t8 [Assembly 



In closing this brief description of flowers, I must return the 

 thanks of the Institute to Messrs Thorburn, Hogg and others, for 

 several large contributions of rare and beautiful flowers, which 

 served very materially to increase the attractions of the Horti- 

 cultural department. The liberality and public spirit of those 

 gentlemen are well known, and need no comment from me. 



Miscellantous articles nejt claim a small share of attention. 

 With two or three exceptions, I have not the remotest idea of 

 enumerating these, farther than to state that their name is legion. 

 Pickles and Preserves deserve to be specially noticed, not only 

 because they were got up in beautiful style and made a fine show, 

 but because of their intrinsic excellence. The Plums, Straw- 

 berries, Raspberries, &c., were excellent, but the Peaches were 

 superb. While among the sweet things, I will dispose of the 

 Honey. A sam] le of wild honey may have been very good ; it 

 had a rich smell, but was so wormy that the judges declined 

 tasting it. The best honey was made from artificial food in one 

 of Gilmore's patent aviaries. This aviary has been examined 

 with much care by competent judges, and it is their opinion that 

 it possesses important advantages, over any other now in use. It 

 is constructed somewhat on socialist principles, being, in fact, a 

 community of hives. The advantage of this is, that an indefinite 

 number of swarms can work in one inclosiu'e without interfering 

 with each other. Its mechanism cannot well bo understood 

 without a model or a diagram, but I have had opportunities of 

 satisfying myself that it possesses, practically, all the merits 

 claimed for it. One of the advantages of the artificial food is, 

 that being placed near at hand, there is a great saving of labor 

 and time, and consequently, a corresponding increase in the 

 quantity of honey made ; that is to say, the bees thus fed, will in 

 a given time make more honey than by any other mode now 

 known. The cost of the food is said to be trifling ; it is of differ- 

 ent qualities, and so of course, is the honey, but the best is of 

 fine flavor and very superior quality. 



In conclusion I will notice some Flower Pots, and a display of 

 Rustic Work. The flower pots were something of a novelty, 

 •without the usual hole for drainage, but having instead a false 



