8 
REPORT OP THE 
Mr. Baines, in the previous year, from old age and incapacity 
of body, had declared himself unequal to the duties of super¬ 
intending work done in the grounds of the Society, and the 
sole charge of this department was committed to Mr. Fielden, 
the head gardener. 
The Committee also reported that James Davison, another 
of the gardeners who had been in the employ of the Society for 
upwards of 30 years, and who has since been afflicted by 
paralysis, was unable to attend to out-door work, and the 
Council subsequently allowed him a pension of 10s. a week, to 
preserve him from want in his old age, and as a recognition 
of long and faithful services. At the Council Meeting in 
October last, Fielden, the head gardener, whose wages had 
hitherto been one guinea a-week, asked for an advance of 
10s. a-week, in consequence of increased duties. 
The whole question of the Financial affairs of the Society 
was then carefully considered by the Council, and it was 
resolved that, dming the continuance of Baines’ salary and 
the payment of Davison’s pension, retrenchment in some item 
of expenditm’e was necessary, in order to avoid increase of debt. 
The Council felt it would be impossible to diminish the 
attractions incident to the ornamentation and floral display in 
the Grrounds of the Society during the summer and autumn 
months, as these grounds form the chief attraction to great 
numbers of our Subscribers, and the Council are inclined to 
recommend an increase of expenditure under this head, as 
evidenced to be desirable by the much improved appearance 
of the grounds during the past year. 
The Council found, however, without in any way de¬ 
teriorating from the efficiency of the Conservatories, these 
might be made far more useful in promoting the decoration 
of the grounds by being used for the propagation of that class 
of plants only which are sufficiently hardy to be planted out in 
the open air. 
By the discontinuance of the Tropical Plants a very con¬ 
siderable saving would also be effected in the annual ex¬ 
penditure. This Mr. Baines estimated at not less than £100 
a-year. 
