Proceedivgs of the HortlcuUurat Society. 165 



ordinary size was exhibited ; this had been procured in the g^arden 

 of the Society in the open air, by heating ordinary asparagus beds 

 with dung placed in the trenches, and putting wooden pipes 

 about an inch in diameter over each sprout as soon as it made 

 its appearance above ground. In this manner the shoots were 

 twelve or fourteen inches long, and tender and eatable their whole 

 length, a circumstance which never takes place in common culti- 

 vation. This plan is not, however, materially better than that of 

 forcing the asparagus in open beds with dung linings, without the 

 use of pipes. 



April \st. 



A paper was read describing several new varieties of pears which 

 had been raised by Mr. Knight. From this it appeared that the 

 object of procuring fine-flavoured keeping pears, capable of bearing 

 abundantly as standard trees, had been successfully accomplished ; 

 of the great importance of these varieties our successors will 

 judge better perhaps than ourselves. Fresh specimens of the fine 

 mountain Rhododendron of India, with scarlet flowers, were 

 exhibited ; they were from a conservatory, as have been all that 

 have yet appeared in this country. This should convince the 

 public that they have been deceived in supposing that this splendid 

 variety will succeed in the open air in this country. It is true that 

 the very name of Rhododendron seems to indicate something pre- 

 eminently hardy, and it is also true that severe cold is endured by 

 the Indian variety upon its native hills ; but it must also be borne 

 in mind that this cold, which is by no means so intense as that 

 which we often experience, universally succeeds a season the 

 isotherial temperature of which is almost tropical. The tables were 

 covered with specimens of other flowers, and with choice fruits. 



May bth. 



This was the first meeting after the unanimous re-election of the 

 president and officers of the previous year. Mr. Knight was in 

 the chair. Another f^te was announced to take place at the 

 garden on the 21st of June. Notices were read of the award of 

 a number of medals of the Society by provincial horticultural 

 societies. Among the subjects exhibited was an extraordinary 

 fruit of the Madras citron, which had been raised by Mr. Wells of 

 Redleaf. It was fully as large as a child's head, and excited much 

 curiosity. 



Jvne 3rd. 



Among a variety of beaytiful flowers and f^xiit, with which th^ 



