324 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



arrive from China ; not the least important of which was the 

 magnificent Glycine (or Wistaria) sinensis, of which the first 

 living plant, now an aged tree in the society's garden, arrived 

 in 1818. 



By the year 1823 gardeners had been despatched to the 

 coast of Africa, the West Indies, South America, and China, 

 and extensive collections of valuable exotics had been pro- 

 cured from distant colonies. In 1823, twelve hundred varie- 

 ties of roses existed in the garden ; and this assemblage, as 

 well as the importations from China, may be assumed to have 

 led to that elimination of bad sorts, and general improvement 

 of the rose, which has rendered the modern rose garden a 

 scene of perpetual enjoyment, instead of a summer display 

 which only lasted for a month or six weeks. 



In 1822 the society obtained a lease of the present garden 

 at Chiswick ; the admission fee was then raised to 6/. 65., 

 and the annual subscription from 31. 3s. to Al. As. At the 

 same time, with a view to defray the cost of the new gar- 

 den, a voluntary subscription was opened, which ultimately 

 reached the sum of 72751. 2s. 



In 1827 it was resolved to discontinue the anniversary 

 dinners previously held in London, and to substitute for them 

 fetes or public breakfasts. These assemblages were unprofit- 

 able, produced dissatisfaction, and were discontinued after 

 1831. The first was held June 23, 1827. It was attended 

 by 2843 persons ; gave rise to a lawsuit between the council 

 and the purveyor; and produced a profit of 504/., of which 

 however 213/. were afterwards consumed in legal proceed- 

 ings. The second occurred on June 21, 1828; it was at- 

 tended by 4193 persons, produced a gross sum of 4760/., and 

 a loss estimated at 139/. The third took place on June 27, 

 1829; tickets were sold to the amount of 5185/.; the ex- 

 penses were 5162/., and the balance in favor of the society 

 22/. 16s. 6d. The fourth and last was on the 23d June, 1831 ; 

 on which occasion the balance in favor of the society was 

 ascertained to be 115/. 12s. 



These experiments, having proved unsuccessful, were finally 

 abandoned, and replaced by the garden exhibitions, which 



