PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, Cclvil 
Scott, Lieut.-Col. R.E., F.L.S., Sunnyside, Ealing, W. 
Spencer, Herbert. 
Stainton, H. T., Mountsfield, Lewisham. 
Yoelcker, Dr., 11 Salisbury Square, E.C. 
Welwitsch, Frederick, M.D., E.L.S., 15 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy Square, W. 
Westwood, Professor, F.L.S., Walton Manor, Oxford. 
Wilson, George F., F.R.S., East Hill, Wandsworth. 
The first meeting of the above Committee was held on Tuesday the 20th April, 
and there were present—Mr. Wilson Saunders in the chair, Messrs. Murray, Gil¬ 
bert, Scott, Moore, Abel, Masters, Welwitsch, Fortune, Marshall, Yoelcker, 
Hogg, Wilson, Thomson, Clarke, De la Rue, and Berkeley ; and the following 
address by the Secretary, the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, was read, viz.:— 
“ As this is the first meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Horticultural 
Society, it seems advisable that the Secretary should offer some observations on 
its objects, and the best means of carrying them out effectually. It is above 
all things necessary that we should perfectly understand the position in which 
we are placed as a Committee, and the more especially as its members are not 
necessarily Fellows of the Society. 
“ The Society, it must be remembered, is not exactly in the same position as 
most other learned Societies, with the exception perhaps of the Zoological So¬ 
ciety. Though the income is large, it is not simply available, as in other 
scientific bodies, for purely scientific objects. The funds applicable to publica¬ 
tion are necessarily limited, and it is to this cause especially that the discon¬ 
tinuance of the first series of the Journal, and the occasional appearance of the 
new series, are attributable, and not to any lukewarmness or narrowness of 
views on the part of the Society. If the history of learned Societies were to be 
accurately traced, we should find that the appearance of their Transactions has 
for the most part been irregular, and, in consequence, the publication of important 
papers has frequently been seriously delayed; and for this, amongst other reasons, 
the ‘ Comptes Rendus ’ of the meetings of the French Institute w*as projected, to 
enable authors of valuable memoirs to register their discoveries, or, in other 
words, ‘ pour prendre date.’ It must not therefore be assumed that our Journal 
can be published oftener than once or twice a year, or, under the most favourable 
circumstances, more frequently than once a quarter, but as reports will undoubt¬ 
edly appear in our leading horticultural papers, no unwillingness on the part 
of authors to present memoirs at our meetings need on this score be anticipated. 
“ The object of our meetings, as stated in the number of the ‘ Proceedings’ 
just published, is to promote and encourage the application of Physiology and 
Botany to purposes of practical culture, whether of plants or trees or shrubs, 
and to originate experiments which may assist in the elucidation of such ques¬ 
tions. The terms, it is clear, are sufficiently large to include everything which 
can come within the scope of a Botanical Committee, and are by no means to 
be confined to what may strictly be termed physiology or biology. Morphology 
as well as vital action will occasionally come before us, questions of correct 
nomenclature, information of general horticultural or more purely botanical 
interest, botanical geography, in short, everything which does not fairly come 
within the compass of the Floral or Fruit Committees. The several Botanical 
Directors will naturally bring before us any matter of interest which may occur 
in the fruit or floral departments, or which may suggest itself at Chiswick, such 
as have usually been laid before the Society at its Tuesday meetings ; doubtful 
plants will be presented to us for determination, subjects which require eluci¬ 
dation will be mooted, and occasional papers read in accordance with the especial 
objects of the Committee. Not only is it hoped that individual members of the 
Committee will help us, but the co-operation of the Fellows of the Society in 
general, and indeed of men of science, whether members or not, is earnestly 
invited. 
“ As regards purely physiological matters, it is highly necessary that we 
should set out with a distinct tinderstanding. It is easy to suggest experiments*, 
but we must at the same time appreciate the difficulties which attend them*. 
