and of Rural Improvement generally, during 1836. 623 



men, by increasing their wholesale business with the trade in the 

 country. 



The nursery business in the neighbourhood of London, to be 

 carried on with success, must now be established on a different 

 principle from what it was formerly; and, instead of the main ob- 

 ject being to get business by keeping an extensive stock, and by 

 travelling through the country to solicit orders, it must be 

 sought by having the articles composing that stock true to their 

 names, and by exhibiting specimens not only of fruits and 

 flowers, but of all the more remarkable trees and shrubs, to 

 gentlemen and country nurserymen who propose becoming 

 purchasers. Facilities must also be given to young gardeners 

 to acquire a greater knowledge of the articles grown and sold 

 by nurserymen, than they have hitherto enjoyed ; otherwise, 

 how is it possible that they can order them after they have 

 entered on situations as head gardeners? The London nursery- 

 men, in short, would do well to take a hint from the horticul- 

 tural and agricultural exhibitions made by some of their brethren 

 in Scotland. Mr. Forrest, who (as observed in a future page) 

 has lately commenced nurseryman at Kensington, appears to 

 us to have set out in a manner likely to be attended with suc- 

 cess. In the first place, he undertakes, with the name of every 

 plant, seed, or root, which he sends out, to add the authority for 

 that name, in the manner done by Messrs. Audibert of Taras- 

 con. Secondly, he intends having specimen plants of all the 

 hardy trees and shrubs, and, as far as practicable, of all the 

 fruit trees and fruit shrubs, which he sells. Thirdly, he intends, 

 in every month of the year, to exhibit in his shop gathered speci- 

 mens, correctly named, of the best fruits, flowers, flowering 

 plants, and culinary vegetables, which are in perfection at that 

 particular season ; so that, by visiting Mr. Forrest's shop, any 

 person, though totally ignorant of the art of gardening, may be- 

 come acquainted with every useful gardening production which 

 the open air of this country will afford ; and will know the sea- 

 son, or the different seasons, at which each production will arrive 

 at perfection. Fourthly, he intends to have a collection of garden 

 implements, machines, utensils, and articles used in gardening, 

 foreign and domestic, both for show and for sale. This was the 

 practice about a century ago, as may be seen by the gardeners' 

 calendars and nurserymen's catalogues published about that time; 

 but the practice has gradually been left off, and, in consequence, 

 the sale of garden implements has fallen into the hands of iron- 

 mongers and agricultural implement makers, to the injury of 

 the young gardener, who has thus no opportunity of seeing any 

 tools, but those used in the garden where he is at work. Fifthly, 

 he proposes to have a library of reference of the best gardening 

 and botanical works ; and he intends to keep a small stock of all 



