2G6 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 0. 
the newly-created flower-cnlturer expands in his notions, 
and becomes possessed with a love of plants. He, as it 
were, has come into a new life. The face of nature, it may 
be, once blank in his eyes, is now clothed in beauty; and 
existence has charms which were not formerly dreamed of. 
It is obvious that this love of plants has two important 
consequences. In the first place, it need not be insisted on 
; that gardening—the treatment of plants according to the 
, enlightened rules of science and art—is of the highest 
economic value, and that by all proper means it could be 
carried to its utmost limits. But, independently of this 
practical view of the subject, there is something in garden¬ 
ing, even on the humblest scale, that commends itself to 
our favour. And here we would draw an illustration from 
a contemporary periodical. “ It has been very properly 
observed," says a writer in Chambers's Journal, “that a love 
of gardening, on however small a scale—be it only the 
tending of a pet flower-pot—has in it something that ex- 
hilirates and improves. One seldom hears of gardeners 
misconducting themselves; and we venture to go a step 
further, and say, that no person whatever, who once imbibes 
a taste for pansies and hollyhocks, and thinks much of cul¬ 
tivating dahlias and anemones, is likely to be an inditferent 
member of society. It would not be difficult to demonstrate, 
that the promotion of a taste for flowers and j)lants gene¬ 
rally, leads to an elevation of taste in other things; and it 
is remarkable how little is requu-ed to excite a love of hor¬ 
ticultural pursuits, even in situations supposed to deaden 
the higher class of emotions. A story is told of a whole 
village in the Highlands being stimulated to enter on a 
course of improvement, from the simple circumstance of a 
lady one day expressing her admiration of a single marigold 
which grew in the neglected garden of one of the cottagers. 
‘ Is it possible,’ thought the proprietor of this little flower, 
‘ that anything I have in my poor garden is worthy of the 
approval of a lady? If so, I will endeavour to make things 
better—I will try my hand at a few more flowers.’ 'Thus 
reasoning, the cottager began to occupy himself in his 
garden; neighbours followed his example; a spirit of 
rivalry was begun; and, lo! in a short time the whole 
village, interior and exterior, assumed quite an improved 
aspect—cleanly doorways, walls decorated \vith flowers, and 
a general advance in all matters of taste. Now, this anec¬ 
dote, which rests on good authority, affords a pretty fail- 
specimen of what may be done by a little judiciously- 
administered approbation, acting uqion a spirit of honom-able 
competition.” 
So much may be said in the way of general observation. 
Our more special object in the present article is, to describe 
the rise and progress of a Horticultural Society in one of 
the rural districts of Scotland; and at the same time, to 
offer such hints on the method of getting up institutions of 
this kind, as may prove useful to those who are desirous of 
establishing them. A short account of the society in ques¬ 
tion, appeared in the journal above quoted; and a more 
extended notice for practical purposes being, to all appear¬ 
ance, called for, we trust that that which is now to be sub¬ 
mitted, will realise all reasonable wishes on the subject. 
The institution to which we allude, is named the Peebles¬ 
shire Horticultural Society. It was established in IB-GO, and 
consists of a body of individuals of three different classes— 
professional gardeners, amateurs, and cottagers; each mem- 
j her of the two former classes pays a fee of 2s. (id. per 
j annum; and cottagers, whose yearly rent does not exceed 
fl-'i, pay a fee of Is. per annum. ’The members appoint, 
from their own body, a president, vice-president, treasurer, 
and secretary. 'Tliese oftioials are, of course, honorary; the 
secretary, though having no little correspondence and 
general management to attend to, acts gratuitously, and 
for the more sake of advancing the cause of horticultural 
improvement. At present, the president is Anthony Nichol, 
Ksip, of Kerfteld, a gentleman of landed property in the 
neighbourhood; the vice president is Arthur Burnett, Esq., 
resident sheriff of the county ; and the secretarj-is Mr. .lohn 
Stirling, one of the magistrates of Peebles, which is tlie 
place of meeting and centre of operations of the society. 
