132 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 16,1894. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, in replying to Mr. Parker, said, that since the 
failure of the provincial Show at Liverpool in 1886, which resulted in a 
loss of £1500 to the Society, they had not the courage to go further in 
that direction. They were willing, however, to do all that was possible, 
provided a guarantee against any loss to the Society was forthcoming. 
With reference to Mr. Marshall’s inquiry, it was true that the Council 
bad considered the advisability of going to the Imperial Institute, but 
after inspecting the space at disposal had come to the conclusion that it 
was not desirable to recommend the Society to go to South Kensington. 
Dr. Masters observed that, as one of the Trustees of the Lind ley 
Library, he agreed with Mr. Parker that a catalogue of the books should 
be printed. The Trustees were only allowed a moderate income to 
purchase the periodicals of any particular value and various books. 
Regarding the history of the Library, after the International Horticul¬ 
tural Exhibition of 1866 £1000 went towards the purchase of the 
Library, and the Society now subscribed towards it; but under certain 
restrictions the general public as well as Fellows have a right to make 
use of the books. 
Professor Michael Foster proposed a vote of thanks to the members 
of the Council, which was unanimously accorded. After the 
scrutineers announced that Sir Alexander J. Arbuthnot, K.C.S.I., Sir 
John Edwards-Moss, Bart., and C. E. Shea, Esq., were elected on the 
Council, the proceedings closed. 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1893-94. 
The year 1893 has again been one of steady work and progress for 
our Society. 
Eighteen fruit and floral meetings have been held in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, besides the more extended 
Shows at the Temple Gardens on May 25th and 26th ; at Chiswick 
Gardens on July 11th ; and at the Agricultural Hall on August 29th, 
30th, 31st, and September 1st; and lectures have been delivered at 
fourteen of the meetings. The number of awards has been as follows :— 
On the recommendation of the Floral Committee, 64 first-class certifi¬ 
cates against 62 in 1892, 201 awards of merit against 156, and 6 botanical 
certificates against 2 ; on the recommendation of the Orchid Committee, 
39 first-class certificates against 48 last year, 86 awards of merit against 
72, 25 botanical certificates against 29 ; on the recommendation of the 
Fruit and Vegetable Committee, 16 first-class certificates against 27, and 
23 awards of merit against 8 last year. 
The Society’s great Show held (by the continued kindness of the 
Treasurer and Benchers) in the Inner Temple Gardens, was a greater 
success than ever alike in the number of visitors, the quantity and 
quality of the exhibits, and the favour of the elements. 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 the 
Show. We are glad to be able to report that the Treasurer and 
Benchers have granted us the use of the Gardens for three days in the 
coming year, instead of two. 
The Society’s general work of scientific experiment and investigation 
and of the practical trial of various plants has been going on steadily 
at Chiswick, under the superintendence of Mr. Barron. Trial has been 
made of 48 varieties of Onions, 63 of Peas, 104 of Strawberries, 68 of 
new Potatoes, 50 of Tomatoes, 23 of Celery, 20 of Runner Beans, and 
24 of Endive, In the Floral department 400 varieties of Carnations 
and Picotees, 70 Pinks, 500 of Pmonies, as well as many varieties of 
Phloxes, Cannas, Sweet Peas, Violas, and Irises have been tried. 
Reports founded on the work of these Committees will be found in the 
Society’s Journal, vol. xvi., parts 2 and 3, now issuing. 
The following table will show the Society’s progress in regard to 
numerical strength during the past year 
Deaths ix 1893. 
£ 
s. 
a. 
Life Fellows. 
.... 19 . 
... 0 
0 
0 
4 Guineas . 
.... 4 , 
... 16 
16 
0 
2 .. 
.... 10 . 
,.. 21 
0 
0 
1 . 
.... 14 , 
14 
14 
0 
47 
£52 
10 
0 
Resigxatioxs. j 
£ s. d. 
2 Guineas. 31 ... G5 2 0 
1 ,, . 69 ... 72 9 0 
100 £137 11 0 
Total Loss . 147 £190 1 0 
Fellows Elected 1893. 
£ s. d. 
4 Guineas . 5 ... 21 0 0 
2 „ 109 ... 228 18 0 
1 ,, 279 ... 292 19 0 
Associates . 3 ... 1 11 6 
Affiliated Socieii s 14 ... 15 15 0 
410 £560 3 6 
Deduct Losa . 190 1 0 
Net Increas) in In¬ 
come .£370 2 6 
New Fellows, ic. 410 
Deduct Resignations and Deaths 147 
Numerical Increase . 263 
Tne “ Journal ” of the Society has been continued so as to enable 
Fellows at a distance to enter more fully into and reap the benefits 
of the study and work of those actively engaged at headquarters. 
Vol. XV., parts 2 and 3, and the first part of vol. xvi., were published 
during the year, and the second and third parts of vol. xvi. are now 
ready for issue. The Society has also published (i.), a monogragh on 
BulbDus Irises, by Professor Michael Foster, Joint Secretary of the Royal 
Society ; and fii.) a complete list of Certificates to Plants, Flowers, 
Ferns, Orchids, Fruits, Vegetables, &c., granted by the Society from the 
year 1859 to January, 1893. The Council commend these two volumes 
to the attention of the Fellows. 
The Exhibition which the Society promoted at Chiswick on July 11th, 
was not supported with the local enthusiasm which the Council had 
been led to expect, nor was it such a success as to warrant a repetition. 
