Ng55iS: 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



culties, prejudices, conflicting interests and 

 views, wliicli have to be contended with, and 

 smoothed down at the outset of all similar un- 

 dertakings, and which if not judiciously handled, 

 too frequently cause the shipwreck at their ori- 

 gin of many a well intentioned onward move- 

 ment. When, however, we cast our first glance 

 over the tables of Metropolitan Hall, we felt 

 that the only duty left us was to congratulate 

 the members of the Society on their success. 

 Although of course in point of extent the ex- 

 hibition could not be expected, as the produc- 

 tion of a young Society, to equal or approach 

 those of older socit^ties ; yet the quality of the 

 collection as a whole was highly creditable to 

 the exhibitors, and as encouraging to the exer- 

 tions of the managers, as it must have been 

 gratifying to the members and to their numer- 

 ous visitors. "We were gratifled to perceive that 

 not only was considerable company generally 

 there, but that a large portion of the substantial 

 merchants and their fair ladies had resolved to 

 show their fellow citizens that the elegant dis- 

 play which had been brought together was ap- 

 preciated and enjoyed by them. 



The fruit was in considerable quantity and 

 almost all good. 



In Grapes, we are glad to bear willing tes- 

 timony to Mr. Charlton's skill, as manifested in 

 the very fine specimens which gained for him 

 the first premium for the following eight va- 

 rieties: — Victoria, (very fine,) Black Prince, 

 Syrian, Xeres, Austrian Muscat, Black Ham- 

 burgh, Reine de Nice, and Deacon's Superb. 

 They were indeed " superb," all of them — well 

 colored, and with the bloom well preserved. 

 Ti)e vines from which they were cut, were sta- 

 ted to be three years old. A discretionary pre- 

 mium was also given for three fine bunches of 

 Black Hamburgh, to H. Sheldon, E.sq., of Tar- 

 rytown, and another premium of the .same kind 

 to Alex. Gordon, Long Island, for Muscat and 

 Syrian grapes, which well deserved the distinc- 

 tion. 



Apples and Pears were in tolerably large 

 collections Me.'ssrs. Parsons & Co., of Flush- 

 ing, exhibited 70 varieties of apples, fine in 

 quality, and containing many both of old and 

 new favorities. Their collection of pears was 

 fine. Messrs. Wilson, Thorburn and 

 of Albany, also exhibited an extensive 



and very good collection of apples, which Ave 

 observed the connoisseurs examining very as- 

 tutely. With reference to some of the plants, and 

 particularly as regards theapplesand pears, the 

 divisions between those belonging to the differ- 

 ent exhibitors, were so indistinct, that we found 

 it impossible, in many cases, to find out to which 

 of the plates of fruit the premium cards applied, 

 or we should have more particularly adverted 

 to some of these premiums, for many of them 

 were very meritoriously earned. 



In HoT-HousE Plants, Messrs. Hogg & Co. 

 were the successful competitors for the first 

 premium, in wliose collection were noticed a 

 fair plant of Schubertia graveolens, and one of 

 AUemanda neriifolia, nicely grown, but the 

 bloom hardly expanded enough; they would 

 have been in greater perfection in another fort- 

 night or so. Messrs. Hogg also exhibited well 

 grown and remarkablj' healthy specimens of 

 Musa humilis, and of Maranta zebrina, wliich 

 indicated careful culture, and were very credi- 

 table to their establishment We noticed two 

 good plants of the fragrant Hedychiuni Gardne- 

 rianum from the nursery of Mr. Dunlap. 



In Green-house Plants, the first premium 

 was awarded to M. Coleman, gardner to A. P. 

 Cumings, Esq., of Williamsbiirg, who exhibited 

 a very fine Araucaria Braziliensis, much better 

 grown that tliis variety generally is. Mr. A. 

 Bridgeman gained the second premium, and 

 his collection contained .several very neat plants, 

 but of course the lateness of the season pre- 

 cludes the expectation of seeing this class of 

 l)lants in the perfection in which they were in 

 May and June. 



There were several fine specimens of plants in 

 the rooms, among which we must particularly 

 mention a Fuchsia six feet or more high, well 

 covered to the bottom with foliage, and very 

 clean and well grown, from the collection of 

 Leonard Spencer, Esq.; also a large Begonia 

 argyrostigma, and a fine Licopodium in equally 

 luxuriant growth, and some other things from 

 the same gentleman. These plants we noticed, 

 all indicated the same care and good manage- 

 ment, and although we have not the pleasure 

 of Mr. Spencer's acquaintance, we hope our 

 merited approval may operate as an additional 

 stimulus to his exertions, so that on fut 

 cations he may contribute in larger quan 



