46 INTRODUCTION. 



type of all such societies, the Horticultural Society of London, 

 which was organized March 7, 1804, and chartered in 1809, and 

 for twenty-seven years, from 1811 to 1838, was presided over by 

 Thomas Andrew Knight, whose unrivalled combination of scientific 

 knowledge of vegetable physiology, and practical skill in horticul- 

 tural operations, were, during all that time, directed to promoting 

 the interests of the society, and, through it, of horticulture every- 

 where. Professor John Lindley was assistant secretary from 1822 

 to 1858, and secretary from 1858 to 1862, giving to the manage- 

 ment of the society his great talents and inexhaustible energy. 1 



In 1825 Gov. Clinton and Dr. Hosack of New York were mem- 

 bers of the society ; and Messrs. Flo} 7 , Hogg, and Wilson, of New 

 York, Judge Buel of Albany, William Prince of Flushing, David 

 Thomas of Cayuga County, N.Y., William Coxe of Burlington, 

 N.J., Mr. Dick of Philadelphia, and John Lowell and Samuel G. 

 Perkins of Boston, were corresponding members. 2 



No organized body has ever imparted such a stimulus to cultiva- 

 tion as this societ} r . It was many years ago remarked that it had 

 accomplished more since its foundation than China had done in a 

 thousand years. What it has effected is best told in a report of the 

 Council, made May 1, 1857, from which we quote : 



" It has minutely examined and reduced to order the names of 

 fruit trees and of esculent plants ; it has directed the attention 

 of scientific as well as of practical men to the improvement of the 

 arts of cultivation ; it has introduced at much cost great numbers 

 of exotic plants to decorate our gardens ; it has published many 

 volumes filled with important treatises upon almost every subject 

 in which the gardener is interested ; it has formed a very extensive 

 garden and orchard, in which have been collected from time to time 

 numerous plants valuable for their utility or beauty ; it has given 

 a great impetus to cultivation by its public exhibitions of garden 

 produce ; it has been a school from which have sprung some of the 

 most distinguished gardeners of the present century ; and it has 

 given away to its fellows and to public establishments above a 

 million and a half of plants, packets of seeds, and cuttings. In 

 effecting all this about 250,000 has been expended, of which 

 40,000 has been consumed in the creation of the garden, more 

 than 2,000 in forming collections of drawings, models of fruits, 



* Book of the Royal Horticultural Society, pp. 9, 11, 25, 27. 

 New England Farmer, Vol. HI. p. 83, 



