Retrospective Criticism. 521 



mainly owing the present distressed state of the nursery business. The sub- 

 scribers to this Society consider themselves entitled to procure plants, &c, 

 from their garden, consequently they discontinue, generally speaking, to apply 

 to the nurserymen ; and, although I am aware that it must be impossible for 

 the garden to supply plants to its members in any very extensive degree, still, 

 as the opinion has gone abroad that they can be procured from this source, 

 many wait patiently for their turn, rather than purchase from the trade : this 

 notion also extends to the friends of the members, so that it is quite impossible 

 to calculate the injury which is inflicted upon the industrious nurseryman. It 

 would be in vain to expect the Society now to discontinue the practice of 

 distributing plants, &c, to the members; their debts and difficulties render 

 such a measure hopeless, because I am convinced it would cause a very great 

 diminution in their annual receipts ; but, whenever such a measure is practi- 

 cable, its effect will be striking. In such a case, I would strongly recommend 

 them to reduce the subscription to a much more moderate sum, and to confine 

 their objects to the collecting of as many varieties of plants, fruits, &c, as 

 possible ; and the encouraging of the cultivation and improvement of all horti- 

 cultural productions, by bestowing some mark of distinction or reward when- 

 ever merited. This last end cannot be better attained than by having periodical 

 exhibitions similar to those of last year. 



It has been very generally believed that the Horticultural Society has been 

 the means of extending the taste for plants, and that it has also greatlv pro- 

 moted the rapid improvements which have taken place, in the last few "years, 

 in our fruits and vegetables. This I am not wholly prepared to deny, although 

 I firmly believe that, had the Society never existed, the taste for plants would 

 have extended, and the improvement in our fruits, &c, have taken place to a 

 very great extent, and that without inflicting injury upon any particular class. 

 Another cause of the badness of the nursery trade is, the practice, which 

 very generally prevails, of noblemen and gentlemen selling their fruits, &c. ; 

 and also allowing their gardeners to propagate and sell plants, for the pur- 

 pose, no doubt, of contributing towards the expense of their garden establish- 

 ments. That noblemen should degrade themselves by sanctioning such a 

 practice, is really extraordinary. Conceive a noble duke, or a royal one, if 

 you please, sending his forced fruit and vegetables to Covent Garden Market. 

 The aristocracy expect the people to respect them, and to consider them as 

 something superior to the rest of the community ; but, if they lower them- 

 selves by becoming traders, how is it possible for them to command respect ? 

 That the noble trader ever derives any benefit, in a pecuniary point of view, 

 from such a system, I much question ; but certain it is, that no money which 

 they can gain will ever compensate them for the disgrace and contempt which 

 it entails upon them from those whom they consider their inferiors. But, 

 notwithstanding the little benefit which is conferred upon the aristocratic 

 trader by the sale of his fruit, &c, it does most assuredly inflict great injury 

 upon the nurserymen and market-gardeners, who depend upon the sale of 

 their articles for their sustenance. To the above causes, together with those 

 which you have pointed out, I am disposed to attribute the depressed state of 

 the trade. It is frequently much easier to ascertain the source of an evil than 

 to point out a remedy for it. In the present instance, I do confess, I see no 

 immediate prospect of relief to the trade in question. Men will do what they 

 please with their own ; and, so long as human nature continues to be influ- 

 enced by mere selfishness, I fear it is not to be expected that they will forego 

 what they consider an advantage, purely for the sake of benefiting any trade 

 whatever. The only thing, therefore, likely to produce a reaction is, the 

 extension of the taste for plants and gardening. Floriculture is making rapid 

 progress ; and, instead of being confined almost exclusively to the humble in 

 life, as was the case some few years back, the taste for florists' flowers has 

 extended to many in the higher ranks. Let us hope, therefore, that, in a 

 little time, the love of plants will become fashionable; and that a collection, 

 at the seat of every nobleman, will form an indispensable appendage to the 



