426 Report on the progress of the Horticultural Society, 



develope their natural forms, and the collection, which as well 

 as that of fruit trees, is unrivalled in any other part of the globe, 

 now contains nearly three thousand species or varieties of trees and 

 shrubs, exclusive of nearly a thousand garden Roses, and about two 

 hundred garden varieties of Azaleas and Rhododendrons. The 

 above numbers would have been much larger were it not that the 

 unfavourable soil of the garden and its low situation, peculiarly ex- 

 posed to spring frosts, prevent the cultivation of many species which 

 are found to be perfectly hardy, in this country, under more genial 

 circumstances. 



The Flower Garden in 1 830 consisted of a number of parallelo- 

 grammic beds in that part of the arboretum where the iron exhibition 

 tent now stands ; as the spot was wanted for the extension of the 

 arboretum, the flower garden was removed to the site it now oc- 

 cupies, parallel with the Duke of Devonshire's road, and formerly 

 used as a spare Dahlia ground. Of late years, since the proceeds 

 of the exhibitions have admitted of some addition to the orna- 

 mental outlay, care has also been taken to distribute flowering 

 plants in all parts of the arboretum, where they would grow and 

 prove ornamental. But in this as in every other department of the 

 garden management, the Garden Committee have to contend with 

 many difficulties, arising on the one hand from the soil and situa- 

 tion of the garden as already alluded to, the great expense attending 

 the purchase and cartage of peat, loam, dung, &c. and the want 

 of sheds and other accommodations ; and on the other hand, from 

 the positive instructions of the Council to refrain from any outlay 

 not of immediate necessity, so long as the Society still remains 

 encumbered with a considerable debt. 



The number of hardy ornamental perennials now in cultivation 

 in the garden is about 2600, and the annual average of hardy 

 annuals sown is from 250 to 800, making a total of above 9800 

 species or varieties of plants, in the Society's possession, exclusive of 

 Fruit Trees, Roses, Azaleas and Rhododendrons. 



