360 Provincial Societies. 



We have, for some years past, had a Florist's Gazette, published at Man- 

 chester. But. being published in the country, we found it difficult to 

 obtain it. We want one published in town, entitled The British Florist's 

 Gazette. Let one portion of it be" allotted to neiu flowers going out, and 

 other interesting particulars. If you were to issue proposals for such a 

 work in your Magazine, and request the Florists' Societies to contribute to 

 it, jmst paid, you would have plenty of materials, which you might easily 

 arrange for the press. Let it be published on the 1st of September, or 1st 

 of October ; and, we think, where you sell one Gardener's Magazine, you 

 would sell four British Florist's Gazettes. But we are aware this would 

 satisfy only one half of the non-contents ; to please the other half you 

 must publish a similar work, entitled The British Fruitery. We have no 

 doubt of their having a very extensive circulation. Your country friends 

 will feel obliged if you will give the subject your serious consideration.— 

 Floristicus. November 29. 



We have no objection whatever to publish a British Florist's Gazette, 

 and The British Fruitery, once a year; say on the 1st of October, though 

 we very much doubt their paying for paper and print. Why are those 

 which were published at Manchester discontinuea ? However, as so much 

 has been said to us on this subject, we hereby invite all Flower and Fruit 

 Societies to send us, post paid, plainly written and correctly spelt accounts 

 of their transactions, and what they would wish published, together with a 

 notice of the number of copies they will take of one or both works, and we 

 shall at any rate run the risk of a commencement on the 1st of October 

 next. — Cond. 



Distribiition of Pretniums. — Sir, Permit me to draw your attention to 

 some points in the practice of Provincial Horticultural Societies, which I, 

 in common with a number of my brethren who are practical men, think 

 require reformation. 



Much has been said respecting the laborious and responsible situation 

 of gardeners, compared with that of some other servants in a gentleman's 

 family ; but what adds greatly to the pain, and, I may say, often constitutes 

 the degradation, of the gardener, is the practice of many of their employers, 

 who are members of these societies, who receive the prizes that are in 

 reality gained by their gardeners. You have very truly stated (Gard. Mag., 

 vol. ii. p. 238.) that there is not a more effectual way than this for a gentle- 

 man to keep down the spirit of his gardener, and I am now suffering this 

 degradation. The intention of these societies is good, but their manage- 

 ment bad. Are they not supported by gardeners to a considerable extent, 

 and does not the practical man pay subscription as well as his master ? 

 More than this, I can aver that nine times out of ten he buys, at his own 

 expense, the plant that produces the flower or fruit for which his master 

 claims the prize. Such treatment, Sir, has been my lot ; and I feel that it 

 is not to be endured, that those who have had the care, anxiety, and toil 

 have not the reward also. I admit it may be argued that every servant's 

 exertions are the property of his master ; hut permit me to ask such of your 

 readers as argue in that strain, whether they can reconcile to their own 

 minds, the taking of a reward for an action which they never performed, 

 or for a degree or kind of merit which they do not possess ? I am sure 

 there are many of my brother gardeners who feel on this subject in the 

 same way as your obedient servant. — A Complaining Gardener. August 8. 



We can very well sympathise with this correspondent, who, if he were 

 as good a writer as he is a gardener, would probably render some of the sort 

 of masters to which he alludes a little more attentive to the feelings of 

 those who are under them. We have already expressed our ideas on the 

 subject. {Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 2.37.) 



