HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



N 



danger from tlie presence of their pseudo-owners. A yearly- 

 card issued in the beginning of tlie year to all the Life Fellows, 

 and to the Subscribers as they pay their subscriptions, has 

 remedied this evil. 



Feeling that this was a time when the Society should appear 

 to the best advantage, the Council took means to secure Exhi- 

 bitions of unusual excellence, by offering prizes of such a number 

 and value as would be sure to produce competition. A total 

 sum of 2156/. (afterwards somewhat increased) was devoted 

 to this purpose, and individual prizes as high as 10/., 15/., 

 and 20/., were offered. The number of the Shows also was 

 made greater than usual ; there were five minor Shows : one 

 for Camelhas and Hyacinths, one for Azaleas, a Eose Show, a 

 Show of Autumn Flowers, and a Chrysanthemum Show (added 

 afterwards) ; and besides these there were three Great Shows and 

 an International Fruit Show, — the latter a new feature in the 

 Society's arrangements, which not only proved singularly suc- 

 cessful as a Show, but promises to lead to ulterior results of 

 commercial importance and national benefit. 



Arrangements were also made by which, during the whole 

 period of the Exhibition, one or two military bands should 

 perform in the Garden every afternoon. 



But the Great Exhibition affected the Garden and the Society 

 in other more direct and material ways than its financial 

 prospects. For more than six months in the previous year 

 had the dia of workmen erecting that stupendous stracture 

 resounded on three sides of the Garden. Gradually the rising 

 walls overshadowed a part of it and seemed to dwarf the rest. 

 By the original agreement with the Commissioners of the 



