London Horticultural Society and Garden. 411 



with miscellaneous collections of plants in pots, which might be still kept in 

 groups, as they are at present. We should also like to see culinary vegetables 

 of every description exhibited, and, of course, they ought to be shown in a 

 separate tent. Indeed, we are persuaded that these exhibitions will soon be- 

 come so popular, that the present tent, large as it is, will not be able to con- 

 tain the articles sent, and it may then be devoted exclusively to miscellaneous 

 assemblages of plants in pots, while separate tents will be required for florists' 

 flowers, fruit, and culinary vegetables. There is plenty of room for such 

 tents, and they might be made of a circular form, and wholly supported by 

 an iron column in the centre, somewhat in the manner of fig. 630. in the new 

 edition of our Encyclopedia of Gardening, but with a curtain all round. 



We should also wish to see a rigid attention paid to classification in the 

 collection of cut flowers, such as roses, heartseases, carnations, &c. By 

 neglecting to place varieties of the same flowers together, according to their 

 affinities, the florists really do themselves an injustice. For example, in the 

 way hearteases are at present exhibited, the varieties are all indiscriminately 

 mixed together ; so that, in casting the eye over them, it is impossible to say 

 how far they are distinct from each other. Now, were each variety placed 

 adjoining to that which it most resembled in the greatest number of particu- 

 lars, the eye would begin at one end of the collection, and trace a beautiful 

 series of harmonious variation to the other end of it. There is not one well- 

 constituted mind in a thousand, to which this mode of exhibition would not be 

 incomparably more agreeable than the present chaotic one. We believe that 

 one of the objects of the exhibitor at present is sometimes to puzzle the spec- 

 tator, and to prevent him from knowing how many distinct sorts are exhibited. 

 If this be desirable in a commercial point of view, it is most detestable in 

 point of taste ; for, in small things, as in great ones, " order is heaven's first 

 law." Why is it " heaven's first law ? " Because, wherever a number of par- 

 ticulars are presented to the mind, they cannot be comprehended by it, unless 

 they are connected by some obvious principle, so as to form a whole. Won- 

 derful as the powers of the human mind are, it can only attend properly to 

 one thing at one time. From this principle within us arises the necessity of 

 order and classification in all things around us, from which we expect to 

 derive either instruction or delight. (See the subject of unity of sensation 

 treated more in detail in our Architectural Magazine, vol. i. p. 219.) 



The articles which appeared to us the most remarkable in the exhibition 

 were Rhodochiton volubilis, which had flowered in the stove of Mrs. Law- 

 rence; Campanula garganica, mentioned p. 340., from the garden of Mrs. 

 Marryat ; dotted-flowered balsams, from Mrs. Lawrence; balsams very prolific 

 in flowers relatively to the number of their leaves and the strength of their 

 stems, from the garden of Gunnersbury House, by Mr. Mills ; very fine car- 

 nations and picotees, from Mr. Hogg; and remarkably large grapes and red 

 currants, from Mr. Wilmot of Isleworth. There were, also, a new seedling 

 white grape, without stones ; vines in pots with several bunches of grapes on 

 each, the plants being raised from cuttings put in in the spring of last year ; and 

 a pot with several bunches, produced by the coiling system (described p. 138.), 

 by Mr. Mearns. Perhaps, after all, the most interesting and most valuable 

 articles exhibited were the very large red currants, raised by Mr. Wilmot. 



The gold Banksian medal was awarded : 1 . To Mr. John Wilmot of Isle- 

 worth, F.H.S., for grapes ; 2. To Mrs. Lawrence, F.H.S., for a miscellaneous 

 collection of plants ; 3. To Mr. Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, for China and 

 noisette roses ; and, 4. For garden roses, to Mr. Stephen Hooker of Brenchley 

 (near Lamberhurst), F.H.S. 



The large silver medal was awarded: 1. For a miscellaneous collection 

 of plants, from Mr. John Green, gardener to Sir Edmund Antrobus, Bart. 

 F.H.S. ; 2. For miscellaneous fruits, from Mr. Geo. Mills, F.H.S., gardener 

 to Alexander Copland, Esq. F.H.S. ; 3. For pelargoniums, from Messrs. Col- 

 ley and Hill of Hammersmith ; 4. For georginas, from Mr. Hopwood of 

 Twickenham ; 5. For georginas, from Mr. Redding, gardener to Mrs. Mar- 



