574 
inURKAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  16,  1897, 
exhibitions  will  be  held  in  places  which  the  Society  has  already  visited? 
and  where  large  Rose  shows  are  each  year  being  held.  The  southern 
exhibition  will  take  place  at  Bath,  in  conjunction  with  the  Bath  Floral 
Fete  and  Band  Committee,  on  Thursday,  June  23rd.  The  metropolitan 
show  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  Saturday,  July  2nd,  when,  we  are  informed,  j 
there  is  every  prospect  of  the  nave  being  once  more  placed  at  the  disposal 
of  the  Society.  The  northern  exhibition  will  be  held  at  Halifax,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Salterhebble  and  District  Rose  Society,  on  Thursday, 
July  14th. 
A  Rose  Conference  will  take  place  at  each  of  the  provincial  exhibitions, 
when  some  subject  of  interest  in  connection  with  Rose  culture  will  be 
discussed.  A  report  of  the  Conferences  will  be  afterwards  published,  and 
issued  to  the  members  later  in  the  year. 
Membees’  Peivileges. — Members  subscribing  £1  will,  as  usual,  be 
entitled  to  two  private  view  and  four  transferable  tickets,  the  latter 
admitting  at  the  same  time  as  the  general  public  ;  while  subscribers  of 
10s.  are  entitled  to  one  private  view  and  two  transferable  tickets.  Each- 
of  these  tickets  is  available  for  any  one  of  the  Society’s  exhibitions. 
Members  joining  the  Society  for  the  first  time  in  1898  will  also  receive 
copies  of  the  following  publications  : — The  official  catalogue,  the  supple-^ 
ment  to  the  catalogue,  “  Hints  on  Planting  Roses,”  and  the  “  Prize 
Essay  on  the  Hybridisation  of  Roses,”  also  the  reports  of  the  two 
Conferences  as  soon  as  issued.  Members  alone  are  entitled  to  compete  at 
the  Society’s  exhibitions. 
The  Committee,  in  conclusion,  express  their  best  thanks  to  their  local' 
secretaries,  also  to  the  donors  of  special  prizes.  Of  the  former  Mr.  H.  P. 
Landon  has  distinguished  himself  bj  obtaining  more  new  members  for- 
the  Society  during  the  last  three  years  than  any  of  his  fellow  secretaries. 
Among  the  leading  donors  of  special  prizes  may  be  mentioned  the  Right 
Hon.  Lord  Penzance,  the  Mayor  of  Norwich,  Dr.  S.  P.  Budd,  Mr.  C.  J. 
Grahame,  Captain  Ramsay,  Mr.  C.  E.  Shea,  Mr.  A.  Tate,  and  the 
Trustees  of  the  Prince  Memorial  Fund. 
Receipts. 
BALANCE-SHEET,  YEAR  ENDING  30th  NOVEMBER,  1897. 
Expenditure. 
1896. 
Dec.  lst.< 
-Balance  at  Bankers  . 
Subscriptions 
Affiliation  Fees  and  for  Medals  from  Affiliated  Societies 
Advertisements  . 
From  Isle  of  Wight  Rose  Societ}?  . 
,,  Crystal  Palace  Company . 
,,  Norfolk  and  Norwich  Horticultural  Society 
Special  Prizes  . 
Sale  of  Publications  . 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£  8. 
d. 
76 
12 
3 
Printing,  Stationery,  and  Advertising  . 
••• 
81  10 
9 
360 
19 
0 
Postage,  Telegrams,  and  Sundry  Expenses . 
Secretary’s  Travelling  Expenses  to  Arrange  Shows 
•••  ••• 
52  3 
9 
70 
3 
6 
3  11 
0 
15 
2 
6 
Expenses  Portsmouth  Show  . 
7  10 
8 
50 
0 
0 
,,  Crystal  Palace  Show  . 
10  8 
0 
105 
0 
0 
Medals  . 
14  16 
5 
80 
0 
0 
,,  for  Affiliated  Societies  . 
56  0 
0 
38 
14 
0 
Prizes  Portsmouth  Show  . 
89  15 
0 
8 
0 
11 
,,  Crystal  Palace  Show  . 
243  5 
9 
,,  Norwich  Show . 
162  5 
0 
Purchase  of  Plate  for  Prizes . 
8  3 
0 
Contribution  to  the  “  Head  ”  Relief  Fund  . 
5  5 
0 
Assistant  Secretary  and  Accountant . 
30  0 
0 
Balance  at  Bankers  . 
. 
39  18 
7 
£804  12 
2 
£804  12 
2 
(Signed)  J.  D.  PAWLE 
FRAS.  TULLIE  WOLLASTON 
Auditors. 
