February  10,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
129 
seating  space  for  everyone.  It  was  certainly  one  of  the  best  attended 
meetings  that  the  Society  has  had  for  some  years.  At  three  o’clock 
precisely  the  meeting  was  opened  by  the  reading  of  the  notice  convening 
the  meeting  and  the  minutes  of  the  last  annual  general  meeting,  after 
which  a  considerable  number  of  Fellows  were  elected.  Messrs.  G.  Bunyard 
and  H.  Turner  were  elected  scrutineers  of  the  ballot,  and  Sir  Frederick 
Wigan,  Bart.,  ami  Messrs.  .1.  G.  Fowler  and  J.  Hudson  were  elected  in 
place  of  Messrs.  N.  C.  Cookson,  J.  T.  Gabriel,  and  J.  Douglas, 
The  report  and  balance-sheet,  given  hereunder,  were -and  of  which  a 
copy  has  been  sent  to  each  member — taken  as  read,  and  the  Febsident, 
in  moving  their  adoption,  adverted  to  a  few  of  the  salient  points. 
With  brevity  and  clearness  was  the  work  of  the  year  reviewed,  and 
throughout  the  tone  of  Sir  Trevor’s  remarks  was  of  a  congratulatory 
nature.  The  Jubilee  year  had  proved  a  most  prosperous  and  successful 
one  in  every  respect,  and  in  referring  to  the  excellence  of  the  fortnightly 
meetings  a  just  tribute  was  paid  to  British  gardeners,  who,  by  their 
industry,  skill,  and  disinterestedness,  have  done  so  much  for  the  Society. 
Mention  was  made  of  the  unfortunate  lack  of  space  in  the  Drill  Hall,  a 
circumstance  which  precludes  the  shows  growing  as  they  might  and 
probably  would  do.  This  disadvantage.  Sir  Trevor  continued, 
demonstrated  the  necessity  of  a  Hall  of  Horticulture  in  our  great 
metropolis,  and  suggested  as  a  means  to  that  end  that  every  Fellow 
should  increase  his  subscription  from  1  to  2  guineas.  Money  was  the 
desideratum  in  this  matter,  and  if  this  were  forthcoming  the 
difficulty  would  be  minimised,  if  not  removed.  The  superb  displays 
in  the  Temple  Gardens  were  noticed,  as  was  the  fact  that  even 
for  these  the  space  was  by  no  means  sufficient,  while  the 
show  of  fruit  the  Crystal  Palace  was  not  forgotten.  Chiswick  as  it 
was  in  the  past  and  as  it  is  in  the  present  was  commented  on,  and 
special  stress  was  made  in  reference  to  the  improvements  in  the  structures 
which  have  been  proceeding  apace.  Every  effort  was  being  made  to 
maintain,  or  rather  improve,  the  standard  of  Chiswick  from  an  educational 
point  of  view,  and  the  President  thought  the  gardens  were  every  year 
becoming  more  and  more  a  credit  to  the  Society.  Continuing,  the 
giving  of  certificates  and  awards  of  merit  to  new  plants,  with  medals  to 
larger  exhibits,  was  referred  to,  and  Sir  Trevor  expressed  the  fear  that 
they  were  being  too  lavishly  accorded,  as  the  more  that  were  given  the 
more  would  their  value  be  lessened.  This  he  thought  regretable, 
and  hoped  that  by  making  future  selection  more  rigid,  the  value  of  the 
awards  would  be  maintained  instead  of  being  reduced.  Several  other 
points  were  curtly  noticed,  one  of  the  most  interesting  being  the  fact 
that  the  Fellows  increased  in  numbers  by  325.  This,  however,  is  some¬ 
what  put  in  the  shade  by  the  record  that  has  been  established  at'the 
last  two  meetings,  when  1 13  members  have  been  added.  The  financial 
position  is  excellent,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  balance-sheet  below. 
Suegeon-Major  Inge  made  some  remarks  upon  the  report,  which 
created  a  considerable  amount  of  amusement,  especially  when  the  speaker 
ventured  into  statistics  that  were  mainly  wrong,  as  was  promptly  demon¬ 
strated  by  several  Fellows.  Dr.  Maxwell  T.  Masters  was  quite  to  the 
point  in  his  remarks  when  seconding  the  adoption  of  the  report,  which 
was  carried  by  acclamation.  Surgeon-Major  Ince  was  more  correct  when 
proposing  in  eulogistic  terms  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Sir  Trevor  for  presiding. 
Mr.  G.  Wythes  was  the  seconder,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  the  motion 
was  passed  without  a  dissentient  voice. 
