MONTHLY SUMMARY. 693 



LXXXVI.— MONTHLY SUMMARY. 



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November 1, 18G2. 

 International Exhibition of Fruits, Boots, Gonrds, Cereals, 



and other Vegetables. — Before saying a \\ord upon this won- 

 derful exhibition, a full expression of the hearty tLauks due to 

 those by whose exertions its success was mainly attained, ought 

 to be placed on record. 



First of these stands Earl Russell and the Foreign Office. 

 Appreciating as a statesman the national importance of such 

 comparative exhibitions, and the advantages which might be ex- 

 pected to flow from them, Earl Russell readily lent the influence 

 of the Foreign Office in support of the invitations to contribute 

 which were dispersed by tbe Society over the whole world. The 

 letters addressed to the various British Consuls were sent under 

 cover of the seal of the Foreign OflBce, and bached by a separate 

 recommendation from Earl Russell. The effect of these recom- 

 mendations has been seen in the collections sent by the consuls 

 and others from various q[uarters. 



To these contributors the thanks of the Society are in the 

 second place specially due. But it would be unfair to limit their 

 acknowledgments to those who have actually contributed. Letters 

 have been received from all, expressive of the interest they took 

 in the object, and the desire they had to contribute to it, and 

 occasionally giving interesting information as to the countries 

 they represent, A selection of one or two of these letters will 



r 



show the value of this movement more strikingly than any 

 description could do, and as they are written officially it is no 

 breach of confidence to lay them before the Fellows. 



From the British Consul at Islay, in Peru, the following com- 

 munication was received, dated Aug. 24, 18G2 : — 



'*I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a pi-ogramme and 

 schedule of the Royal Horticultural Society's Flower and Fruit Exhibition 

 to be held on the 8th October next, at South Kensington. 



" In reply to the letter accompanying the same, permit me to observe that 

 it supposes a much more advanced state of horticulture than at present 

 exists in Peru. Horticulture indeed can scarcely be said to exist at aU 

 here, at least only of a very limited kind. There is a little rude cultivation 



of fruit trees and garden vegetables, hut such a person as a nurseryman I 

 beheve is not known. 



TOL. II. 



3b 



