1(54 
THE FLORIST. 
them to apply their talents in such a manner, that, while they have 
each contributed largely to the progress of art and useful knowledge, and 
obtained for themselves a world-wide celebrity, their labours have 
also been remunerative to themselves,—at least we hope so,—affording 
a proof which should not be lost on young men, that a wise 
discrimination in the employment of knowledge is almost as important 
as the attainment of it. 
We should be sorry indeed to oppose the question, that their equals 
in point of merit are not to be found. But in addition to their talents, 
there are very few men who possess the faculty of discrimination so 
clearly, or who have used it so wisely. Certainly, none entertain 
a higher respect for talent, when found in others, than Sir Joseph 
Paxton, or Dr. Lindley,—a virtue which might not be inaptly exercised 
in other quarters. 
In the course of our experience, we have frequently seen individuals 
fail, when the fair chances were within their grasp, through incapacity 
to maintain their position. But we have never yet witnessed real 
merit retrograde. Talent is always worth its price, and sooner or later 
will get it. Let young gardeners satisfy themselves on this point, and 
we doubt not they will rise equal to our earnest hopes for their welfare. 
S. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
May 4. —The Rev. L. Vernon Harcourt in the chair. Nine new 
members were elected. In noticing the various plants that were 
exhibited on this occasion, Dr. Lindley observed :■—“ Of course we are 
not able to produce any such exhibition as was seen the other day at 
St. James’s Hall, nevertheless it would be difficult to find a better 
display than is now before us. There are examples of good cultivation 
of some of the best kinds of flowering plants that are now known, and 
there is here an opportunity of seeing them brought to a very high 
degree of perfection. The first on the list are the Chinese Azaleas, of 
which two collections may be regarded to be equal in point of merit. 
In both collections there are certain varieties of extreme beauty, serving 
to show the great changes which may be effected by art and skilful 
cultivation. Instead of the thin delicate flowers which characterised the 
original species, we find them here becoming thicker and firmer, much 
less likely to perish than when the flowers are poor and flimsy. 
Certain seedling Azaleas from Mr. Ivery, of Dorking, are well worth 
inspecting. The most curious among them is one which has lost much 
of the character of the mass ; its flowers are very different from those 
which belong to Azaleas in general cultivation. It is stated to have 
been raised from seed of Perryana, to which it does not bear the slightest 
resemblance, but one cannot help imagining that the flowers of A. 
amoena must have had something to do with it. I need not sav (he 
continued) that all those varieties, which are produced every day," have 
been obtained by a mixture of different colours, which shows the 
