461' Domestic Notices : — England, 



and its immediate vicinity shall fix the site of the garden in that place, we 

 shall nevertheless sincerely rejoice that enough patrons of botany can be 

 found to carry the undertaking into execution ; and shall hope that the 

 inhabitants of Bristol will shortly afterwards imitate their liberahty and 

 love of science, by founding a like institution." 



We cordially agree with this writer in ardently desiring the establish- 

 ment of botanical and horticultural gardens, and even zoological gardens, 

 combined with breathing zones, such as Mr. Slaney is now legislating for 

 (see Vol. V. p. 686.) ; and we have no doubt that when the system of 

 managing towns is entirely altered, and their inhabitants, and those of their 

 suburbs for a certain distance round, are governed by a municipal repre- 

 sentative system, such gardens and zones will be established in not only 

 every town, but in every large village. In the mean time, however, we 

 protest against the idea of establishing a garden between two towns, which 

 must necessarily be at such a distance from both, that only those who 

 keep carriages, or can afford to hire them, could go to it. The idea appears 

 to us most preposterous ; and we are astonished how it could be enter- 

 tained for a moment by any liberal editor. There is some excuse for the 

 garden of the Horticultural Society of London being at a distance from 

 the metropolis, on account of the smoke, and of the difficulty of procuring 

 a suitable extent of good soil : but who can doubt that, if it had been 

 established in the Regent's Park, for example, there would have been ten 

 visiters for one that there is at present. The great object of a provincial 

 botanical and horticultural garden is, not to try experiments or to intro- 

 duce new articles into the country, but to make known what has been 

 already introduced and approved of to the inhabitants of the given locality, 

 and to all classes of them. How is this to be done, but by a garden so 

 placed as that all ages and classes, and more especially women and children, 

 may walk in it, and examine its contents ? We know, from experience, 

 that many who enter a garden at first merely with a view of taking ex- 

 ercise, by seeing the various flowers, and fruits, and other products of the 

 different seasons, gradually become imbued with a taste for gardening. 

 The proprietors of two of the most beautiful and well-stored flower- 

 gardens we know (that of Mr. T. in Lancashire, and Mr. W. in Scotland), 

 had their taste for floriculture thus awakened. — Cond. 



A Botanic and Horticultural Garden is in contemplation in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Sheffield. We understand there is some beautifully varied 

 ground, well adapted for the purpose ; and we trust so wealthy a town will 

 not be long before it adds to its suburbs so agreeable and useful a feature. 

 We recommend the parties concerned to take warning from the present 

 appearance of the Birmingham Botanic Garden, and at the same time not 

 to forget what we have said of that at Chiswick ; two fine situations, both 

 completely bungled by the manner in which they are laid out. The true 

 remedy for this, and other evils to which such institutions are subject, is 

 publicity in every stage of the business, from the choosing of the ground 

 to the formation of the plan, and its execution. 



A magnificent doynical Conservatory is now erecting at Brighton, by sub- 

 scription, under the direction of Mr. Phillips, the Author of Floi^a Do- 

 mestica, and other works. We are informed that the ground plan is cii'- 

 cular, and about 150 ft. in diameter, and the summit of the dome above 

 100 ft. in height. This, of course, will far exceed either the late conserva- 

 tory at Britton Hall (now dispersed in sections over the country, forming 

 various patchwork green-houses and vineries), Mr. Forrest's houses at 

 Syon, or the wonders of the Enchanted Valley at Alton Towers. 



A Notice of a destructive Hailstorm ivliich occurred at Edgbaston on 

 May 9. 1833. — Sir, The hailstorm about which you enquire occurred on 

 the aftei'noon of May 9., and was of nearly half an hour's duration. The 



