1868 . ] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL AND ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETIES OF LONDON. 183 
Let us for a moment suppose a very improbable but still possible state 
of things, that either or both of these Societies should collapse for want of 
funds, w T hat a blank would be left in the enjoyments of the London season ! 
Apart from the brilliant reunions they call forth—the flower shows, occurring 
at fixed periods, the comparative retirement, the refinement, and beauty of 
the garden would have to be exchanged for the publicity, the less-cultivated 
scenery and society of the parks. Would not this be a great drawback to the 
pleasures of thousands of heads of families, of their children, and of their 
friends ? We think so ; and serious as the loss would be to the metropolis, 
it would prove even a greater loss to the horticultural community through¬ 
out the country. There is a prestige attaching to horticulture through the 
independent and non-commercial character of these Societies, which raises 
the profession, floats more capital, and gives employment to more hands, 
than could be effectuated by any purely commercial establishment, how¬ 
ever vast and well-ordered. Imagine a few London mtrseries taking the 
place of these chartered Societies as the heads of horticulture! We 
apprehend that under such change the interest of the landed and monied 
classes in horticulture -would be greatly diminished, the value of the nur¬ 
seryman’s stock would in consequence be depreciated, and the practical 
gardener’s independence of nurserymen would be jeopardised. Although 
we are sure that nurserymen are always pleased to see visitors at their 
nurseries, whether purchasers or not, knowing well that business usually 
follows visits of inspection, yet there is a sense of freedom in having the 
right to enter a beautiful garden on the presentation of a card, to wander 
at will without question or interruption, which, to many minds, is more 
fascinating in prospect, and more enjoyable in fact, than a visit of inspec¬ 
tion to the most renowned nursery, even under the guidance of the 
politest or cleverest of cicerones. We need scarcely point out to the nur¬ 
seryman, that not only does he derive benefit from the mere existence of 
these Societies, but there is no other way in which he can place his pro¬ 
ductions so favourably before the many lovers of gardens and gardening, as 
by exhibiting at the London flower shows. Finally, the practical gardener 
must be well aware that his position is raised, and his remuneration increased, 
by the spirit of rivalry evoked by these exhibitions. Rich people, as a rule, 
like to have the best of everything, including flowers, fruit, and vegetables ; 
by means of these exhibitions his abilities, if he have any, are fairly made 
known, and the value of his labour naturally rises in the market. 
If by these few remarks, which by no means exhaust the subject, we 
have succeeded in showing that it is the interest of the privileged classes, 
of the nurserymen, of the practical gardener, that these Societies should 
not only exist, but flourish, we doubt not that these classes will do their 
utmost to uphold them. The ground of interest alone may be low ground 
