124 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
February 6. 1904. 
Hanbury, K.C.V.O., having asked for an interview with, the 
Council, offered to purchase the late Mr. G. F. "Wilson’s famous 
garden and estate at Wisley, comprising 60 acres of land, and 
to place it in trust for the use of the society as a garden as long 
as the society desired to retain it. 
It is needless to say that the Council adopted this timely and 
generous offer, which came as a complete surprise both to them¬ 
selves and to the general body of the Fellows. It had the signal 
advantage of affording a solution of the rival claims of a new 
garden, as against a new hall as the Centennial Celebration of 
the society. 
There are many other objects which will hereafter be desirable 
at Wisley, such as a scientific department with residence for a 
professor and laboratory attached, bothies for young gardeners, 
rooms-for students, etc., but the Council feel it imperative t" 
allow’ these matters to wait until the-new hall is paid for and 
furnished and its upkeep expenses provided. 
Increase of Fellows. —The exceedingly rapid increase in the 
number of Fellows (1,412 having been added during the twelve 
months), gratifying as it is as a proof of the appreciation of 
the society’s work by the lovers of gardens, appears neverthe¬ 
less to the Council to contain an element of danger, insomuch 
as it is becoming more and more difficult at time® for Fellows to 
see the flowers, etc:, without serious discomfort from crushing 
and crowding. . 
New Bye-law. —After very grave consideration, the Council 
have decided to advise the minimum rate of Fellowship should 
in future be raised to 1 £2 2s., except in the case of bona fide 
gardeners, persons living abroad, and journalists writing for 
provincial or foregn newspapers. The existing £1 Is. Fellows 
will, of course, be under no compulsion to change the rate of 
their subscription, though it is hoped that not a few will volun¬ 
tarily do so. The Council have therefore directed a new bye¬ 
law to be drawn up and submitted to the meeting for approval, 
the effect of which will be, if carried, to make: the lowest sub¬ 
scription for Fellows in future £2 2s., except in the cases men¬ 
tioned. 
Meetings. —Twenty-two fruit and floral meetings have been 
held in the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, Victoria Street, 
besides the larger shows in the Temple. Gardens on ‘May 26th, 
27th, and 28th ; at Holland House on June 25th and 26th; 
and at Chiswick on September 29th and 30th and October 1st. 
.Lectures or demonstrations have been delivered at almost ail 
the meetings. 
Awards. —-The number of awards granted by the Council on, the 
recommendation of the various committees was:—Gold and 
silver medals, etc., 777; certificates and cultural commenda¬ 
tions, 403 ; making a total of 1,180. 
Temple Show. —The society’s great show, held in May in the 
Inner Temple Gardens (by 'the continued kindness of the 
Treasurer and Benchers), was as successful as ever, and was 
visited by a very large number of Fellows and their friends. It 
is a matter of satisfaction to the Council to find that this meeting 
is universally acknowledged to be the leading horticultural exhi¬ 
bition of this country. 
Holland House Show. —The best thanks of the society are 
due to the Right Hon. the Earl of Ilchester for his kindness 
in allowing a show to be held in his park at Holland House, 
Kensington, on June 25th and 26th. Financially, the show was 
not a conspicuous success, but from every other point of view 
it more than fulfilled expectations. The Fellow® will be pleased 
to know that his Lordship has consented to another show being 
held at Holland House in, the ensuing year on July 12th and 
13th. Fellows are requested to inform their friends of this 
show, so as to make it this year a financial as well as a floral 
success. 
Special Societies.— At the request of the various societies 
concerned the Council have arranged as follows:—April 19th, 
National Auricula and Primula Society’s Show; May 7th, 
National Tulip Society’s Show ; July 6th, National Carnation 
Society’s Show; September 20th, National Rose Society’s 
Autumn Show; and September 20th, National Dahlia Society’s 
committee meeting. These will be held in conjunction with the 
society’s usual fortnightly meeting, and full particulars of the 
prizes, etc., will be found in the Book of Arrangements for 1904. 
Fruit Show.— The exhibition of British-grown fruit and vege¬ 
tables, held in the society’s garden at Chiswick on Septem¬ 
ber 29tli, 30th, and October 1st, was, from an educational point 
of view, most satisfactory. Full particulars will be found in 
Vol. XXVIT., Part 3, of the Journal, which will be issued in 
the course of a few weeks. It is intended to hold a similar show 
of British-grown fruits in the New Hall on October 4th, 5th, 
and 6th, 1904. 
