February 11, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
123 
SOCIETIES. 
royal horticultural. 
Report of tbe Council for the Year 1904. 
The books containing the Report of the Council of the K.H.iS. 
for 1904 and the arrangements for 1905 have now^been seiit^to 
the Fellows, and the former will be presented at the annua 
general meeting of the Fellows on the 14th inst. in the Roys 
the society by the openm 0 
Maiesty the King, and the removal of the gardens from Clns- 
wnk to Wisley, both these having been accomplished. 1 he 
rm.ncil states that the society owes its possession of the hall and 
unices to the perseverance and generosity of Baron >-ir Henij 
Zhva-ler Bart.. V.M.H. Acknowledgment is also made of the 
obligation to others who assisted the society. The hall was 
oneneil on July 22nd, 1904, by their Majesties the King and 
Queen, accompanied by H.R.H. the Princess Aictoria. The 
sum of £25,178 has been raised towards the building of the hall, 
but they regret that a debt on the building fund of £8,989 still 
remains to be paid. The Fellows are invited to help in paying 
nlf this debt. Owing to the splendid acoustic properties of the 
hall it is being enquired after for concerts, bazaars, shows, etc., 
and the council hopes this will materially help towards meeting 
the cost for ground rent, rates, taxes, etc. 
\ large range of glasshouses has been erected m the \Visley 
Gardens, as well as a house for the superintendent and a cottage 
for the fruit foreman, with other improvements. We may 
remind readers that the gardens at Wisley were purchased by 
Sir Thomas Hanbury and gifted to the society. Seven acres 
have been planted with representative fruit trees and bushes 
presented by a number of nurserymen whose names are here 
recorded. The council are still anxious to build a suitable 
laboratory for scientific research in relation to plant life, but 
the present financial position of the society forbids the expendi¬ 
ture in the meantime. 
In accordance with Bye-laws No. 61 and 62 the council elected 
Mr. W. A. Bilney and Sir Albert Rollit, M.P., to fill vacancies 
hi their body. The three retiring members of the council are 
eligible for re-election. Five others have been nominated as 
vice-presidents, and four have been nominated as officers, who 
are at present acting in that capacity. 
During the past rear the council were invited to nominate two 
representatives to'sit on the Board of Examiners in connec¬ 
tion with the Horticultural Department of Reading College. 
This was carried out. The society was also represented at the 
jubilee of the Royal Scottish Arboriculture Society. During 
the present year the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society 
will celebrate their centenary, and an invitation has been 
accepted to send a deputation to Edinburgh on September 12th. 
Another invitation from Paris has also been accepted in connec¬ 
tion with the International Horticultural Exhibition in May 
next. 
Four vacancies occurred during the past year in the list of 
Victoria Medal of Honour, and these were filled up by the 
appointment of the Right Hon. the Lord Redesdale, Mr. Thomas 
Challis, Mr. Alexander Dean, and Mr. Edward Mawley. 
During the year 1,310 Fellows were elected, as well as twenty- 
seven associates, twenty-nine affiliated societies, and seventeen 
made commutations. There was, however, a total loss in these 
numbers of 469, so that the numerical increase stands at 914 for 
the year, this representing the annual progress made. The 
total number of Fellows, members, associates, and affiliated 
societies is now 8,360. 
The Journal of the society takes a foremost place amongst 
the publications of the scientific societies of Europe. With 
regard to the library, it is here again announced that besides 
his original subscription to the hall, Baron Schroder most 
generously defrayed the whole cost of fnoving the library and 
housing it worthily in the new building. 
There were 190 entries received for the society’s twelfth annual 
examination in the principles and practice of horticulture last 
year. For the elementary and school teachers' examination 
124 entries were received. These examinations will be repeated 
this year on April 12th and 5th respectively. 
The awards made during the year for various purposes at the 
different shows were again numerous. The Gold Medals 
awarded number 37 ; Silver Cups, 50 ; Silver-gilt Hogg Medal. 
