of Salt ill Horticulture, 65 



Cixu&es which produced that increase of civilization, which has 

 gradually taken place during the last two or three centuries, I 

 should most certainly place the introduction of gardening next 

 to the invention of printing. The possession of a garden has a 

 natural tendency to soften the character of the most ferocious ; 

 it attaches a man to home, and doubles the value of his habita- 

 tion ; and whenever its cultivation is engaged in with ardour, 

 it not only affords an innocent means of occupying leisure hours, 

 but it has also the important effect of diverting the attention 

 from all low and unworthy pursuits. 



Buffon, the celebrated French naturalist, was so enamoured 

 of his garden, that he erected a pavilion within it, in which he 

 could study with convenience. There he usually retired at 

 five o'clock in the morning, and was then inaccessible. Prince 

 Henry of Prussia named this sylvan retreat the " cradle of 

 natural history." The illustrious Lord Bacon has pronounced 

 gardening to be the " purest of human pleasures, and the great- 

 est refreshment to the spirit of man." 



The dissemmation of a taste for gardening is, in my opinion, 

 one of the most valuable effects of the establishment of all hor- 

 ticultural societies ; and I have no doubt but that, in this way, 

 the Caledonian Horticultural Society will be found to be emi- 

 nently useful. While addressing the members of this respect- 

 able association, I hope I may be allowed to say, that I feel 

 proud of having been enrolled among those whose efforts 

 tend not only to the improvement of natural history, and rural 

 economy, but also to the promotion of moral habits and pro- 

 pensities. Penetrated with these feelings, I shall greatly re- 

 joice if the following observations and collection of facts, upon 

 a subject in which the public seem now to take considerable 

 interest, should in any degree excite a general desire in others 

 to further the important objects of the Society. 



The subject which I have now chosen for discussion and 

 investigation, is the application of Common Salt to the purposes 

 of Horticulture, the several branches of which 1 propose to con- 

 sider in the following order : 



1st. That common salt, when applied in due proportion, 



