and of Rural Improvement generally, during 1839. 709 



of chrysanthemums, including many of the best varieties. The 

 advantage of such gardens as those of Mr. Ingpen and Mr. 

 Allen, to persons employed in business all the day, is almost 

 incalculable, as they not only afford a continual source of in- 

 terest themselves, but they excite in their proprietors an interest 

 in all other gardens and nurseries that are accessible to the 

 public, as well as in all gardening and botanical books. The 

 garden of Captain Mangles in Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, 

 though altogether unique, may here be mentioned, as it shows 

 what may be accomplished by window-gardening. Captain 

 Mangles's house, independently of his garden, is a gem of beauty 

 and ingenious contrivance, and is not even done justice to in 

 the captain's own account of it, modestly entitled the Floral 

 Calendar. (See p. 702.) We have noticed (p. 570.) the gar- 

 dens in the heart of the city, belonging to persons connected 

 with the printing-office of the descendants of the celebrated 

 Woodfall (the printer of Junius's letters), as showing what 

 may be accomplished amidst the densest coal smoke, and almost 

 without sun and air. 



Public Gardens. — It is gratifying to find that the taste for 

 public gardens, though by no means active, is not altogether 

 dormant. The Kent Zoological and Botanical Gardens (see 

 p. 421.) have been opened in the course of the year, and a 

 botanic garden has been commenced at Bath. A scheme has 

 been also proposed for forming subscription botanic gardens out 

 of part of the park at White Knights (see p. 624.) ; and govern- 

 ment has given orders for the commencement of a National 

 Arboretum to be planted in the New Forest (see p. 624.). The 

 Royal Botanic Society of London has this year obtained a charter 

 of incorporation ; and, as its committee has our own remarks in 

 p. 322., and those of our intelligent correspondent Capt. Cook 

 (p. 695.), to guard it against the absurdities in its original 

 plan, which are also alluded to in our Summary for 1838 (Vol. 

 XIV. p. 559.), we trust that it will produce something worthy 

 of the metropolis. An arboretum is being laid out under our direc- 

 tion at Derby, at the expense of Joseph Strutt, Esq., which, when 

 finished, that gentleman most liberally and benevolently intends 

 presenting to the town. In our next volume we propose to give 

 a plan and description of this garden. In the mean time, the 

 example set by Mr. Strutt will, we hope, be followed by other 

 wealthy individuals. The chief circumstance to be regretted 

 respecting public gardens is, the very inefficient manner in which 

 they are commonly kept up. We scarcely know of a public 

 garden in Britain, that is not suffering at this moment for want 

 of funds. We know of only one effectual remedy for this evil ; 

 which is, to establish such gardens at the expense of the town 

 or the county in which they are situated, and to support them 