40 ; Silver-gilt Bindley Medal, 1 ; Silver-gilt Flora, 74 ; Silver- 
gilt, Knightian, 15 ; Silver-gilt Banksian, 49 ; Silver Hogg, 3 ; 
Silver Lindley, 1 ; Silver Flora, 175 ; Silver Knightian, 18 ; 
Silver Banksian, 196 ; Bronze Flora, 20 ; Bronze Knightian, 1 ; 
Bronze Banksian, 19; Silver-gilt, 20; Silver, 44; Bronze, 49 
(the three previous items were affiliated societies’ medals) ; 
First-class Certificate, 58 ; Award of Merit, 263; Botanical 
Certificate, 24 ; Cultural Commendation, 48 ; making a total of 
1,169. Besides the above a Silver-gilt Flora Medal was awarded 
to Miss F. M. Verrall, who passed- first in the examination in 
horticulture ; a similar Medal to Mr. Montague W. Dance, who 
was first in the examination in cottage and allotment garden¬ 
ing ; also 129 Bronze Banksian Medals to cottagers’ societies. 
During the year twenty-five shows were held, occupying thirty- 
one days. During the present year twenty-six shows have been 
arranged for to last over thirty-two days. It has also been 
decided to keep the New Hall shows open till 6 p.rn., except in 
January, February, November, and December, when they will 
close at 5 p.m. The eleventh annual show of British-grown fruit 
was held for the first lime in London in the new hall, and was in 
every way a success. The show will again be held in the hall, 
to be followed by a show of home-grown vegetables on Octo¬ 
ber 24th. A show of colonial and preserved fruits was held in 
the hall on December 13th and 14th, and another will be held 
on March 30th and 31st next. 
Special flower shows were held as usual in conjunction with the 
R.H.S., and these will be repeated, including the National Rose 
Society, on September 26th and 27th. The National Auricula 
and Primula, the National Tulip, and the National Carnation 
and Picotee Societies held shows in connection with the R.H.S. 
fortnightly meetings, and this will be continued this year, with 
the addition of the National Sweet Pea Society. The council, 
besides welcoming kindred societies at their fortnightly meet¬ 
ings, have agreed to allow them the use of the hall for in¬ 
dependent shows at specially low rates, and some of them have 
arranged to hold their council and other meetings in rooms 
attached to the hall. 
The Temple Show was again held, by permission of the Master 
and Benchers, in the Inner Temple Gardens, and arrangements 
have been made for holding the show for the eighteenth year 
in succession on May 30th. 31st, and June 1st next. A summer 
show was held for the third time at Holland House, Kensing¬ 
ton. This cannot be repeated this year, but it has sines been 
arranged to hold the summer show in tbe Chelsea Hospital 
Gardens, as announced in another column. 
During the past year seventeen papers were read at the fort¬ 
nightly meetings by different gentlemen. 
Evidence is given of the diligence of the students in avail¬ 
ing themselves of the practical and other instruction given 
them in the society’s gardens at Chiswick by the Certificates 
they have gained in various branches of science. Many of them 
are now filling important appointments in this country and 
abroad. So great is the demand for these young men that the 
council have been unable to meet the demand. Applications 
were made for no less than 36 head, gardeners, 3 single-handed 
gardeners, 10 foremen, 11 journeymen, 3 foresters, as well 
as nursery foremen, landscape gardeners, propagators, etc. 
This work is being continued at Wisley, the students being 
admitted for a period of two years. As soon as a scientific de¬ 
partment can be established, elementary science as it affects 
horticulture will be added to the curriculum. 
During the present year trials will be carried out at Wisley 
with Pctatos, Peas, Broccoli, Tornados, Violas, Sweet Peas, Car¬ 
nations, and Cactus Dahlias. It is the intention to plant some 
of the present unoccupied land until a representative collection 
of trees and shrubs, with the best varieties of each description 
of Rose. Donations of trees, shrubs, and other plants would 
be most acceptable. 
During the past year 60,000 plants, cuttings, and packets of 
seeds were distributed from Chiswick, and a similar distribu¬ 
tion by ballot will take place during March and April next, 
but the stock is not so large this year, owing to the removal of 
the garden. 
fu conclusion, the council urges the Fellows to make renewed 
efforts to wipe off the debt on the hall, to complete the equip¬ 
ment of Wisley by the erection of a horticultural research sta¬ 
tion, and to increase the roll of Fellows. 
RE' ENUE AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDING 
DECEMBER 31st, 1904. 
Dr. 
To establishment expenses, including salaries, 
rent, printing Journal, postages, etc. 
Dilapidations (Victoria Street offices) ... 
Lindley Library 
Shows and meetings 
Prizes and medals ... ... 
£4,263 15 9 
50 0 0 
19 1 6 
2,029 1 10 
550 3 H 