ABBREVIATED REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE 
YEAR 1903. 
Dr. £ s.riT 
To establishment expenses .. 4,229 18 4 
Bindley Library. 27 14 0 
Shows and meetings. 1,994 1 1 
Prizes and medals. 565 13 8 
Chiswick Gardens.1,791 19 0 
Wisley Gardens. 167 5 11 
Balance carried' to balance 
sheet . .3,641 10 10 
£12,418 2 10 
Society and Association Notes. 
Bath and District Gardeners. —A meeting of Bath and Dis¬ 
trict Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Association was held on 
the 14th inst., Mr. Milburn gave a paper on “ Some of the Recent 
Introductions in Hardy Trees and Shrubs.” 
* * * 
National Chrysanthemum Society. —The revised dates fer 
exhibitions to be held under the auspices of the above society 
are: Wednesday and Thursday, October 5th and 6th ; V ednes- 
day, Thursday, and Friday, November 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ; and 
Wednesday and Thursday, December 7th and 8th. 
* * * 
Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.— The annual general meet¬ 
ing of the subscribers to this fund will be held at the Cannon 
Street Hotel, London, E.C., on Friday, February 12th, 1904, 
for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee and 
statement of accounts for the past year ; to elect officers for the 
ensuing year ; to elect 10 children to the benefits of the fund, 
etc There are 19 candidates seeking for.election. 
** * 
Royal Horticultural Society.— The next meeting of 
the committees will take place on Tuesday, February 9th, in the 
Drill Hall, Buckingham Gatp, Westminster. The annual 
general meeting of the Fellows of the society will also be held 
in the Drill Hall at 3 p.m. on the same date. At. a general 
meeting, held on Tuesday, January 26th, 119 new Fellows were 
elected, amongst them being the Lady Hindlip, Lady W ynford, 
and Sir John Aird, M.P., making a total of 172 elected since 
the beginning of the present year. Fellows attending the meet¬ 
ing are invited to inspect the new hall now building in Vincent 
Square. 
* * * 
Royal Botanic Society oe London,— It is proposed that a 
grand horticultural and gardening exhibition shall take, place 
in the month of June this year under the auspices of the society. 
It is intended that the exhibition shall be held in the new ex¬ 
hibition grounds of the society, situated; in the centre of their 
beautifuf gardens in Regent’s Park, the exhibition to be open 
for one week, or possibly longer. The proposed scheme em¬ 
braces horticulture, forestry, botany, .educational methods, 
nature study, and a special section for Colonial produce. In 
addition to the exhibition, jlectures, conferences, and con¬ 
versaziones are in course of arrangement. The president of the 
R.B.S. is Major his Serene Highness the Duke of Teck. All 
communications respecting the gardens and exhibitions, etc., 
should be made to Mr. J. Bryant Sowerby, the secretary. 
* * * 
Wargrave Gardeners’ Association.— The annual meet- 
in" of this flourishing association took place on the 13th 
ult., the chairman (Mr. T. J. Powell) presiding over a 
good attendance of members. The officers and committee 
for the ensuing year were elected, Mr. G. Stanton 
taking the place' of Mr. Powell as chairman of the asso¬ 
ciation for 1904. The hon. secretary and treasurer (Mr. H. 
Coleby) presented the annual report and balance sheet, which 
were adopted as being most satisfactory. The ordinary members 
now number sixty, and there are just over thirty honorary sub¬ 
scribing members, and it is the great interest taken by the latter 
in the association that makes it so popular with the gardeners of 
the district. The annual social evening was fixed for January 
27th Mr. G. Wicks, of Castlemau’s Gardens, exliibited some 
fine specimen plants of double white Primula and a dish of 
Tomatos. obtaining a Cultural Certificate for the former. 
Cr. £_ s. il. 
By annual subscriptions .... 8,297 4 6 
Shows and meetings .... 2,334 5 7 
Advertisements in Jour¬ 
nal, etc... .. 84 5 0 0 
'Dividends . 503 4 8 
Interest . on deposit. ac¬ 
count . 35 10 7 
Prizes and medals.. 78 14 9 
Chiswick Gardens (pro¬ 
duce sold, etc.). 311 10 9 
Donation for VV isley Gar¬ 
dens .' 12 12 0 
£12,418 2 10 
