238 Domestic Notices. — Scotland. 



" who does not know a letter or "a figure," ought, in our opinion, never 

 to receive a premium purely professional. We sometimes wonder, indeed, 

 how men, who have objects so much higher to aim at, can think it an 

 honour to be distinguished as a gardener ; or, thinking it an honour, how 

 they can bear it " blushingly upon them," conscious as they must be that 

 it belongs to another, and that it is almost the only honour or distinction 

 that that other can ever hope to attain. A more effectual way for a 

 gentleman to keep down the spirit of his gardener, could not well be con- 

 trived. Instances have come within our own knowledge, in which excellent 

 gardeners have been disgusted with their situations, in consequence of the 

 cream of their labours being thus skimmed off by their employers ; and we 

 could also mention several gentlemen, eminent both in wealth and in 

 intellect, genuine Englishmen in their hearts, who have first-rate gardeners 

 and gardens, who have expressed their decided disapprobation of bestowing 

 professional rewards otherwise than on professional men. As improvement 

 ultimately finds its way into every thing, we would suggest that in future 

 every horticultural society which offers premiums should have one class 

 exclusively for the patrons or employers of gardeners ; and that among 

 the standing subjects in this class should be the following, viz. 



The establishment of a garden library of the first, second, or third class, 

 the silver, bronze, or iron medal. 



The erection of the best gardener's house and offices of the first, second, 

 and third class, &c. the classes to be defined by the society. 



The formation of the most complete arboretum, arranged according to 

 the natural system ; first, second, and third class, &c. 



The formation of the most complete collection of herbaceous plants, 

 arranged according to the natural system ; first, second, and third, &c. 



The formation of the most complete systema vegetabilium of living hardy 

 trees and shrubs, arranged according to the natural system, or the Linnean 

 system, in groups on lawn, or in beds with gravel, or in rows, &c. &c. ; 

 first, second, and third, &c. &c. 



The formation of a local flora of living plants ; of the flora of any par- 

 ticular country; or of Europe; or of the temperate parts of the world; or 

 of the whole world, arranged geographically on a plot of ground, laid out 

 like a map of both hemispheres ; the torrid zone a belt of hot-house, and the 

 warmest part of the temperate zone covered with moveable glass; all the 

 large rivers and the sea containing water; the mountains raised to a 

 scale of their actual heights, the geology correctly imitated, the situations 

 of the larger cities, &c. marked by seats or buildings, &c. &c. ; first, second, 

 and third, &c. 



The formation of a country-seat in such a way as to combine in the 

 woods, shrubbery, and flower-garden, a complete system of hardy trees 

 and plants, arranged according to their natural affinities, &c. : — the highest 

 premium to be given for the place of the smallest extent, as that would be 

 the most difficult and the most expensive to execute, relatively to the 

 general effect produced. 



These are merely first thoughts, to be added to, varied, improved on, 

 and the classes defined by those who may think them worth attending to ; 

 we could add a great many more subjects requiring the combination of the 

 master's purse with the servant's skill ; but we think garden libraries, and 

 gardeners' houses, are of themselves sufficient to begin with. The comforts 

 and enjoyments which a garden is capable of affording, will never be at- 

 tained till garden libraries are as common as tool-houses. 



Caledonian Gardeners' Society. (Gard. Mag. vol. 1. p. 219.) — At the 

 last annual meeting of this institution, Mr. Thomas Millar, gardener, Ab- 

 bey, was elected president : Mr. John Notman, slater, High Street, trea- 



