Viii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
tirpated, and therefore I am very anxious that nothing should he 
done to show the appearance of want of harmony in the Council 
(hear, hear). "We are giving the strongest outward visible signs to 
the public of our existence and of our capacity for usefulness. Last 
year, from all the information I have received, our shows were not 
—could not be—surpassed in usefulness and brilliancy; but I 
believe they will even be surpassed by the shows of this year. "We 
have made arrangements for an exhibition in May extending over 
four days; and we have made preparations for holding a show at 
Preston which will also last four days, and I hope it will be an 
accession not only of revenue but of credit (hear, hear). The only 
cloud hanging over our fortunes is the existence of the arrangement 
entered into with Her Majesty’s Commissioners as to the ter¬ 
mination of our agreement with them in case that at the end of 
December this year we should not have an income of £10,000. 
Well, our income last year amounted to about £5780, which is a 
long way from £10,000; but considering the great depression 
which had existed in the country, as well as the general desire of 
people to diminish their expenditure and not to increase it, that 
was not a year in which we should expect to do what we pledged 
ourselves to do our best to accomplish. At the same time I know 
Her Majesty’s Commissioners are watching our proceedings with 
an attentive eye. I know they are aware we are doing our best to 
attain the object for which we were incorporated, and that all of 
them will have the justice to see the difficulty under these adverse 
circumstances of bringing together within the limit of time stipu¬ 
lated such an income as that of £10,000. TJnder these circum¬ 
stances I am strongly inclined to hope—I speak my own opinion— 
that Her Majesty’s Commissioners will extend the period, so as to 
give us the advantages of the improvements we may not unreason¬ 
ably look for in those better times when people will be more in¬ 
clined to become Pellows of the Society than they were during 
1877 (hear, hear). Taking all the circumstances together, we may 
consider that the report which I ask you to adopt presents a hope¬ 
ful view of our situation, and therefore it is with confidence that I 
beg to move it be adopted. 
Lord Alfred S. Churchill seconded the motion. 
Mr. Guedalla took the same view of the situation as their 
noble President did. TJnder his able presidency they were slowly 
mending for the better, and he felt sure that if some arrangement 
with the Commissioners could be made the Society would be able 
