West London Gardeners^ Association. 107 



polvrade, or with salt and pepper), like young artichoke heads ; but they are 

 good, either stewed entire or sliced, for garnishing and flavouring ; and, when 

 cut small, they make an agreeable ingredient in soups. — P. N. 



Art. V. The West London Gardeners' Association for mutual 

 Instruction. 



Half-yearly Report. — From this it appears that the meetings began to be 

 thinly attended during the summer months ; and that, in the succeeding season, 

 it is intended " that a vacation should take place for three or four months in 

 summer, as during that period it is impossible for many persons to attend. 

 The Society now consists of 81 members. 



The subjects which have come before the Society during the half year 

 ending Christmas, 1837, are, the cultivation of the pelargonium; the con- 

 struction and management of a propagating-house ; the cultivation of the 

 mushroom ; the cultivation of the orange ; the advantages of a classical educa- 

 tion ; the cultivation of sea-kale ; the forcing of roses ; the principles of 

 forcing ; and the cultivation of the cranberry. 



A prospectus containing the rules and aims of the Society has been printed, 

 and by its circulation, it is hoped, many efficient members will be obtained. 

 The Report adds, that " the Society has not received that general support 

 from gardeners that was anticipated," and that it has even " met with op- 

 position and misrepresentation from those from whom better things might 

 have been expected. Independently of these attempts at hinderance, the So- 

 ciety has now stood the ordeal of a twelvemonth's existence. It has sought 

 and received little support, save the presence of its members." The Society 

 solicit the cooperation of those who, if they do not honour the meetings with 

 their presence, might assist the Society with their resources and patronage ; 

 " and thus enable its members, and, through their published minutes, the pro- 

 fession at large, to glean from the fields of science and philosophy those ele- 

 mentary truths, which would bear upon and clear up the principles of their 

 profession." — R. F. 



Meetings, Sept. 18. 1837. — Cultivation of the Orange. Mr. Ayres read an 

 essay on the cultivation of the orange, which was generally approved of. He 

 divided the subject into history; propagation; management of trees in an un- 

 healthy state, and management of those in a healthy state ; the treatment re- 

 quisite for plants wanted for embellishment, and the treatment requisite to 

 secure a crop of fruit. Mr. Fish considered the essay was much too long, 

 especially the historical part of it, as being of comparative little importance. 

 He considered that, in cultivating exotics, it was of the utmost consequence 

 to know the circumstances in which they naturally flourished ; but all that 

 had been said about the history of the orange failed to impart one idea of the 

 soil, temperature, altitude, &c., in which it luxuriated. Upon the whole, 

 however, he allowed that the essay was the best that had appeared, and that 

 Mr. Ayres had every opportunity of making it such, his father having been a 

 very successful cultivator of the orange. Mr. Caie considered that such 

 strictures would not be serviceable to the Society; contended that the essay 

 was not too long ; and added that it was necessary to bring every subject 

 within the comprehension of the weakest mind, by making it as plain and as 

 simple as posible. Mr. Fish explained ; showed the necessity of fair discussion ; 

 and contended that the more condensed and simple an essay on any subject 

 was made, the easier it would be remembered and comprehended by others ; 

 and in proof of this proposition, among other things he referred to the pro- 

 verbs in our language, which in a single sentence contain a volume of thought- 

 Mr. Massey contended that the historical part was the best of the essay, as 

 it would induce young gardeners to read themselves, in order to ascertain the 

 validity of the disputed points therein stated ; and that he had not known the 

 native place of the dahlia, until, from reading in a book of travels, he found it 



