GARDENS OF HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 179 



adopted^ the plants may he made to fall into groups ; 

 but few of the examples of this kind of planting 

 which have come under ovlt observation are mate- 

 rially better than the others. They are usually 

 planted in clumps in grass, but the figures are seldpm 

 good ■ the intervening spaces of grass are too narrow ; 

 and the plants too small to produce any of that 

 laTm-like effect which we suppose is aimed at. We 

 should deem it more advisable to arrange such collec- 

 tions in the form of parterres, composed of beds suited 

 for the various tribes and genera, and intersected with 

 gravelled walks— a method which would economize the 

 ground occupied, and facilitate inspection. 



Sect. IV. Gardens belonging to Horticultural 

 AND Zoological Societies. 



(1.) The Garden of Horticultural Societies. — This 

 species of garden is of more recent origin than those 

 devoted to strictly botanical purposes. Soon after the 

 rise of the horticultural societies, in the first decade of 

 the present century, it was felt to be desirable that these 

 institutions should possess pieces of garden ground, on 

 which to perform such extended experiments as might 

 be beyond the reach of private cultivators. Methods 

 of culture recommended by professional men or spe- 

 culative amateurs were to be repeated, and their general 

 utility to be ascertained. Original observations were 

 to be made. In aU these and various other spheres 

 of progress, the gardens of which we now propose to 

 speak, as is universally admitted, have conferred most 

 important benefits on the practice of horticulture. 



In botanic gardens many valuable and interesting 



