HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



calculated on, but sooner or later it was certain to come, — and ' 

 in 1855 tke blow came. Her Majesty, accompanied by H.E.H. 

 the Prince Consort, was, by her presence, wont to give eclat 

 to the opening fetes of the season. On this year an important 

 launch at "Woolwich, at which it was known that Her Majesty 

 was to be present, was unfortunately fixed for the same day as 

 the opening fete of the Society. The Crystal Palace was opened 

 by Her Majesty in close proximity to the day of the second fete ; 

 and although she was present at the third, and a large concourse 

 of visitors attended, still the expenses of the Society had always 

 shown, that when the two first meetings did not consume tickets, 

 there was no probability of the deficiency being made good at 

 the third. The resu.lt was a reduction of about 1300/. on that 

 year's income ; this serious increase to the debt of the Society 

 (for a reduction of income without a corresponding reduction of 

 expenditure was necessarily an increase to the debt), immediately 

 led to a grave examination into the position of the Society, the 

 result of which was a general reduction of the establishment. 

 Almost every source of expenditure suffered curtailment. The 

 pubhcation of the Journal was suspended, and a temporary 

 reduction of 100/. a year in the rent of the Chiswick Garden was 

 obtained from the liberality of His Grace the Duke of Devon- 

 shire. A valuation of the property of the Society was obtained 

 from professional men, and it appearing from it that there was a 

 balance of 15,000/. in favour of the Society, the Council resolved 

 to give the question of Exhibitions a fair trial, and see whether 

 their last year's failure, in a pecuniary point of view, was only a 

 temporary accident, or a symptom of their attraction being on 

 the wane, and of that source of income being no longer to be 



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