MONTHLY SUMMARY. 761 



bigger fact than those outraged in it were aware of at the time, 



and that the Society has in its hands an engine, by the judicious 

 and properlj-timed application of which a vast amount of good is 

 to be done both to this country and its colonies and allies. It is 

 impossible, on the occasion of such a show, in the short space 

 allotted to this Monthly Summary, to specify all that it would be 

 desirable to bring under the notice of the Fellows ; and in last 

 month's account of the International Fruit Show, much which was 

 of interest had to be passed over in silence. But Messrs. Sutton & 

 Son's admirable collection of roots, vegetables, and cereals was not 

 intended to be so. We understand that these gentlemen are pre 

 paring similar large collections for exhibition at the agricultural 

 shows at Islington and Birmingham. It is decidedly the interest of 

 this Society, both collectively and individually, to encourage the 

 formation and exhibition of such collections by seedsmen. We 

 have nothing to do with the motives which induce them to 

 make them. These may be purely philanthropic and scientific, 

 or there may be some tinge of worldly dross in them. That 

 concerns not us ; but what does concern us is that no one can 

 make such collections without acquiring a knowledge of the pro- 

 perties of the things collected, and being better able to speak upon 

 and advise regarding them than others who have not paid the 

 same attention to the different kinds and varieties ; and the more 

 the formation of such collections is extended, the greater will be 

 the amount of information dispersed among our seedsmen and 

 their servants. 



French FouEtains and Bronzes. — Only 800^ has been sub 



scribed for the purchase of these objects, and as nearly 2000^ 

 more would be required for the purchase of even the smaller and 

 cheaper fountain, it now seems pretty clear that the idea of re- 

 taining either of them must be abandoned. So soon as this is 

 put beyond doubt, the subscribers will be invited to say whether 

 they wish their subscriptions returned, or if they may be applied 

 to the purchase of some of the bronzes. 



Decorations of the Garden — The dismantling of the Great 



Exhibition will carry with it a considerable number of the decora- 

 tions in the garden, even after making allowance for those which 

 may be purchased. The painful Milo will be taken down ; 

 most, if not all of the bronze-painted iron will disappear, 

 and some of the bronze antiques will go. The Fine Arts 

 Committee, in t heir recommendations to the Council, dis- 



