148 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
February  IS,  1896. 
Mr.  R.  Dean  remarked  that  he  noticed  there  was  no  floral  meeting 
arranged  to  take  place  from  the  middle  of  September  to  the  middle  of 
October,  and  as  that  was  a  time  when  many  flowers  were  in  season,  be 
hoped  they  would  be  able  to  make  arrangements  for  the  Floral  Com¬ 
mittee  to  meet  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Show.  The  Chairman  assured 
Mr.  Dean  that  the  question  should  receive  consideration.  As  no  other 
business  was  forthcoming,  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman 
brought  the  proceedings  to  a  close. 
REPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL  FOR  THE  YEAR  1895-96. 
The  most  important  work  of  the  Society  during  the  past  year,  and 
that  which  will  have  the  greatest  effect  on  the  gardening  of  the  future, 
is  probably  the  recent  publication  of  the  rules  and  suggestions  for  judges 
and  schedule  makers. 
In  response  to  a  widely  expressed  wish  the  Council  in  the  autumn  of 
1894  appointed  a  Committee  to  draw  up  such  a  code  of  rules,  and  it  is 
not  saying  too  much  to  affirm  that  no  Committee  has  (of  late  years  at 
least)  worked  harder  or  devoted  more  time  to  the  Society’s  interests. 
The  most  hearty  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  to  the  members  of  this 
Committee. 
Although  actual  experience  and  practice  may  at  first  call  for  divers 
modifications  and  additions,  yet  the  result  of  their  labour,  as  now  set 
forth,  is  one  which  the  Fellows  of  the  Society  may  well  regard  with 
satisfaction,  and  which  will,  it  is  hoped,  form  the  foundation  of  a  code 
by  which  all  judging  at  shows  will  be  conducted  in  years  not  far  distant. 
The  code  is  published  at  the  Society’s  office,  117,  Victoria  Street,  S.W., 
post  free,  Is.  Id. 
The  year  has  also  been  marked  by  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Barron  from 
his  long  tenure  of  office  as  Superintendent  of  the  Society’s  Gardens  at 
Chiswick — a  tenure  of  thirty  years  as  Superintendent  and  eight  years  as 
Foreman — reaching  from  the  year  1857  to  the  present  time.  During 
those  thirty-eight  years  Mr.  Barron  has  devoted  his  best  energies  and  the 
most  valuable  years  of  his  life  to  the  service  of  the  Society,  and  after 
due  consideration  the  Council  have  thought  it  right  to  make  him  a 
retiring  allowance  of  two-thirds  of  his  salary,  and  have  conferred  upon 
him  an  Honorary  Life  Fellowship  in  the  Society. 
The  Council  desire  on  their  own  behalf,  and  that  of  the  Fellows 
generally,  to  tender  to  Mr.  Barron  their  fullest  acknowledgment  of  his 
faithful  and  valuable  services  during  the  many  years  of  his  work  for  the 
Society,  accompanied  with  the  hope  that  he  may  long  enjoy  a  well-earned 
retirement. 
In  round  numbers  £1765  has  been  expended  at  Chiswick  this  year  on 
the  general  work,  and  repairs  and  keeping  up  of  the  Gardens.  The 
receipts  from  the  Gardens  by  sale  of  surplus  produce  amount  to  £367, 
making  the  net  cost  of  the  Gardens  £1398. 
Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  hitherto  of  Glewston  Court  Gardens,  Ross,  has  been 
appointed  Superintendent. 
The  Council  have  thought  that  for  the  first  year  at  least  it  would  be 
best  for  Mr.  Wright  to  have  a  perfectly  free  hand  at  Chiswick,  subject  to 
the  control  of  the  Council  alone.  Whilst  therefore  expressing  their 
best  thanks  to  the  members  of  the  late  Chiswick  Board,  they  have 
decided  not  to  propose  the  re-appointment  of  that  body  for  the  ensuing 
year. 
Certain  alterations  which  they  hope  to  be  able  to  introduce  into  the 
system  at  Chiswick  will  develop  themselves  as  time  goes  on.  It  would 
not  be  wise  to  put  forth  an  ambitious  programme  until  Mr.  Wright  shall 
at  least  have  had  time  to  become  intimately  acquainted  with  the  Garden, 
its  capabilities,  and  its  contents.  All  practical  gardeners  will  at  once 
perceive  the  necessity  of  allowing  1896  to  be  a  year  of  what  it  is  hoped 
may  prove  unpretentious  advance  and  improvement. 
