XV111 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
frieze ornamental work of the same arcades. This decoration, it will he 
remembered, forms a portion of the work undertaken at the commencement of 
last year by H.M. Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851. 
15. In their arrangements for the coming season the Council hare endea¬ 
voured to work out the idea of uniting science and art. The past labours 
of this Society have been the source from which the other nations of Europe 
have chiefly derived their knowledge of the practice of sound gardening; and 
there is everything to encourage it in the endeavour to retain and increase the 
prestige it has already gained. The love of gardening is stronger than ever 
in the English people; their appreciation of good fruit and vegetables is 
certainly not exceeded abroad ; and the wealthy are yearly more lavish in 
their pleasure-grounds and gardens. Botanists, meanwhile, are seeking to 
utilise, for the advantage of their own special studies, the appliances which 
horticulturists possess for aiding them in their work ; and horticulturists are 
beginning to feel how much assistance they might receive from the physiological 
botanist. At the International Exhibition which will, by the consent of the 
Council, partly take place this year in the Gardens of the Boyal Horticultural 
Society, it is proposed that a Botanical Congress shall be held, and many 
botanists of eminence are likely to visit this country on the occasion. 
16. By the appointment of the Rev. 31. J. Berkeley to advise the Society on 
the botanical questions 'that arise, a link has been introduced which will 
tend to place horticulture in its proper relation to the general study of the 
vegetable kingdom ; and by uniting with him two practical horticulturists—- 
the one an eminent authority in pomology, and the other in floriculture—the 
Council hope that the ideas evolved by experiments at Chiswick, through 
the labours of the fruit and floral committees, and by the results of the 
shows, will be carried to practical conclusions. 3Ir. Berkeley, Doctor Hogg, 
and Mr. 31oore will supervise the operations and conduct the experiments at 
Chiswick; they will watch and report on, for publication in the Society’s 
Journal, the fruit and floral meetings, and the shows of the Society; and 
the Journal, edited by Mr. Berkeley, will, as well as the Proceedings, be 
issued gratis to the Fellows. It will also be the duty of Dr. Hogg and Mr. 
3Ioore (the botanical examination is conducted by the Examiner for the 
Society of Arts) to examine candidates for the Society’s certificates and 
diplomas, both in theoretical and practical gardening; and to advise on the 
mode of instruction of the young gardeners at Chiswick. Chiswick will thus 
afford to young men desirous of taking a high position in their profession the 
advantage of a training in a garden where a systematic course of experiment 
is being carried out. 
17. By these arrangements the Council hope to effect two important objects. 
First, to spread a knowledge of what is being done both by the Society 
and by horticulturists generally—so that a system may be worked out by 
which the field of labour may be partitioned among horticulturists, and 
experiments be suggested to them. Secondly, to procure the instruction, 
either at Chiswick, or by the inducements held out to successful competitors 
at the examinations, of as many as possible of the rising generation of gar¬ 
deners in those processes and methods which are likely to lead to successful 
results. In some such manner only can we hope to bring together a sufficient 
number of facts for arriving at safe generalisations on the effects of particular 
modes of treatment on vegetable life. 
18. The charge for admission to the public has been made half-a-crown for 
all Tuesdays during the London season; and with the view of making the 
fruit and floral meetings, which are held on the first and third Tuesday of the 
month, better known to the Fellows, and as popular as they deserve to be, 
the second promenade in the week during the summer months will be held on 
the Tuesday. This promenade will commence at four o’clock, so as not to 
interfere with the fruit and floral meetings, which take place at three. The 
Fellows will retain the privilege of admitting two friends, and of using their 
orders on this day. 
19. It can hardly have escaped the attention of the Fellows that the number 
of the Society’s contributions on the Saturday has been gradually increasing, 
and the prizes offered for this year’s weekly shows will act as a further stimulus 