After  reading  the  balance-sheet,  Mr.  ^lawley  explained  that  the  ; 
Society  stood  in  rather  a  more  favourable  position  than  would  appear, 
for  whereas  the  balance  at  the  bankers  was  stated  to  be  only  £39  18s.  7d., 
it  should  really  be  £64  18s.  7d.,  for  £10  had  been  paid  in  during  November 
as  special  prizes  for  next  year,  whilst  in  the  item  of  £81  10s.  9d.  for 
printing  another  £15  had  to  be  accounted  for. 
On  rising  to  move  the  formal  adoption  of  the  report  and  balance-sheet 
the  Chairman  said  that  another  milestone  in  the  history  of  the  Society 
had  been  successfully  passed.  He  commented  upon  the  apparently 
unfavourable  appearance  of  the  much  shrunken  balance  at  the  bankers, 
but  stated  that  Mr.  Mawdey  had  removed  many  of  their  trepidations  by 
explaining  that  they  really  had  a  balance  in  hand  analagous  to  £64  18s.  7d. 
The  last  year,  continued  Mr.  Shea,  had  been  a  chequered  one.  It  might 
have  been  better,  and  also  might  have  been  worse.  The  .Tubilee  had  been 
got  through  fairly  well — a  great  thing  in  itself.  The  show  at  Portsmouth 
did  not  turn  out  so  well  as  they  had  hoped,  but  the  Society  was  greatly 
indebted  to  Captain  Ramsay’s  strenuous  efforts  for  the  measure  of  success 
that  had  fallen  to  them.  The  show  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  been  the  best  ever  held  w'ith  regard  to  the  number  and  quality 
of  the  blooms  exhibited.  Taking  it  altogether  the  National  Rose  Society 
had  done  as  well  as  could  be  expected,  both  from  a  financial  and  a  show 
point  of  view'.  He  concluded  a  pithy  address  by  saying  that  he  did  not 
doubt  for  the  future  ot  the  noble  fiower  when  he  looked  around  him  and  i 
saw  so  many  of  its  lovers  and  able  cultivators  ;  in  such  hands  it  could 
not  suffer  an  abiding  or  a  lasting  retrogression.  In  a  few  words  Mr.  Geo. 
Bunyard  seconded  the  motion  proposed  from  the  chair,  and  the  meeting 
unanimously  voted  that  the  report  and  balance-sheet  be  formally  adopted, 
printed,  and  circulated. 
A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  officers  and  members  of  the  Committee  for 
their  services  during  the  year  was  then  proposed.  Mr.  A.  Munt 
seconded.  The  Rev.  H.  Honywood  D’Ombrain,  who  was  received  with 
enthusiasm,  replied,  expressing  on  behalf  of  himself  and  his  brother 
officers  their  thanks  for  the  confidence  placed  in  them. 
The  meeting  then  proceeded  to  the  alterations  of  the  rules,  of  which 
the  necessary  time  notification  had  been  previously  given.  The  italics 
represent  the  alterations  of,  or  additions  to,  the  existing  rules.  On  the 
motion  of  the  Rev.  H.  A.  Berners,  seconded  by  Mr.  O.  G.  Orpen,  it  was 
proposed  that  Bye-law  5  be  altered  to  read  : — “Notice  of  any  proposed 
alteration  of  these  bye-laws  to  be  given  in  writing  to  one  of  the  Secretaries 
at  least  two  weeks  before  a  general  meeting,  and  no  bye-law  or  regulation 
shall  be  altered  except  at  a  general  meeting  of  the  Society.  A  special 
general  meeting  may  be  called  at  any  time,”  &c.  This  was  carried 
without  a  dissentient  voice.  The  Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar  proposed,  and 
Mr.  Cyril  Cant  seconded,  that  Bye-law  7  should  be  altered  to  read  : — 
“That  the  Committee  shall  at  its  first  meeting  appoint  .  .  .  the’ 
General  Purposes  Committee  .  .  .  the  functions  of  that  Sub-committee 
shall  endure  until  the  next  annual  general  meeting,”  &c.  This  was  also 
carried. 
Mr.  Landon  moved  that  Regulation  8  should  be  made  to  read  : — “  All 
Roses  must  be  exhibited  as  cut  from  the  plants.  Artificial  aid  of  any  and 
every  kind  is  strictly  prohibited,  with  the  exception  of  wire  or  other 
supports,  which  are  only  to  be  used  to  keep  the  blooms  erect.  A  bloom 
left  tied  will  not  he  counted  hy  the  judges.  Dressing  Roses  so  as  to  alter  their 
form  is  prohibited.  A  bloom  so  dressed  will  he  counted  as  a  bad  bloom.  The 
insertion  of  any  additional  foliage  will  disqualify  the  stand.  All  Roses 
should  be  correctly  named.”  There  was  a  brisk  discussion  upon  this  rule, 
and  the  exact  meaning  of  the  word  counted,  which  was  finally  defined  as 
meaning  pointed.  The  insertion  of  the  latter  word  was  proposed  as  an 
amendment  by  Mr.  Langdon,  supported  by  Mr.  Mawley,  the  rule  to  read,, 
‘■'•shall  not  receive  a  pom#,”  instead  of  shall  not  he  counted^'  and  in  the 
form  of  this  amendment  the  motion  was  adopted,  but  not  unanimously, 
since  some  of  the  members  thought  that  a  tied  bloom  should  be  directly 
penalised  by  being  counted  as  a  bad  bloom. 