Eighteen  fruit  and  floral  meetings  have  been  held  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  besides  the  more  extended 
shows  at  the  Temple  Gardens  on  May  21st,  22nd  and  23rd  ;  at  Chiswick 
Gardens  on  September  10th,  and  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  September  26th, 
27th  and  28th  ;  and  lectures  have  been  delivered  at  fifteen  of  the  meet¬ 
ings,  exclusive  of  those  given  at  the  conferences.  The  number  of  awards 
has  been  as  follows  : — On  the  recommendation  of  the  Floral  Committee, 
22  first-class  certificates  against  71  in  1894,  174  awards  of  merit  against 
225,  and  no  botanical  certificates  against  3.  On  the  recommendation  of 
the  Orchid  Committee,  48  first-class  certificates  against  68  last  year, 
98  awards  of  merit  against  134,  72  botanical  certificates  against  21.  On 
the  recommendation  of  the  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Committee,  8  first-class 
certificates  agaiDSt  15,  and  44  awards  of  merit  against  12  last  year. 
For  the  simplification  of  office  arrangements,  and  for  economy  in 
postage  expense,  it  has  been  thought  well  in  future  to  make  the  Society’s 
year  of  work  begin  and  end  (as  far  as  allowed  by  the  Charter)  with 
the  annual  meeting  in  February.  For  this  purpose  all  Fellows’  tickets 
for  1896  will  be  available  for  the  January  meeting  of  1897.  The 
Committees  recently  appointed  will  also  continue  in  office  until  the 
same  date. 
At  the  request  of  several  amateur  growers  a  Narcissus  Committee  has 
been  re-established. 
The  Council  have  also  thought  it  well  to  make  an  attempt  to  encourage 
individual  research  and  effort  in  obtaining  new  plauts  either  by  imporra- 
tation  or  hybridisation,  and  to  this  end  are  offering  the  Society’s  medals 
as  prizes,  particulars  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  schedule  arrange¬ 
ments,  1896. 
The  Council  desire  to  draw  the  a' tuition  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 
submitting  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  malformation  or  other  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 
knowledge  and  advice. 
The  Society’s  great  show  held  (by  the  continued  kindness  of  the 
Treasurer  and  Benchers)  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens  was  as  successful 
as  ever,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  satisfaction  to  the  Council  to  find  that 
this  meeting  is  now  universally  acknowledged  to  be  the  leading  Horti¬ 
cultural  exhibition  of  this  country.  The  best  thanks  of  the  Society  are 
due  to  all  who  kindly  brought  their  plants  for  exhibition,  or  otherwise 
contributed  to  the  success  of  this  show. 
The  exhibition  of  vegetables  held  in  the  Society’s  gardens  at 
Chiswick  on  September  10th  was  hardly  of  such  practical  utility  as  the 
Council  had  anticipated.  Wonderful  specimens  of  cultivation  were 
shown,  but  many  of  the  exhibits  were  distinctly  too  large  for  table 
use,  and  the  number  of  exhibitors  was  comparatively  small.  It  is  hoped 
that  whenever  another  vegetable  show  may  be  held,  this  meeting  may  at 
least  have  taught  us  what  to  aim  at  and  what  to  avoid. 
The  great  show  of  British-grown  fruit  held  by  the  Society  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  on  September  26th,  27th,  and  28th  was  of  even  greater 
dimensions  and  excellence  as  regards  the  fruit  shown,  and  was  attended 
by  far  larger  numbers  of  visitors  than  that  of  last  j  ear.  It  is  needless 
to  enter  into  details,  as  full  particulars  will  be  found  in  volume  xix,, 
part  2  of  the  Journal  recently  issued. 
As  an  object  lesson  in  British  fruit  cultivation  this  annual  show 
stands  out  unrivalled,  and  is  of  national  importance.  But  its  continuance 
year  after  year  is  a  matter  of  the  gravest  concern  to  the  Council,  as  it 
involves  a  large  expenditure  without  hope  of  any  return.  Arrangements 
have  been  made  with  the  Crystal  Palace  authorities  for  the  Society  to 
hold  a  similar  show  on  October  1st,  2nd,  and  3rd,  1896,  but  these 
arrangements  are  absolutely  conditional  on  a  sum  of  £100  being  sub¬ 
scribed  by  April,  1896,  to  assist  with  the  prize  fund. 
