112 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Febraary 11, 1891. 
factory condition, and moved the adoption of the report; this was 
seconded by Baron Schroder, and carried. 
The balloting to fill three vacancies in the Council and to elect 
officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with. The vacancies 
caused by the retirement of Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn, Bart., and Messrs. 
E. A. Hambro and Martin R. Smith were filled by the appointment of 
Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., M.P., and Messrs. Owen Thomas, and C. J. 
Lucas. The officers elected were as follows :—President, Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart., M.P.; Treasurer, Philip Crowley, F.L.S. ; Secretary, 
Rev. W. Wilks, M.A. ; Auditors, Harry Turner, Henry Williams, and 
A. H. Pearson. 
Professor Michael Foster moved a vote of thanks to the retiring 
members, and also to the other members of the Council. He stated that 
he always found it more easy to blame than to praise, but in this 
instance he could not do other than express approval. He was glad 
that the question of education and examination was receiving attention. 
He had had special experience in regard to education, and knew that 
the question was a very difficult one ; he had confidence in the Council, 
however, and thought that any scheme to which they gave their support 
was likely to succeed. He thought that the idea of conducting examina¬ 
tions was a good one, and considered that it was work the Society might 
well put its hand to. He regretted that the scheme for a horticultural 
hall was not being proceeded with, but was confident the great Baron 
was only having a nod, and would soon come out with a fresh plan. 
Mr. H. J. Veitch seconded the resolution, which was carried. 
Baron Schroder thought that the meeting might perhaps like to hear 
a few renaarks from him respecting the hall. He felt that all would 
regret that the scheme could not at present be followed up, but he had 
not yet given up hope that they would some day have a hall. The body 
of the Society was getting so large that soon its skin would burst. When 
that happy moment arrived they would get the hall, and he hoped to 
have a hand in it. 
Mr. Wilks called attention to the fact that notwithstanding the 
increase in the number of Fellows, necessitating increased postal and 
other expenses, the establishment expenses were £42 13s. less than in 
1890, and £80 less than in 1889. Some thought the Journal exp>enses 
heavy, but he desired to point out that the subscriptions from new 
Fellows exceeded the cost of the Journal, and nine-tenths of them were, 
he considered, brought in by the latter. Referring to the compulsory 
retiring of certain members of the Committee and Council every year, 
he stated that this was an unpleasant duty forced upon the Council by 
the Charter, and in order to avoid any appearance of casting a slur upon 
them by so doing he moved that the following note in respect to the 
retirement of three members of the Council—“ R means that the removal 
of the member against whose name the letter is placed is recom¬ 
mended”—be altered, and in future read : “ R means that the member 
against whose name the letter is placed retires in accordance with 
bye-law 81.” 
Mr. Marshall thought a bye-law could not be altered without notice 
but Mr. Wilks pointed out that the Charter contained nothing to that 
effect. 
Baron Schroder then seconded the resolution, which was carried. 
A vote of thanks to the Auditors of the past year (Messrs. H. Turner, 
H. Williams, and A. H. Pearson) was passed, and on the motion of 
Dr. Hogg, seconded by Mr. Balderson, a vote of thanks to the Chairman 
was passed, and with his acknowledgment the meeting closed. 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1891-1892. 
The year 1891 has again been one of steady work and progress for 
our Society. 
Four conferences have 'been held at Chiswick—viz., on Hardy 
Summer Perennials ; on Strawberries, Raspberries, Currants, and other 
small fruits ; on perennial Sunflowers and Michaelmas Daisies, and on 
Conifers. The attendance of Fellows and others at these conferences, 
as also at the fortnightly lectures in the Drill Hall, has been decidedly 
more encouraging than in previous years. Fellows would greatly 
essist the Council by making these meetings and lectures better known 
among the general public. 
Seventeen fruit and floral meetings have been held in the Drill Hall, 
besides those held at Chiswick, and lectures have been delivered at 
fifteen of them. The number of awards has been as follows :—On the 
recommendation of the Floral Committee, thirty-three first class cer¬ 
tificates against forty in 1890, 183 awards of merit against 117, four 
commendations against two last year, and eight botanical certificates. 
On the recommendation of the Orchid Committee, thirty-four first class 
certificates against fifty-six last year, thirty-eight awards of merit 
against forty-seven, ten botanical certificates against nine. On the 
recommendation of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee six first class 
certificates against six, and seven awards of merit against seven last 
year; commendations one. 
The Society’s great Show held (by the renewed kindness of the 
Treasurers and Benchers) in the Inner Temple Gardens, and opened by 
Her Royal Highness the Princess Christian, was as great a success as 
ever, alike in the number of visitors, the quantity and quality of the 
exhibits, the propitiousness of the elements, and the consequent 
pecuniary result. The best thanks of the Society are due to all who so 
kindly brought their plants for exhibition or otherwise contributed to 
the success of this Show. 
