February 6, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
123 
SOCIETIES. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
The annual general meeting of the above society was held at 
Carr’s Restaurant, 265, Strand, London, W.C., on February 1st, 
Charles E. Shea, Esq., president, in the chair. The object of 
the meeting was to receive the annual report of the committee 
and the balance-sheet, to elect officers for the ensuing year, etc. 
REFOBT I F TJIE EXECUTIVE CoMMlT l LE. 
The committee, in presenting their annual report for 1903, 
do so with some degree of gratification, having regard to the 
altered circumstances of the society at the commencement of 
the year, owing to the closing of the Loyal Aquarium, which 
entailed the necessity of seeking a new building in which to hold 
the society’s exhibitions. Under the circumstances, some 
amount of depression was naturally experienced. Happily, ar¬ 
rangements were made with the Crystal Palace Company, whereby 
the three exhibitions annually held at the Loyal Aquarium 
could take place at Sydenham. Though, owing to a diminished 
revenue, the schedule of prizes had to be modified in the direc¬ 
tion of reduction, and though, also, the generally adverse 
character of the weather during the season of bloom was hostile 
to full development, yet the exhibitions were, on the whole, de¬ 
cidedly creditable to the society, the trade generously contri¬ 
buting mi seel Ian eons exhibits of a high order of merit. 
At each exhibition entries had unfortunately to be withdrawn, 
owing to the prevailing, atmospheric conditions seriously aifect- 
ing the permanence of the blooms, and these withdrawals materi¬ 
ally affected the large exhibition held in November. The effect 
of tire- display made on that occasion was distinctly lessened 
from the fact that the space placed at the disposal of the com¬ 
mittee was far too contracted, by reason of other exhibitions 
occupying a considerable portion of the building. A promise 
lias been made that this defect will be remedied in the future. The 
executive of the Crystal Palace Company made the best arrange¬ 
ments they could under the circumstances, and your committee 
are under an especial debt of obligation to Mr. Geo. Caselton, 
the superintendent, for his most valuable help in many ways. 
The Floral Committee held six meetings during the year, three 
at the Crystal Palace and three at the Essex Hall, the suitability 
of the last-named place being acknowledged by committee and 
exhibitors alike. Nineteen First-class Certificates of Merit were 
awarded. Arrangements have been made for continuing the 
meetings of the Floral Committee at Essex Hall in the present 
year. 
The Classification Committee have also held meetings, and the 
results of their labours will appear in the annual report, 
A catalogue was issued during the past year, and will be sup¬ 
plemented by carefully prepared lists, which are to appear in the 
annual report. 
The audit of blooms shown at the November exhibitions has 
been prepared by Mr. A. Taylor, and will be published in the 
annual report, together with a census of the varieties exhibited, 
prepared by Mr. C. A. Young. 
The annual outing of the society took place in July last, a 
party of 207 persons spending a delightful day at Park Place, 
Henley-on-Thames, by the kind permission of Mrs. Noble. The 
arrangements male by the secretary were much appreciated. 
The warmest thanks of the committee have been given to Mrs. 
Noble for her ready acquiescence in the. requests of the com¬ 
mittee. 
The annual dinner, at which the president occupied the chair, 
was held on November 25th, a goodly number of members and 
friends being present. Messrs. W. Cutbush and Son, High- 
gate Nurseries, generously contributed plants for the decoration 
of the hall, and other friends contributed fruit for dessert, and 
flowers for the decoration of the tables. 
A deputation from the committee attended the exhibition of 
the French National Chrysanthemum Society at Lille during 
hovem'ber, and were most hospitably entertained. The report 
of the deputation will appear with tire schedule of prizes. 
The financial position of the society continues satisfactory ; 
trere is a balance in hand of £69 9s. lid., with liabilities amount¬ 
ing to £5 9s. Tire sum of £4 7s. 6d. has been paid during 1903 
™ ®5 cmu h °f 1904. The reserve fund amounts to £115 15s. lid., 
£100 of this being on deposit. The committee regret the loss 
fund™ ^ Bentley, who subscribed annually to. this 
Special prizes were given by the president, who continues his 
special first prize of £5 5s. in 1904 ; by Messrs. Mackenzie and 
Moncur, Messrs. E. Webb and Sons, Mr. G. H. Richards, Mr. 