Messrs.  H.  J.  Yeitch,  T.  Francis  Rivers,  George  Bunyard,  Owen 
Thomas,  Geo.  Norman,  J.  Smith  of  Mentmore,  Philip  Crowley,  John 
Wright,  and  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks  have  been  appointed  a  Committee  to 
revise  the  schedule  of  prizes,  and  a  circular  letter  inviting  subscriptions 
has  been  issued,  but  as  it  is  impossible  to  send  it  to  all  it  is  hoped  that 
any  who  are  willing  to  assist  in  the  continuance  of  this  show  will  send 
their  subscriptions  to  the  Secretary,  117,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
The  Journal  of  the  Society  has  been  continued  so  as  to  enable  Fellows 
at  a  distance  to  enter  more  fully  into  and  reap  the  benefits  of  the  study 
and  work  of  those  actively  engaged  at  headquaiters.  Vol.  xvii.,  parts 
3  and  4,  vol.  xviii.,  and  parts  1  and  2  of  vol.  xix.  were  issued  during  the 
year,  and  vol.  xix.,  part  3,  is  now  almost  ready  for  issue. 
An  examination  in  the  principles  and  practice  of  horticulture  was 
held  on  May  1st  concurrently  in  different  parts  of  the  United  Kingdom, 
a  centre  being  established  wherever  a  magistrate,  or  clergyman,  or 
schoolmaster,  or  other  responsible  person  accustomed  to  examinations 
would  consent  to  superintend  one  on  the  Society’s  behalf,  and  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  the  rules  laid  down  for  its  conduct.  No  limit  as  to  the  age, 
position,  or  previous  training  of  the  candidates  was  imposed,  and  the 
examination  was  open  to  both  sexes.  One  hundred  and  sixty-nine 
candidates  presented  themselves  for  examination,  and  were  divided  into 
three  classes.  Twelve  of  the  candidates  gained  200  marks  and  more  out 
of  a  possible  300  in  the  first  class  ;  thirty-seven  gained  between  150 
and  200  marks  in  the  second  class ;  seventy-three  gained  between 
100  and  150  marks  in  the  third  class  ;  and  forty-seven  having  failed  to 
obtain  100  marks  were  not  classed.  The  names  and  addresses  of  the 
successful  candidates,  together  with  the  number  of  marks  assigned  to 
each,  will  be  found  in  the  Society’s  “  Journal,”  vol.  xix.,  part  1,  1895, 
page  1. 
It  is  proposed  to  hold  a  similar  examinat:on  on  Wednesday,  May  6th, 
1896,  and  candidates  intending  to  sit  for  it  should  apply  to  the  Secretary, 
117,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  during  March. 
Acting  in  conjunction  with  the  Bindley  Trustees,  the  Council  have 
devoted  considerable  attention  to  the  library.  All  serial  publications 
have  been  kept  up  to  date,  a  large  number  of  valuable  volumes  have 
been  bound,  and  the  following  new  books  amongst  others  added  to  the 
library — viz,,  Sargent’s  “  Forest  Flora  of  Japan  M.  C.  Cooke’s 
“  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Fungi;”  Miller’s  ‘‘Figures  of  Plants;” 
Edwards’  “  Exotic  and  British  Flowers,”  “  Flore  de  l’lle  de  la  Reunion,” 
“  Flore  de  l’Algerie  ;”  Miss  Amherst’s  “  History  of  Gardening,”  &c. 
A  sum  of  £120  has  been  received  for  the  Catalogue  Fund,  which  was 
started  in  1894,  and  the  MS,  for  the  Catalogue  is  almost  ready  for  the 
press. 
The  hearty  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  to  the  Chiswick  Board  and 
to  all  the  members  of  the  Standing  Committees — viz.,  the  Scientific, 
the  Fruit  and  Vegetable,  the  Floral  and  the  Orchid  Committees  for 
the  kind  and  patient  attention  which  they  have  severally  given  to  theif 
departments. 
