and of Rural Improvement^ during 1835. 635 



Ross, British architects, in the first and second volumes of the 

 Architectural Magazine. In the progress of railroads and canals 

 America surpasses every other country. In this way the super- 

 fluous income of the government is employed, and the results 

 will last for ever, and for ever prove of use ; whereas in old cor- 

 rupt governments, like most of those of Europe, the superfluous 

 income is too often spent in such a manner as, in a few years 

 afterwards, leaves not a trace behind. 



In British America gardening is also making rapid progress, 

 stimulated by a horticultural society established at Toronto, and 

 by another at Montreal. Many British farmers of small capital 

 have lately purchased lands in Canada, among whom are some 

 gardeners. There is a good nursery at Montreal, the property 

 of our esteemed friend and correspondent, Mr. Cleghorn. 



In the British West India Islands gardening seems to be 

 prosperous rather than otherwise, though the Jamaica Botanic 

 Garden is given up, and that of St. Vincent is in a state of 

 neglect. In Jamaica, however, a horticultural society has been 

 established, chiefly through the influence of Dr. Bancroft, its 

 president ; and it is most gratifying to observe that this society 

 directs its attention in a special manner to the gardens of the 

 slaves and free labourers. The labouring population of the 

 West India Islands may be said to be naturally gardeners ; for 

 they are all brought up to handle the hoe and the spade, and all 

 the married people have gardens of their own. Now that the 

 inhabitants of these islands are emancipated, or about to be so, 

 from a state of slavery, they will, through the influence of edu- 

 cation, and the necessity of thinking and acting for themselves, 

 become quite a new people, and prove, we trust, to the world, 

 that the black man and the white are essentially the same 

 animal ; and that, civilisation and other circumstances being 

 equal, as much of intellect, of genius, and of moral worth, may 

 be expected from the one race as the other. Slavery is a state 

 incidental to an infant state of society, under which circumstances 

 it may actually become a blessing to the slaves, and, by reclaim- 

 ing them from an utterly barbarous state, pave the way for the 

 civilisation of their descendants : but so powerful is the selfish 

 principle in slaveholders, that in no age or country have they 

 ever stopped at the point which humanity would dictate. Great 

 Britain has at last set an example in this respect which is worthy 

 of being followed by all civilised people ; and we do hope it will 

 speedily be so by the United States. There is, perhaps, no per- 

 son who has a greater regard for America than we have ; but the 

 sentiments which we have heard some Americans express on the 

 subject of their slave population have filled our mind with 

 horror, and, indeed, have diminished in a considerable degree 

 the ardent desire which we once had to visit the United States. 



