Domestic Notices : — Scotland, 555 



struct success on any future occasion. The Committee, however, remained 

 fully of the opinion that a promenade, such as was proposed, might be ren- 

 dered extremely acceptable to the public, and in its effects advantageous to 

 the Society. But they seemed to think that it should take place at an 

 earlier season of the year ; and that although it would not then be possible 

 to exhibit any great variety of the finer fruits, yet that compensation for 

 this single disadvantage would be found in the superior fineness of the sea- 

 son, the greater beauty of the garden, the fulness of the town, and the 

 number and rank of those who might then take an interest in the Meeting. 

 In connection with these remarks, and as giving new importance to the 

 subject to which they refer, I may mention, that, in order to meet the in- 

 creasing desire of the community for this kind of horticultural produce, the 

 magistracy of this city have lately formed a fruit-market of great extent, 

 where fruits are sold by wholesale. This new market for several Saturdays 

 past has been crowded with carts, filled with vast stores of the smaller fruits, 

 as summer apples, pears, &c., and the Society will participate in the 

 satisfaction of learning that hitherto the demand has fully kept pace with 

 this augmented supply. 



" I have only to mention that a treatise on an interesting subject has just 

 been presented to the Society, which the author wishes should be made 

 known to its members. It is a Treatise on the Insects most prevalent on 

 Fruit Trees and Garden Produce, with an Account of their History, the De- 

 predations they commit, and the Recipes used for their Desti'uction, by Mr. 

 Joshua Major. The author, under the several heads of the trees, shrubs, 

 and herbs, cultivated in our gardens, gives a list and description of the dif- 

 ferent insects which severall}' infest them, and the means which have been 

 used either by himself or others to effect their destruction. As the work 

 has but just been received, little can be said of its execution, but it seems 

 to treat of the several points relating to this very interesting subject on a 

 more comprehensive plan, and in a more practical way, than any work yet 

 written upon it. Should any member consult it, and put in practice any of 

 the recipes recommended by the author, the Society will be glad to hear 

 the result of his trials, or to learn any information respecting the varieties of 

 insects which attack different trees as enumerated by the author, their natu- 

 ral history or habits as related by him, and the efficacy of any means that 

 may seem best adapted to counteract their depredations, or to destroy them." 



Mr. Robison begged to corroborate what had been stated by Mr. Ellis 

 in regard to the backwardness of the season. He had access to know that, 

 even in the south of France, the weather has been equally unpropitious for 

 horticultural experiments. 



The Secretary then stated, that, along with other communications, he 

 had received one from Sir John Sinclair, giving an account of his having 

 discovered a beautiful dye, extracted from the flower of the potato, and 

 along with it a piece of very fine woollen cloth. The specimen sent was of 

 a beautiful bright amber colour, admirably adapted for ladies' shawls. 



In the afternoon, the Society, to the number of about 120, met in the 

 Waterloo Tavern, to celebrate its twentieth anniversary, where an excel- 

 lent dinner was served up by Mr. Steventon. The dessert, which consisted^ 

 of the fruits competed for, was served up in no fewer than 300 dishes ; of 

 these, fifty plates were grapes, eighteen melons, and several pine-apples. 

 Dr. Hope, Professor of Chemistry, was chairman, and Mr. A. Dickson and 

 Mr. J. Linning, croupiers. After the usual loyal toasts were given, the 

 prosperity of the Horticultural Society was drunk with great enthusiasm. 

 This was followed by a toast to the memory of Dr. Duncan. Dr. Hope, in 

 proposing it, described the doctor as a man whose amiability of disposition 

 often led him to the performance of acts of kindness far beyond his means. 

 He described him as the father and founder of the Royal Public Dispensary, 

 the Lunatic Asylum, and the Caledonian Horticultural Society. The healths 

 of Daniel Ellis, Esq , and the vice-presidents ; Patrick Neill, Esq., the secre- 



