryman, or serving gardener : these 

 were made to pay regularly. — Concl. 



