122 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
Fcbruarj'  11,  1904. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Annual  General  Meeting. 
Summary. — The  meeting  was  largely  attended.  The  only 
incident  of  note  was  the  proposition  of  Mr.  Gurney  Fowler  to 
raise  the  Fellowship  snl)scription  from  one  guinea  to  two 
guineas.  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch  proposed  an  amendment  to 
impose  a  guinea  entrance  fee  on  new  Fellows  while  maintain¬ 
ing  the  one  guinea  subscription  as  heretofore.  This  was  carried 
by  a  large  majority.  Mr.  Gurney  Fowler,  in  response  to 
queries,  gave  a  statement  of  the  income  and  expenses  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  new  hall.  The  meeting  was  very  quiet,  and 
lasted  oidy  one  hour. 
The  annual  general  meeting  was  held  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
James  Street,  We.stminster,  on  Tuesday  .  last.  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart.,  presiding,  and  by  his  side  sat  a  fidl  council. 
This  is  likely  to  be  the  last  meeting  of  the  kind  that  will  be 
held  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Imt  no  reference  was  made  to  that. 
The  usual  notice  having  been  read,  the  minutes  of  the  last 
annual  general  meeting  were  taken,  and  then  the  names  of 
seventy-five  new  Fellows  were  read  and  their  election  concurred 
in.  Sir  Trevor  Ijawrence  then  addres.sed  the  meeting.  He 
began  by  saying  that  the  report  was  so  full  that  he  could  not 
attempt  to  deal  with  more  than  a  few  items.  From  now  a  new 
epoch  began  for  the  society.  It  was  originated  100  years  ago 
on  the  premises  occupied  by  IMessrs.  Hatchards,  the  publishers, 
at  Piccadilly,  and  he  thought  it  spoke  eloquently  for  the 
durability  of  British  institutions  that  both  the  society  and  the 
booksellers  were  so  successfully  represented  to-day.  The 
surplus  income  of  the  society  this  year  was  £3,041,  which  is 
better  than  at  any  recent  iieriod. 
The  secretary  had  supplied  Sir  Trevor  with  figures  show¬ 
ing  that  in  January  this  year  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of 
£5,757  had  been  paid  in,  which  is  several  hundred  pounds  more 
than  was  received  four  years  ago,  for  the  entire  year.  This 
proved  what  a  great  increase  there  had  been,  and  also,  he 
thought,  went  to  show  what  a  large  number  of  people  are 
intere.sted  in  the  imreuit  of  horticulture.  At  no  previous 
period  has  gardening  been  so  successfully  prosecuted. 
The  chairman  then  came  to  the  question  of  altering  the 
subscription  rate.  The  council  had  carefully  considered  the 
whole  matter,  and  had  resolved  to  put  a  proposal  before  the 
Fellows.  Sir  Trevor  pointed  out  that  things  now  were  not 
what  they  were  a  few  years  ago.  The  B.H.S.  Jo^irnal  has  been 
practically  revived  from  a  mere  nothing ;  there  was  at  one 
time  no  Temple  Show,  and  no  Holland  House  Show.  He  knew 
that  certain  Fellows  demurred  to  some  extent  to  the  state¬ 
ments  in  the  Report  showing  how  much  each  Fellow  gets  for 
his  guinea,  and  Sir  Trevor  .said  that  probably  tbe  wording 
should  have  been  made  to  read  that  the  privileges  as  stated 
“can  be  got.”  The  question  had  been  asked,  “Why  not  leave 
well  alone?  ”  and  that  was  a  very  good  ai'gument.  But  with 
the  heavy  expenses  at  present,  some  tax  ought  to  bo  made. 
The  council  had  agieed  to  a  modification  of  their  original 
propo.'^al,  however,  though  the  propo.sal  would  be  put  all  the 
-same,  to  te.st  the  feelings  of  the  Fellows.  The  modification 
lay  in  IMr.  Veitch ’s  amendment.  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  then 
moved  the  adoption  of  the  ref>ort.  This  was  seconded  by  Mr. 
