202 Notices — Holland and the Netherlands. 



the length of time that each sort might be preserved in a fit state for 

 germination. In 1824 the society proposed to give a gold watch, or a 

 silver snuff-box, for the handsomest ox, heifer, and calf, that should 

 appear in the market at Ghent on a particular day. A deputation from 

 the society attended on that day, and gave away two gold watches for the 

 best heifer, and the best ox ; a silver snuff-box for the best calf, and a silver 

 crook to the shepherd who produced the best lamb. 



We pass over several other things to notice a medal given for the best 

 cultivated tree nursery in the district of Ghent, and which was adjudged to M. 

 Verschaffelt. A general circuit of the province by a commission from the 

 society, district by district, to examine into the state of gentlemen's gardens 

 with a view of giving a prize to the gardener who had his garden in the best 

 state of culture and management, being a part of the society's plan, the dis- 

 trict of Ghent was examined last summer, and a sort of journal was now 

 read of the state of the different gardens examined. Some of the most in- 

 teresting are those described by Mr. Niel in his horticultural tour ; and it is 

 gratifying to observe that the names of the gardeners are mentioned with 

 approbation, as well as those of their masters. The commission have ad- 

 judged the medal of honour to Jean Huyze, for his superior management 

 and high keeping of all the departments of culture, and scenes of rural 

 beauty, in the country seat of the Comte Delafaille of Everghem. It is 

 worthy of remark that the society examine only one district per annum, but 

 as they make a point of never making it known what district they intend to 

 go over, nor even the time of going over it, all the gardeners of the province 

 are kept continually on the alert, least the commission should unexpectedly 

 drop in upon them. What a wonderful stimulus would be given to garden- 

 ing if a similar plan were adopted by the Horticultural Society of London. 

 As a central and national society, it should embrace every county of the 

 three kingdoms, never giving the least public notice whether they intended 

 taking a county of Ireland or Britain. This would keep the whole on the 

 alert, and the good would be done not so much by the honorary medal or 

 premium given to one or two or three individuals, as by the account the 

 commission ought to give of every garden into which they entered. This 

 account might be published in the Transactions, in a separate pamphlet, in 

 this Magazine, or, what would be best of all in the newspaper of the 

 county. It is astonishing what excitement this would give to gardeners ; 

 the notice thus taken of them would be gratifying, and the humblest would 

 feel that he was a part of the great whole. It is evident it would not be 

 less beneficial to their employers, and to many of them not less gratifying. 



A discourse is delivered at the distribution of the prizes, by the president, 

 and afterwards published, (seep. 197.) In this pamphlet is noticed the 

 different local societies which have sprung up since the central one of Ghent 

 was established. Notice is taken of the excellent management of the Ghent 

 Botanic Garden, by M. Mussche the curator, and of the extensive dona- 

 tions of seeds received from the East Indies, and from Father Leandro de 

 Sacramento, Professor of Botany in the Garden at Rio Janeiro. We are in- 

 formed in it that the government of the Netherlands, wishing to encourage 

 the taste of the inhabitants for the culture of trees, has procured from 

 America a quantity of seeds, which they presented to the different central 

 and local societies; to be by them distributed among their members. Most 

 of these, the president observes, have germinated freely, and especially in 

 the Ghent garden, where a sample of each was sown by M. Mussche. 

 In this garden, Curculigo sumatrana, and Mantisia saltatoria, have flowered 

 for the first time. Great improvements have been made at the Hague, 

 a royal residence, which may be compared to our Kensington, by M. Van 

 Donkelaer, and the president states, that considering the majesty of the old 

 trees, which seem as if they had been sown by the hand of nature, and the 

 magnificence of the canals, and limpidity of the waters which flow among 



