440 Transactions of the Horticultural Society. 



same part, descriptive of certain hot-houses and pits in the 

 Chiswick garden, assumes quite a different feature in our 

 pages (201. 203. ), by being illustrated by three engravings, 

 from which any workman might erect the structures described. 

 In short, every reader who is in possession of the Horticultural 

 Transactions, vol. vi., and this Magazine, has only to continue 

 the comparison which we have begun, to be convinced of the 

 additional utility which we have given to the former work. 



Perhaps we ought not to have said so much in our own 

 favour; but we are unwilling that the Horticultural Society 

 should monopolise every thing : and having, in the way we 

 have mentioned, been the means of obtaining for their pub- 

 lished Transactions a degree of credit to which, as compared 

 with this Magazine, they are not entitled, we think it but fair 

 to restore them to their natural level. 



The number of the Fellows of the Society at the date of 

 the preface to vol. iv. was 1 520 ; to vol. v. 1815; to the pre- 

 sent, vol.vi., 2044; — an immense power, which, however, being 

 at the full tide of influence, must naturally be expected to 

 decline. 



After noticing the botanic expeditions of Mr. James M^Rae 

 to the western coast of South America and the Sandwich 

 Islands, and of Mr. David Douglas to the north-west coast of 

 North America, it is stated " that no further expedition is at 

 present contemplated by the Society." 



" The garden continues to flourish, and improve in its 

 appearance in a degree which cannot but be highly satisfac- 

 tory." The garden may be highly satisfactory to those who 

 know no better, and therefore think themselves bound to 

 approve of what is done by those who ought to set the 

 best example ; but ask the most intelligent nurserymen and 

 gentlemen's gardeners their opinion of the plan of the garden. 

 Ask Messrs. Knight, Loddiges, Malcolm, Mackay, Milne, 

 and Sinclair. For our parts, we have always avowed our 

 opinion that the plan of this garden was disgraceful to the 

 Society, and to this country, — hitherto so celebrated in respect 

 to design in gardening. The plan of a public garden, like 

 that of the Horticultural Society, ought not to have been 

 fixed on, before publicly inviting all the gardeners and garden- 

 artists of the country, as suggested by our correspondent, 

 " A Nurseryman," to communicate their ideas on the subject. 

 But what is called the Garden Committee were ambitious of 

 appropriating to themselves the credit of being garden-designers 

 as well as garden-directors, and it would be unjust to deprive 

 them of what they have merited in either capacity. So bad a 



