c 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICtJLTURAL SOCIETY. 
5. The falling off in the receipts for exhibitions and admissions to the 
Gardens is in part also attributable to another cause which Trill not probably 
be of frequent recurrence. Although a payment was made to the Society from 
the funds of the International Horticultural Exhibition—and this payment was 
equivalent to that which is generally cleared by the First Great Show of the 
Society, the place of which it took—it by no means represented the whole 
diminution which it occasioned, directly and indirectly, to the receipts of the 
Society. It was proposed, when this arrangement was made, that the Inter¬ 
national Exhibition should be open for four days only, but at the end of the four 
days its receipts fell so far short of the anticipations of its promoters that they 
found it necessary to apply to the Council for an extension of the time for which 
the Gardens were granted. The 'Council, in the desire of saving from heavy 
loss those who had so liberally given their names as the guarantors of an 
undertaking devoted to the interests of Horticulture, at once acceded to the 
request, and, from the serious financial failure which it threatened to become, 
the undertaking was converted into a brilliant success. 
6. A further deficiency in the receipts, as compared with those of 1865, was 
occasioned by the abolition of the cheap admissions, in compliance with the 
wish expressed by the Eeilous at the last annual geneial meeting, and unfortu¬ 
nately the free admissions which were granted to the public in lieu of them was 
not so successful as to induce the Council to repeat them. They were taken 
advantage of less by the classes for whom the boon was intended than by those 
whose presence in the Gardens the Council had no desire to encourage. 
7. It may be remembered by the Fellows that the Library of the late 
Hr. Findley was last year announced for sale, and a proposition was made that 
the Fellows of the Society should be invited to subscribe for its purchase. 
The Council, however, having been given to understand that its purchase was 
contemplated by the Committee of the International Exhibition, thought it 
needless to bring it before the Fellows. Pending a decision concerning the 
mode in which so desirable an object was to be attained, the Council decided to 
advance the money for it, and they have now reason to believe that a portion 
of the surplus from the International Exhibition will be applied to the forma¬ 
tion of a Horticultural Library at South Kensington, commencing with the 
purchase of the Lindley Collection. 
3. In carrying out the scheme for the year’s arrangements, the Council 
have reduced the expenditure wherever it could be clone without impeding 
the effective working of the Society, and an analysis of the accounts put into 
the hands of the Fellows will show that the strictest economy has been exer¬ 
cised. The expenditure for the maintenance and improvement of Chiswick, and 
for assistance given by the scientific staff, will hereafter Held its due return in 
increased produce in the garden and in reputation to the Society, whilst to 
have stopped the work which is being so ably carried on would have been very 
injurious to it. For full information on this head Fellows are referred to the 
annexed report of the Chiswick Board. In speaking of Chiswick Gardens, 
the Council think it right to call the attention of the Fellows to the fact 
that Mr. Thompson has now for a period of forty-five years rendered very 
valuable services to the Society, the greater part of the time as the Superinten¬ 
dent of the fruit and vegetable department. His great age requires that he 
should now have some rest from his labours, and, pending the adoption of any 
ulterior measures that may be taken for his advantage, the Council propose to 
continue to pay him the full amount of his present salary, leaving it to himself 
to determine what he can best do to assist the Society. 
9. The Education scheme for gardeners is working with success. The exami¬ 
nations held this year have resulted in thirteen young men receiving certificates 
either for horticulture or fruit and vegetable culture. Five of these gardeners 
are employed at Chiswick, five at the Eoyal Gardens at Kew, and three were 
from private establishments. Of those who presented themselves for exami¬ 
nation, three had previously obtained certificates or prizes from the Society of 
Arts, examining on behalf of the Boyal Horticultural Society. Two also 
showed themselves worthy of election as Associates. 