Mr.  Alex.  Dean  rose  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  meeting  to  the  inno¬ 
vation  in  granting  medals  which  had  been  inaugurated  at  the  Drill  Hall 
that  day,  and  which,  he  rightly  observed,  trenched  upon  the  Committees’ 
legitimate  work.  The  system  that  the  Council  had  adopted  was  to 
select  three  members  from  each  Committee,  who  amalgamating,  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  adjudge  upon  the  groups.  Apart  from  depriving  the 
individual  Committees  of  their  proi)er  duties,  this  system  could  not,  for 
obvious  reasons,  be  followed  up  successfully,  and  the  speaker  forcibly 
demonstrated  this,  and  implored  the  Council  to  reconsider  the  matter. 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  in  replying,  said  he  thought  it  would  be 
better  if  the  chosen  three  from  each  Committee  dealt  only  with  exhibits 
of  the  particular  Committee  to  which  they  were  attached,  and  presumably 
this  will  be  placed  before  the  Council.  But  this  system  of  choosing  three 
members  for  the  purpose  has,  as  Mr.  R.  Dean  pointed  out,  been  in 
vogue  with  the  Floral  Committee  for  several  years. 
The  proceedings,  after  some  remarks  by  Mr.  Berry  of  Faversham, 
were  brought  to  a  close. 
REPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL  FOR  THE  YEAR  1897-98. 
The  year  1897  will  long  be  rememliered  as  the  Diamond  Jubilee  year 
of  her  Most  Gracious  Majesty,  Patron  of  our  Society — remembered,  too, 
for  the  innumerable  projects  set  on  foot  in  celebration  of  the  event. 
In  the  report  for  1896  thb  Council  announced  that  they  had  no 
intention  of  adding  to  the  number  of  projects  by  starting  any  ambitious 
horticultural  celebration  which  would  lay  any  strain  upon  the  resources 
of  individual  Fellows.  They  stated  that  they  proposed  to  establish  a 
Medal  of  Honour  in  Horticulture,  and  that  they  had  obtained  the  sanction 
of  her  Majesty  to  call  it  the  Victoria  Medal. 
This  proposal  has  been  duly  carried  out ;  the  medal  has  been  prepared, 
and  conferred  on  sixty  recipients  distinguished  in  various  ways  in  our  art 
and  science  ;  and  it  is  believed  to  be  the  only  medal  associated  with  her 
Majesty’s  Diamond  Jubilee,  with  the  exception  of  the  one  founded  by 
herself.  It  is,  moreover,  the  only  horticultural  distinction  in  this  country 
that  is  conferred  for  personal  merit  only,  and  is  entirely  unconnected  with 
prizewinniug. 
By  their  action  in  this  matter  the  Council  consider  that  they  have 
commemorated  her  gracious  Majesty’s  Jubilee  in  a  becoming  and 
enduring  manner ;  in  a  manner  absolutely  distinct  from  all  other 
celebrations  ;  in  a  manner  that  lays  no  tax  upon  the  Fellows  of  the 
Society  ;  in  a  manner  distinctly  to  the  advantage  and  encouragement  of 
horticultural  skill  and  effort ;  and  lastly  in  a  manner  which  will  carry 
down  to  all  future  generations  of  horticulturists  the  memory  of  Queen 
Victoria’s  long  and  happy  reign. 
Under  the  head  of  ordinary  expenditure  at  Chiswick  £1850  has  been 
spent  on  the  general  work  and  maintenance  of  the  gardens.  Amongst 
other  work,  house  No.  11  has  been  partially,  and  No.  10  entirely  rebuilt, 
whilst  No.  5,  devoted  to  Peaches,  has  been  raised  in  height  and  a  new 
roof  put  on.  All  this  work  has  been  done  by  the  Society’s  own  staff  of 
men.  The  receipts  by  sale  of  surplus  produce  amount  to  £357,  making 
the  net  ordinary  cost  of  the  gardens  £1493. 
At  Westminster,  twenty  Fruit  and  Floral  meetings  have  been  held  in 
the  Drill  Hall,  .lames  Street,  Victoria  Street,  and  fifteen  Committee 
meetings  have  been  held  at  Chiswick,  besides  the  larger  shows  in  the 
Temple  Gardens  on  May  26th,  27th,  and  28th,  and  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
on  September  30th,  October  1st  and  2nd.  Lectures  have  been  delivered 
at  seventeen  of  the  meetings,  exclusive  of  those  given  at  the  Crystal 
Palace.  The  number  of  awards  granted  by  the  Council,  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  various  Committees,  has  been  as  follows  : — 
Award. 
At  Provincial 
Shows. 
Affiliated 
Societies. 
On  Recommendation  of 
Total. 
Fruit 
Committee. 
i 
Floral 
Committee. 
Orchid 
Committee. 
Narcissus 
Committee. 
Gold  Medal . 
1 
_ 
6 
5 
2 
__ 
14 
Silver-gilt  Flora  . 
5 
— 
— 
40 
8 
2 
55 
Silver-gilt  Knightian 
2 
— 
16 
— 
— 
— 
18 
Silver-gilt  Banksian 
— 
— 
3 
28 
4 
— 
35 
Silver  Flora . 
