By G. Bentiiam, Esq. Secretary. 



533 



and whatever else it was considered might contribute to enliven the 

 scene, or to the accommodation of the Visitors, were provided. 



The first Exhibition was held on Saturday the 25th of May, the 

 day was fine, but hot and sultry. The subjects sent for Exhibition 

 partly from the dryness of the season, partly from the novelty of the 

 thing, which prevented many growers from sending their plants 

 until they should see how the show went off, fell rather short of 

 the expectations that had been entertained, it became necessary 

 to fill the tables with a number of cut flowers from the Society's 

 Garden, which were soon faded by the heat of the sun, and, upon 

 the whole, the merit of the Exhibition, as well as the general 

 effect, was far below what has been seen upon every subsequent 

 occasion. There, was, however, sufficient to afford a very good 

 promise for the future ; and the Fellows and Visitors to the number 

 of about 1,700, appeared generally to be highly gratified. 



The second Exhibition, on Saturday, the 22nd of June, showed a 

 great superiority in the number and merit of the articles, as well as 

 in the general effect. The Roses, in particular, were in great 

 beauty and profusion ; the weather was as favourable as could be 

 wished, and above 2,000 Fellows and Visitors attended on the 

 occasion. The third, and last, on Saturday the 20th of July, was 

 little inferior to the second in respect of flowers, and afforded a 

 handsome display of fruit. The attendance, owing to the overcast 

 gloomy state of the atmosphere, and the lateness of the season, was 

 thinner, there being only about 1,200 persons present. But the satis- 

 faction expressed on this, as well as on the previous days, was suf- 

 ficient to prove that the experiment had succeeded, and that the 

 plan was likely to contribute greatly to promote the interests of the 

 Society, as well as those of Horticulture in general. 



Upon each of the above days the flowers were arranged on the 

 table, as nearly as possible by 11 o'clock, with numbers only to 

 each Exhibition. The Judges then proceeded to their examination, 



