THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 99 



lu the arrangement of the grounds, for which Nature has ah'eady done so much, 

 Mr. Spencer, the emuient horticulturist of Bowood, has shown great skilL A sepa- 

 rate division is given to each of the different styles of gardening, past and present, 

 including the early English, the French, the Italian, and the modern English. Hor- 

 ticulture, economic botany, and arboriculture will be practically taught and exem- 

 plified. A large sheet of water w ill afford opportunity for boating and skating, and 

 ample provision will be made for country sports, including archery, cricket, tenuis, 

 and horsemanship. A pleasing feature in the grounds will be the carriage-drive, 

 carried all round, as in the Bois de Boulogne, at Paris, by means of which invalids 

 and equestrians may enjoy the beauties of the scenery and the gardens without 

 alighting. 



The interest attaching to the Palace of the People extends far beyond the range 

 of the metropolis. Not only will it be within the reach of a holiday walk to the 

 dense population of Islington, Highbury, Ilolloway, Highgate, Hampstead, Totten- 

 ham, Edmonton, Stoke Keviingtou, and Stamford Hill; but the termini of the Great 

 Western, London and North- Western, Great Northern, North London, and Eastern 

 Counties Railways being all situated on this side of the river, visitors from four- 

 llfths of the kingdom will arrive at the palace without going through the streets of 

 Loudon, This suggests important considerations to the enterprising men of Man- 

 chester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford, Sheflleld, and all the manufacturing districts, 

 as respects the facilities they will enjoy for the transport of their goods, and for 

 excursion trains, in tJie event of any future industrial or horticultural exhibitions. 



l^OTES OE THE MONTH. 



The May meetuig of the Horticultural Society promises to be as attractive as 

 usual, and will be the proper commencement of the exhibition season in London. 

 On the 12th and 13th of this mouth St. James's Hall will be gay with Orchids, 

 Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Roses, fiue-foliaged plants, single specimen plants, and 

 ferns in abundance. The prizes are on no very lavish scale, but sufficiently liberal 

 to ensure a healthy competition ; indeed, the distinction conferred on growers by an 

 honourable position in such contents is beginning to be considered more worthy of 

 ambition than the mere amounts of money which constitute the prizes. The next 

 exhibition of the society will take place at St. James's Hall on the 29th and 30th of 

 June, when Eoses, Pelargoniums, Carnations, fiue-foliaged plants, and fruits will be 

 the leading features. 



The Exlubitions to take place at the Crystal Palace are fixed for the following 

 dates : May 18, Juno S, September 7 and 8, November 9 and 10. The grounds of 

 the Crystal Palace have been delightfully gay with spring flowers, and especially 

 with Tulips, during tlie past month. Within the IPalace the Acacias are now 

 blooming most beautifidly, and growers of greenhouse plants have every facility to 

 make comparisons for the selection of varieties of these, and other ornamental plants. 

 We never enjoyed the verdure and splash of the fountains there more than we have 

 during the past winter ; everywdiere the planting and arrangements have been 

 improved, and the scene is the nearest approach to the idea of fairyland ever attained 

 in reality. 



The National Tulip Sliow, to take place on the 20th, in the Nursery of Mr. C. Turner, 

 Slough, will be one of the most attractive ever offered to the connoisseurs of this 

 ancient florists' flower. Mr. Turner's best bed will be a subject of agreeable criticism, 

 and as Mr. Turner will not compete in the exhibition itself, he will have to trust to 

 the merits of his own splendid collection for such honours as 1859 may award him. 

 The National Rose and National Dahlia Sb.ows are to be repeated this year on the 

 plan of their first establishment. The date of the Rose Show is not yet announced, 

 but we presume it will be the same as last year, the 1st of July. The Dahha Show- 

 will take place on the 20th and 21st of September, not, as previously, at St. James's 

 Hall, but at Aston Hall, Birmingham, and the list of prizes is now ready, and may 

 be obtained on application to Mr. C. Turner, of Slough, or Mr. Keynes, of Salisbury. 

 Among the more prominent of the forthcomiug exhibitions we may name the Scottish 

 Pansy Society, Edmburgh, on the 4th of June; the Reading Society will exhibit on June 

 1st. We have received the schedules of the Alnwick, Lincoln, and Maidstone Horti- 



