530 Summary View of the Progress of Gardening, 



floriculture, we certainly do wish to see country gentlemen and 

 their gardeners more alive to the beauty and interest created by 

 trees and shrubs. To the comparative permanence of that 

 beauty and interest, we have to add the fact of the trees and 

 shrubs requiring less annual care, in every future stage of their 

 growth, than any description of herbaceous plants. We must 

 refer our readers to what Du Hamel says on the subject. (See 

 Vol. XI. p. 614.). A single year's neglect in a collection of dah- 

 lias, or of a flower-garden, will be attended with the certain loss 

 of the finer varieties in the one case, and with confusion and 

 disorder in the other ; but trees and shrubs, if not planted too 

 closely together, will maintain their beauty and interest for several 

 years, with no other attention than that of excluding cattle, or 

 other animals that are injurious to them. This may he con- 

 sidered as proved by the collection of trees and shrubs at White 

 Knights, on which no expense has been bestowed in procur- 

 ing new kinds for the last twelve years, while those remaining 

 are still the admiration of every one. Again, therefore, we re- 

 commend the formation of collections of trees and shrubs, of 

 pinetums, of quercetums, salicetums, ulmetums, thorneries, 

 and hardy heatheries, to the possessors of country residences ; 

 and the giving honorary prizes for such collections to horticul- 

 tural societies. 



As the influence of societies and of publications is as great in 

 gardening as it is in other human pursuits, the establishment of 

 the Gardener's Gazette, in January last, and the commencement 

 of the Central School of Horticulture and Agriculture more 

 recently, may be recorded as the most conspicuous features of 

 the gardening history of the year 1837. For both the public 

 appear to be indebted to the activity and zeal of Mr. George 

 Glenny. The West London Gardeners' Association for mutual 

 Instruction was commenced in Nov. 1836 (see p. 88.). Its meet- 

 ings have been held regularly during the present year ; and, 

 though it is not calculated for display, yet we question if any 

 horticultural society in existence is equally well adapted for the 

 improvement of young gardeners. This society, which consists 

 solely of working gardeners, owes its origin and its activity 

 mainly, we believe, to our correspondent Mr. Fish. 



Unfortunately, it is only in the neighbourhood of large towns, 

 where there are a number of suburban gardens, that such asso- 

 ciations as the last can be formed ; but, as every gardener, before 

 he can be considered as deserving a good situation, must have 

 worked one year, at least, in one or other of the public gardens 

 in the neighbourhood of London or Edinburgh, there are ample 

 materials for two institutions of the kind ; and smaller ones 

 might be formed in all country towns, wherever there were three 

 or four gardeners in the immediate neighbourhood. The advan- 



