PRESIDENT'S SPEECH. 



iii 



Bottesford and District Horticultural Society, Brentwood Allotment Holders' 

 Amateur Society, Drayton Horticultural Society, Haslingden and District 

 Gardeners' Association, Hillfields and District Gardeners' Association, Launceston 

 United Cottage Garden Society, Orston, Elton and Thorston Garden Holders' 

 Association, Regimental Institute 1st C.B. Highland Infantry, Swadlincote Food 

 Production Society, Tipton Allotment Holders' Federation. 



President's Speech. 



My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, — The Annual Report is so very full and 

 explicit that there is not much left me to say. But there are one or two points 

 which I wish to accentuate. 



First I should like to say how grateful I and all my colleagues on the Council 

 are for the unvarying support which the Fellows continue to give us — a result 

 which the Council desired to secure. When war broke out it was foreseen that 

 a certain number of Fellows would fall away ; but this falling away has been 

 so successfully counteracted by the acquisition of new Fellows that the actual 

 number of our members at the end of last year is only eighty less than it was 

 this time last year. This does not include Fellows now on Active Service, many 

 of whose annual subscriptions are allowed to be in suspension, so that the loss 

 by the War upon the income of the Society is more marked than on its numbers. 

 The subscriptions for 191 7 only amounted to ^17,000 compared with nearly 

 ^20,000 in 1 91 3, a decrease of nearly ^3,000, which, of course, adds to our diffi- 

 culties and anxieties. 



Whilst the loyalty of the Fellows is appreciated, subscriptions cannot be 

 withdrawn without effect on the whole work of the Society. 



Our Society's Food Production activities have been very far-reaching in 

 their effects — in fact, it is impossible to overestimate them. It should never 

 be forgotten that it was our Society which, on August 4, 191 4, inaugurated the 

 Nation's great fruit and vegetable campaign, and the Government had not even 

 thought of the matter ; and I can say for myself and my colleagues that we then 

 had little idea of the extent to which this campaign would grow. We instinctively 

 saw enough of the difficulties before us to make us endeavour to rouse the whole 

 Nation to prepare for them. 



We must not forget that our Society sent deputations to the Government 

 departments, urging the increase of allotments and the development of vacant 

 ground for vegetable cultivation. The work of all this, which devolved upon 

 the Council and its officers, can never be fully told. 



Owing no doubt to the strain and stress on the Postal Department, as on 

 all other departments, we have, during the last couple of years, found not a few 

 letters miscarry, but no letter of inquiry for information, direction, or advice, 

 which has been received, has remained without response ; and I think it will 

 surprise you to know that during a large portion of the year an average of 1,000 

 letters a day have been delivered at our office^ 



However, the gravity of the food situation led us to set up a special Food 

 Production Committee, which did much initial good work, and assisted us in 

 arriving at the prime necessities of the situation and in discovering the best 

 means from our point of view of meeting them effectively. 



Another result of this first Food Production Committee was the most generous 

 gift of ^150 from Mr. J. S. Arkwright of Herefordshire, for the further practical 

 promotion of the work. 



This liberal assistance enabled us at once to set up another important branch 

 of work, and one of enormous influence, namely, our Panel of Expert Garden 

 Advisers, Lecturers, and Demonstrators, upon which 2,900 names are now 

 inscribed. This army of voluntary workers has stimulated and assisted a 

 greatly increased Food Production. The members of the Panel have assisted 

 in various ways, such as by serving on local Food Production Committees, giving 

 demonstrations on allotments, giving advice to allotment holders, and instructing 

 school children. From the reports and letters we have received, we are able 

 to form an estimate of the valuable work which they have accomplished. And 

 we hope that Fellows will encourage, recognize, and co-operate with these hard- 

 working volunteer members of our Panel. 



It is impossible to get complete statistics on their work ; but from the reports 

 on their spring and summer work received in September, we calculate that no 

 fewer than 2,600 lectures, and 335,000 demonstrations and advisory visits have 

 been made. The winter work done will not be known until the half-yearly 

 report is received for the six months ending in March. But as a sample of 



