October 23. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
40 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
D D 
M W 
OCTOBER 23—29, 1855. 
Weather near London in 1853. 
Barometer. Thermo. Wind, 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R. & S. ' 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
23 To 
Autumnal Dapgrer Moth. 
29.400—29.350 
60-28 
W. ; — 
39 a 6 
50 a 4 
3 44 
12 
15 
31 
296 
24 W 
Death’s-heiol Moth. 
29.444—29.093 
56—33 
S.W. 52 
41 
48 
5 12 
13 
15 
39 
297 
25 : Th 
Connecting Umber Moth. 
29.219—29.974 
50—29 
, N.E. 44 
43 
46 
rises. 
© 
15 
46 
298 
26 F 
Feathered Thorn Moth. 
29.793-29.523 
54—24 
WL i — 
44 
44 
5 a 12 ! 
15 
13 
53 
299 
27 S 
Streak Moth. 
30.253—30.175 
53—31 
S.W. — 
46 
42 
5 38 
16 
15 
59 
300 
28 ' Son 
21 SoNDAY after Trinity. St. 
30.287—30.176 
58—26 
S. . — 
48 
40 
6 12 
17 
16 
4 
301 
29 ai 
[Sim. AND St. Jude. 
30.163—30.098 
56—34 
S.W. — 
50 
38 
6 57 
18 
16 
9 
302 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest tern- 
peratures of these days are 55.1°, and 38./°, respectively. The greatest heat, 68°, occurred on the 26th, in 1834 ; and the lowest cold, 23°, 
on the 28th, in :836. During the period 91 days were fine, and on 105 rain fell. 
We have received this pithy note ;— 
“ You ask—‘ What is to become of the Horticultural 
Society of London?’ Let me put another question— 
What ought to become of it?” We reply—Let no 
effort be spared that may be likely to save it. In the 
first place, let the difficulties be met manfully, and in 
a business-like way, by the Fellows subscribing enough 
to pay off the Society’s debts. If there are fifteen 
hundred Fellows, it will require eight pounds from each 
to set the Society free; and then let them re-organise 
the whole. 
It will be a disgrace to England if a Society of such 
noble purpose, and of such powers to effect vast good, 
is allowed to be extinguished, and all connected with it 
may be assured that the love of gardening is too gene¬ 
rally diffused among all classes for a national central 
Horticultural Society not to be effectually supported, 
if the management and the objects patronised by it are 
not mistaken. 
It is worse than useless to have such a Society’s 
funds expended upon shows, the costly prizes at which 
can only be contested for by exhibitors of vast resources, 
and to see which shows none but the wealthy can afford 
to obtain access. The returns at the Crystal Palace 
on the shilling days, compared with the returns on 
those days when the entrance is five times the amount, 
is a fact in point which needs no enforcement. Less 
costly prizes, but more spectators, would better satisfy 
not only nurserymen but private gardeners. 
It will be seen that we are not opposed to a National 
Horticultural Society having exhibitions; but we are 
totally opposed to having them only for the wealthy, 
and still more are we opposed to the folly of looking to 
such exhibitions as a chief source of income—exhibi¬ 
tions which a rain-cloud can frustrate; and how often 
it has frustrated, every Society within the British isles 
ean tell from its treasurer’s reports. 
There is one, and only one, solid basis on which such 
a National Society could be established, and that basis 
is a very numerous body of subscribers; and it is 
equally certain that these can be obtained only by 
having the annual payment very moderate. A sub¬ 
scription of one guinea should be the very utmost. At 
; that amount of annual payment we think five thousand 
' subscribers might be obtained. 
! Nor would we rely on such individual subscriptions 
: solely. We would have every taeniber of every local 
i Horticultural Society to be entitled to be earoUed among i 
the Fellows of the National Horticultural Society, if 
that local Society paid five guineas annually to the 
National Society’s funds. 
Moderation in the amount of the annual subscription 
is not the only requirement for such a National Society’s 
stability. Its objects must be also popular—calculated 
to benefit and to meet the wants of the many. Its 
officers must be ready and capable to impart informa¬ 
tion in answer to questions sent to them. Its garden 
must afibrd^ a graft, or a plant, or a few seeds of any 
new or choice importation, not in quantities, or of such 
things as would be able to be met by the nursery or the 
seed-trade, but of such things as that trade could not, 
or it would not be worth their while to, supply. 
A Society so founded, and having “ Utility with 
Beauty ” as its text-motto, uould succeed, if its Secretary 
were a man of courtesy. If he domineered over the 
under officials ; if he insulted exhibitors; if he answered 
inquiries as if he thought them foolish and impertinent 
—the Society could not prosper. Officials so treated do 
not combine heartily for a Society’s well being. Ex¬ 
hibitors and inquirers so treated will not again run the 
risk of similar insults, and will deter others from giving 
the Society their support. 
With all the above absolute requisites for the success 
of a National Horticultural Society, that at present 
gasping for existence is totally at variance. It is con¬ 
stituted only for the wealthy; it has depended for 
income on its exhibitions; it does not study the re¬ 
quirements of its subscribers; and its officials and 
exhibitors have been singularly and notoriously treated 
uncourteously by one to whom the chief management of 
the Society has been left. For years, we have foreseen 
that ultimately such a course must terminate in the 
Society’s ruin. Nor has our foresight been dumb. For 
years past we have spoken out fearlessly what we fore¬ 
saw. No greater satisfaction can result to us, even at 
this eleventh hour, if we have suggested one hint that 
will aid to rescue from extinction a Society so capable 
of good. 
EARLY FORCING OF FRUITS. 
On what depends success in early forcing? This is a 
knotty question. We will scarcely stay to ask whether 
the heating apparatus is in order; whether the houses 
are washed or painted; whether the stages or other 
apparatus are in good repair: but will take for granted 
that each and all of these are as tliey should be. We 
have graver questions still to see into. 
No. GGCLXIX, VoL. XY, 
