420 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



for more than a quarter of a century has successfully directed the affairs 

 of the Society, and sedulously watched over its interests. Standing 

 second only to the President, we have our valued and esteemed friend, 

 the Rev. W. Wilks, who since 1888 has so loyally and ably discharged 

 the duties of Secretary. We regret his absence to-day, but we hope to 

 see him soon among us in his accustomed health. When the history 

 of the Society comes tO' be written, no name will stand more pro- 

 minently, or be remembered more warmly, than that of our Secretary. 

 Our function to-day is a singularly pleasant one. We are proud 

 to extend the hospitality of the Eoyal Horticultural Society to our 

 Japanese visitors, and to bid them a hearty welcome to our great 

 Summer Exhibition. There is hardly any country which appeals more 

 strongly to the sympathy of horticulturists than Japan, which for ages 

 past has been the home of beautiful gardens and flowers, and of 

 examples of a horticultural art specially its own. Although a Japanese 

 friend on my right has assured me that the flowers and plants of Japan 

 are in some instances better grown in this country than in their original 

 home, we can only accept this as a compliment, but we appreciate it 

 nevertheless. On one point, however, my friend declares he is quite 

 certain, that, although in spring the cherry blossoms of Japan may be 

 unsurpassed elsewhere, he has never tasted finer fruit than the English 

 cherries placed on our table to-day. In addition to our Japanese friends, 

 we have several notable guests whom we are happy to see among us. 

 These include the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, the Director 

 of the Royal Gardens at Kew, the head of the Botanical Department at 

 the British Museum, the Director of the Innes Research Station, 

 and others who are in full sympathy with our efforts and afford us 

 valuable assistance from time to time in solving the many problems 

 submitted to those who are members of the Scientific Committee. 

 I may add that, as chairman of that committee, we still have our 

 most distinguished living botanist, Sir Joseph Hooker, who recently 

 celebrated his r^inety-third birthday. The Society also receives most 

 valuable assistance from the specialists who serve on the Fruit and 

 Vegetable, the Floral, the Orchid, and the Narcissus and Tulip Com- 

 mittees. Probably no horticultural Society anywhere possesses a more 

 representative brigade of experts capable of dealing with the various 

 technical matters submitted to them at the various shows throughout 

 the year. 



I have ventured so far to supplement the remarks of his Excellency 

 in reviewing the work of the Royal Horticultural Society, and en- 

 deavoured to indicate the machinery by means of which it has reached 

 its present prosperity. 



I have to thank his Excellency for his kindness in proposing 

 the toast of " The Royal Horticultural Society," and I assure him and 

 our guests, his countrymen, that it is a source of great pleasure to us 

 to see them here to-day, and to show them how deeply we value their 

 friendship, and with what warm appreciation we regard them and their 



