HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



Simultaneously tte elections rapidly increased, taving risen 

 from 73 in 1818 to 220 in 1819, 297 in 1820, and in 1821 to 

 328, the largest number ever added to the Society in any 

 one year previous to its removal to South Kensington ; never- 

 theless on the 6th of February, 1820, the admission fee had been 

 raised from 3/. 3s. to 5l. 5s. 



On the 21st of March, 1822, the Society obtained a lease of 

 the present Garden at Chiswick, from the Duke of Devonshire, 

 on terms which were then considered favourable. Its extent 

 was 33 acres, and the rent 3001. a year, with a power of renewal 

 for ever upon a fine of 450Z. every thirty years. The experience 

 of the first thirty years, however, was not such as to induce the 

 Council to take advantage of this power of renewal, and they 

 contented themselves with obtaining a renewed lease for an 

 additional period of thnty years, so that its natural termination 

 is now upon the 29th of September, 1881, the Society, however, 

 having power to relinquish possession at any time upon one 

 year's notice. 



About this time the Society lost its first protector and friend. 

 Sir Joseph Banks. By a subscription among a few members of 

 the Society, an excellent portrait of Sir Joseph, from the pencil of 

 Mr. Phillips, was placed in the meeting-room of the Society, and 

 still remains in possession of the Society. From it has been copied 

 the centre figure in the woodcut at the head of this chapter. 



Upon taking possession of the ground at Chiswick, the 

 old garden at Kensington and its auxUiaiy at Eahng were relin- 

 quished, and the new Garden established. 



Shortly after the peace in 1815, the attention of the Society 

 began to be turned to obtaining valuable foreign plants from 



