474- Provincial Societies. 



recourse to some innocent amusement which may afford him pleasure, and 

 at the same time, not unfit him for the labours of the following day." 

 (C. of N. Ap. 10.) The fatigue of constant occupation of every kind, re- 

 quires to be relieved by corresponding relaxation; which, to be felt as 

 such, must be different in its nature from our constant employment. The 

 savage, after the extraordinary fatigues of hunting, lies down to sleep ; the 

 shepherd, after the wanderings of the day, amuses himself, whilst watching 

 by night, with contemplating the stars ; and the agriculturist, after passing 

 the day alone, or with his team in the fields, courts the society of his kind 

 in the evening. Perhaps, for the lower and middling classes of society who 

 live in villages or towns, the recreation of gardening, and the love of plants, 

 are more generally applicable as contrasted pursuits, than any other equally 

 healthful and interesting. They cannot, therefore, as our correspondent 

 suggests, be too generally encouraged. 



Florists* Lottery. — Sir, I am induced to trouble you, not for the bare 

 purpose of serving myself, though, I confess, my object does embrace my 

 own interest, but to propose a plan for the general accommodation of 

 amateur florists — myself as well as others. In common with a vast number 

 of suburbans, I cultivate, to the best of my ability, a few varieties of tulips, 

 carnations, pinks, ranunculuses, auriculas, polyanthuses, &c, but I find my 

 ardour in the pursuit greatly checked by the prices charged in the cata- 

 logues for good flowers of the above sorts ; and, although I am aware that 

 to possess a certain flower on which his mind is fixed, many a hobby-rider 

 of this class will part with his coat, or be guilty of even greater extrava- 

 gances, to indulge an uncontroulable propensity ; yet I am not so far gone 

 at present, but am content to depend upon the kindness of a friend or two, 

 who occasionally make an exchange with me, or present me with any 

 thing they may have to spare. But many, no doubt, do not possess this 

 facility, and are obliged to be content to admire their favourites in the 

 collections of their friends. Now, as many amateurs have a large stock of 

 duplicates which, for reasons known to themselves, they are very reluctant 

 in parting with, the plan I would suggest is, to make a raffle of the over- 

 stock in the proper season, and the receipts might be appropriated to the 

 better accommodation of what was retained, or for the purchase of such 

 other flowers as can only be obtained by money. I shall not attempt to 

 draw up a scheme for such, but leave it to some one having a stock to get 

 rid of; I would merely propose, that there be no blanks, and that the prizes 

 should vary in value, the higher containing the best flowers, and all should 

 be named sorts. I cannot think this plan can reasonably be objected to, 

 though I am aware of the great jealousy existing among some of the fancy ; 

 but am of opinion, the number of such is very trifling, compared with that 

 of the more liberal-minded ; and I flatter myself, that if this should find a 

 place in your valuable Magazine, it will meet the eye of some ready to put 

 the thing in practice. Your constant reader, 



Kennington, May 1827. G. W. B. 



Reports of all the Flower and Fruit Shows in the Kingdom. — Dear Sir, I 

 am anxious to suggest to you the propriety of adding to your Gardener's 

 Magazine, a Report of all the Horticultural, Florists', and Fruit* Shows in 

 the kingdom. This appears to me not only a useful appendage to such a 

 work, but almost indispensable to make it complete. You, I know, 

 are aware that accounts of the gooseberry-shows, as well as of the 

 auricula and carnation shows, are now published at Manchester*; but these 

 fall far short of what every horticulturist wishes to see, and the information 

 he wishes to obtain in this age of improvement ; which he cannot get, 

 nor is there at present any means, except through your valuable publication. 

 I should think, if you were to publish a supplementary number, or, if you 



