REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1919. 
vii 
concern to the Council and the Garden Committee, who are most anxious to 
see this department in full working order ; but they are also equally desirous 
of making no further advances than the existing income of the Society warrants, 
in order that when new posts are filled, or new appointments made, there may 
be no compulsory withdrawal. The recent great advance in the standard of 
wages and in the cost of goods of all kinds has naturally led to a great increase 
in the cost of the Garden beyond the pre-war standard, and has rendered 
more necessary than ever an adequate endowment of Wisley so that the work 
carried on there, important and valuable as it already is, may not be hampered 
by lack of funds. It is hoped not only that those whose business depends upon 
the growing of plants will furnish the funds necessary for the endowment of 
temporary or permanent research scholarships, so that matters of importance 
to the various horticultural industries may be thoroughly investigated, but 
that a permanent endowment fund sufficient to render the work at Wisley 
independent of all fluctuations in the Society's annual income may be built 
up without delay. 
19. Additional Land. — An exceptional opportunity, which the Council 
seized, occurred during the year of securing a sufficient area of land for the 
development of the experimental work at Wisley. It was evident that more 
land would be required in the immediate future for experiment in such pressing 
matters as substitutes for the rapidly diminishing supplies of stable manure, 
and also for the extension of the fruit-experiment work. The land purchased 
adjoins the Garden, being separated from it only by a road. Most of it is at 
present let to farmers, but as the leases fall in it can be used to extend the 
Society's work. 
20. Trials and Garden Work. — The floral trials, which have been in abeyance 
during the war, will be at once resumed. The vegetable trials have latterly 
been largely increased and have attracted much attention. The trials of lettuces, 
dwarf beans, early potatos, and parsley have been very extensive, the lettuce 
trials especially serving to draw attention to some valuable forms hitherto 
neglected in most British gardens. Full reports will appear in the Journal. 
The extensive collection of Irises has been arranged according to the classifica- 
tion adopted by the Floral Committee in the last trial, and planted as a border 
on the hill-side. • Progress is also being made with the development of the shrub 
and tree planting of Seven Acres Field, and with the planting of the Pinetum. 
A trial of washes against Rose mildew was carried out during the year. The 
exhibition of apples and pears set up in the Laboratory has attracted a con- 
siderable amount of attention from visitors. 
21. Forrest Expedition. — Mr. George Forrest's plant and seed collecting 
expedition into Western China, in which the Society co-operates, has produced 
a quantity of seeds far greater than was ever expected even from this well- 
known collector. Very large numbers of plants have been raised and are growing 
on from the seeds collected in 191 7 and 191 8. Some of these have already been 
distributed among the Fellows, and others will be available in 1920 and the 
following years. The collections are particularly rich in shrubs and in Primulas ; 
but many of the latter are far from " easy " plants to grow, others, on the 
contrary, are very amenable to cultivation. Mr. Forrest's expedition terminates 
in January, and the finds of 191 9 have still to reach us. 
22. Experimental Work. — The return of Lieut. A. N. Rawes from Germany 
after the Armistice enabled considerable progress to be made with the orchard- 
poUination experiments which have been in progress for some time, and it is 
hoped to publish a further report upon certain aspects of them shortly. Experi- 
ments on the summer pruning of apples are being continued ; Dr. Darbishire 
is continuing his research upon the comparative composition of different varieties 
of potatos &c. ; Captain Page, who took up his duties as head of the Chemistry 
Department in June, has commenced experimental work upon the important 
question of green-manuring ; Mr. G. F. Wilson has obtained some promising 
results in his experiments upon the onion fly, which will be continued ; experi- 
ments designed to ascertain the causes of the different yield-capacity of potatos 
are being continued ; the crosses of Rubi made three or four years ago have 
given no very satisfactory results, partly on account of their developing a certain 
amount of tenderness on the one hand and of partial sterility on the other ; 
but several of the results of crosses made by Dr. J. Wilson of St. Andrews 
University are being grown on, as also are Dr. Keeble's seedling vines. 
