1870.] NOTES OF THE MONTH. 99 



holds both a summer and an autumn exhibition, and produces at these 

 exhibitions subjects that might put to shame what is often seen staged 

 at the meetings of much more pretentious societies. 



Here, then, is a movement worthy of wide imitation. What one or 

 two men cannot accomplish for themselves, can be managed by a few 

 combining together, and in a spirit of mutual regard and aid they can 

 thus seize on advantages not otherwise to be made available for prac- 

 tical uses. No individual is so insignificant as to be perfectly useless ; 

 — a combination of these can be made to represent a power of no 

 mean order, capable of working out ends the utility and value of which 

 can only be measured by the results produced. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



At the Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society held 

 on the 8th ult., an announcement was made in the Annual Report of 

 the Council that filled many of the friends of the Society present with 

 dismay. It formed section 3 of the Report, and ran as follows : — 



"The second subject of importance relates to the working garden of the 

 Society. For some years past the Council have seen the necessity of changing 

 their experimental garden from Chiswick to some locality better suited for their 

 operations ; for the results of the cultivation there, owing to its low, cold, damp 

 position, combined with the gradual increase of smoke and houses around it, are 

 yearly becoming less satisfactory, whilst the expenditure entailed by the estab- 

 lishment is constantly increased. Moreover, the termination of the lease will of 

 itself necessitate a change in a few years. A garden conveniently situated in 

 pure air and with good soil would enable the Council to carry out their horti- 

 cultural operations with increased efficiency and at reduced cost. An obstacle 

 which would have hampered tbem in carrying out this change — viz., the expense 

 of establishing a new garden— has been (as they believe) opportunely removed by 

 a valuable bequest to the Society by their late Fellow, Mr Alfred Davis, which 

 will enable the Council to effect this improvement, and at the same time preserve 

 the memory of the bequest, and of Mr Davis's interest in the Society, in a per- 

 manent shape." 



There is no doubt, therefore, but that Chiswick is doomed. All the 

 glories of the past that clustered about it, and remain to this day, 

 when it could furnish the Horticultural Exhibition of the Metropolis, 

 and attract to the Gardens the elite of London Society, are now of no 

 avail : it too must pass away, as other institutions that have served 

 their purposes have passed away, leaving only the memories of what 

 they once were behind. The Chairman, Mr James Bateman, F.R.S., 

 stated the grounds that had induced the Council to recommend the 

 disestablishment of Chiswick : they were — the near approach of Lon- 



