82 Hints for Improvements. 



tural Societies, on the subject of offering prizes. Allow me to add to 

 these hints, the idea of stimulating young men to self-improvement. For 

 instance, there are, in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, six public nurseries, 

 several market-gardens, and a great number of private gentlemen's gardens, 

 in which are a number of young men or boys, from the age of 14 to 20 

 and upwards, who are placed there for improvement. A number of 

 these, I am led to think, require some stimulus to induce them to study 

 diligently, and acquire the practice of their profession in a superior manner. 

 Perhaps some prizes of the following description might be offered. At 

 the beginning of the season for botanical excursions; say, for the first hun- 

 dred dried specimens of British plants, named and arranged according to 

 the Natural System, so much, or such an article. At the end of the bo- 

 tanising season, or in November ; for the greatest number of specimens of 

 British plants, dried, named, and arranged in the course of the year. To 

 the best namer of plants, as they stand in the Horticultural Society's show- 

 room for inspection, either at one meeting or several meetings. Fcr the 

 most rare British plant discovered during the season, with its name, de- 

 scription, &c. For the best self-educated individual in writing, arithmetic, 

 drawing, measuring, &c, specimens to be signed by his master, or some 

 other respectable person. For the best design for laying out a garden or 

 pleasure-ground ; the competitors to be furnished with a ground plan, ex- 

 hibiting the outline and the variations of the surface, or to have a piece of 

 ground pointed out to them, or described. The prizes might be catalogues 

 of plants, or other books, cases of instruments, boxes of colours, mea- 

 suring lines, &c. I shall be happy if these hints lead some more com- 

 petent person to take the subject into consideration and improve on it ; 

 and, I remain, Sir, &c. — James Rollings. Liverpool, Jan. 7. 1830. 



Horticultural Societies in the Suburbs of London. — Sir, Horticulture is 

 perhaps one of the most interesting and innocent sources of amusement 

 that can be fixed upon, to fill up those hours which most people feel it 

 necessary to devote to recreation, with a view of diverting the mind from 

 too intense application, either to business or study. From local circum- 

 stances, very many are precluded from the pleasure of a garden ; but, 

 where even a small one is attached to a house, if the air is tolerably pure, 

 any one, with a little taste, may find ample amusement in the cultivation 

 of it. 



It is, no doubt, a great misfortune, that builders are not more alive to the 

 advantages, or, perhaps I should say, that persons are not more sensible 

 of the pleasure, of a garden ; we should then have, instead of filthy streets, 

 cottages detached, with a garden to each, sufficient to employ and give in- 

 terest to the tenants. Could, therefore, means be devised to introduce 

 a more general taste for gardening, particularly in the vicinity of the me- 

 tropolis, it would, no doubt, contribute greatly to the health and happiness 

 of many individuals. To forward this taste, and to render the pursuit more 

 interesting, nothing, I conceive, has so great a tendency as the formation 

 of local horticultural societies. In the neighbourhood of the capital, the 

 Horticultural Society unfortunately acts as a bar to the establishment of 

 local ones. Most of the principal residents having a taste for plants, &c, 

 are members, and therefore do not consider it necessary to patronise the 

 formation of societies in their immediate parishes. I am not acquainted 

 with the regulations of the London Society, and therefore am not aware 

 how far it is open for the reception of plants, fruits, &c, for exhibition, 

 from persons not being members : but however liberal the rules may be, in 

 allowing the public to forward their finer specimens for view, and bestow- 

 ing rewards where any great merit is displayed ; yet it must be obvious, 

 how very few, from distance and the inconvenience of sending, could 

 avail themselves of the privilege. May I, therefore, solicit your indul- 

 gence for a page in your Magazine, to suggest to those gentlemen who 



