1 1 Provincial Societies. 



held in the Festival Concert Room, and was numerously attended by ladies 

 as well as by gentlemen. A high compliment was paid to S. W. Nicoll, Esq., 

 an amateur florist, for the taste with which he arranged the colours and 

 forms of the numerous and large bouquets and pyramids of flowers which 

 decorated the room. 



" Every one who admires in flowers the beautiful workmanship of nature ; 

 every one who desires to improve or to profit by improvements in fruits 

 and culinary vegetables, — he who is allowed by fortune the free enjoyment 

 of the vegetable riches of nature, and he who with bodily and mental exer- 

 cise is employed in rearing them to perfection, — is now called upon to lend 

 his aid to the efforts of this Society. 



" We do feel confident that this appeal will not be made in vain : we 

 promise ourselves the pleasure of seeing in our gardens, in our markets, and 

 on our tables, abundant proofs of increased knowledge among gardeners, 

 and improved taste among their employers. That these sentiments are 

 generally acknowledged, is evident from the rapid augmentation of the 

 numbers of the Society since the extension of its meetings to York ; from 

 the zeal manifested by several of the neighbouring gentry in sending fruits 

 and flowers and curious plants for the inspection and gratification of the 

 meeting ; from the competition of gardeners, and from the large and most 

 respectable attendance of visitors." {Yorkshire Gazette, July 21.) 



The York Florists' Society held their annual show of Carnations, Picotees, 

 and Gooseberries, on July 26th, when numerous prizes were adjudged. The 

 competition was unusually great, and the stand of flowers was the best that 

 has been seen in York for several years, demonstrating an increasing spirit 

 of improvement in the Society, which, no doubt, will be fully maintained next 

 year. The piece of plate given annually by the Society to the winner of 

 the greatest number of first stand prizes during the current year, was mooted 

 between Mr. William Hardman and Mr. Wilson, who had each won eight ; 

 when, the second prizes won by each of the two during the same period 

 being taken into calculation, it was adjudged to Mr. Wilson : also, the 

 piece of plate allotted to the winner of the greatest number of first prizes 

 of geraniums, roses, &c. during the same period, was adjudged to Mr. 

 Butler. ( York Cour., July 31 .) 



The Shoiv of Pinks and Roses, by the same Society, was held on July 5th, 

 when twenty-five prizes were awarded to as many individuals. 



The Morpeth Florists' Societyheld their annual show on the 25th of June : 



The Horticultural Society of Hexham held a meeting on the 25d of June, 

 for the exhibition of flowers and vegetables : and 



The Haivorth Society of Florists held their annual show of Ranunculuses 

 on the 25th of June. 



Numerous prizes were awarded at these different meetings. {Newcastle 

 Cour., July 17.) 



The Liverpool Floral and Horticultural Society held their first meeting in 

 the large room of the York Hotel, Williamson Square. The exhibition, the 

 first of the kind that ever took place in Liverpool, was most pleasing. The 

 display of tulips was fine and extensive. There were many rare and valu- 

 able stove and green-house plants. Two leaves of the sable Blackburnk, 

 commonly called the great palm, with the fruit and bloom, from the garden 

 of John Blackburn, Esq. M.P., of Hale, formed part of the exhibition, and 

 was greatly admired. For this beautiful present the Society, we believe, 

 was indebted to the lady of our venerable county representative. 



[We should be happy to receive the history and description of this plant, 

 which was celebrated even in the time of Linnaeus, and visited by him when 

 in this country.] 



The show-room was handsomely decorated with flowers and ornamental 

 shrubs, and had a most delightful appearance. The company who visited 

 the exhibition was numerous and highly respectable ; and all seemed 



