C1Y 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
subjects of horticultural interest. It is also an encouraging sign, and an 
evidence of the important services the Society can render to hortictdture, to find 
so many applications from so many of the professional as veil as amateur 
Fellows of the Society for scions and seeds of fruit and ornamental trees, either 
for the augmentation of their collections or for the careful preservation of the 
nomenclature of the subjects of which these collections are composed. 
Vegetable Departaiext.— In the vegetable department the experiments in 
proving the varieties of new vegetables and comparing them with the old have 
been continued. In the past season the Board resolved to investigate the 
varieties of garden peas, and with this view obtained, through the liberality of 
the nursery and seed trade, the seeds of considerably upwards of 100 sorts, all 
of which were sown on ground skilfully and carefully prepared. Unfortunately, 
however, the ravages of slugs and of other predatory insects, which resisted 
every means adopted to exterminate them, were such as to entirely destroy the 
whole crop, and this having occurred a second time with a crop sown after the 
destruction of the first, the desired result was not obtained. The attempt will 
be made again this season, when it is hoped that better fortune will attend our 
labours. 
The crops of which successful examinations have been made are onions, beet, 
and celery, and of these the reports will be published in the journal of the 
Society in due course. 
Floral Sectiox. 
As regards the Uloral Department, while the supply of Bedding plants for 
South Kensington, as well as of Flowering and other Ornamental plants for 
the decoration of the conservatory, has been maintained, other plants of interest 
have from time to time, so far as the glass accommodation has permitted, been 
sent from Chiswick to the Tuesday meetings and Saturday' Promenades. A 
new lean-to house has now been erected, and a second house is in course of 
removal from Kensington, for the purpose of more fully carrying out this latter 
object. These additions, and some modifications with respect to the older 
erections, will not only much facilitate the keeping up of these several supplies, 
but will also give, to some extent, the increased facilities that were necessary 
for experimental cultivation, and for supplying plants for the ballot dis¬ 
tributions. 
The cultivation of Xew Flowers for examination by the Floral Committee has 
been carried on as usual. In the course of the season, the trial beds have not 
only proved attractive to those who visited the Garden, but have afforded valu¬ 
able information, to many persons who sought it, as to the habits, qualities, 
and colours of the different plants. To the trial beds of former years was 
added, during the past year, a series of beds for the growth of examples of the 
now fashionable group of Sub-tropical Plants so much used for summer garden 
decoration, and a very interesting collection of these was brought together. 
The thanks of the Fellows are due to those gentlemen who were good enough 
to contribute these various subjects, intended either for experimental culture or 
for purposes of public reference. 
A considerable space of ground, which had been previously prepared for the 
purpose, was during the past season planted with a choice collection of Conifers 
presented to the Society by Messrs. Teitch & Sons, hlessrs. Materer 6c Godfrey, 
Messrs. Lee, Messrs. Osborn 6c Sons. Mr. Dancer, Mr. Standish, and Mr. TT. 
Paul. "When established, these will afford useful information to those gentle¬ 
men who may wish to make selections for ornamental planting. A collection of 
Boses was also contributed by Mr. TT. Paul, Mr. C. Turner, Messrs. Bivers & 
Son. and Messrs. Mood 6c Son. 
It is yet too early to ascertain the amount of damage occasioned by the 
excessive cold to which the Chiswick Garden was exposed during the frosts of 
January 1867, but it is to be feared that half-hardy subjects will have suffered 
severely. - 
The Bev. Geo. Cheere moved that the Beport be adopted. 
Mr. Harry Chester and Mir. Edgar A. Bowring then made some observations 
