REVIEWS. 
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almost all that is required of us. First of all there come excavators’ memo- 
randa, then bricklayers’, then masons’, slaters’, carpenters’, plasterers’, smiths’ 
and founders’, plumbers’, and lastly, painters’ and glaziers’ memoranda. 
Then follow sundries, involving the weight per cubic foot of metals, earth, 
timber, &c., &c., next mensuration, then money tables, and lastly, a table of 
weights and measures. With all these, it must prove very valuable to the 
practical man engaged in almost any trade, while its small size renders it 
available for the waistcoat pocket. 
OUR GARDENS.* 
B OOKS written upon this subject are generally such abominable trash, 
that one doesn’t care even to read their titles. In fact, in England 
gardening has so completely passed into the unworthy and ignorant hands 
of the mere gardener, that it is almost hopeless to expect an eradication. 
However, if anything can do so, we expect that the publication of works 
on gardening like the present will effect it. Now, the myriads of gardens 
which exist in this country, and especially those kept by persons in London, 
are under the control of persons who are so ignorant, that they hardly de- 
serve to be called gardeners at all. We can only hope that a better time 
approaches, and in this hope we venture to commend the work which is now 
before us, as one unusual of its kind, as it is also original in design. Mr. 
Robinson has our best wishes in his effort to recall the ancient system of 
English gardening. We hope his efforts may meet with the success th( y 
so well deserve ; but we fear that the present system is one which, thoroughly 
expensive as it is, will yet hold out for long against the storm that may, 
and necessarily must, be raised against it. 
However, be that as it may, the author of this work shows us how we 
may set about a revolution. He gives us a list of plants that will not be 
c arried off by our winter frosts, and which extends over eighty pages of his 
interesting manual. It is almost absurd to think that the myriads of plants 
of which our gardens are possessed, will not hold out against even the 
winters of this country. It is absurd to allow such plants to have the larger 
share. Let them have a share, by all means, for we should have all kinds ; 
but let us give a preference to our own plants, or those that will grow with 
us, and group them as advised by Mr. Robinson, and let us see whether we 
shall not do well. Assuredly, at all events, we shall not seek in vain, as it 
. has hitherto been attempted before. 
* u The Wild Garden, or our Groves and Shrubberies made beautiful by 
the Naturalisation of Hardy Exotic Plants, with a chapter on the Garden 
of British Wild Flowers.” By W. Robinson. London : Murray, 1870. 
