JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE G4.RDENER. 1^5 
I February 16, 1888. ] 
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\ In deference to the wishes of some members of the Council and of 
some of the Fellows who were anxious that the Society should, at all 
hazards, remain at South Kensington, a memorial to the Queen was 
drawn up and forwarded to Sir Henry Ponsonby, whose reply on behalf 
of Her Majesty is given, together with the memorial in Appendix IV. 
After the receipt of this reply the Commissioners of 1851 were asked 
do grant a site on their estate at South Kensington, but the site which 
"they proposed was far too small, had a bad approach, and was 
-encumbered with the stipulation that whatever buildings the Society 
might erect on the land should not confer any right, either legal or 
moral, to the occupancy of the conservatory and Gardens. The offer was 
accordingly rejected as wholly inadequate to the requirements of the 
Society. 
The Commissioners were then asked ifithey could grant a better site 
■and a lease of the Gardens and conservatory. Their reply was that “ as 
they were negotiating with the Royal Albert Hall Corporation they were 
not then in a position to make a further offer.” 
_ A large number of sites in various parts of London were subsequently 
inspected, but all which were likely to meet the Society’s requirements 
•were found to be too expensive. 
A special general meeting of the Society was held on June 28th, when 
the President reviewed the various sites and proposals which the Council 
had had under consideration, and stated that the uncertainty which 
attended the future of the Society was having a prejudicial effect on 
ats interests. At this meeting resolutions were carried to the effect— 
“ (1.) That this meeting requests the Council to take such steps 
for the maintenance and housing of the Society as may 
appear to them best calculated to maintain the character 
and utility of the Society and the interests of Horticul¬ 
ture committed to its charge. 
“ (2.) That steps 'oe taken immediately to secure accommoda¬ 
tion for the Society at the end of the year, either perma¬ 
nent or temporary, in some central situation or not far 
from the city.” 
After further search for accommodation, a building in James Street, 
Buckingham Palace Road, belonging to the Queen’s Westminster 
Volunteers, was brought to the notice of the Council, and after being 
inspected by many members of the Council and by the Committee of 
Fellows, it was deemed suitable to the requirements of the Society. 
Negotiations were entered into, and there appeared to be every prospect 
-of a satisfactory result, when, on October 11th, the morning of the day 
•on which the Council met with the view of sanctioning the arrange¬ 
ment, an intimation was received that the officers of the Queen’s 
Westminster Volunteers had determined not to let any portion of their 
•building. 
At a meeting held on the 8th of November, the Council discussed an 
informal offer from the 1851 Commissioners to let th^ gardens and con- 
•servatory to the Society at a guaranteed rental of £1000. They felt 
that, on financial grounds, it was impossible for them to accept the 
offer, as the cost of maintenance, with rates, taxes, &c., would amount 
to at least another £1000, making an expenditure of £2000 a year for 
South Kensington alone, leaving office charges and the cost of the 
•Chiswick Gardens unprovided for. It was further decided that no 
advantage could accrue to the Society from the continuance of negotia¬ 
tions which, as experience showed, could end only in delay and disap¬ 
pointment. 
The Council therefore decided to issue forthwith an appeal on behalf 
■of the Society, to the horticultural public of the United Kingdom, 
which will be found in Appendix V. This appeal fully expresses the 
views of a large majority of the Council, after a careful review of the 
ifuture prospects of the Society. In consequence of this decision of the 
•Council, Colonel R. Trevor Clarke and Major F. Mason resigned their 
seats, and Mr. William Haughton gave notice that he should resign at 
the end of the year. 
A list of donations and subscriptions received up to January 31st, 
1888, in response to the appeal, will be found in Appendix AH. 
On the 13th December a special general meeting of the Fellows was 
held, when the policy to be pursued in the future was discussed at 
length. A very large majority of those assembled concurred in the 
■decision of the Council not to enter into further negotiations with the 
Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, which could not result 
in any satisfactory arrangement, but to concentrate the efforts of the 
'■Society on its Chiswick Gardens and on the advancement of horticul¬ 
ture ; to adopt, in short, a purely horticultural policy. 
At this meeting, the following resolution, proposed by Dr. Masters, 
and seconded by Mr. A. H. Pearson, was carried—viz., 
“ That this meeting approves of the proposals in paragraphs 6 
and 8 of the circular of the Council, and authorises them • 
to take steps to carry them out. 
“ This meeting requests the Council to consider the desirability 
of obtaining a supplemental charter, and meanwhile 
requests them to vary the bye-laws in such a way as will 
ensure the Fellows having full control over the election of 
the Officers and Council at the annual general meeting. 
