yi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 



FOR THE YEAR 1903. 



1. The One Hundredth Year.— The year 1903 will long be note- 

 worthy in the Annals of the Society. Not only does it complete (i.) one 

 hundred years of the Society's existence, but it has also seen (ii.) the 

 coniinencement of the New Hall and Offices, (iii.) the inauguration of 

 a New Garden, and (iv.) the largest numerical addition to the list of 

 Fellows that has ever taken place in the Society's history. 



2. To celebrate the One Hundredth year of the Society it has been 

 decided to hold a Centennial Dinner at the Hotel Metropole on Thursday, 

 March 3, the nearest convenient date to the actual completion of the 

 Centenary, which will take place on Sunday, March 6 next, the 

 Society having been founded on March 7, 1804, by Mr. Charles Greville, 

 Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Eichard Anthony Salisbury, Mr. W. T. Aiton, 

 Mr. W. Forsyth, Mr. James Dickson, and Mr. John Wedgwood. The 

 Rt. Hon. the Earl of Onslow, Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, 

 will preside at the dinner, and the Council hope that a very large number 

 of the Fellows will join in the celebration. The Dinner Tickets, which 

 the size of the room unfortunately necessitates being confined to 

 gentlemen, will be 21s. • 



3. New Hall. — While the Centennial Dinner is the social com- 

 memoration of a striking anniversary, the Council have had under 

 consideration, for not less than five years, in what way the Centenary 

 could be most worthily celebrated. 



4. Two projects speedily came into prominence : (1) a New Hall and 

 Offices for the Society's Exhibitions and Shows and for the accommodation 

 of the Library and of the Office staff ; and (2) a New Garden less exposed 

 to London smoke, fog, drainage, and crowding than Chiswick has of late 

 years become. 



5. These projects having been very deliberately considered, the 

 Fellows finally decided in General Meeting assembled to adopt the 

 proposal of a Hall. 



6. The site in Vincent Square, almost exactly midway between the 

 Abbey and Victoria Station, having been approved by the Fellows in 

 General Meeting, the Council were instructed to push matters forward, 

 so that the buildings might be opened in the centennial year. This they 

 have done, and the Great Hall (containing, with its two annexes, a floor- 

 space of almost 13,000 square feet) is now ready for roofing, and the 

 Council are promised that the whole building shall be finished in July. 

 The Hall and Offices, when completely furnished, will, it is estimated, 

 cost nearly 40,000/., of which upwards of 24,000/. has been received or 

 promised. 



7. It is impossible to estimate what income may be derived from 

 letting the New Hall when not required for the Society's use, but when it 

 has become known what a fine and spacious hall it contains this will 

 probably be a considerable asset. In this matter the Council ask the 

 Fellows to help them by using their influence to get the Hall let for 

 Concerts, Meetings, Bazaars, and such like purposes. 



