,f*r- 
32 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
for good or even for evil, Is not smugged up in an 
attic among the smoke of London. Chiswick is not so 
far from London as some would have the world to 
believe it was twelve months ago. In short, to lay alle¬ 
gory aside, the Horticultural Society is on its legs again. 
Following the course we have invariably pointed out, 
a few true men stood shoulder to shoulder, and uiged 
measures which were ultimately carried; a new and 
popularly-elected Council was appointed ; and to that 
Council is owing the present hopeful condition of the 
Society. Laying aside all the conventionalities of the 
old school—their predecessors—they have taken the bull 
by the horns, and, regardless of dictators and dignities, 
they have put matters on such a footing as we always 
said could not fail to raise the Society even above the 
position and influence it ever before occupied. 
It is well known that in the Society there existed 
those loathsome creatures called toadies, tale-bearers, 
and earwigs, who preyed upon its vitals and checked 
every appearance of healthy development. Well-inten¬ 
tioned plans were frustrated, works in progress were 
blighted, aud ultimately the Society became fossilised. 
The first step of the new Council was to melt down all 
this kind of abomination, and to remodel the whole 
establishment. 
The whole of the garden operations have been placed 
under the control of Mr. McEwen, one of the best 
gardeners in the kingdom, who is responsible to no one, 
and calls no man master, but the Council. Mr. Robert 
Thompson, who has shed so much lustre upon the 
Society, is retained as the observer and examiner of 
fruits, and these form the responsible staff of the garden. 
Now let us see the result of these arrangements. As 
we long ago foretold, members are now flocking in, and, 
instead of a casual dropping in of ones and twos, we 
have them in tens and twenties; and so great is the 
rush for admission, that it was proposed at the last 
meeting to ballot them, as Mr. Beaton says, all “ in 
a lump ” instead of singly. 
Let us run down to the garden and see what is doing 
there. What was a short time ago so much of a wilder¬ 
ness and a solitude, that we have known the one or two 
individuals who were doomed to drag out their weary 
existence there to startle if they heard any other foot-fall 
than their own, is now a perfect hive of life and industry. 
Mr. McEwen, in truth, had work to do, and he is 
doing it most effectually; and we are happy to state 
that he is well and liberally supported by the present 
Council. In that part of the garden known as “ the 
Diggings,” or, as the direction board calls it, “ the 
American Ground,” and which cost so much lavish 
expenditure at a time when the funds could ill afford it, 
will soon become a reality, and not a toy. Mr. McEwen 
has completely reconstructed it, thrown it open, and 
given it an extension and expanse which will make it 
worthy of the representative Society of the greatest 
horticultural country in the world. 
That long, deep, and narrow gash on the south side 
of the orchard, known as “ the Doctor’s Ditch,” but 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, April 21, 1857. 
I 
formerly a nice gravel walk, bounded on both sides with 
handsome specimens of fruit trees, and on which visitors, 
contrary to orders, would promenade, “ and wouldn t 
be told ” until a great deal of money was spent upon 
digging it away altogether, so that, if they would walk 
there, they must walk in a ditch—this ditch has been 
filled up, and, as a matter of course, Mr. McEwen found 
a better purpose for it, aud has planted it with some j 
hundreds of Raspberries. 
The conservatory, too, has not escaped. Instead of 
the large Acacias, Brugmansias, and such other plants 
as would have been in a more fitting place at Kew, 
there is to be a broad centre walk from one end to the 
other, with a clump in the middle, and this is to have 
fine specimens of the fruit trees requiring protection 
planted on each side. 
The arrangements for the grand Show are of a most 
gigantic description, such as were never seen in this 
country before. It is impossible for us to enter into 
particulars here, But they will be found in our adver¬ 
tising columns of this day. Already numerous appli¬ 
cations have been made for space, and it has been 
suggested that the Exhibition should be kept open for 
a fortnight. In this we quite concur, and we would 
also suggest that there should be several “ shilling days.” 
Look to “the million” for support; a elms support is 
always a partial one, and as it is money which alone 
can enable the Society to make itself useful, they had 
much better apply to “ the million ” than the money¬ 
lender. The Zoological Society have found the advan¬ 
tage of this course, and we will venture to say that 
neither the Zoological Society nor zoology are one whit 
the less scientific, or one degree less respectable, because 
Brown, Jones, and Robinson, with their wives and 
children, have access to the gardens by a sixpenny 
admission every Monday. On the contrary, zoology is 
rendered more popular, and the funds of the Society are 
vastly increased. Such a course we trust the Horticul¬ 
tural Society will pursue; and, above all, let them 
remove that most objectionable restraint which requires 
the public to run about “ becking and booing ” to this 
one and that one before they can see the insides of the 
walls of Chiswick Gardens. Let those pay who are 
willing, and those who are not, why let them go and beg. 
SPRING FLOWER-BEDS AND MIXED 
BORDERS. 
We had a deep blue edging for spring beds in Sur¬ 
biton this last March, and a scarlet edging plant, a pure 
white flowering plant, and a clear yellow one for masses 
or beds. Two good beds and two distinct edgings for them 
so early as March, and as rich as we can have for the 
season, make a fair beginning, which I notice thus early 
in order to give me an opportunity of putting a question 
to every reader of The Cottage Gardener without a 
single exception; and that question is this—What plants 
do you grow or prefer for “ spring flowers,” either as ! 
beds, or as edgings to beds, or in mixed patches on a | 
border? Or, if you have no garden or plants, could you ; 
not tell us the names of all the flowers you recollect to 
have seen since last Christmas in the gardens of your 
friends and neighbours, or in those by the wayside? I j 
mean to give my whole strength and power to this sub- | 
ject until it is as clear as a sunflower; but if people i 
would look up their accounts, and pay me what little 
trifles may turn out in my favour, we could between us j 
make spring flowers as clear as bedding Geraniums, and | 
