230 Domestic Notices. — England. 



received a premium of three guineas, as " the gardener of first-rate abilities 

 who had remained longest in his situation," he having been gardener to 

 Morton John Davison, Esq., and that gentleman's father for a period of 

 forty-five years. It is highly gratifying to record instances of this sort, 

 which reflect credit both on master and servant, and must of itself be a 

 distinct source of happiness to both. At one time it might certainly be 

 said, that a gardener situated in a remote part of the country, who remained 

 twenty or thirty years in the same situation, had little chance of keeping 

 pace with the progress of improvement. But this is much less the case at 

 the present time than at any former period, in consequence of the esta- 

 blishment of local societies, and the general circulation of the Gardener's 

 Magazine. We hope to be able to add also, in consequence of the 

 general establishment of garden libraries. By means of the latter, and 

 of the Gardener's Magazine, a gardener who has been properly in- 

 structed in his profession during youth, may keep up his knowledge with 

 the progress of the age, however remote he may be situated. But even if 

 there were no Gardener's Magazine or local Horticultural Society, it could 

 never be expedient for a gardener at the head of his profession to change 

 his situation, in order to increase his knowledge or experience ; and here we 

 observe with pleasure the just discrimination of the Newcastle Committee 

 in making it a condition that the candidates for this premium should be of 

 * first-rate abilities." A dolt, with an easy, indifferent, or absent master, 

 might otherwise have obtained the honour. 



A volume of communications is intended to be published by the Society 

 in August next ; we have little doubt they will soon be able to establish a 

 garden, and, on the whole, we think this institution likely to become one 

 of the most prosperous and useful of provincial societies. We hope one 

 object of their garden will be a conspicuously named collection of hardy 

 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, arranged according to the natural 

 system ; and next a collection of hardy standard fruit trees. These will 

 tend greatly to promote a taste both for botany and gardening. 



The Establishment of a Florist and Horticultural Society at Whitehaven is 

 in contemplation. The neighbouring county of Lancaster has long been 

 distinguished by many societies of this kind, and the progress of useful and 

 ornamental garden cultivation has, in that county, been comparatively 

 great. Attempts were formerly made to carry a purpose like the present 

 into effect, but without success. We trust, however, that the lovers of hor- 

 ticulture in this town and its vicinity will now feel themselves called upon 

 to unite with cordiality in endeavouring to obtain the object in view, as 

 there can be no doubt that the stimulus to exertion given, and the rivalship 

 created by such a society, would tend, not only to increase the enjoyments 

 of the amateur, but the knowledge and skill of the practical man, and, con- 

 sequently, the harmless luxuries of his employer. It would argue more 

 than common apathy in any one who is fond of gardening to neglect such 

 an opportunity of increasing his knowledge of the subject at an easy rate, 

 and we could find no excuse for the practical gardener who failed to pro- 

 mote, by every means in his power, what must lead, not only to his indivi- 

 dual advantage, but to that of the delightful art he professes. — {Cumberland 

 Pacquet, December 1 2.) — We are informed, that our indefatigable corres- 

 pondent, Mr. Saul, of Lancaster, has been in some degree the means of ori- 

 ginating this Society. 



Some Seedling Camellias are now (Feb. 1.) in bloom in the Comte de 

 Vande's Garden atBayswater, not much more than eighteen months from the 

 seed pod, and one seedling has bloomed there within the year. The way in 

 which this is accomplished, is by grafting the shoot made by the seedling as 

 soon as it is a few inches long, on the branches of a full grown flowering 

 plant. The occasional adoption of this practice by nurserymen and gardeners 



