Notices. — England. 449 



verse, entitled « The Labourer," and which has the same date as tins poem 

 on gardening. The imposing ceremony of the commencement of the 

 labours by the emperor himself in the beginning of spring is still more 

 ancient in .China. .It was established 1 50 years before the Christian era 

 I he_ soldiers m China plough, sow, and reap. In the tribunals of the 

 empire there is a president, superintendent, and director -general of agri- 

 culture. {Olivier de Serres, Historical Introd. to the edit, of 1804 ) 



Art. II, Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



JxOSS Horticultural Society. The ninth exhibition of this distinguished an 

 increasing institution, took place on the 26th of July. This being the last show 

 this year for flowers, a full meeting was expected, and it was realised in the 

 attendance of upwards of 250 subscribers and their friends. The room on the 

 opening was not so much crowded, in consequence of the heat experienced at the 

 previous meeting ; a succession, however, of subscribers kept entering till a late 

 hour, and the interest, never flagged, and the removal of the plants was postponed 

 an hour at the request of the company. The collection at the door from the 

 public much exceeded any previous meeting ; also the sale proceeds, (except 

 the Autumn first show,) and upon the whole this was the most numerously, and 

 best attended meeting, since the society was established. The ground stand 

 was probably never better filled with choice and splendid varieties of hot-house, 

 green-house, and hardy plants, and the mass of foliage and flowers was singularly 

 unique and beautiful. Several very large well-bloomed specimens of the double 

 and single oleander, blue, and white campanula, towering above their compeers, 

 with the purple, blue, red, and white hydrangea, contributed much to the group, 

 and were universally admired. The stage of carnations, piccotees, and dahlias, 

 contained about 300 flowers, and were, for the season, very fine ; and those 

 selected by the censors on the prize-stand, were fully equal to those bloomed in 

 a favourable season. Mr. Miller, of Bristol, exhibited his new seedling, double 

 dahlia, which for size, colour, and form, surpasses any yet grown, and is richly 

 entitled to the distinguished name he has given it of George the Fourth. This 

 splendid specimen must be in great request next season, by the admirers of this 

 beautiful Autumnal flower. The stage for balsams and cockscombs, exhibited 

 for prizes, produced very fine specimens. The fruit-table was laden with upwards 

 of five dozen plates of specimens; the gooseberries were very fine, but not equal to 

 those exhibited last year, as proved by the scales, for some then weighed nearly 

 20 dwts., and none now exceed 17 dwts., which was attributed to the continued 

 drought. (Gloucester Journal, August 5.) 



Hereford Horticultural Society. On July 21st, the third exhibition of this 

 society took place in the great room of the Shire Hall. The display of fluwers 

 equalled the former ones, and the show of fruit was excellent. There were 

 several plates of gooseberries, all of the finest sorts ; also peaches, nectarines, &c. 

 &c. ; but owing to the unpropitious season, not a single vegetable was sent for 

 exhibition. (Gloucester Journal, July 29.) 



Yorkshire Horticultural Society. The summer meeting of this society was held 

 at the Star and Garter Inn, Kirkstall, on July 19th, Norrison Scatchard, Esq. of 

 Morley, in the chair. After a few introductory remarks relative to the meeting, 

 he observed, that owing tothe late excessive drought, the show of flowers was 

 very small, but that the show of fruit was very fine. The prizes awarded were 

 very numerous. During the meeting a fine specimen of the Yucca Gloriosa, or 

 Adam's needle, the stem of which was said to be upwards of 10 feet high, and 

 having upwards of 600 flowers upon it, was exhibited by the gardener of 

 Messrs. Backhouse, of York. A fine specimen of the tulip tree, from the garden 

 of T. B. Pease, Esq. was exhibited by Joseph Moor. A fine plate of last year's 

 apples, in an excellent state of preservation, was exhibited by the chairman, who 



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