34 



THE PLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



exceptional nature of the year, added to the fact that the previous season was equally- 

 exceptional from its being the opening year of the reconstituted Society, and from its only 

 extending oyer eight instead of twelve months, prevent the receipts and expenditure of the 

 two years being contrasted with each other, and the Council must confine themselves to 

 treating the expenditure of each by itself. 



The expenses of the publications of the Society are large, owing to the considerable 

 number of Fellows ; but the information contained in them is (the Council have every reason 

 to believe), considered valuable by the Fellows at large. The Council, however, with the 

 view of making it contribute to its own support, have resolved to allow advertisements to 

 be received on horticultural and scientific subjects. 



Mr. Weir, the plant-collector in South Brazil, has examined and reported on a district 

 not much known, and when last heard from was on his way to explore new ground in 

 the interior. Mr. Cooper, the plant-collector in South Africa, was sent out as an explorer 

 at the private charges of Mr. Wilson Saunders, the Treasurer of the Society, who admitted 

 it to a share of Mr. Cooper's collections on terms so liberal as to be almost gratuitous. 

 Mr. Cooper explored the district of the Drachenberg Mountains, lying to the south-west of 

 Natal, and found it, although in many parts barren, to contain a considerable number of 

 plants of interest to the botanist, and some of much beauty, well worthy the attention of the 

 horticulturist. The product of the labours of both these "collectors have either already been 

 distributed, or axe about to be distributed among the Fellows by ballot. 



The expenses of Chiswick have this year amounted to £2354, from which a sum of £435 

 may be deducted, which has been received for fruit sold and reimbursement of garden 

 charges. Upwards of 50,000 bedding-out plants have been reared at Chiswick last year for 

 use at South Kensington. Further, it is to be noted that the Fellows have received large 

 quantities (upwards of 3000 packages) of cuttings of Vines and other fruit trees from this 

 garden ; that an unrivalled collection of fruit trees is there maintained for the comparison 

 and testing of all kinds of fruits; that the experiments and trials of the Fruit and Floral 

 Committees are conducted there, and a large portion of the flower-seeds grown which are 

 distributed amongst the Fellows. 2610 packets of valuable seeds, 11,000 plants, and 166 lots 

 of bulbs have been distributed from these or other sources during the past year. In addition 

 there have been distributed 1500 packages of seeds of vegetables, and a like number of 

 packages of flower seeds. 



The expenses of the garden at South Kensington have amounted to £6063. The details 

 of which this is composed will be found in the appendix. 



The expenses for promenades and exhibitions have largely repaid themselves, besides 

 affording much gratification to the Fellows, and the Council have resolved to continue the 

 promenades during the present season, twice a- week from 16th May to 1st August. 



The Council have the satisfaction of informing the Fellows that the Commissioners of 

 1851, through the Expenses Committee, with whom rests on their behalf the control and 

 regulation of the expenses of the Society, in the most liberal manner authorised the expen- 

 diture of a considerable amount of the receipts in the execution of works which strictly 

 speaking belong to capital — a liberality which in the present year, when there is a surplus to 

 the half of which the Commissioners are entitled as their share of profit, is equivalent to 

 themselves paying the half of these expenses. 



The Commissioners of 1851 have throughout shown the utmost desire to promote in 

 every way within their power the completion of the garden. It its to them that the Society 

 owes the beautiful facade of the refreshment-room. They have paved the upper arcades 

 during the season, and lent, as above mentioned, valuable assistance towards the completion 

 of the garden, its clothing and decoration — works which the Council have felt to be of 

 pressing importance. As regards the decoration of the garden, the Council have been much 

 assisted by the liberality of the Fellows, who have allowed their subscriptions, originally 

 intended for the French fountains, to be applied in the purchase of works of art for the 

 garden. 



As regards the planting of the garden, the Council have, they trust, effected considerable 

 improvements in it by the introduction of clumps of trees and shrubs. They have also 

 provided a large supply of bulbs for its spring decoration, and they have to acknowledge the 

 assistance received by presents from Her Majesty, and some of the Fellows. 



A great deal, no doubt, still remains to be clone, but so far as these objects are concerned, 

 the work already executed justifies the Council in looking at their progress with satisfaction. 

 It is otherwise, however, with a part of the garden less under their control ; a portion of the 

 arcades still remains unfinished, and in a measure neutralises the beneficial effects of other 

 improvements. The completion of the arcades belongs to the Commissioners of 1851, and 

 notwithstanding the reluctance which the Council have naturally felc to press a body who 

 had dealt with them so liberally, they have considered themselves called upon to make a 

 most urgent appeal to the Commissioners on this subject. 



There still remain structural works pressing for completion which belong to the 



