EEPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 



V 



interest taken by the Fellows in the Society's Gardens continues to 

 increase steadily, as is testified by the number visiting Wisley. 



Suitable accommodation for the gardeners employed is being 

 gradually provided, and the past year has seen the erection of a new 

 bothy for a foreman and five journeymen. 



Several recent valuable gifts of Orchids, and the necessity of giving 

 the students a proper training in the cultivation of this very popular 

 class of plants, made it essential to erect an Orchid House. 



A new Stable has also been built. 



Eesearch and experimental work are being regularly carried on, 

 and reports on Soil Sterilization, and on the trials of various plants, will 

 appear shortly in the Journal. 



A large number of Mr. Wilson's newly introduced plants from 

 . China, generously sent by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs and Messrs. James 

 Yeitch, have been added to those already planted. 



The death of our Hardy Plant-Foreman, Mr. Frazer, is recorded 

 with sincere regret. 



6. School of Horticulture. — The School of Horticulture at 

 Wisley now ranks as one of the most important and beneficial branches 

 of the good work done by the Society. The tuition given is very much 

 wider in its scope than was possible before the erection of the Labora- 

 tory. The advantage of such an institution to employers of gardeners 

 is manifest. Students are subjected to written, oral, and practical 

 examinations, undertaken by an independent examiner appointed for 

 the purpose. The Government grant received by the School for the 

 work of 1909 amounted to £265. Negotiations are proceeding with a 

 view to affiliation with the University of London. 



Fellows will be glad to learn that excellent work is already being 

 done by past students, and very high commendation has been received 

 concerning them. There is a growing demand for Horticultural 

 Instructors in the Counties, and the Board of Education looks largely 

 to our Society to supply this demand. 



7. Spring" Bulb Show. — The Spring Bulb Show on March 8th and 

 9th was one of the great successes of the year. It will probably be an 

 annual fixture. The Show in 1911 is on March 14 and 15. 



8. Temple and Holland House Shows. — It is hardly necessary 



to say that the Temple Show was a great success, being favoured with 

 glorious weather. The Society is much indebted to the Treasurer and 

 Benchers for again lending their gardens. 



The Holland House Show proved more popular than ever, the 

 number of visitors exceeding the highest record of any previous year. 



The President and Council, speaking in the name of the Society, 

 thank Mary, Countess of Ilchester, most warmly, for her kind and 

 offc-repeated hospitality in lending her Park to the Society. 



Fellows are particularly asked to notice (and to assist in making 

 it widely known) that, owing to circumstances over which the Council 



