1870.] NOTES OF THE MONTH. 439 



another season how his trees fared ; meanwhile some of our readers 

 will perhaps give us their experience, and "A. E." and other in- 

 quirers the benefit of their advice. B. D. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



One of the most notable incidents of the month is the fact of the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society having decided to go to the provinces 

 alone in 1871. An influential meeting has been held at Nottingham 

 — Lord Belper, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Notts, presiding 

 — when it was resolved to invite the Eoyal Horticultural Society to 

 hold a provincial exhibition in the county town during the summer of 

 the ensuing year. We hail with lively satisfaction this decision of the 

 Society. Scarcely does any other city or town present such an admir- 

 able field for its operations as does Nottingham. There horticultural 

 enterprise is not only active, but highly successful. It is said that 

 there are 20,000 allotment gardens in the suburbs of the town, and 

 those who till them are among the flower of the artisan classes. Be- 

 sides these, there are in the suburbs of the town, and further away in 

 the county, many places where plant and fruit growing is followed 

 with the best results, and these will be sure to furnish many subjects 

 at the coming exhibition. 



Already a committee is at work, organising a guarantee fund and 

 obtaining donations of special prizes. This shows a thorough hearti- 

 ness that augurs well for the success of the show. In all matters of 

 public importance Nottingham has been in the habit of speaking out 

 thoroughly and working energetically, and the Eoyal Horticultural 

 Society could not have done a better thing than yielded to the request 

 which came to them from thence. 



It is to be hoped that the Local Committee will be allowed consider- 

 able freedom of action, which they can exert without perilling the 

 independence of the Council. Probably such an influential committee 

 has never before co-operated with the Society on the occasion of a pro- 

 vincial show. As the Society takes a new course, it would be well if 

 the Committee would embrace a broader scope of action than has yet 

 fallen to the lot of a provincial aid of this character. There is one 

 thing especially which it can and should take cognisance of. Many 

 horticulturists, and especially the gardener class whose means are 

 limited, are deterred from visiting these meetings in consequence of 

 the expense incurred in finding accommodation. A bed at 5s. 

 or 7s. 6d. per night is too much of a good thing : let the Committee 



