EXHIBITION AT CHISWICK. 



the plant in good health, so as to insure a vigorous flow of nutritive sap and a firm growth 

 of leaves and wood. With us it is has succeeded admirably, and we commend it to all 

 whose bushes are affected with a troublesome and wasting enemy. 



Yours truly, W. Bacon. 



Elimvood, September, 1S52. 



AN EXHIBITION DAY AT CHISWICK. 



BY AMERICL'.S. 



Last summer, business took me to England, and as I went well provided with letters 

 of introduction, I soon found myself domiciled in the family circles of the "Merchant 

 Princes " of London, as they clioose to call themselves. I will do them the justice to say, 

 so far as my experience of a few weeks spent amongst them goes, that they at least treat 

 their friends with much hospitality; and appear to enjoy the opportunitj'- of discussing 

 our affairs, and satisfying their curiosity as to our habits, institutions, and progress. I 

 arrived there early in Ma}', and I soon found from the fair portion of my new friends, that 

 the fashionable world were at that season of the year, all busy with preparations for the 

 horticultural exhibitions, of Avhich there are several during the j'ear; the principal ones 

 taking place in May and June. The price of admission is about a dollar, which is high; 

 but it has the effect, in accordance with English notions and habits, of confining these 

 meetings to the middle and more aristocratic classes of the community; consequently Ihe}^ 

 are deemed by the latter, " fashionable; " and although not one person in ten maj^ j-eally 

 care about horticulture, every body who wishes to be thought fashionable, goes; in the first 

 place, because his friends and acquaintances do the same, and in the second place, to show 

 their silks and satins; for it must be understood, that the fashion of the thing is, for every 

 lady to attend a horticultural exhibition there, as the French say, "en grande toilette." 

 Being myself a real lover of flowers and fruits also, and desiring not to miss so good an 

 opportunity to see the beau monde of England, I readily yielded to the pressing invitation 

 of my fair friends, to take a seat in their carri.ige on the " Chiswick day." 



I must now anticipate a little, in order to put my readers in possession of some infor- 

 mation which I obtained after ttie day was over, in reply to mj^ inquiries as to the way 

 in which these exhibitions are got up and managed. I saw, as I shall presently describe, 

 such vast quantities of things for exhibition collected together, I was not a little cui'ious 

 to ascertain how, in so short a time, so magnificent an assemblage was got into order. For 

 there were some six or seven immense tents, some of them Avith double rows of tables, 

 extending the whole length of them, covered with plants; numbers of which were in 

 pots or tubs so large and heavy, as to require two, and some four men to lift them. It 

 appeared, in answer to my questions, that the Chiswick gardens have been formed by the 

 Horticultural Socictj' of London, and are under the superintendence of Dr. Lindlet, one 

 of the principal directors. They occupy about 20 acres of ground, a large part of which 

 is laid out as pleasure ground, and is planted with such rare exotics, as are hardy enough to 

 bear the Avinter's frost; and the remainder, is devoted to pomology and kitchen gardening. 

 These two last named departments, are principallj' used for the trial of experiments, and 

 the propagation of new fruits, plants and vegetables. There are numerous plant-houses, 

 forcing-houses, hot-pits, and other requisites for that purpose; and from these departments, 

 wliateveris obtained new and valuable, is distributed over the country, through the mem- 

 f tlie societ}', many of whom are nurserymen. In the suinmer months, three 

 tions are held in the gaidens, and it is with these that we now have to do. 



