140 THE FLORIST. 



would be to our shrubbery borders ! The heath- leaved Tetratheca 

 was also a pretty lilac-flowered shrub ; and there was a nice seedling 

 Heath, called Imperatrix, from Messrs. Veitch. 



NATIONAL FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Is this Society worthy of further support, or is it not ? On the 3d of 

 March was held the anniversary general meeting of the members, the 

 Society having completed the second year of its formation ; and if 

 apparent unanimity, and confidence amongst its supporters, and 

 freedom from debt, be a guarantee of success, then is the Society 

 flourishing indeed ; for at the general meeting the business was got 

 through in less than an hour, to the satisfaction of all, and without a 

 solitary resignation. 



The Society continues to flourish, and will do so as long as men 

 like those who attended the last anniversary meeting continue their 

 confidence and support. Their names are above suspicion ; they are 

 honoured alike in public and private life, and all shafts aimed at any 

 society fall harmless whilst such honourable men are amongst its 

 active members. 



Votes of thanks were severally awarded to the respective office- 

 bearers, and especially to the active and energetic honorary secretary, 

 Mr. John Edwards, whose courtesy and attention have won for him 

 the esteem and respect of the members generally : he ably fills the 

 office in question, and I hope he may long continue to do so. 



The fourth Part of the Transactions of this Society, from August 

 to December 1852, has been issued, I need not say, some time ago, 

 from which I find, that " during the past year no fewer than 656 

 Seedlings have been sent to the meetings for adjudication; and sixty- 

 nine first-class certificates, certificates of merit, and labels of commen- 

 dation, have been awarded." 



Six hundred and fifty-six seedlings were sent for adjudication ! I 

 suppose that, in almost every case, the 656 seedlings were deemed 

 of some importance and value by their raisers and exhibitors, or they 

 would not have troubled themselves to send them ; and it is possible 

 to conceive that, with this impression on the raisers' minds, many of 

 these flowers may have been deemed worthy of sending out as new 

 varieties, had not the National Floricultural Society afforded its valu- 

 able aid. I am of opinion that the Society exercises very salutary 

 influence on Floriculture. It is an ordeal to which almost every thing 

 new and good amongst Seedling Florists' flowers finds its way ; and 

 the Society endeavours to procure for such flowers a sound and care- 

 ful judgment, and makes public the names of the judges. If I were 

 to ask a large portion of the buyers of Florists' flowers, " Does not a 

 certificate from the National Floricultural Society give you confidence 

 in any new flower ?" I believe a very satisfactory reply would follow. 



The Report further states, that " although the Society does not 



