REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 191 9- 
iii 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1919. 
1. The Year 1919. — The year 1919 is chiefly memorable for the receiving 
back of our own Hall after its occupation by the War Office for the Australian 
Imperial Force during the years of war. The President and Council have 
patiently borne with the inconveniences attaching to the use of the London 
Scottish Drill Hall, and are now able to rejoice whole-heartedly in having their 
own building restored to them again. 
2. R.H.S. Hall. — The Hall and premises will require very considerable 
renovation and repair after their long occupation by the military, but the 
Council intend, for various practical reasons, to defer this until the August 
holidays, omitting one fortnightly meeting (August 10) for that purpose. The 
Standing Committees will meet on August 10 on the first floor for committee 
work only. There will be no Meeting in the Hall itself. Diaries announcing 
this Meeting should be corrected. 
3. The President's Chair. — It was with no little regret that the Council 
heard in the early spring that the President, Field Marshal Lord Grenfell, 
G.C.B., G.C.M.G., wished to lay down the reins of office. Appointed President 
in February 191 3, through all the troubled years of war, Lord Grenfell 's military 
and other influence has been of inestimable value to the Council in directing 
the affairs of the Society. The Society owes a great debt of gratitude to Lord 
Grenfell for all he did for it at a period when he was already overburdened with 
pressing military duties. It was, moreover, no mere ornamental sinecure, 
but a great office that he was called to fill after it had been held for so long a 
term of years by the late Sir Trevor Lawrence. The Council, as a mark of 
their appreciation, have caused a new medal to be struck in his honour, which 
will be known as the " Grenfell Medal," and will be awarded at, and after, 
the first meeting in January to exhibits of all kinds, and will rank \n value 
between the Flora and the Banksian Medals. 
4. The New President. — The Council had not one moment's hesitation in 
asking the Rt. Hon. The Lord Lambourne, P.C., C.V.O., Lord Lieutenant of 
Essex, to accept the Presidency. Lord Lambourne has been long and widely 
known in Parliamentary circles, and is himself no mean horticulturist. For 
some few years he has been a Member of the Council, and from his very regular 
attendance has come to be familiar with all its affairs. His universal popularity, 
and his well-known devotion to all public duties, added to his position as a horti- 
culturist, make him an ideal President of whom the Fellows of the Society may 
be justly proud. 
5. Resignations and New Appointments. — A resignation which every 
horticulturist throughout the world will regret very deeply is that of Sir Harry 
J. Veitch, Kt., V.M.H. Sir Harry was appointed to the Council in February 
1888, and worked most energetically with Sir Daniel Morris, K.C.M.G., and 
Mr. Wilks at the first reconstruction of the Society at that most critical time ; 
but the pressure of his own vast business necessitated his resignation in the 
following year. He rejoined the Council in 1897, and has ever since been one 
of its most regular and useful members. He most kindly took over the burden 
of the Treasurer's office during the absence of Mr. Charles Nix on war duties. 
Again Sir Harry feels compelled to withdraw, not now from the stress of business, 
but from increasing years. The Fellows may be assured that the President 
and Council have used every possible argument to retain so experienced a 
member, and one so universally respected and beloved, upon their body, but 
they feel that it would not be a fair reward for all Sir Harry has done for the 
Society in the past to urge him further in the present. They have, however, 
asked Sir Harry to allow them to nominate him as one of the Vice-Presidents. 
Another noticeable event is the resignation of the Rev. W. Wilks, who has 
been Secretary of the Society since the Annual Meeting in February 1888, 
and the nomination of Mr. W. R. Dykes, M.A. Oxon., L.-^s-L. Paris, as his 
successor. Mr. Dykes has for several years been one of the masters at the 
