AUGUST. 239 



winning the first prizes for six, twelve, and twenty-four, and also a 

 second prize for a collection. I think that the day before the show, and 

 eavly in the morning of the exhibition day, we must have cut at least 

 170 Roses of varied hues, including yellow, white, black, purpled 

 crimsons, and fiery centred, with purple and slate edges ; of the latter 

 class, I saw General Jacqueminot, H.C , and consider it one of the 

 finest, most beautiful, and perfectly shaped of the summer Roses, and 

 worthy to cope with the best autumnals. But. in my admiration of my 

 favourite flower, I must not overlook the Peach trees and Strawberry 

 plants which adorn my worthy host's garden ; considering the bad spring 

 which has prevailed all over France and England, the fair quantity of 

 the former, and 4he size, variety, and quantity of the latter delicious 

 fruit, are quite surprising. 



I am afraid I have already trespassed too much upon your space, but, 

 before I part from you, I have no hesitation in saying that I would 

 gladly travel twice the distance, between six and seven hundred miles, 

 though it be to enjoy such a feast again. I am an enthusiast in the 

 Rose cause, and have seen many fine collections of this flower, but that 

 was such a sight as no lover of the Rose can realise by mere contempla- 

 tion. To the rev. gentleman, therefore, whose kindness afforded me 

 such a treat, I beg to tender my most sincere thanks. 



Jno. Milne. 



Derringham, Spring Bank, Hull, July 8. 



THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The proposed scheme for making a grand ornamental garden at Ken- 

 sington Gore will have been read by every Fellow of the Society with 

 the deepest interest, and in fact by all interested in maintaining so 

 important an establishment as a National Horticultural Society, 

 which, as representing Great Britain, and her almost unlimited 

 dependencies ; ought to be conducted on a scale commensurate with 

 the great objects it has to fulfil. That the Society has not been in a 

 healthy state for several years is well known, and the Council have long 

 been anxiously watching for opportunities which might relieve them 

 from their embarrassment. We could perhaps point out where mistakes 

 have been made, even by the reforming Council, which increased rather 

 than diminished their difficulties ; but we are willing to let bygones be 

 byegones, and enter on the, to us, far more agreeable task of pointing 

 out to our readers what is proposed to be done, in respect to which we 

 wish individually to say, that the scheme, if it can be carried out satisfac- 

 torily to the minds of those embarking their capital in the undertaking, 

 has our warmest wishes for its success. 



The site of the proposed garden is the centre of a block of ground 

 opposite^ Hyde Park, and lying between the Kensington-road and the 

 Cromwell- road, leading to Old Brompton. This ground was purchased 

 by the Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 from their 

 surplus funds, with the idea of its forming a suitable site for public 

 buildings connected with science and the fine arts. The situation, fo 