The  next  item  in  the  proceedings  dealt  with  the  size  of  exhibition 
stand.s.  Mr.  Geo.  Paul  moved  —  "  Exhibition  stands  should  be  of  the 
regulation  size — viz,,  4  inches  high  in  front,  and  1 8  inches  wide,  and  he  set  out 
with  moss  or  other  suitable  material.  They  should  he  of  a  uniform  length — 
viz.,  for  twenty-four  blooms,  not  less  than  3  feet  or  more  than  3  feet 
6  inches  ;  for  twelve  blooms,  not  less  than  1  foot  6  inches  and  not  more 
than  2  feet  ;  for  six  or  nine  blooms,  not  less  than  1  foot  and  not  more' 
than  1  foot  6  inches.’  Dr.  Shackleton  seconded,  and  a  lively  discussion 
then  ensued.  The  Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar  spoke  of  the  need  for  a  direct 
penalty  for  infringement  of  this  rule,  and  he  took  exception  to  the  very 
gentlemanly  suggestion  “should  be.  ’  He  humorously  pointed  out  that  a 
man  ought  to  be  able  to  make  a  box  within  an  inch,  and  yet  when  trans¬ 
gressors  were  shown  that  they  had  broken  the  lawq  they  too  -  the  matter 
very  quietly.  The  resolution  was  ultimately  transferred  from  its  old 
place  in  the  “  Authorised  Rules  ”  for  judging  at  Rose  shows  to  its  new 
position  among  the  Bye-laws. 
Mr.  Geo.  Gordon  then  announced  that  the  result  of  the  ballot  was 
that  the  list  of  officials  proposed  was  unanimously  adopted. 
Passing  to  the  consideration  of  the  fixtures  for  1899,  Mr.  Mawley  read 
correspondence  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Salisbury  Rose  Society',  which 
stated  that  a  w’elcome  awaited  them  at  Salisbury  in  1899,  if  the  Society 
would  elect  to  hold  their  provincial  show  there.  An  invitation  from 
Horace  G.  Egerton  Green,  Esq.,  on  behalf  of  the  Colchester  Rose  Society, 
j  was  also  read,  and  Mr.  Orpen  then  pointed  out  that  Colchester  had  the 
i  prior  claim  to  the  visit  of  the  National  Society  in  1899,  since  the  invitation 
was  decided  upon  at  the  April  meeting  of  the  Colchester  Society.  The 
I  Rev.  Pemberton  remarked  upon  the  splendid  way  in  which  the  Colchester 
'  people  managed  their  shows,  and  upon  the  fact  that  they  had  plenty  of 
I  room  there.  Mr.  Landon  corroborated,  and  spoke  of  the  lead  taken  by 
Essex  in  the  cultivation  of  the  Rose.  After  due  deliberation  Colchester 
was  chosen,  upon  the  formal  proposal  of  iMr.  Bateman,  seconded  by  the 
Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar. 
Mr.  W.  J.  Grant  then  stated  that  he  'was  authorised  by  the  Helens¬ 
burgh  Society  to  invite  the  National  Rose  Society  to  Helensburgh  in 
1 899.  The  people  of  Helensburgh  would  much  appreciate  a  visit,  and 
they  were  quite  ready  to  accede  to  any  terms  that  might  be  imposed, 
including  the  money  guarantee  of  £80.  The  Rev.  H.  H.  D’Ombrain  had 
several  reasons  to  give  against  going  to  Helensburgh,  but  IMr.  W.  J. 
Grant  had  a  fitting  answer  for  them  all.  Communications  had  been  held 
during  the  year  with  Mr.  P.  Weathers,  discussing  Manchester  as  a 
northern  meeting  place  for  1899,  but  no  letter  had  reached  the  Hon. 
Secretaries  for  the  last  two  months,  and  the  matter  was  yet  undecided. 
Air.  Grant  moved,  and  the  Rev.  Pemberton  seconded,  that  the  rival 
claims  of  Helensburgh  and  Manchester  be  left  to  the  Committee  for 
deci.sion.  In  this  the  meeting  concurred.  A  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
Chairman  for  presiding,  moved  by  the  Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar,  was  accorded 
unanimously',  and  the  proceedings  then  terminated. 
