REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1896-97. V 



during the ensuing year. This is a question which the 

 Council cannot but regard with solicitude, and they hope that 

 every Member of the Committees will consider that he has a 

 real individual responsibility for the welfare of the Society in this 

 matter. 



The work of the Committees has of late increased so con- 

 siderably that the delay of communication between the Council 

 and the Committees has on several occasions caused great 

 inconvenience. The Council, therefore, think it well to revert 

 to an old rule of the Society, that the Chairmen of the prin- 

 cipal Committees shall in future be chosen from among the 

 Members of Council. 



At the unanimous request of the Orchid Committee, and on 

 certain Members of it undertaking to pay a third of the expense, 

 the Council have arranged to have paintings made of all the 

 flowers Certificated by this Committee. Exhibitors must, there- 

 fore, distinctly understand that, in submitting their flowers in 

 future to the Committee, they thereby tacitly consent to their 

 being painted should they obtain any award, and must hold 

 themselves ready to give all reasonable facility to the Society's 

 Artist to do so. The Orchid Committee desire to have these 

 paintings as an accurate record of the characters and peculiarities 

 of the plants to which awards are made, finding it practically 

 impossible for their Members to bear in mind 'the details of 

 numerous flowers often seen but once. 



The Council desire to draw the attention of all Fellows of 

 the Society to the more extended use which the Scientific Com- 

 mittee might be to them if they availed themselves more freely 

 of their privileges in submitting instances of diseases of or 

 injuries to plants, caused by insects or otherwise. The Scientific 

 Committee is composed of gentlemen qualified to give the best 

 advice on all such subjects, either in respect to the prevention 

 or cure of disease. The Committee is also glad to receive speci- 

 mens of malformation or other subjects of Horticultural or 

 Botanical interest. 



The Council wish to express their thanks to the Director of 

 the Royal Gardens, Kew, for allowing them to consult Mr. 

 Massee, F.L.S., on the fungoid diseases, &c, brought before the 

 Scientific Committee, and to that gentleman for his readiness in 

 giving them the advantage of his knowledge and advice. 



