OPENING OF THE LABOEATORY AT WISLEY. 



333 



texture, in colour or scent, there is some cause and explanation, compara- 

 tively few of which are yet known to us, we see what a rich and beautiful 

 field of inquiry horticulturists have before them. In fact, the range of 

 research and inquiry is so wide as to be practically inexhaustible. 



I cannot doubt that, in addition to its other services to the community, 

 the Society will, in connection with this Garden, do much to promote 

 Horticulture in its esthetic, as well as in its scientific aspect, and I have 

 much pleasure in proposing the toast "Prosperity to the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society." 



Lord Balfour, in reply, said : — I shall be astonished if the prevailing 

 feeling in this tent at the present moment is not one of profound surprise 

 that I should be selected to respond to this toast. We can all of us, 

 however, thank Lord Avebury for the honour he has conferred upon 

 us, and upon the object of our gathering, by being present on this 

 memorable occasion, and also for all the kindly words he has said 

 of the Society and its work in the past, and of its opportunities and 

 aspirations for the future. The only justification I can think of for my 

 present position is that I can say one thing which the Chairman could 

 not, namely, that after the twenty-one years of his Presidency the Society 

 has increased so much. I do not give him the whole credit, as I am 

 sure he would desire it to be shared with him by the Council and by 

 the office staff; but, nevertheless, without the judicious and tactful 

 guiding hand of Sir Trevor the Society would not, I venture to think, 

 be in the very enviable position it is to-day. 



The progress of the Society, if we look back twenty years, has been 

 very striking. Then there were 1,100 Fellows, and now there are nearly, 

 if not quite, 10,000. The annual income at that time was but £2,800, it 

 now exceeds £18,000 ; and whilst our investments then consisted of a debt 

 of £1,100, we have now £28,500 invested besides the Vincent Square 

 property. Twenty years ago the Society had to leave South Kensington, 

 and from that time, up to three years ago, it occupied hired offices and 

 a hired hall. Now the Society possesses its own Hall, Library, and 

 offices, valued at £50,000, and several other assets. Twenty years ago the 

 Society had Gardens at Chiswick of but thirteen acres in extent ; now 

 you see this beautiful Garden extending over sixty acres. I do not think 

 I need say more upon these points. 



I think the predominant feeling to-day is that we are opening up a 

 new era of usefulness and prosperity by making the practice and scientific 

 theory of horticulture go hand in hand for the mutual benefit of both 

 departments. In this I think we are like our sister pursuit of agriculture 

 (with which I am also proud to be connected), for I can remember when 

 there was almost a war between the scientific and the practical agri- 

 culturists. Neither would believe they had anything to learn from the 

 other. But this is now all changed in agriculture ; and if the antipathy 

 and mutual distrust was never so great in horticulture, I think I may 

 say that the practical and scientific horticulturists are now able to see 

 the good points in each other's work which was not the case a dozen 

 years or so ago. If science has proved of use to agriculture, how much 

 more is it of use to horticulture. Agriculture deals with only about a 



