Horticultural Society and Garden. 359 



upon the cultivation of twining kidney beans for forcing, by the Rev. 

 George Swayne, C.M.H.S. 



Distributed. — Seeds of Betrave rouge de Castelnaudary, Laitue ' im- 

 periale, and Oignon blanc haftf, from M. Vilmorin, C.M.H.S. Black delicate 

 Turnip, and Early Knob Celery, from Mr. John Booth of Hamburgh. 

 Cuttings of Beurre"e d'Aremberg Pear, from Captain de Couteur, C.M.H.S. ; 

 and Bascomb Mystery Apple, from Mr. John Bridgman, F.H.S. 



April nth. Read a paper on destroying the aphides on peach trees by 

 tobacco-water, from Sir G. S. Mackenzie. Notice was given of the Society's 

 intention to send medals to the provincial societies, to be by them be- 

 stowed according to merit ; a very proper measure, because it will extend 

 the feeling of co-operation, fraternity, and unity of purpose, to the ex- 

 tremities of the three kingdoms, in a cause, which, unlike that of the 

 Jesuits, and certain other societies, admits of no dispute as to its utility and 

 moral innocence. We would push the idea two moves farther, and send 

 medals for a similar purpose to our colonial societies, and exchange them 

 with the similar establishments of other nations in every part of the world. 

 The universal sympathy of feeling which this would produce, and the real 

 benefits to society which would have a tendency to be the result, are de- 

 lightful to contemplate. A few handsome house-plants, and some bouquets 

 of narcissi, hyacinths, Persian tulips, remarkable for their black bottoms, 

 garden anemones, double-blossomed whin, &c. were on the table. An 

 Irish variety of the common garden anemone was remarked as a fine showy 

 flower, and is well worth asking for from the garden by the unstarred fel- 

 lows, and purchasing from the nurseries by the others. 



Chiswick Garden. — Some of our readers have reminded us of our 

 promised critique on this garden, and seem to hint that we may have 

 changed our mind on the subject. But, no 1 Every visit we make 

 strengthens the opinion of it which we have from time to time expressed : 

 for instance, we were there a few days ago, admiring the extensive collec- 

 tion of orchideous epiphytes, Cape bulbs, pits of pine-apples, forced straw- 

 berries and figs, a pond preparing for aquatics, and the American eagle, — all 

 very good in their way, but most improper as main objects, while there is 

 no vinery for proving the different sorts of vines, and no wall devoted to 

 try their comparative hardiness. Had a proper plan and system of ma- 

 nagement been adopted, the grand leading objects of general utility would 

 have been first attended to, and hot-houses, for pine-apples, dumpy orchidese, 

 and other objects of luxury, botanical curiosity, or petty detail, kept 

 subordinate. As to growing pines, and forcing strawberries and figs, in the 

 present state of the Society's funds, we think it ridiculous. 



To the plan of the garden we shall return as soon as we can find 

 leisure. The necessary sketches to illustrate our ideas have been engraved 

 nearly a twelvemonth, and we are not likely to throw them away. In the 

 mean time, in case there should be a chance of our opinion doing any good, 

 we submit the following general outline of our scheme of reformation. 



1. The present plan is so bad, that it cannot be improved on, but must 

 be totally obliterated. 



2. In order to obliterate the plan with as little loss as possible, as much 

 of the stock of plants as can be spared, including all duplicates, most of the 

 pines, and many of the purely botanical plants, should be sold, by auction 

 or otherwise. 



3. The Arboretum should be formed as a belt, combined with hardy 

 herbaceous plants, and arranged in the natural manner, as suggested 

 p. 302. 



4. The walk within this belt, we think, should be a perfect circle ; but it 

 may be a square, or wavy. 



A A 4< 



