THE Royal Horticultural Society has held another provincial show - in many respects a good one ; but there has resulted what some predicted, and many more feared - a pecuniary loss to the Society of something like £300. This year the show was held at Oxford, and, in keeping with custom, at the same time as that of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, but at a considerable distance from it. At Bury St Edmunds, Leicester, and Manchester, the two shows were held almost immediately contiguous to each other; at Oxford they were some mile apart. Everybody seemed to know the whereabouts of the Agricultural meeting, scarcely any one that of the Horticultural. Those who could point out its locality knew a flower-show was being held; of the Royal Horticultural Society they appeared to know about as much as they did of the state of the weather at Timbuctoo. Those who went to Oxford exulting in the prominent position given to Horticulture on that day in that classic region, had a kind of woe-begone aspect when its place of location was reached: there was little, if any, of outward symbol to indicate what "was within, and placards announcing the locality of the show were as absent as the much-needed showers of rain.

True, the two great societies were at Oxford together, but they appeared to have nothing in common, except that each had provided a public entertainment, to which they prayed visitors would come.

It is stated that the Agricultural Society sustained a loss, but that is a matter of small moment to that powerful organisation; it is a result occasionally anticipated, and not dreaded when realised: the large resources of that great Society can bear an occasional strain like that without fear of bankruptcy; and even a financial loss brings with it no diminution of prestige, for next year it will take the field as imposingly, and as confident as ever. On the other hand, a financial loss to the Royal Horticultural Society will be certain to result in some loss of prestige also.

"We have heretofore advised the Horticultural Society to divorce itself from the Agricultural Society when it visits the provinces, and go in a contrary direction if need be, so that it stands alone in its appeal. The poetic cobwebs hung round the utterances of those who speak of the societies as "twin sisters," and require that they should "go hand in hand" in consequence of such supposed relationship, are very pretty; but the yoking process appears to have its disagreeable aspects, inasmuch as it has been stated the Royal Agricultural Society cares not for the companionship of its "twin sister." It is like sending two rival maidens hand in hand to seek the good graces of some country swain, and jealousy rather than concord is far more likely to ensue. The fact that at a public reception given by the Corporation of the City of Oxford to the authorities of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Council and leading representatives of the "twin sister" were altogether overlooked, or, if not wholly, at least largely so, has a certain sense of grim humour about it, and may perhaps, even more than the financial loss, tend to bring about that change in the policy of the Council so many of the friends of the Society are desirous of seeing made.

To be seriously regarded by the civic authorities on such an occasion as a kind of itinerant prodigy, to be held in temporary veneration, is to our mind what each member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society is not only bound to expect, but ought to receive; but when these gentlemen come into competition in this respect with others not more deserving, or more talented, but because of their association with an organisation of apparently much greater importance, and having higher claims to public notice, and which is always the first in the field, why, they may reasonably expect to be elbowed into doorways and such places by their bucolic brethren.

There is every reason to believe that, were the Horticultural Society to go to the provinces alone, there would be no lack of cities and towns willing to receive them; to co-operate with them in many ways by means of a guarantee fund, a local committee, special prizes, etc.; nay more, we further believe that applications would be made to the Society on the part of those places desiring the honour of a visit. The Social Science Congress, the British Association, various religious conferences, etc, all these are eagerly sought for, and why should it not be the case with the Royal Horticultural Society 1 The local authorities could give their undivided attention and energies to furthering the interests of their horticultural visitors; the inhabitants would have one instead of two great exhibitions to look through, to the positive injury of one of them; the courtesies of the local government would be sure to be forthcoming; there would be a manifest and most important gain in the way of prestige to the Society; and Horticulture, instead of being overshadowed by the colossal stature and extensive ramifications of a great Agricultural Show held contemporaneously with it, would shine with undimmed lustre, and without a rival near it to cause it any disquiet, or rob it of that dearly-coveted and indispensable appanage, a financial success.

R. D.