This meeting proposes the nomination of the following 
gentlemen, to form a Committee to carry out the above 
resolutions.” 
III.—SHOWS, TRI.ILS, &c. 
In addition to the ordinary fortnightly meetings, the following Shows 
were held under the auspices of the Society :— 
April 26th.—National Auricula and Primula Society’s Show. 
July 5th.—National Rose Society’s Show. 
July2Gth.—National Carnation and Picotee Society’s Show. 
Aug. 23rd.—National Co-operative Flower Show. 
It had been arranged to hold a Chrysanthemum Show and Confer¬ 
ence on the 8th and 9th of November, but this was abandoned, as the 
days fixed clashed with ths Show of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society. 
Arrangements were made, through the courtesy of Mr. Thiselton 
Dyer, for holding some Narcissus trials at the Ro.al Gardens, Kew, in 
consequence of the Narcissus Committee having requested that the trials 
might be carried out there instead of at Chiswick, on account of the 
greater facilities existing at Kew for noting the results. 
IV.—DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS AND SEEDS. 
In the last annual report it was stated that it had been decided to 
make special arrangements for the distribution of such plants and seeds 
of a rare and valuable character, as might be from time to time pre¬ 
sented to the Society for that purpose. 
Periodical lists of the plants and seeds available for distribution 
(in addition to the ordinary plants and seeds grown at Chiswick) have 
accordingly been prepared when a sufficient quantity had been col¬ 
lected : and notices have been inserted in the gardening papers, inform¬ 
ing Fellows that these lists could be obtained on application to the 
Secretary. 
V.—AWARDS. 
The Scientific, Fruit, and Floral Committees have carried on their 
labours at South Kensington as usual during the year, and to them the 
thanks of the Society are due. A great variety of interesting new 
plants and flowers have been submitted for adjudication. The number 
of first-class certificates awarded has been 191. 
Thanks are due to Mr. H. M. Pollett for printing free of charge and 
presenting to the Society 500 copies of the awards of the Fruit and 
Floral Committees from February 12th, 1881, to May 2-lth, 1887. 
The Society in the past year gave thirty-five bronze Banksian medals 
to provincial societies and flower shows. That these medals are highly 
esteemed is evidenced by the letters received, which prove that much 
emulation is caused among the exhibitors by the desire to obtain them. 
This healthy competition, the Council feel, cannot fail to raise the 
standard of provincial horticulture. 
The thanks of the exhibitors at the Society’s Shows are due to Messrs. 
Sutton A Sons, ilessrs. Carter & Co., Mr. H. Deverill, Messrs. Webb and 
Sons, Messrs. AVood & Son, Mr. Roupell, and Mr. C. FidKr for their 
donations of special prizes. 
VI.—PUBLICATIONS. 
The Society has published during the year Vol. VIII. of the Journal 
entitled “ The Frost Report,” on the effects of the severe frosts during 
the winters of 1879-80, 1880-81, edited by the Rev. George Henslow, 
M.A., the Hon. Sec. to the Scientific Committee ; and Vol. IX., entitled 
“ Pears,” being the report of the Committee of the National Pear Con¬ 
ference held in the Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, October, 1885, pre¬ 
pared by Mr. A. F. Barron, the Sup-rintendent of the Society’s Gardens, 
and Seeretary to the Fruit and Floral Committees. Copies of these 
publications may still be had by the Fellows, free, on application to the 
Secretary. 
VII.—IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. 
In June the attention of the Organising Committee of the Imperial 
Institute was called by the Council to the fact that apparently no pro¬ 
visions had been made for the representation of horticulture in the 
scheme of the Institute as set forth in the Times of May 30th, 1887. The 
only reply received was to the effect that the letter would be laid before 
^he Committee at their next meeting. 
VIIL—COUNCIL AND FELLOWS. 
At a meeting of the Council on March 22nd, Mr. A. B. Mitford, C.B., 
vacated his seat in consequence of other engagements, and Mr. George 
Maw was elected to fill the vacancy. 
Reference has already been made to the resignations of Colonel 
Clarke, Major Mason, and Mr. Haughton. 
During the year thirty-three Life Fellows and thirty-one Annual 
Fellows died, 195 Fellows retired from the Society, and twenty-four 
new Fellows were elected, showing a decrease of 235 Fellows since 
the last Annual Meeting. 
IX.—ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN. 
A loyal and dutiful Address was presented to Her Most Gracious 
Majesty the Queen, Patron of the Society, on the occasion of Her 
Majesty completing the fiftieth year of her reign. A copy of this 
Address will be found in Appendix VIIL 
January 10th, 18SS. 
[The appendices referred lo have been published in our eolumns 
except that referring to the list of donations and subscriptions, which. 
