ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 



personal return for their subscriptions. To this end they have 

 already established the fortnightly Lectures, and the great Temple 

 Show ; have promoted various Conferences on interesting Horti- 

 cultural subjects, and have revived the publication of the Journal. 

 In 1890 they further decided to re-establish the Society's ancient 

 custom of offering prizes to amateurs, and a Schedule was circu- 

 lated in the " Arrangements for 1891." The Council regret that 

 these prizes attracted so little competition ; but they have decided 

 to continue them again in the year now commencing, and a total 

 sum of £515 will be found offered, as it is possible that the 

 Schedule last year was hardly sufficiently known. 



A scheme for the affiliation of Local Societies was put forward 

 last year, and about forty Local Societies have availed themselves 

 of it. The Council express the hope that Fellows will promote 

 the affiliation of societies in their own immediate neighbourhood. 



Attention having lately been directed to the desirability of 

 establishing a National School for Technical Educational in 

 Gardening and Spade Industry, the Council have consented to 

 co-operate with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners in the 

 matter. £he Council have not thought it right, without a special 

 mandate from the Fellows, to devote any portion of the Society's 

 income to this purpose ; but they think it highly desirable to 

 afford the undertaking the use of all the existing facilities at 

 Chiswick. An arrangement is therefore in course of preparation 

 whereby a Home will be opened at Chiswick, in the joint name 

 of the Society and the Company, for students of the age of 15 

 to 18, and a three years' course of practical lessons will be given 

 in the Gardens, accompanied by elementary lectures on Plant- 

 life and Chemistry, and other branches of study helpful to 

 Gardening, the whole of the expense being borne by the Com- 

 pany, the Gardens supplied by the Society, and the manage- 

 ment placed in the hands of a joint committee. The Superin- 

 tendent is of opinion that the work of the Students can be so 

 arranged as in no way to interfere with the present use of the 

 Gardens. 



A proposal has been made to hold an International Fruit 

 Show in London this autumn, and the Society has been invited 

 to join in carrying it out. The Council have appointed the 

 Chairman of the Fruit Committee as a delegate to the Provisional 

 Committee, and they hope to be able to give cordial support to 

 the proposed Show. 