Alexander  Dean. 
i\Ir.  Dean  opened  by  remarking  that  the  compliment  paid 
to  him  by  the  council  in  having  invited  him  to  second  this 
motion  wa.s  accepted  by  him  as  a  recognition  of  the  good  work 
which  was  done  by  the  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Committee,  the 
oldest  of  the  special  committees  of  the  society,  and  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  olde.st  mem])ers.  IMr.  A.  Dean  is  a  lucid 
speaker,  and  he  addressed  the  meeting  at  some  length.  The 
society  has  great  responsibilities  before  it  in  connection  with 
the  new  hall  and  the  garden  at  Wisley.  As  to  whether  it  was 
a  necessary  step  to  add  to  the  subscription  he  did  not  express 
an  o])inion,  but  pointed  out  that  in  the  absence  of  a  higher 
fee  there  was  a  danger  of  the  society  being  flooded  with  merely 
fashionable  people,  who  might  look  upon  the  exhibitions  purely 
as  social  events.  In  any  case,  he  suggested  that  money 
received  from  an  increased  subscription  should  be  ear-marked 
for  either  the  garden  or  the  hall.  iMr.  Dean  concluded  hi.s 
observations  by  expressing  a  hope  that  the  council  would  keep 
in  view  the  desires  of  the  Vegetable  Committee  to  have  an 
annual  vegetable  exhibition  with  that  of  fruit. 
1'he  adoption  of  the  Report  having  been  moved  and  seconded, 
iMr.  H.  J.  Fhves  rose.  The  value  of  the  Journal,  he  said,  was 
put  down  at  £1  10s.  from  each  Fellow,  and  he  suggested  that 
those  who  really  desired  copies  of  it  should  be  asked  to  pay 
for  the  same,  apart  from  their  sub.scription.  This  would  reduce 
expense  on  this  head. 
'I'hen  he  desired  to  know  whetluu'  the  council  jiurposed 
making  use  of  anv  part  of  the  £17,500  invested  funds  which 
were.  “  lying  idle,”  in  order  to  clear  off  the  £15.000  debt  of  the 
hall?  He  was  gratified  to  see  that  the  new  building  was  to  be 
first  paid  for,  before  the  development  of  Wisley  was  under¬ 
taken. 
In  reply,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  said  that  the  question  of  the 
Journal  had  been  considerably  discussed.  But  he  ivas  informed 
hy  the  secretary  that  a  large  number  of  l^ellows  in  the  country 
joined  the  society  simply  to  insure  getting  that  money 
volumes.  If  any  IVllows  were  willing  to  forego  the  Journal, 
some  saving  might  be  expected,  but  liow  to  devise  a  workable 
plan  was  the  difficulty.  The  chairman  asked  Mr.  Guimey 
Fowler,  treasurer,  to  make  a  statement  in  regard  to  the  hall. 
The  treasurer  supplied  abundance  of  figures,  and  the  sug¬ 
gestions  therein  made  commended  themselves  to  the  Fellows, 
who,  however,  could  not  have  resolved  them  critically  in  their 
minds.  Such  matters  require  study.  The  amount  of  money 
received  is  £22,561,  and  the  interest  on  temporary  investments 
is  £451,  making  a  total  of  £23,012.  Contracts  had  been  made 
with  contractors  to  the  amount  of  £34,780,  of  which  £10,379 
had  been  paid.  There  is,  therefore,  liabilities  to  the  con¬ 
tractors  amounting  to  £24,400,  and  £13,000  to  meet  this  sum, 
leaving  a  deficiency  of  £11,399,  without  allowing  for  the 
expenses  of  hall  and  office  furniture.  The  actual  liquid  assets 
which  can  be  counted  on  are  £20,000.  It  is  proposed  that 
investments  be  placed  with  the  bank  as  security  for  a  temporary 
loan  till  it  is  seen  what  amount  of  subscriptions  may  yet  come 
in.  So  much  as  £1,500  had  been  received  during  January  which 
had  not  previously  been  promised,  and  this  was  looked  upon 
as  a  good  omen.  If  the  Fellows  did  not  clear  off  the  outstand¬ 
ing  amount  on  the  hall  a  mortgage  would  be  secured  at  favour¬ 
able  terms,  and  which  would  be  met  out  of  the  annual  income. 
But  not  only  was  the  question  of  capital  one  of  import¬ 
ance,  there  would  also  be  necessary  expenses  in  connection  with 
the  new  building.  It  might  eventually  be  necessary  to  raise 
a  loan  at  4  per  cent,  on  the  security  of  the  building  and  the 
site,  as  properly  possessed  by  the  society.  There  would  be  an 
annual  expenditure  entailed  by  the  new  hall  of  £2,057,  but  the 
current  expenses  for  office  rents  and  hire  of  Drill  Hall,  amount¬ 
ing  to  £1,584,  would  be  saved.  The  treasurer’s  remarks  were 
greeted  with  applause. 