The conference on Conifers, held at’ Chiswick on the 7th and 8th 
October, was most unfortunate in the weather experienced and in the 
consequent smallness of the attendance of Fellows. In all other respects 
it was most successful, the papers read being most valuable, and the 
exhibition of specimens such as has certainly never been gathered 
together in one place before. The report on the conference is being 
kept back in order that the lists of Conifers may be made quite com¬ 
plete, with their synonyms and short descriptive notes, a work which 
entails an enormous amount of labour and reference. It is hoped that 
the volume may be ready in March. 
The Society’s general work of scientific experiment and investigation, 
and the practical trial of various plants, has been going on steadily at 
Chiswick under the superintendence of Mr. Barron. Trial has been 
made of 117 varieties of Tomatoes, forty-eight of Turnips, thirty-one 
of Celery, thirty-three of Leeks, forty-three of Runner Beans and 
forty-nine of Dwarf French Beans. Ninety-seven new varieties of 
Potatoes and seventy-two new Peas have been tested. In the floral 
department 225 varieties of Carnations, fifty of Picotees, and fifty of 
Pinks, 300 Dahlias, sixty Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, fifty-nine Violas and 
seventy-four Pansies, ffiteen different strains of China Asters, 116 
Fuchsias, and thirty-two of Sweet Peas, have been tried. A very large 
collection of perennial Asters (Michaelmas Daisies) and Sunflowers 
have been grown, and very carefully examined by a committee of 
experts, both in regard to their proper nomenclature, and also their 
value as hardy border flowers. The confusion found amongst them was 
so great and so widespread that it has been decided to withhold the 
Committee’s report until the plants shall have flowered again, and the 
Committee’s decisions verified and confirmed. Experiments have also 
been made with a fruit evaporator, kindly presented to the Gardens 
by Messrs. Mayfarth, and most satisfactory and encouraging results have 
been obtained in the drying of both Apples and Plums. 
The Society’s Journal has been continued so as to enable FeUows 
at a distance to enter more fully into and reap the benefits ol the study 
and work of those more actively engaged at headquarters. Three parts, 
forming vol. xiii., 646 pages, with sixty-nine plates of new plants, Ac., 
have been published during the twelve months, and letters are con¬ 
stantly received from the most distant and diverse sources testifying 
to the Fellows’ appreciation of this renewed branch of the Society’s 
work. 
The Council wish to repeat verbatim one paragraph of their last 
year s report, which runs as follows :—All these conferences and meet¬ 
ings, and especially the work and maintenance of the Chiswick Gardens 
and the publication of the Journal, have involved the Society in a very 
large outlay, and the Council take this opportunity of endeavouring to 
impress upon Fellows the absolute necessity there is for them all 
individually (as many as have the Society’s welfare at heart) to 
endeavour to secure new Fellows to the Society if its work is not only 
to be continued at its present standard, but still more so if the ever- 
opening and extended opportunities of usefulness are to be embraced 
and accepted. The adoption of £1 Is. as one rate of subscription was, 
no doubt, a popular movement, but the Council desire to remind the 
Fellows that such a low rate of Fellowship can only be self-supporting 
if it draws into the Society a very large number (far larger than at 
present exists) of additional Fellows. The Council, therefore, venture 
to express the hope that every Fellow of the Society will make an 
endeavour to obtain at least one new Fellow during the present year. 
A statement of the privileges of Fellows and of the aims and objects of 
the Society, together with a form of nomination to Fellowship, is for 
this purpose enclosed with this report. 
The following table will show the Society’s progress in regard to 
numerical strength during the past year ;— 
Deaths ix 1891. i Fellows Elected 189L 
£ 
a. 
d. 
£ 8. 
d. 
Life Fellows ,. 
.. 21 _ 
. 0 
0 
0 
. 12 12 
0 
4 Gruneas . 
.. 1 _ 
. 4 
4 
0 
2 „ . 97 . 
. 203 14 
0 
2 „ . 
..12 _ 
. 25 
4 
0 
1 „ . 305 . 
. 320 5 
0 
1 ;; . 
.. 10 _ 
. in in 
0 
. 1 U 
6 
9A 5 
0 
44 
£39 
18 
0 
450 
£564 7 
6 
Deiiuct Lo33. 
0 
liet Increase in Income .... 
£448 17 
6 
Ees 
IGSATIOXS. 
4 Oninpfl.5. 
. 3 . 
. 12 
12 
0 
430 
2 „ . 
.. 21 
^ 44 
2 
0 
1 „ . 
. 18 
18 
0 
Deduct Resignations and 
, 
42 
£75 
12 
0 
numerical Increase . 
total Loss 
.. 86 
£115 
10 
0 
— 
The most noticeable features in last year’s work, besides the Conifer 
Conference, were the issue of a pamphlet on fruit trees, recommended 
for cottagers and small farmers, and the improvement of the condition 
of the gardens at Chiswick. The fruit pamphlet* was purposely issued 
at a price below the actual cost, in order to promote as wide a 
circulation as possible. Two editions have been prepared, one for 
England and another for Scotland. Of these, 52,000 copies have 
been put into circulation, 13,000 being issued at the expense of the 
Society. 
In round numbers about £1728 has been expended at Chiswick this 
* See Journal, vol. xiii., pt. 3, p. 411. 
