and of Rural Improvement generally, during 18S8. 559 



horticulture, during the past year ; or, at all events, we know of 

 none of a favourable description. 



Some attempts have been made by different parties, to es- 

 tablish botanical gardens in the neighbourhood of the metropolis; 

 but none of these have hitherto been attended with any success, 

 notwithstanding the desirableness of such an institution, or even 

 two or more of them, for the suburbs of this immense metropolis. 

 One of these schemes is for forming a botanic garden in the 

 central circle of the Regent's Park ; where it is well known to 

 gardeners, that no plant of any delicacy will thrive in the open 

 air, on account of the smoke. The soil is also peculiarly unfa- 

 vourable, being a strong clay, on a retentive bottom. We allow, 

 however, that palms, ferns, and other plants, will thrive under 

 glass in the Regent's Park, as well as they do under glass at 

 Messrs. Loddiges, at Hackney: though we are far from considering 

 this enough to justify any scheme, the object of which is to pro- 

 duce well-grown plants of all kinds. The following is an extract 

 from the prospectus issued by the projectors of the gardens : — 



The garden is to contain " extensive botanic gardens, library, museum, stu- 

 dios, hot-houses, conservatories, &c. The ground, which contains 18 acres, 

 will be appropriated for the reception of the plants indigenous to the several 

 divisions of the globe, and disposed in imitation of the gardens in diiFerent 

 countries. Conservatories, which are so essential in this country, will be 

 erected upon a scale commensurate with this undertaking. Extensive lawns, 

 terraces, and promenades, interspersed with parterres, fountains, statues, vases, 

 and other works of art, will be introduced. There will also be a lake of suffi- 

 cient magnitude for the growth of aquatic plants, and likewise artificial rocks, 

 for the disposition of mountainous productions." 



The ignorance of the subject displayed in the above extract, 

 will be sufficiently obvious to those who possess experience in 

 matters of this kind. Nevertheless, the prospectus contains a 

 long list of names of the nobility and gentry, with the queen 

 as patroness. 



The piece of ground proposed to be occupied as this garden 

 is well situated for a sort of modern Ranelagh, such as Mr. 

 Walker, the projector of the Pantheon Bazaar, proposed to form 

 in it some years ago ; but for a general botanic garden, enclosed 

 as it is on three sides by houses, which, though at some distance 

 are constantly on the increase, it is totally unfit. 



The immense amount of prizes which continue to be given 

 away by the provincial horticultural societies is not a little sur- 

 prising. Among the smaller commercial florists, the contention 

 for these prizes amounts almost to a species of gambling ; and, 

 like that passion, must sometimes, we fear, lead to unfair practices. 

 This has always been the case more or less with prize exhibitions; 

 but as horticulturists become more refined, and the conscious- 

 ness of having produced what is in itself excellent shall be felt to 

 be a sufficient reward for having done so, the baser feelings will 