7 
14 
— 
79 
28 
4 
132 
Silver  Knightian  . 
1 
30 
19 
— 
— 
— 
50 
Silver  Banksian  . 
11 
— 
19 
81 
39 
3 
153 
Bronze  Flora  . 
— 
;i 
— 
7 
— 
— 
16 
Bronze  Knightian . 
— 
— 
4 
— 
— 
— 
4 
Bronze  Banksian 
— 
27 
1 
24 
2 
— 
54 
First-class  Certificate 
— 
— 
24 
25 
5 
54 
Award  of  Merit 
5 
— 
35 
209 
91 
6 
946 
Botanical  Certificate 
— 
— 
— 
4 
27 
— 
ol 
Cultural  Commendation 
4 
— 
16 
1 
V5 
— 
46 
Total . 
3(J 
80 
119 
50 
251 
20 
1008 
[JNiiiei>  urouzc  Rauksiau  medals  have  been  granted  to  Cottagers’  societies.] 
The  Council  must  again  express  their  opinion  that  there  still  appears 
to  be  a  tendency  to  multiply  unduly  the  awards  recommended,  and  they 
earnestly  request  the  several  Committees  to  consider  seriously  whether 
there  is  not  a  real  danger  of  impairing  the  value  of  these  distinctions 
by  such  increase  of  their  number  ;  and  whether  it  would  not  be  possible, 
as  well  as  politic,  to  be  somewhat  less  generous  in  the  recommendation  of 
awards  during  the  ensuing  year.  This  is  a  question  which  the  Council 
cannot  but  regard  with  solicitude,  and  they  hope  that  every  member  of 
the  Committee  will  consider  that  he  has  a  real  individual  responsibility 
for  the  welfare  of  the  Society  in  this  matter. 
On  Wednesday,  July  14th,  the  Council  invited  all  the  members  of  the 
several  Committees  to  lunch  with  them  at  Chiswick,  and  to  examine  the 
Gardens.  After  the  luncheon  an  address  was  delivered  by  Dr.  Maxwell 
Masters,  F.R.S.,  on  the  possibilities  of  an  extended  usefulness  of  the 
Gardens.  A  full  account  of  the  proceedings  will  be  found  in  the  Journal, 
vol.  xxi.,  page  160. 
The  Council  desire  to  draw  the  attention  of  all  Fellows  of  the  Society 
to  the  more  extended  use  which  the  Scientific  Committee  might  be  to 
them  if  they  availed  themselves  more  freely  of  their  privileges  in  sub¬ 
mitting  instances  of  diseases  of  or  injuries  to  plants,  caused  by  insects  or 
otherwise.  The  Scientific  Committee  is  composed  of  gentlemen  qualified 
to  give  -the  best  advice  on  all  such  subjects,  either  in  respect  to  the 
prevention  or  cure  of  disease,  The  Committee  is  also  glad  to  receive 
specimens  of  any  subjects  of  horticultural  or  botanical  interest. 
The  Council  wish  to  express  their  thanks  to  the  Director  of  the  Royal 
Gardens,  Kew,  for  allowing  them  to  consult  Mr.  Massee,  F.L.S.,  on  the 
fungoid  diseases,  &c.,  brought  before  the  Scientific  Committee,  and  to  that 
gentleman  for  his  readiness  in  giving  them  the  advantage  of  his  know¬ 
ledge  and  advice. 
That  Fellows,  whether  near  or  at  a  distance,  may  derive  as  much 
benefit  as  possible  from  their  connection  with  the  Society,  the  Council 
have  recently  appointed  Dr.  J.  Augustus  Voelcker,  M.A.,  Consulting 
Chemist  to  the  Society,  and  have  entered  iuto  an  arrangement  with  him 
whereby  all  Fellows,  who  are  amateurs  or  bond-jide  gardeners,  may  obtain 
at  very  small  cost  analyses  of  manures,  soils,  &c.,  or  advice  as  to  what 
description  of  chemical  manure  will  be  most  suitable  and  profitable  for 
application  to  any  particular  soil.  The  Council  wish  to  draw  particular 
attention  to  two  points— viz., 
(i.)  That  Fellows  desiring  an  analysis  must  follow  explicitly 
and  exactly  the  directions  laid  down  in  the  book  of  Arrangements, 
1898,  and 
(ii.)  That  Fellows  who  are  in  any  way  commercially  interested 
in  any  artificial  manure  trade  or  horticultural  business  cannot 
claim  Dr.  Voelcker’s  assistance  as  Fellows,  but  if  they  wish  to 
consult  him  must  do  so  in  the  ordinary  way  of  business. 
The  Society’s  great  show,  held  (by  the  continued  kindness  of  the 
Treasurer  and  Benchers)  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  was  as  successful 
