Cultivation of Botany in England. 429 



scientific principles ; such as the cultivation of fruits and ve- 

 getables, both forced and in the open air; and of flowers, 

 whether abroad or under glass. No less than thirty-three 

 acres of land are destined to the accomplishment of the neces- 

 sary experiments, surrounded by a lofty wall, and again walled 

 off into partitions. By this plan, however, the Society appears 

 to have intentionally sacrificed the picturesque. About forty 

 workmen are kept in this Vineyard of the Lord, who are un- 

 der the superintendence of a very able gardener, Mr. Munro. 

 At present there are five stoves^ two of them built after the 

 newest plan, with convex windows, which are found to be 

 highly advantageous. A very large house is to be erected next 

 year, and heated by steam. We of Germany must long want 

 a great advantage which the English possess in their stoves; 

 namely, the very slender iron frame-work in which the panes 

 of glass are inclosed, thus uniting durability with the advan- 

 tage of admitting the greatest quantity of light. The price of 

 these iron frames in England, where every thing is six times 

 as expensive as with us in Bavaria, amounts to no more than 

 what we should pay for a frame of wood tlin.t would not last 

 above a year. The Horticultural stoves contain many valuable 

 plants from China and Sierra Leone ; brought by Mr. Don's 

 brother, who had resided there for some time. So fine a col- 

 lection of Roses exists no where else; the celebrated Mr. Sa- 

 bine, who is secretary to the Society, having been engaged in 

 studying this tribe for almost thirty years. They are arranged 

 in large squares ; one might almost say,in small groves of roses, 

 native and foreign, single and double. On comparing this 

 garden with those of the ancient universities of Cambridge and 

 Oxford, one cannot for a moment hesitate in declaring the 

 superior influence that this must have in benefiting the coun- 

 try ; although it has only been formed within these few years, 

 by the joint exertions of a few private individuals. The friend 

 of mankind contemjjlates with pleasure how much more a well- 

 directed Society of spirited men can effect in ten or twelve 

 years, with the small sum of about 60,000 florins, raised among 

 themselves, than has been performed by the two great learned 

 bodies of the kingdom, with their millions. Whoever doubts 

 the influence which the Horticultural Society has produced on 

 the nation, or who thinks that our iilcas of its value are over- 

 rated, we would advise him to attend one of their sittings, and 

 there to see what is done by the members of this institution ; 

 and then, like that •wisest of the Ajwstles, Thomas, when ho 

 shall have weighed in his hand what is sent thither, when he 

 shall have tasted of the fruit, and inhaled the rich periuine 

 diffused bv pines, peaches and nectarines, he will perhaps sa- 

 tisfy 



