AmMa°rch,r9olrm-}  London  Botanic  Gardens.  119 
to  the  specimens  themselves,  there  is,  in  the  museum,  a  valuable 
collection  of  oil  paintings  of  plants  and  flowers  by  the  Hon.  Evelyn 
Ellis. 
The  Laboratory  was  built  in  1902,  in  connection  with  the  Garden- 
ing School.  It  is  fitted  up  with  benches,  gas  and  water  being  laid 
on,  and  is  also  adapted  for  use  as  a  lecture  hall. 
THE  WORKING  OF  THE  GARDENS. 
The  management  of  the  Society's  affairs,  including  the  Gardens, 
is  in  the  hands  of  a  Council  elected  by  vote  of  the  Fellows.  A  presi- 
dent is  also  elected  yearly,  but,  up  to  the  present,  every  president 
has  been  re-elected  until  his  death.  The  first  president  was  Charles, 
Duke  of  Richmond  (  to  1842  ) ;  the  second,  Bernard  Edward,  Duke 
of  Norfolk  (to  1856);  the  third,  the  late  Prince  Consort  (  to  1 862  )  ; 
the  fourth,  Lord  de  La  Warr  (to  1869);  the  fifth,  the  DukeofTeck 
(to  1898);  and  the  sixth,  his  son,  the  present  Duke  of  Teck,  who 
still  occupies  the  position.  The  Society  has,  moreover,  always  en- 
joyed distinguished  patronage;  the  late  Queen  Victoria  was  its 
patron  from  the  beginning,  until  her  death,  and  the  Duchess  of 
Kent  and  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Cambridge  the  first  vice-patrons. 
King  Edward  is  the  present  patron  and  Queen  Alexandra,  patroness, 
while  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales  are  vice-patron  and  vice- 
patroness  respectively. 
The  principal  officer  of  the  Society  is  the  Secretary.  J.  de  Carle 
Sowerby,  one  of  the  founders,  was  the  first  to  hold  office  in  this 
capacity,  and  this  post  has  since  been  occupied  by  members  of  the 
same  family,  the  present  Secretary  being  Mr.  J.  Bryant  Sowerby, 
F.L.S. 
The  gardening  staff  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  E.  F.  Hawes,  who  is 
likewise  Chief  Instructor  of  the  Practical  Gardening  School. 
There  is  also  a  Curator  attached  to  the  Museum. 
The  Society,  depending  entirely  as  it  does  upon  the  Fellows'  sub- 
scriptions for  its  funds,  has  found  it  necessary  to  effect  a  compromise 
in  the  organization  of  its  functions,  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  renewal  of  the  lease  of  the  Gardens  from  the  Crown,  in  1901, 
was  only  secured  by  paying  a  higher  price  than  before.  The 
inducement  required  to  attract  a  larger  number  of  Fellows  has  been 
provided  by  the  introduction  of  a  number  of  features  for  their  com- 
fort and  amusement,  such  as  a  croquet  and  tennis  ground,  suitable 