The  chairman  in  again  rising,  referred  to  the  constant 
influx  of  Fellows,  which  showed  no  falling  off.  With  reference 
to  Wisley  and  its  endowment'^  he  said  that  there  was  every 
reason  to  believe  that  £5,000  would  be  secured  as  the  surrender 
value  of  the  Chiswick  lease.  Sir  Trevor  then  alluded  to  the 
good  work  of  the  society’s  committees,  and  returned  thanks 
to  these  varioius  bodies.  An  interesting  announcement  was 
that  an  assistant  secretary  had  been  appointed,  as  the  office 
work  had  become  so  very  heavy.  The  council  had  that  day 
also  voted  an  honorarium  to  the  office  staff  in  recognition  of 
their  devoted  and  ungrudging  services.  The  suiierintendent 
at  Chiswick  and  his  .staff  were  also  complimented  on  their 
work. 
It  now  came  the  time  to  make  the  council’s  proposition 
regarding  subscriptions  (i.e.,  to  make  the  Fellowship  subscrip¬ 
tion  two  guineas  instead  of  one),  and  this  was  in  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Gurney  Fowler,  who  pointed  out  that  any  rise  would  not 
affect  the  pockets  of  present  Fellows — only  new  ones;  and 
bona  fide  gardeners  would  .still  only  require  to  pay  one  guinea. 
An  increa.sed  subscription  would  help  the  hall  fund ;  secondly, 
if  all  flower  lovers  joined  the  Society,  what  of  the  receipts  at 
the  shows?  These  woidd  prove  a  heavy  lo.ss.  Thirdly,  the 
clerical  work  is  becoming  very  heavy ;  while  fourthly,  it  is 
customary  in  many  clubs  to  raise  the  entrance  fee  after  a  time, 
for  new  members  are  leceiving  the  additional  privileges  that 
old  Fellows  had  been  at  pains  to  build  up.  Mr.  A.  H.  Pear.-on 
briefly  .seconded. 
The  amendment  which  had  been  referred  to  from  the  chair 
was  at  once  moved  by  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch.  It  should  be 
understood  that  the  counciil  as  a  body  were  open-minded  in  the 
whole  matter,  and  no  antagonism  was  intended  when  one  of 
themselves  inti'oduced  this  new  form  of  motion.  Mr.  Veitch 
proposed  that  new  Fellows  pay  one  guinea  entrance  fee,  and 
one  guinea  as  a  minimum  animal  subscription  with  the  excep¬ 
tion  of  working  gaideners  and  persons  resident  abroad.  Mr. 
Veitch  pointed  out  that  many  Fellows  voluntarily  pay  two 
guineas  at  the  present  time,  and  twenty  of  the  Fellows  elected 
that  day  had  done  this.  Surgeon-Major  Ince  seconded,  and 
when  put  to  the  meeting  it  was  carried  by  a  large  ma,]ority. 
Mr.  Elwes  inquired  if  the  entrance  fees  ivere  to  be  treated  as 
capital  instead  of  income,  and  the  chairman  replied  that  that 
would  have  to  be  considered.  A  vote  of  thanks  to  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  propo.sed  by  Sir  John  T.  D.  Llewelyn,  concluded  the 
meeting. 
THE  EXHIBITION. 
The  fortnightly  exhibition  was,  as  one  expected  to  find  it, 
very  intere.sting.  Orchids  were  numerous,  and  with  Ferns, 
Primulas,  forced  Lilacs,  Azaleas,  and  the  hardy  plant  groups 
there  was  plenty  to  interest  vi.sitors. 
Fruit  and  Yegetable  Committee. 
Present  :  Mr.  George  Bunyard  (in  the  chair) ;  with  Messrs. 
■\V.  Baldeuson,  Jos.  Cheal,  W.  Bates,  Geo.  Woodward,  S.  Mor¬ 
timer,  Alex.  Dean,  Wm.  Pope,  Horace  J.  Wright,  Win.  Fyfe, 
James  Gibson,  Edwin  Beckett,  Henry  Parr,  Geo.  Reynolds,  F.  Q. 
