Of the London Horticultural Society. 149 



Note by the Conductor. — The author of the foregoing paper 

 will excuse us for having omitted so much of what he had 

 written. We should not have inserted his letter at all, had it 

 been the only one received on the subject ; but as there seems 

 among many practical gardeners in the neighbourhood of 

 London a spirit of dissatisfaction with the society, whether 

 well or ill grounded we do not pretend to say, we consider it 

 our duty to attend to it ; more particularly as it is practical 

 gardeners who are the chief readers of this Magazine. Dis- 

 cussion on the subject can never do harm, and may do good. 

 We perfectly agree with the writer on the subject of an unpaid 

 secretary ; but we question much, if any secretary, however 

 well paid, would have raised the society to the same degree 

 of eminence that has been done by the present one. It is 

 only just, therefore, that he ought to be gratified, in return, 

 with as great a share of power as is consistent with the 

 dignity and safety of the society. To the friends of hor- 

 ticulture, the most interesting point is, the question whether, 

 according to their present plan and proceedings, this so- 

 ciety will be able to get income sufficient to go on with for 

 many years. A plan, we think, should have been adopted, 

 which would not have involved so great an annual expence. 

 No society, in our opinion, should interfere with any thing 

 that can be very well or better done by individuals ; and on 

 this principle, if that in question were to limit itself to absolute 

 utility, its business would be very simple, and not very ex- 

 pensive. In the first place, there would be no occasion for 

 an extensive garden ; for we feel well assured that the only 

 real good to be done by this part of the establishment, is to 

 bring together all the varieties of fruits and culinary vege- 

 tables now scattered over the country, and form complete 

 descriptive catalogues of them. A few acres enclosed by a 

 good wall, and a vinery of 150 feet in length, would have 

 been more than sufficient for this purpose. There is not 

 another point in the whole circle of gardening that would 

 not have been much better done by individuals than by this 

 or any society whatever. For example, to procure plants 

 and fruits from abroad — offer handsome premiums for them. 

 To propagate and disseminate them when received — give 

 them to the nurserymen. To ascertain any point by ex- 

 periment — state the desideratum, and the reward you will 

 give for the best account of the result — trials will be made 

 by several, and instead of one result you will have a dozen. 

 No experimental discovery of much importance was ever 

 made by any society. The great strength of a country, whe- 

 ther politically or scientifically, is founded on the energies 



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