lxxxviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a similar way. Fellows having omitted to fill up their application form 

 before April 30 must be content to wait till the next year's distribution. 

 The work of the Gardens cannot be disorganized by the sending out 

 of plants at any later time in the year. All Fellows can participate in 

 the annual distribution following their election. 



The Society does not pay the cost of packing and carriage. The 

 charge for this will be collected by the carriers on delivery of the 

 plants, which will be addressed exactly as given by each Fellow on his 

 application form. It is impracticable to send plants by post, owing to 

 the lack of Post Office facilities for despatch without prepayment of 

 postage. 



Fellows residing beyond a radius of thirty-five miles from London 

 are permitted to choose double the number of plants to which they are 

 otherwise entitled. 



Plants cannot be sent to Fellows residing outside the United King- 

 dom, owing either to length of time in transit or to vexatious regulations 

 in some foreign countries ; but the Council will at any time endeavour 

 to obtain for Fellows living abroad any unusual or rare seeds which they 

 may have been unable to procure in their own country. 



No plants will be sent to Fellows whose subscription is in arrear, or 

 who do not fill up their forms properly. 



18. EXHIBITIONS, MEETINGS, AND LECTURES 



IN 1913. 



The programme will be found in the " Book of Arrangements " for 

 1913. An Exhibition and Meeting is held practically every fortnight 

 throughout the year, and a short lecture on some subject connected 

 with Horticulture is delivered during the afternoon. 



A reminder of every Show will be sent in the week preceding to any 

 Fellow who will send to the R.H.S. Offices, Vincent Square, S.W., a 

 sufficient number (31) of halfpenny cards ready addressed to himself. 



19. A NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN HORTI- 

 CULTURE. 



Most gardeners will welcome the initiation by the Society of 

 a scheme whereby a National Diploma in Horticulture may be 

 gained by those who pass the Preliminary and Final Exam- 

 inations which will be required. The Diploma will be thoroughly 

 " National," for by the consent of H.M. Government the Department of 

 Agriculture, after being approached in the matter, has consented to 

 co-operate with the Society if the Society will undertake the work of 

 organizing the Examinations, and has authorized that the Diploma shall 

 bear the following words : " Awarded by the Royal Horticultural 

 Society under a scheme approved by the Board of Agriculture/' 



The Examinations will be written, viva voce, and practical. The 

 practical part will be held in suitable gardens at convenient centres in 

 the country. The first Diploma Examination will be held in June 



