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prehension, than a taste for Horticulture ? If it be 

 thus, it is surely an important subject of inquiry how 

 such a taste may best be created, increased, or dis- 

 seminated. 



And here I may be told, that, when I speak of 

 creating a taste of this description, I speak of what is 

 impossible ; that it is exclusively the gift of Nature ; 

 that where she has bestowed it, little culture is requi- 

 site, and where she has withheld it, all effort is un- 

 availing. It is not necessary to maintain that nature 

 has made no difference between individuals in this 

 respect, but I am warranted in saying, that, in this, as 

 in many other instances, what we call nature is noth- 

 ing but early habit or early association. This has 

 been shown in much stronger cases, than that which 

 we are now considering. Can any suppose, that if we 

 were all conversant with fine flowers from our infancy, 

 if every porch could boast its festoons of honeysuckle, 

 every fence its clusters of roses, and every window 

 its ranges of bulbs, nothing would be done towards 

 rendering Horticulture a general and a favorite pursuit. 

 Those who think thus must deny all that has hitherto 

 been believed, respecting the spirit of improvement, 

 the power of habit, and the force of example. 



It was the wish, then, to create and diffuse a taste 

 for Horticulture, which led to the foundation of our 

 society. To the merit of introducing this art among 

 us, the society makes no pretension. It already ex- 

 isted in a considerable degree, more especially in this 

 city and its delightful environs, and in other large 

 towns. There were men among us conspicuous for 

 their talents and public spirit, as displayed in their 



