364 THE FLORIST. 



If it were not a seedling, but an ordinary dealer's plant, then you 

 are in a greater difficulty still ; for if so, it must have been one of many 

 of the same sort. Of these many, this one only, the Lieutenant's 

 purchase, was named Devoniensis. Where, then, are all the others, 

 and under what alias is the Rose we called Devoniensis to be procured ? 

 There is no such alias in either France or England, or Mr. Rivers 

 would have known of it in the seventeen or eighteen years that have 

 elapsed since he first possessed it. No ! That which grew under the 

 cottage window at Stoke Dammerel is the parent plant of all of this 

 variety ; it was raised by Mr. Foster, and all honour to him for it ; 

 and Devoniensis is an English Rose. 



Iota. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Gardeners' Chronicle informs us that the £50,000 required to 

 be raised to carry out the intended new garden at Kensington Gore 

 have been subscribed, and that the lease of the ground, from the Royal 

 Commissioners to the Horticultural Society, is now being executed. 

 We may, therefore, presume that as soon as the council have possession 

 of the ground, proceedings for the necessary erections will at once 

 commence. On analysing the subscription list, we find that £39,000 

 are advanced by way of debentures, bearing interest at 5 per cent. ; that 

 £1936 are by donations (£1500 of which have been subscribed by Her 

 Majesty and the Prince Consort) ; and the remainder £9064 is made up 

 by sums advanced for life memberships, nearly 300 having paid the 

 compensation in lieu of annual subscriptions. Of course the greater 

 part of this sum is subscribed by existing fellows, and will so far cause 

 a deduction on the future annual revenue of the society. 



We may now fairly conclude that the worst days of the society are 

 past, and that a brighter era is before it ; and as good luck, like mis- 

 fortunes, never comes alone, the society has had the good fortune to 

 appoint one of the very best men in the country for their superintendent, 

 Mr. George Eyles, the manager of the Crystal Palace and grounds at 

 Sydenham. Mr. Eyles is a gentleman so well known to the gardening 

 world, both as a practical man and successful manager of exhibitions, 

 that nothing short of getting possession of the grounds at Kensington 

 Gore could have happened so favourable to the society's future pro- 

 sperity as this appointment. 



We hear that Mr. Nesfield is to give the designs for the grounds, by 

 request, but by "who or whom" we are not informed ; and we think the 

 council's first proposition to advertise for designs would have been 

 more complimentary to British landscape gardeners, and have given 

 the council more scope in selection, than leaving the matter in the hands 

 of one, however competent he may be. That Mr. Nesfield will produce 

 a first-rate geometrical garden no one doubts ; but as competition is now 

 generally admitted as a principle in designing public works, it appears 

 to us that it would have been more conducive to the progress of taste 

 in landscape gardening, had advantage been taken of the present 



