180 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



plants can appear only as single specimens of tlie vege- 

 table system^ for in these tlie principle to be followed is 

 tbe collection of species, and as tbe known species are 

 now very nnmerons^ many varieties and snb-varieties of 

 great value in ornamental and economical points of 

 view are necessarily excluded. In the horticultural 

 garden (to adopt the popular^ but somewhat tautological, 

 name), the principle which is, or ought to be, adopted is 

 selection. Certain plants, whether species or varieties, 

 but possessed of noticeable qualities, are chosen, and 

 their culture is so extended and varied as at once to 

 determine their practical value, and to illustrate and 

 exemplify the best methods by which they may be pro- 

 duced in private establishments. In the botanic garden 

 the predominating interest is the purely scientific, in the 

 horticultural garden the chief aim is the useful, including 

 in that term, however, the processes of ornamental as 

 well as economical gardening, and the application of 

 scientific principles to the effecting of these utilitarian 

 results. 



The gardens attached to horticultural societies have 

 done much to promote the great advance recently 

 made by this pleasing and useful art. The conduc- 

 tors of the splendid establishment belonging to the 

 great metropolitan society, — some of them men of high 

 scientific attainments, all of them characterized by 

 skill, perseverance, and devotedness to their favourite 

 pursuits, — ^have been particularly instrumental in for- 

 warding the march of improvement. They have esta- 

 blished a correct nomenclature of fruits, which, from the 

 prevalence of provincial names and other circumstances, 

 had previously been in a state of great confusion. They 

 have brought into general notice many good varieties 



