416 Gena-al Results of a Gardening Tour : — 



Floral and Hortiadtural Exhibitions. — We were present 

 at that of the Manchester Floral and Horticultural Society, 

 held on the 27th of June, and we must say we have never 

 seen any thing of the kind equally splendid in the meeting- 

 room of the Horticultural Society in Regent Street. We 

 have seen much better fruits in the latter place ; but so many 

 large well-grown specimens of hot-house, green-house, and 

 hardy plants in pots and tubs we never saw assembled toge- 

 ther before. We were assured bv gentlemen connected with 

 the Society, that since its establishment the horticulture and 

 floriculture of the neighbourhood of jSIanchester have greatly 

 improved. From 500/. to 600/. a year are given away in prizes ; 

 and so eager are even the wealthy to obtain these, that the very 

 newest and most expensive plants aie obtained from London 

 with a view of flowering and exhibiting them in competition. 

 The Botanical Register and Botanical Magazine are eagerly 

 looked over every month for novelties, and the order instantly 

 sent, to insure a supply in case there should be only a few 

 plants to dispose of. We believe that this kind of competition 

 for prizes in the country, and on the Continent, is a main 

 source of support to some of the growers of the more rare 

 plants about London. 



Agricidture. — Having passed through the same tract of 

 country for the first time in 1806, with the farming of East 

 Lothian fresh in our minds, we well recollect the impression 

 made on us by the wretched state in which the agriculture of 

 England was, in comparison with that of Scotland. Though 

 we did not now expect much change, except in there being 

 a greater quantity of land enclosed, yet we could not help 

 being surprised at the very slight improvement which has 

 taken place in the implements and the processes of culture. 

 We must except a part of Derbyshire and Lancasliire, as far 

 as we have yet seen it : but Hertfordshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire, 

 Warwickshire,\\'oi-cestershire, and Staffordshire, meaning the 

 parts of these counties which we have passed through, seem only 

 to have advanced two steps, viz. those of having a more general 

 introduction of clovers, and a somewhat better breed of horned 

 cattle. The same cumbrous implements of every description, 

 large clumsy half-starved horses, shallow ploughing, dirty 

 fallows, and broad-cast turnips, still remain. Will it be 

 believed that we repeatedly saw six horses in a line drawing 

 a heavy wheel plough at the rate of two miles an hour ? In 

 only one or two places, exclusive of Derbyshire and Lanca- 

 shire, did we see improved swing ploughs, turnips on raised 

 drills, or clover mixed with ryegrass ; and nowhere single- 

 horse carts, or Finlayson's, W^ilkie's, or Kirkwood's improved 