But it is proposed to hold a Conference in the Gardens, on September 
25th, 1894, on the subject of Arboriculture, and in connection therewith, 
to devote the meeting at the Drill Hall, on June 12th, to the subject of 
Hardy Flowering Trees and Shrubs. Any information touching these 
subjects would be welcome, especially as to the hardiness, or otherwise, 
of any of the rarer flowering trees and shrubs. 
The great autumn Show, held at the Agricultural Hall, on August 
29th to September 1st, was, from a horticultural point of view, an 
unrivalled success, there probably never having been a finer display of 
combined autumn flowers and fruits seen in the Metropolis. The 
Council can but regret that the number of visitors was comparatively 
small, but as the Agricultural Hall Company reserved to themselves the 
sole right of advertising the Show, the Society is in no way responsible 
for this disappointment. 
An examination in the principles and practice of horticulture was 
held on May 4th, concurrently at different parts of England, Scotland, 
and Ireland, a centre being established wherever a magistrate, or 
clergyman, or schoolmaster, or other responsible person accustomed to 
examinations would consent to superintend one on the Society’s behalf, 
and in accordance with the rules laid down for its conduct. No limits 
as to the age or position or previous training of the candidates was 
imposed, and the examination was open to both sexes. 204 candidates 
presented themselves for examination, and the papers were divided into 
higher and lower grades. In the higher grade seventy-six entered, 
with the result that six were placed in the first class, twenty in the 
second class, thirty-six in the third class, and fourteen, failing to 
obtain 100 marks, were not classed. In the lower grade six candidates 
were placed in the first class, sixteen in the second class, thirty-eight 
in the third class, and sixty-eight were not classed. The names and 
addrecses of the successful candidates, together with the number of 
marks assigned to each, will be found in the Society’s “ Journal,” 
vol xvi., part 1, page 151. 
It is proposed to hold a similar examination on May 1st, 1894, and 
candidates intending to sit for it should apply to the Secretary, 117, 
Victoria Street, Westminster, some time during March. 
In round number £1600 has been expended at Chiswick this year on 
the general work, and repairs and keeping up of the Gardens. The 
receipts from the Gardens by sale of surplus produce amount to £430, 
making the net cost of the Gardens £1170. 
In conjunction with the Lindley Library Trustees, the Society’s 
Library has received considerable attention. All serial publications 
have been kept up to date, a large number of valuable volumes have 
been bound, and the following new books, amongst others, added to 
the Library—viz., “ Flore Forestiere de la Cochinchine,” “ Silva of North 
America,” " Orchids of South Africa,” “ Sowerby’s English Botany ” 
(thirty-sixty vols ). Trimen’s “ Handbook of the Flora of Ceylon,” 
Humboldt and Bonpland’s “ Monographie des Melastomacees,” “ Biblio¬ 
graphical Index of Bitish and Irish Botanists,” “ Index Kewensis ” 
(parts 1 and 2), and many others. 
The hearty thanks of the Society are due to the Chiswick Board and 
to all the members of the Standing Committess—viz., the Scientific, the 
Fruit and Vegetable, the Floral, the Orchid, and the Narcissus Com¬ 
mittees, for the kind and patient attention which they have severally 
given to their departments ; also to the exhibitors who have contributed 
to so great an extent to produce the valuable results of the various 
meetings. 
The best thanks of the Society are due to all those who, either 
at home or abroad, have so kindly and liberally presented books to the 
Library or plants or seeds to the Gardens. A list of the donors has been 
prepared, and will be found in the Society’s “ Journal,” vol. xvi., parts 2 
and 3, 1894. The Council also wish to express, in their own name and in 
that of all Fellows of the Society, their great indebtedness to all who 
have so kindly contributed, either by the exhibition of plants, fruits, 
flowers, or vegetables, or by the reading of papers, to the success of the 
fortnightly meetings in the Drill Hall. 
The papers read at these meetings, which have been published in the 
Journal, are as follows : — 
Mar. 
14 
28 
April 
11 
25 
May 
9 
June 
6 
20 
July 
25 
Aug. 
8 
Sept. 
51 
12 
25 
Oct. 
10 
15 
24 
Nov. 
14 
28 
“Some Effects of Growing Plants under Glasses of Various 
Colours,” The Rev. G. Henslow, M.A. 
“ Flowers of the French Riviera,” Mons. H. De Vilmorin. 
“ The Antiquity of the Citron Tree in Egypt,” Dr. E. Bonavia. 
“ Alpine Plants and their Treatment,” Mons. H. Correvon. 
“ Chemical Determinations Concerning the Soil without the 
Aid of Chemistry,” Professor F. Cheshire, F.L.S. 
“ Hardy Rhododendrons and Azaleas,” Sir John T. D. 
Llewelyn, Bart. 
“ Rambles with a Trowel,” Mr. H. Selfe Leonard. 
“ Alpine Houses and Plants,” Mr. H. Selfe Leonard. 
“ Cannas,” Mr. J. G. Baker, F.L.S. 
“ Garden Phloxes and Pentstemons,” Mr. J. Douglas. 
“ Causes of Failure in Eucharis Culture,” Mr. W. Iggulden. 
“ Pears,” Mr. W. Crump. 
“ Onions,” Mr. A. Dean. 
“ Chrysanthemums,” Mr. R. Parker. 
“ Late-keeping Grapes,” Mr. T. Crasp. 
