514 
NORTH DEVON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
airs. At two o’clock, the President, Lord Boscawen Rose, took the 
chair, and addressed the company as follows : 
Ladies and Gentlemen,—In opening the business of the present 
meeting, I trust that a few observations on this day’s exhibition will 
not he deemed irrelevant on my part. The show, both of flowers 
and fruit, though not large, is, I will venture to say, a very superior 
one, as regards the quality of the specimens exhibited for the present 
late season of the year. In the. cottagers’ department especially, 
there is abundant evidence of an increased attention to horticulture, 
afforded by the excellence of the articles produced. (Cheers.) Of 
this I am particularly glad, as I shall always consider the encou¬ 
ragement of gardening among the poorer classes, if not the principal 
object of this Society, at least one of paramount utility. (Hear.) 
And here let me express my regret that the most excellent treatise, 
entitled “ The Cottager’s Manual,” and prepared by the kindness of 
Mr. Booth, appears to he as yet but little generally known through¬ 
out the county. (Hear, hear.) Its more general distribution by 
the rich among their poorer neighbours would, I am persuaded, tend 
to the formation, in every district, of those Rural Societies, which, 
where they have been tried, have been found so beneficial. In fact, 
they afford the only sure means of ascertaining that the articles exhi¬ 
bited by a cottager are bona jide the produce of his own garden. It 
is extremely difficult, at the periodical meetings of this Society, to 
prevent unfair dealing in this respect; and I am sorry to say, that 
in one or two instances frauds have already been detected. I trust, 
however, that the means taken to discountenance such practices may 
prove effectual for their prevention in future; and I am sure, that 
were District Societies more general, there would be no further cause 
of complaint on this account. (Hear) ! 
To turn from an unpleasing subject—I have now to return the best 
thanks of the Society to a lady whose labours in its service have been 
beyond all praise.—The Hortus Siccus now before me, and which 
has, through her goodness become our property, is at once a monu¬ 
ment of her indefatigable research in collection, and scientific know¬ 
ledge in arrangement of the indigenous plants of this County.—I al¬ 
lude to Miss Warren ; and I feel sure of the cordial concurrence of 
all present, when I return her, our most sincere thanks for her inval¬ 
uable gift. ( Cheers.) 
To all those who have contributed to this day’s show, our thanks 
are also due.—Among the most beautiful Plants exhibited, I have to 
remark a fine specimen of the Amaryllis from the garden of Mr. M. 
Williams; also two of the Passion-Flower, from that of Mr.Daubuz, 
