REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 



ix 



and the Council have caused a brass tablet recording the fact to be erected 

 in the Library. The Veitch Memorial Trustees have also made a donation 

 of £50 towards the Funds of the Library. 



Fellows having Books on Horticulture and Botany which they can 

 spare from their own shelves, and those writing books or articles on 

 Horticultural subjects, are invited to contribute them to the Society's 

 Library. 



19. Shows in 1906.— The shows during the past year have numbered 

 27, occupying 3G days in all ; and already 33 shows have been arranged 

 for 1906, lasting over 42 days. These include 24 fortnightly meetings, 

 one Home-grown Fruit Show, three Colonial-grown Fruit Shows, one 

 Special Show of Table and other Decorations, and the Annual Shows of 

 Sweet Peas, Carnations, Autumn Roses, and Potatoes, to which the Council 

 have arranged for Fellows' tickets to admit. 



20. The Temple Show. — By the kindness of the Master and 

 Benchers, the -Society was able to hold its Great Show of Flowers for 

 the eighteenth year in succession, on May 30 and 31, and June 1, in the 

 gardens of the Inner Temple, and, despite the extremely unsettled weather, 

 both the exhibits and the attendance exceeded the average of the last 

 few years. Arrangements have been made for the Show to be held on 

 May 29, 80, and 31, 1906. 



21. The Summer Show. — By the kind permission of the Lords 

 Commissioners the Great Summer Show of 1905 was held in the 

 grounds of the Royal Military Hospital, Chelsea. Only a short time 

 before his death the late Earl of Ilchester again most kindly placed 

 Holland House Park at the Society's disposal for the 1906 Summer 

 Show, on July 10 and 11. 



22. Fruit and Vegetable Shows.— The Society's Twelfth Annual 

 Show of British-grown Fruit was held in the Hall on October 10, 11, 

 and 12 ; a Show of Home-grown Vegetables on October 24 ; and a 

 special exhibition of Home-grown Bottled and Preserved Fruits on 

 December 5 and 6. 



23. Colonial Fruit Shows.— Two further Shows of Colonial Fruit 

 and Vegetable products, in succession to that on December 13 and 14, 

 1904, have been held on March 30 and 31, and December 5 and 6, 1905. 

 The interest taken in these has led the Council to arrange for similar 

 Shows on March 22, 23, and 24, June 6 and 7, and December 4 and 5. 

 The object in fixing these dates is to suit as far as possible the season 

 which is most likely to find the produce of Canada, British Columbia, 

 and the West Indies, of India and the Cape, and of Australia, Tasmania, 

 and New Zealand, in the greatest perfection in London. The Agents- 

 General and other authorities are most kindly rendering every assistance, 

 and the Council trust that both growers and shippers will do their best 

 to send Exhibits worthy of our Colonies, and to show what they can 

 produce for the home markets at those times when home-grown fresh 

 fruits are necessarily scarce and expensive. 



