JULY, 
211 
the wonderful display her subjects had brought to do honour to the 
opening exhibition of the society, in which Her Majesty and tlie Royal 
Family take so earnest an interest. The florist’s art, too, as distin¬ 
guished from that of the general plant cultivator and introducer, was 
strongly represented; such Pelargoniums and Azaleas—so redundant 
of bloom and so systematically trained—that we should like to know 
who tied all those tiny stems so evenly; surely, thought w'e, Messrs. 
Turner and Fraser must employ those little French mademoiselles who 
manufacture the bouquets for operas for this purpose. But perhaps w'e 
are w'rong. Then the Roses: how proud Mr. Lane must have felt 
wdth his collection, though they were perhaps slightly inferior to those he 
exhibited at Sydenham, and Mr. Wm. Paul had equal reasons for con¬ 
gratulations ; of this latter, who has not many agreeable reminiscences, 
through reading his Morning Rambles among the Rose Gardens in 
Hertfordshire,” or “An Hour with the Hollyhock.” By the bye, 
anent of Roses, we do not remember seeing the “ King of Roses ” at 
all that day (we allude to the Rev. S. R. Hole), though two other great 
clerical celebrities in the floral world w’ere present, D. of Deal and the 
Rev. Jos, Dix. But w^e must finish, or your editor will finish for 
us, when he comes to make up his matter; not, however, before we 
ask the society—great and powerful though it now is—not to forget, 
in this its day of prosperity, the humble florist. We should like to 
see a larger corner of the exhibition, and tolerably wdde margin of 
prize left to this meritorious class; wdien we should hope to see 
Iflnks and Polyanthus, Auriculas and Anemones, Sweetwilliams and 
Rockets—exhibited as in the olden time, “ with the medern improve¬ 
ments ”—as well as Carnations, Picotees, Pelargoniums, and other 
more fashionable flow'ers. G. F. 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REGENT’S PARK. 
June 12.-^With all the dazzle and splendour of the opening fete at 
South Kensington still fresh in one’s mind, with the recollection of the 
wonderful store of plants of all sizes and kinds then exhibited, and with 
one’s clothes still redolent of the presence of royalty. Princes and Dukes, 
native and exotic, I yet dare to utter the heresy that if you want to see 
a flower show you must go to the Regent’s Park [!] Sornewhat satiated 
as one had been by the previous exhibitions of the year, and expecting 
to see the same friends again, there was still sueh a freshness and 
beauty in the appearance of the grounds, and the manner ef grouping 
the plants was so artistic, that it was impossible not to feel pleased 
and to acknowledge the vast superiority that the Botanic Society must 
always have in the position of its grounds and the greater nearness to 
the fashionable population of the West-end [?] I do not know what the 
attendance was, as I generally manage to get away before that takes 
place; but I believe the fineness of the day attracted large numbers. 
The Royal Family were present at a private view, and were followed 
by the ex-Royal Family of France, who were evidently greatly pleased 
with the great beauty and variety of the productions. 
