30 LIFE OF 



Among the numerous societies to which the present age has 

 given birth, none, perhaps, have been followed by more benefi- 

 cial results to the community at large than the Horticultural 

 Society. The proposed establishment of this society was first 

 communicated to Mr. Knight by Sir Joseph Banks, as follows : 



" Soho Square, March 29, 1804. 



" MY DEAR SIR : 



" It having occurred to some of us here, that a Horticultural 

 Society might be formed, upon a principle not very dissimilar 

 from that of the numerous Agricultural Societies, which, if they 

 have done no other service, have certainly wakened a taste for 

 agriculture, and guided the judgments of those who wished to 

 encourage it ; two meetings have been held in order to com- 

 mence the establishment, the proceedings of which I enclose to 

 you. You will see that I have taken the liberty of naming you 

 as an original member." 



John Wedge wood, Esq., was the first projector, and on the 

 society being constituted on the 14th of March, 1804, the rules 

 and regulations which had been suggested by Mr. Wedgewood 

 were adopted.* 



On the 30th of March, a meeting was held for the appoint- 

 ment of an annual council and officers, when the Earl of Dart- 

 mouth was elected President, Mr. Wedgewood, Secretary, &c. 



The first part of the Transactions was published in 1807- 

 It opens with an introductory paper written by Mr. Knight, 

 and also contains another paper from his pen, " On Raising 

 New and Early Fruits;" read November 4, 1806. From this 

 time every succeeding part of the Society's Transactions 

 contain several communications from him. 



In order to put the Society upon a more firm foundation, 

 and to give it a higher character, both in this and foreign 

 countries, it was determined to obtain a charter, which was 



* The account here given of the origin and progress of the Horticultural 

 Society is extracted from a communication from the Secretary, Mr. Bentham. 