W. J. Godfrey, Mr. H. J. Jones, and Mr. Robert Sydenham, 
all of which proved very helpful. Mr. IWaterer's silver cups 
were won outright, and are now the property of the winners. 
Four officers acting as a deputation from the committee have 
interviewed the general manager of the Crystal Palace Company 
in respect of the arrangements for 1904,; the company are willing 
to allow space for three exhibitions, as in, 1903, and there is 
reason to believe the sum given for the November Show will be 
augmented in the present year. It is also hoped that some 
arrangement may be come to with the Crystal Palace Company 
by which cheap railway and admission tickets may be provided 
for members and exhibitors. Should such am arrangement be 
made, a special circular will be issued to members and exhibitors 
setting forth these advantages, and giving, as far as possible, 
the times of departure of trains from London. The matter of 
entrance 1 fees will be considered, and .on the recommendation 
of the Finance Sub-Committee the sum of £50 will be added 
to the November schedule of prizes; a considerable number of 
new special prizes will also be added. It is the intention of 
the officers to seek the co-operation of the secretary and manager 
of the Crystal Palace in endeavouring to secure better facilities 
for the conveyance of exhibits to and from the Palace. 
The suggestion that an exhibition, of market Chrysanthemums 
be held shortly before Christmas is referred to the Schedule 
Revision Sub-Committee for consideration and report. 
The present number of societies in affiliation is 125 ; a few 
have ceased to exist, owing to lack of local support. The pre- 
sent number of members is 631—viz., 75 fellows and 556 ordi¬ 
nary members, in addition to the foreign subscribers. An 
increase in the membership of the society is urgently needed. 
Your committee give their hearty thanks to Mr. C. E. Shea 
for accepting the office of president, for his, special first prize, 
and for presiding at the annual dinner ; also to other donors 
of special prizes. They also beg to acknowledge their indebted¬ 
ness to the auditors, Messrs. G. J. Ingram and R. Cordwell, 
for auditing the accounts of the society. 
Accompanying the report was a very full statement of income 
and expenditure for the year ending December 31st, 1903, from 
which we note that the income of the society from all sources 
was £801 18s. 4d. ; the expenditure was £732 8s. 5d., thus 
leaving a balance in favour of the society of £69 9s. There was 
a reserve fund of £100 from last year’s account, and this has 
been augmented by £15 15s. lid. The assets' and liabilities 
account shows vei-y small liabilities, with a balance of assets, 
over liabilities of £304 Is. 101. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 
Curtailed Report of (he Council for the Year 1903. 
The One Hundredth Year! The year 1903 will long be, note¬ 
worthy in the annals of the society. Not only does it complete 
(1) one hundred years of the society’s existence, but it has also 
been (2) the commencement of the new hall and offices, (3) the 
inauguration of a new garden, and (4) the largest numerical 
addition to the list of Fellows that lias ever taken place in the 
society’s, history. 
To celebrate the one hundredth year of the society, it has been 
decided to hold a Centennial Dinner at the Hotel Metro pole on 
Thursday, March 3rd, the nearest convenient date to the 
actual completion of the^. centenary, which will take place on 
Sunday, the 6th of March next, the society having been founded 
on March 7th, 1804, by Mr. Charles G rev ill,e, Sir Joseph Banks, 
Mi-. Rich a I’d Anthony Salisbury, Mr. W. T. Aiton, Mr. W. 
Forsyth, Mr. James Dickson, and Mr. John Wedgwood. 
New Hall. —While the Centennial Dinner is the social com¬ 
memoration of a striking anniversary, ’the Council have had 
under consideration for not less than five years in what way 
the Centenary could be most woi-thily celebrated. 
Twoi projects speedily came into prominence: (1) A new hall 
and offices for the society’s exhibitions and shows, and for the 
accommodation of the, library and of the office staff ; and (2) a 
new garden less exposed to London smoke, fog, drainage, and 
crowding than Chiswick has of late years become. 
These projects having been very deliberately considered, the 
Fellows finally decided in a general meeting assembled to> adopt 
the proposal of a hall. 
The New Garden.— Meanwhile several influential Fellows 
who preferred the establisliment of a new garden as the cele¬ 
bration of the society’s centenary, had been urging their views 
m certain quarters, and on August 4th, 1903, Sir Thomas 
