Horticultural Society and Garden. 357 



Nov. 20. — Read. Remarks on the proper Elevation of Forcing-houses, 

 by Frederick Bourne, Esq. F.H.S. 



Exhibited. Fine curled Parsley, from Mr. Samuel Knevett, F.H.S. 

 Chrysanthemums, from the garden of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Bart. 

 F.H.S., sent by Mr. William Craggs, the gardener. Double Dahlias, and a 

 collection of Apples from Mr. James Young, F.H.S. A hybrid Romana 

 Melon, and five sorts of Seedling Apples, from Mr. Charles Harrison, F.H.S. 

 Malvoisie and Verdelho Grapes, from Daniel Edward Stephens, Esq. F.H.S. 

 Twenty-one sorts of Pears, and eight sorts of Apples, from Monsieur Louis 

 Claude Noisette, C.M.H.S. Swan's Egg Pears. Four sorts of Apples, from 

 Sir George Stewart Mackenzie, Bart. F.H.S. Ashmead's Kernel Apple. 

 Kentish Giant Apple. Twenty sorts of Apples, from the garden of the 

 Earl of Powis, F.H.S. ; and Apples from Mr. Alexander Duncan, gardener 

 to the Marchioness of Londonderry. 



Also, from the Garden of the Society. Flowers of forty-five sorts of 

 Chrysanthemums. 



The Chiswick Fete, in Reply to Philo-Olitorum. (p. 231.) — .Sir, As you 

 have repeatedly asserted that your pages are open to every one choos- 

 ing to express his opinion on the subjects connected with your valuable 

 publication, I trust I do not draw too liberally upon your indulgence if I 

 presume to expect you will give insertion to the following sentiments, 

 called forth by what I consider the illiberal, and, certainly, very violent, 

 letter of your correspondent, Philo-Olitorum. 



As I am aware you will not allow your respectable work to become 

 the medium of senseless, unserviceable controversy, so I am most unwilling 

 to be thought to encourage such a prostitution of it, yet there is that in 

 the spirit of your correspondent's epistle which I think ought not to 

 have a place in your columns unanswered; and, as you have assimilated 

 yourself to the character of a jolly innkeeper, bound to serve all customers, 

 provided their outward bearing will stand scrutiny, I cannot help thinking 

 that, in your character of mine host, you have come in for a greater share 

 of abuse (as sometimes happens to a good-natured landlord when he chances 

 to receive a choleric guest) than you calculated upon or deserved. 



I do not attempt to criticise Philo-Olitorum by piece-meal, his letter 

 being too long for my leisure or your patience; I shall only begin where 

 he is so hard upon you ; so, in courtesy, you are bound to support me, 

 which, by the way, I beg and pray for. 



After being very, very severe on you for allowing that the Horticultural 

 Fete, if frequently repeated in the course of the season, would be repre- 

 hensible, but that, once a year, it was not only harmless, but by calling in 

 the influence of the fashionable world, as an auxiliary support to such an 

 institution, it might be useful, he charges you with such impetuosity, 

 such a torrent of words, " huddling sentence upon sentence with such im- 

 passable conveyance upon you" as Shakspeare has it, that some of your 

 country readers, your lovers, and admirers, were really fearful you would 

 sink under so furious an attack ; and their commiseration was excited 

 accordingly. There were others who thought they saw farther into the 

 reason of your silence, and that you were only, like a canny Scotchman, 

 joukin' to let the jaw gae by. After bearing you down thus arbitrarily, he 

 takes a position (one would imagine, he thought he had you prostrate, and 

 his foot upon your breast), and triumphantly exclaims, show me when 

 science ever flourished under the auspices of fashion ? Now, really, I know 

 no way so good for getting you on your feet again, as by soberly asking 

 your violent antagonist, when did science ever flourish independent of its 

 influence ? And now, having restored you to the position proper to a 

 biped (from which it is a shame you should have been reduced, even in idea), 

 I hope I will not thereby come in for the reddin' stroke, which is always, and 



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