CONFERENCE OF SOCIETIES AFFILIATED W ITH R.H.S. clxxxvii 



show it to be well launched. A Degree in Horticulture is being 

 established by the London University, which will still further 

 raise gardening in the rank of the professions, but on this point 

 something more will be said at next year's Conference. During the 

 past twelve months no fewer than eighteen new lectures had been 

 prepared, with 550 slides to illustrate them, raising the number of 

 circulating lectures to sixty with 1,500 slides. Seven new pam- 

 phlets of a simple and practical nature had been printe d for issue at 

 the nominal figure of 3^. a copy post-free, twenty-five for 5s. 6d., 

 fifty for 85. Cel., or 100 for 155. Their subjects are as follows : — 



(2) The Training of Fruit Trees. 



(3) Vegetables and how to grow them in Small Gardens and 

 Allotments. 



(4) Flowers for Small Gardens, Window-boxes, and Wall 

 Decoration. 



(5) Hardy and Half-Hardy Annuals in the Open Air. 



(6) Bottling Fruits and Vegetables. 



(7) Vegetable Cookery. 



(8) Salads and Salad Making. 



Pamphlet (1) on Fruits for Small Gardens, which, during the last 

 fifteen years, has been so popular, is being expanded and revised, 

 and will be republished in a greatly improved form during the 

 winter. 



The Chairman then referred to the R.H.S. Fund for the Restoration 

 of Horticulture in the Countries of our Allies. He spoke of the devas- 

 tation in Serbia, Belgium, and Northern France, and said that it is 

 impossible to do anything beyond collecting funds until the enemy 

 evacuates the countries concerned, but meanwhile every exertion 

 ought to be made so as to have an ample fund in hand the moment 

 it is wanted. At the end of September the amounts subscribed had 

 reached the curious figure of £5,555 5s. 5^., but the Council hope 

 that this will soon be greatly augmented. 



The Affiliated Societies' Challenge Cup for Fruit has this year 

 been won by the Colchester Society with an excellent exhibit, the 

 Ipswich Society being awarded the second prize. 



2. Suggested Competitions between Affiliated Societies in Potato 

 Cultivation. 



Mr. Jay, of the St. Barnabas and Sutton Society, introduced the 

 subject of competition in potato cultivation between Affiliated 

 Societies. As a suggestion to others he outlined what his Society 

 had done in such competitions. In his Society potato cultivation 

 had proved to be of special interest. For eight years in succession 

 they had held competitions. Each competitor had been furnished 

 with the same quantity of " seed," of the same variety. All were 

 planted on the same date, but grown according to each competitor's 

 own individual ideas. On being lifted, notes were kept of the number 



