Metropolitan Nurseries. 101 



labourer m his own estimation, and enable him to support his family in 

 comfort, but the " pressing temptation to crime would be removed ; a 

 moral feeling would be created, which exercises a more efficient control 

 over the actions and passions of men, than all the terrors of the most 

 vindictive code of criminal law. If he [the labourer] be not so cringing and 

 servile to the farmer in outward appearance, neither will he conceal the 

 dark malignant purpose of revenge within, If his sturdy independence 

 be disagreeable to the farmer, still more disagreeable ought that mendi- 

 cant disposition to be which shakes the security of his possessions, which 

 haunts his hours of rest with terror, and gives the gathered stores of his 

 granaries to the midnight flames." This quotation is from the address of 

 the Sussex Association to the Agricultural Labourers. I am. Sir, yours, 

 &c. — J. Densoiiy sen. Waterbeachy near Cambridge, Dec. 20. 1831. 



Art. IX. Metropolitan Nurseries. 



Under this title we intend in future to include such notices as we 

 may give from time to time of the nurseries and florists' gardens withm '<iO 

 miles of London. The notices which we are most desirous of giving are 

 those which respect the introduction of new plants, and the flowering or 

 fruiting of such as have been lately introduced. We are more parti- 

 cularly anxious, now that the Horticultural Society has published a se- 

 cond edition of its Catalogue, to record the names of those nurserymen 

 who may plant collections of stock fruit trees correctly named, accord- 

 ing to it, for the purpose of supplying themselves with scions and cuttings 

 for propagation. We are convinced that this is the only mode by which 

 a nurseryman can keep his trees always true to their names; and, therefore, 

 we are desirous not merely of naming the nursery in which this mode is 

 adopted, but of giving lists of the kinds planted as stock. We are also 

 desirous of noticing all the arboretums which may be planted in nurseries, 

 with a view to showing purchasers the great variety and beauty of the 

 trees and shi-ubs which will endure the open air in this country. 



We feel confident that we shall render both the London nurserymen 

 and their country correspondents an essential service by this plan, and 

 that there can be none better for acquainting gardeners and our readers 

 generally, with what is going on in the gardening world. The metro- 

 politan nurserymen who plant fruticetums and arboretums may not only 

 supply the trade in the country with plants, but we do not see why they 

 should not also sell scions and cuttings both in the grafting and budding 

 seasons. It is a mistake to suppose that this would lessen the demand for 

 young plants ; if that effect were a likely result, it would have taken place 

 long ago, in consequence of the thousands of cuttings given away annually 

 by the London Horticultural Society ; but, so far from this being the case, 

 we believe that the attention which has thus been directed to the new 

 kinds of fruits has greatly increased the sale of fruit trees. The truth is, 

 that, in these days, when every article of commerce is sold at the very 

 lowest rate of profit, no private gentleman could raise fruit trees so cheaply 

 as he can purchase them from a nurseryman. The cuttings given by 

 horticultural societies to private gentlemen are generally grafted on trees 

 already existing, with a view of substituting a better sort. This is a prac- 

 tice highly to be commended, and as it will undoubtedly continue to 

 spread, we recommend nurserymen to assist in it, and profit from it, by 

 offering scions for sale. They may rely on it, that the greater number of 

 country gentlemen, even of those who are members of a horticultural 



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