338 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



" It has been a source of great regret that I was obliged, when resigning 

 my post of Chairman of the Scientific Committee, to abandon all hope of 

 attending our meetings on account of having to devote my energies to the 

 Directorship of Kew, and to the completion of labours of botanical works 

 I have in progress. 



" I had also to endeavour to overtake arrears of work extending over 

 many years, and which are still far from being overtaken. 



" As a botanist I have thereby lost much, for since the days of David 

 Douglas the Royal Horticultural Society has contributed more for 

 botanical science, as represented by collections, publications, and experi- 

 mental research, than any other establishment in Europe. 



" I have now to request you, as their President, to accept yourself, and 

 convey to the Council and to my fellow members, my pride and gratitude 

 for this most welcome evidence of their friendship and esteem. 



" With every good wish for the continued welfare and renown of the 

 Society, 



" Believe me, dear Sir Trevor, 



" Sincerely yours, 



"Jos. D. Hooker." 



That is a letter which needs no comment from me, but it is, I think, a 

 very pleasant testimony to the work and value of our old Society. I am 

 very grateful to Lord Avebury for coming here, and I am sure you are all 

 equally so, and we hope we may see him here often again. I ask you to 

 join with me heartily in drinking the toast to Lord Avebury. 



Lord Avebury replied : — It seems to me I am receiving this afternoon 

 much more praise than I deserve. I thank Sir Trevor for the kind 

 words he has spoken. I wish for nothing better than the kindly picture 

 he has drawn, so will detain you no longer for fear I should weaken 

 the impression he has made ; but in thanking you I will only say that 

 " my feeling of gratitude is in ' inverse ratio ' to the length of my 

 remarks." 



6. SIR TREVOR LAWRENCE, BART., K.C.V.O., V.M.H., 

 President of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



Proposed by Sir John T. Dillwyn-Llewelyn, Bart., D.L., F.L.S. 



Sir John Llewelyn said : — It is only those who collaborated with 

 Sir Trevor during the troublous times of twenty years ago, and again at 

 the time when the Society celebrated its centenary in 1904, who will know 

 the difficulties which had to be met with great determination and tact in 

 dealing with the proposals for celebrating our centenary. A new Hall was 

 proposed and a new Garden was proposed, each of which was supported by 

 its own particular section of the Fellows, and each of which was considered 

 to be antagonistic to the other. It is only those who were on the Council 

 at that time who know what it cost to bring the many opposing elements 

 into harmony and the many apparently insurmountable difficulties to a 

 successful issue ; and I venture to say that the happy and harmonious 



