2 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



suggestion put forward by the Graves Registration Commission was 

 met by the French Government, are too little known to the general 

 public of this country." Similar concessions have been generously 

 granted by the Belgian and Italian Governments. 



One very beneficial result of this law was that it allowed of the 

 formation of authorized cemeteries immediately behind the line in 

 which properly arranged burials could take place, and the practice 

 of making isolated graves has in consequence gradually ceased. 



Soon it was realized that in connexion with the work of the Com- 

 mission both during and after the war, many questions would arise 

 which could not be dealt with effectively by a branch of the Army ; 

 it was therefore decided to form a representative Committee to be 

 called " the National Committee for the Care of Soldiers' Graves " 

 to take over from the Army at the end of the war the completed 

 records and general administration of the work, and H.R.H. the Prince 

 of Wales consented to become President of the Committee. 



This Committee was duly recognized by the French authorities, and 

 the self-governing Colonies and India appointed their representatives. 



The whole question of the care of soldiers' graves came before the 

 recent Imperial War Conference. As a result of the deliberations 

 of that body the Imperial War Graves Commission was constituted 

 by Royal Charter and now forms the permanent body to whose care 

 the maintenance of our military cemeteries in France, Belgium, 

 Italy, and elsewhere will be entrusted. 



Though my title might suggest that I intend giving a detailed 

 account of all the activities of the Graves Registration Commission — 

 and a very interesting story it might make — it is within my province 

 to refer only to that side of the work with which I have the honour 

 to be intimately associated. 



The Horticultural, together with the Architectural side of the 

 work of the Commission, may be regarded as the final, and, we hope, 

 the crowning portions of that work, since to the architects and horti- 

 culturists is entrusted the proper designing and planting of our 

 cemeteries, so that they may serve as worthy and permanent memorials 

 for all time, to those who have so gallantly laid down their lives for 

 their countries and Empire. 



It was only in the early spring of the year 1916 that it became 

 possible to organize a definite scheme for beautifying our graves and 

 cemeteries in France. Previous to this there had been individual 

 efforts in some of the cemeteries at the Base on the part both of French 

 and English to make provision for the care of the graves of our soldiers, 

 and to these pioneers we owe a great debt of gratitude. Now with 

 a Horticultural Department carefully organized, working in con- 

 junction with a body of skilled and well-known architects, the planning 

 and planting up of our cemeteries is proceeding in an orderly and 

 regular manner. The funds for this gardening work during the war 

 were supplied by the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross 

 Society and the Order of St. John. 



