20 Cincinnati Horticultural Society. [January, 



of the Society, free of charge, in planting, laying out, and superintending 

 any public ground which they might think proper to dedicate as a 

 park. 



A committee of Council, with the Mayor as chairman, was at that 

 time authorized to act with the Society, and a favorable offer of ground 

 was made by Mr. George Burnet ; but, like all preceding propositions, 

 the Council failed to urge the purchase, and we are still without a public 

 park. 



This Society, however, did all in their power to secure this great public 

 benefit, and the failure on the part of the citj^ can not be charged in any 

 degree, to any want of exertion on the part of this institution. 



The Horticultural Society, under their new charter, increased in numbers, 

 and continued their weekly andannual exhibitions until the Fall of 1854, 

 when it was found that the contributions of the members would be too 

 numerous to be admitted into any of the large halls of the city ; it was, 

 therefore, determined to construct five large pavilions, and to occupy the 

 vacant lot of ground adjoining the Orphan Asylum, thus covering over 

 with canvas several hundred feet of the lot, and under these pavilions the 

 Fall exhibition was held. Mr, Kern, a distinguished landscape gar- 

 dener, was engaged to construct a beautiful design of rock work, and a 

 connection with the water pipes of the street, enabled him to add beauty 

 to it, by a display of fountains. The whole of the ground being also 

 lighted with gas, rendered the effect grand and beautiful. The magni- 

 tude and splendor of this display, attracted a large number of visitors 

 and placed the Society high in the estimation of the public ; but this 

 being the first attempt at anything of the kind so extensive in its 

 arrangements, many expenses were incurred which were not anticipated, 

 and the location of the lot being distant from the populous parts of the 

 city, interrupted by unpaved streets, the net profits to the Society 

 were smaller than expected. The members, however, had the gratification 

 to know that refreshment tables, kept by the ladies of the Horticultural 

 Society, for the benefit of the Orphan Asylum, yielded that institution 

 the sum of $780. 



The canvas of the pavilion having been carefully preserved, the 

 Society this year resolved to obtain a better location, and accordingly 

 secured the large vacant lot on Vine, between Fourth and Fifth streets, 

 where the late exhibition was held, and which has been acknowledged 

 the most extensive and magnificent ever given in the United States, This 

 remark applies not only to the display and general arrangements, but to 

 the size and quality of the fruits and vegetables ; clearly establishing 

 the fact, that the climate and soil of the valley of the Miami has 



