32 HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 
The primary object of horticultural exhibitions undoubtedly is, to 
show to how great a degree of perfection the various objects of the 
culturist’s care can be produced. A second, and most laudable one, is 
to afford to numbers of persons who, but for these exhibitions, would 
never have the opportunity of seeing and admiring many of the most 
beautiful productions of the vegetable world; and thirdly, by the 
distribution of prizes, to stimulate to the carrying out what must be 
acknowledged to be the ultimate object of these institutions, namely, 
that neat and efficient culture be carried into every department of 
gardening, and its ornate objects be arranged so as to produce the 
most pleasing and lasting effect. Notwithstanding, there are not a 
few who estimate the value of practical skill by the degree of success 
awarded to them at these public competitions; and, perhaps with 
reference to one particular class of exhibitors (though not certainly to 
the exclusion of others), this may be a tolerably correct estimate; I 
mean those who exhibit collections of plants. From the observations I 
have been able to make, I think it will almost invariably be found 
that the exhibition of a collection of plants, which is good both in its 
disposition and culture, will be found to have carried all the excellent 
qualities observable in his more public demonstration into every 
department under his charge. But while, on the one hand, scarcely 
anything will meet with encouragement that does not bear very evident 
marks of skill and application, on the other hand, there are those who 
seem to concentre all their energies upon the production of specimens 
of excellence for public competition, forgetting that every garden 
should be an exhibition of itself, and, where the means are at all 
liberal, should be a concentration of all that is excellent in practice 
and skilful in culture. 
To the real lover of plants and flowers, the great variety brought 
together at a general exhibition affords (next to witnessing the great 
perfection to which the specimens are brought), the most exquisite 
gratification; and renders them not a mere exhibition of aggregate 
beauty, but also, and in a very extensive sense, botanically interesting. 
To the careful observer this will furnish a most useful hint, to be 
carried into practice in furnishing the garden with plants, which 
should be introduced in as great variety as the size of the garden, the 
nature of the soil, the situation, or other circumstances, will admit, so 
as to render it a scene of lively interest and pleasure at every season of 
the year. To a well-regulated mind no earthly thing is capable of 
yielding more of unmixed gratification and rational enjoyment than a 
garden furnished after the above general manner; details, of course, 
with other additional matters, according to the ability or taste of the 
proprietor. 
Not unfrequently, remarks are made upon the most perfect speci- 
mens of culture, of a despairing nature, by those whom such a display 
should stimulate to the emulation of like perfection: true, every one 
cannot command the appliances and every requisite for the production 
of a first-rate collection of plants ; but it is in the power of every one 
to excel in some particular instance with some particular genus of 
plants, or with particular varieties of flowers, or plants, or fruits ; and 
