vi PEOCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



decrease their contribution for 1902 by yet another £50. A glance at the 

 list of subscribers will show how small has been the interest taken by the 

 bulk of the Fellows. The Council would point out that this is not a local 

 Show with a few large prizes, but that a large number of small prizes 

 have been provided in order to secure the best fruits in each section : 

 special prizes have been allotted to market growers ; and counties have 

 been grouped in such a way that growers should not have to compete with 

 exhibitors from localities more favoured by climatic conditions. These 

 points will be still further extended should sufficient financial support be 

 forthcoming. Subscriptions should be sent at once to the Secretary, 

 117 Victoria Street, Westminster, and if the list proves satisfactory the 

 Schedule will be issued in April, and the Show held on September 18, 19, 

 and 20, 1902. The list of subscribers for 1901 will be given in Vol. XXVI., 

 Part 4, of the Society's Journal . 



13. An invitation has been received and accepted for sending a depu- 

 tation to visit a Show of Daffodils and other early spring flowers and 

 produce, to be held at Truro on April 15, 1902. 



14. The Council have accepted an invitation to send Delegates to a 

 Conference on Hybridisation, which is to be held at New York in the 

 autumn of 1902, and are glad to be able to announce that Mr. W. Bateson, 

 M.A., F.R.S., V.M.H., and Mr. Geo. Nicholson, V.M.H., have consented 

 to attend on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



15. In consequence of the great difficulties experienced in sending 

 plants satisfactorily to Fellows residing abroad, the Council have decided 

 that in future no plants will be distributed to Fellows abroad, but in lieu 

 thereof the Council will endeavour to obtain and supply to such Fellows 

 any rare or unusual seeds (to a reasonable amount) which they may be 

 unable to obtain in their own country. 



The Journal of the Society has been continued so as to enable 

 Fellows at a distance to enter more fully into and reap the benefits of 

 the study and work of those actively engaged at headquarters. Vol. XXV., 

 Part 8, Vol. XXVI., Parts 1, 2, and 3, were issued during the year ; 

 Vol. XXVI., Part 4, will be ready in March, or as soon after as possible. 

 A new feature has been added during the past year wnich, it is hoped, may 

 be recognised by the Fellows as one of particular value and interest, viz. 

 Notes on Recent Research and Abstracts from all the principal 

 horticultural and botanical periodical literature of the world. The 

 Council desire to tender their particular thanks to the distinguished body 

 of experts who have so ungrudgingly devoted their time and attention to 

 this object. 



17. An examination in the principles and practice of Horticulture 

 was held on April 24, concurrently in different parts of the United 

 Kingdom, a centre being established wherever a magistrate, clergyman, 

 schoolmaster, or other responsible person accustomed to examinations 

 would consent to act on the Society's behalf, in accordance with the rules 

 laid down for its conduct. No limit as to the age, position, or previous 

 training of the candidates was imposed: 225 candidates presented them- 

 selves for examination. The names and addresses of those who succeeded 

 in satisfying the examiners, together with the number of marks assigned 

 to each, will be found in the Society's Journal, Vol. XXVI., p. 267. 