Besides these functionaries, there is a committee of manage- 
. merit. T’he society, we observe, graces its prospectus with 
a list of patrons: these are certain noblemen and gentle- 
men in the neighbourhood, whoso names and influence are 
believed to be of consequence in giving the thing a respect¬ 
able character in public estimation. Some of, perhaps all, 
the patrons conti-ibute a small annual donation in money to 
the institution ; but this feature, beyond what may be re¬ 
quired at starting, we do not commend. It is most desirable 
that all such institutions should be self-supporting, and not 
rely on charitable doles. The true and safe plan of opera¬ 
tion, is to form a fund from the regular annual fees of 
membership, and from sums gathered for admission to the 
public exhibitions. In these latter respects, the I’eebles- 
sbire Society is on a healthy footing. IVe observe, from the 
published accounts of the society, from September, ISbl, to 
September, 1802, that tlie amount of subscription-fees of 
gardeners, amateurs, and cottagers w-as TBl 2s.; of dona¬ 
tions, Tf) is. Cd.; and of tickets of admission for two exhibi¬ 
tions, A'24 11s. ?d. Latterly, the amount of tickets of ad¬ 
mission has been about Tl'i each time. The amount of 
prizes at each exhibition is about TIT. All the money 
drawn is deposited in a bank, and from this fund the dis¬ 
bursements are made. A respectable individual is appointed 
to audit the accounts. Thus, the whole financial part of 
the proceedings is conducted in a methodic and business¬ 
like manner. The present number of members on the 
books is 147 ; and aU who are members may compete. No 
one can compete or receive a prize, who is not a member. 
There may possibly be parties in the district who are not 
members, yet who could shew better flowers than those of 
regular members; but they would not be taken into account 
in the matter of distributing prizes. And the reason for 
this is evident. The whole scope of the institution is to 
excite emulation; and this is best done by each person 
having an absolute contributory interest in the concern; 
for when a man’s own money is at stake, his perceptions are 
wonderfully sharpened—he sees to proper administration of 
funds ; and, at the very least, makes an effort to get back, 
in the shape of a prize, what he paid out in the form of a fee. 
In competing for prizes, members are divided, as above, 
into three classes—namely, 1. Professional gardeners; 
2. Amateurs ; and 3. Cottagers. Promiscuous competition 
is not allowed; nor would it be fair. Each class competes 
within itself. The fii-st-raentioned class consists of the 
gardeners employed hy the landed proprietors in the neigh¬ 
bourhood; and who, besides their professional skill, may 
be presumed to have means at their disposal for bringing 
forward plants. The second class consists of persons above 
the rank of cottagers; they are supposed to attend to their 
own gardens, with perhaps occasional assistance. The third, 
or cottager class, are, as stated, persons who occupy houses 
at a rent of not above £5 per annum, and whose means are 
consequently slender; and it is mainly for the improvement 
of this class that the society is instituted. Members of any 
class must be resident within the county ; and no vegetable 
or flower can be brought forward for competition rmless it 
has been a certain length of time in possession of the I 
exhibitor. Besides the articles raised for competition, ! 
certain other articles are admitted to the shows, merely to | 
exhibit as curiosities, or to evince what can be done in the j 
district. Some plants are sent solely for the purpose of | 
embellishing the exhibition. j 
It was considered desirable to have two exhibitions in tlic , 
year, one in July, the other in September—the latter em¬ 
bracing the larger kinds of fruits. Since the commence¬ 
ment in l8-')0, these exhibitions have gone on increasing in ' 
the variety of the articles shown, and the number of visitors. 
The exhibitions took place in the largest room of the prin¬ 
cipal inn. At the exhibition in September two imper¬ 
fections in the arrangements were forced into notice. 'J'be 
first was, that the judges were too fe.vin number for the 
work to be gone through, and they accordingly did not 
finish their duty of allotting the prizes till an hour-and-a- 
half after the time appointed for opening the doors. Tliis, 
with the great crowding which ensued, made it apparent 
that more judges were required, and that there ought to be j 
a much more spacious place for exhibilion. Both these | 
remedies have been applied. The judges for each show are ' 
now four in number, and are, as formerly, professional ' 
gardeners ifrom a distance, who have no knowledge of the 
parties exhibiting. All things for exhibition require to be 
lodged by half-past 10 o'clock forenoon of the day of com- 
petion, and the exhibition opens at 2 I’.ji. AU kitchen 
