46 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



used to sit up the greater part of every night, never having 

 more than four hours' sleep, and drinking strong coffee to keep 

 ourselves awake." In 1826 he established the " Gardeners' 

 Magazine," and the " Magazine of Natural History," followed in 

 1834 by the " Architectural Magazine," and in 1836 by his 

 " Suburban Gardener." In addition to editing these periodicals, 

 he sent out in 1838 his " Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum," a 

 work containing a mass of valuable information on the trees and 

 shrubs, native, or introduced into this country. Here is a life 

 worthy of imitation. Is it possible for a man to have more 

 energy, determination, and enthusiasm than John Claudius 

 Loudon, and to attain a higher and more noble position against 

 such obstacles and hindrances as loss of money, sickness, and 

 amputation of his right arm ? 



Sir Joseph Paxton was not only an excellent engineer, but a 

 very able horticulturist, who rose from the ranks to one of the 

 highest positions in the profession. The then Duke of Devon- 

 shire seems to have had a very high opinion of him, for we are 

 told that he said, " I never knew Mr. Paxton (afterwards Sir 

 Joseph) resolve to undertake what he did not fully accomplish." 



Shirley Hibberd, an eminent horticulturist and prolific 

 writer, possessed many virtues worthy of imitation ; but along 

 with many others of gardening fame we could mention, he has 

 passed away, but left us a store of valuable information in the 

 books he wrote, which will be handed down to posterity as useful 

 and reliable guides in the cultivation of horticultural produce. 



GARDENERS— PRESENT. 

 During the past fifty years great and rapid strides have been 

 made in the cultivation of horticultural produce in general, and 

 we have amongst us many eminent gardeners of all classes who 

 are deeply interested in the development of horticulture. In the 

 more northern and smoky towns we find a gradually increased 

 interest being taken in gardening ; so much so that school 

 gardens are becoming very numerous, even in such a manufac- 

 turing district as the West Biding of Yorkshire, where there are 

 several horticultural specialists ; notably Messrs. B. Simonite 

 (Sheffield) and T. Lord (Todmorden) for Carnations, and Charles- 

 worth Sc Co. (Bradford) for Orchids. The number of exhibitions 

 are becoming more numerous throughout the country every year, 



