598 Retrospective Criticism. 



satisfactory to those persons who usually take an interest in these proceedings. 

 One suggestion, however, I would beg leave to offer, through the medium of 

 your Magazine, for the consideration of the council. It is stated in the regu- 

 lations that four persons are to be appointed as judges, and two hours are only 

 to be allowed to these gentlemen for the purpose of deciding as to the merits 

 of the numerous collections and specimens which are usually exhibited. It 

 appears to me quite impossible that any four individuals, howe^'er experienced 

 they may be in plants, can arrive at a proper and correct decision in so short 

 a space of time ; I would, therefore, recommend that six persons should be 

 appointed as censors, three to judge the collections of orchideous, stove, and 

 green-house plants; and three the single specimens, fruit, florist's flowers, and 

 herbaceous plants. When either party has decided as to the respective merits 

 of the plants, &c., they should be directed immediately to deliver to the secre- 

 tary a written statement of their awards, when the council would then only 

 have to declare who had obtained the large gold medal, value 25k If some 

 such plan as this were adopted, it would effectually prevent any mistrust, and 

 place beyond suspicion the integrity and impartiality of the censors. — An 

 Amateur. London, September 15. 1835. 



The Revieiv of Hayivard on Horticulture. (Vol. X. p. 500.) — From your 

 review of this work I was induced to read the book, and will now send you 

 my opinion of its contents. In the first place, I was forcibly struck with what 

 appears to be rather a common failing of those gentlemen authors, who con- 

 descend to teach what they term " blundering gardeners " the science of their 

 profession, namely, repetition ; a failing which, if the present volume had been 

 swelled to a much larger size, would have led me to conclude that the author 

 was influenced by a desire of book-making, as much as by a heartfelt anxiety for 

 the advancement of horticulture. The work consists of 292 pages, of which 

 196 are devoted to the principles of the science, and the remainder to a system 

 of practice founded upon those principles. 



In the outset the author descants a little upon the ignorance, empiricism, 

 and prejudice of gardeners and farmers ; but, waving what I should willingly say 

 upon that subject to some other opportunity, I shall proceed to take a rapid 

 survey of the work. 



In Chap. I. the elementary principles of air, earth, and water, and of animal 

 and vegetable bodies, are concisely stated ; and, among other things, the infer- 

 ence is deduced, that animals and vegetables are subservient to each other ; 

 death and decomposition only furnishing the means of their combining in new 

 forms. In Chap, ii., upon the composition of the earth, will be found a defini- 

 tion of the terms mould, loam, and soil, which are frequently used indiscri- 

 minately. Mould is a carbonaceous substance, the result of the decomposition 

 of animal and vegetable matter ; loam is the result of the pulverisation and 

 mixing together of the elementary principles, silex, argile, lime, &c. ; and soil 

 is a combination of loam and mould, which is termed argillaceous, siliceous, 

 &c., according to the name of its predominating substance. Water in a stag- 

 nant state being prejudicial to the generality of plants, the author, when treating 

 upon the mechanical properties of soils, shows the advantages of an open divi- 

 sible soil for the purpose of supplying water in a state of constant motion to 

 the roots of plants, which is thus effected : — " When water is supplied upon 

 the surface of the soil by rain, or otherwise, it is, by the operation of gravita- 

 tion, made to sink and percolate through the earth ; and when by the operation 

 of the sun the water on and near the surface is evaporated, fresh water, by 

 means of capillary attraction, is brought from below to supply the place of 

 that carried ofE As in both of these operations the water passes by, and is 

 brought in contact with, the roots of plants, these absorb what is required by 

 the plant." (p. 39.) In connexion with this we will give the author's ideas 

 upon watering, which we consider of much importance, as, generally speaking, 

 few operations are more carelessly performed : — " As much water must be 

 given as will saturate the vegetative soil to its proper depth ; and the applica- 



