COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, May 20, 1857. 
112 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND 
possible shape, upon the crazy old ladder by which 
he himself had risen, we, who had no personal in¬ 
terest in the matter, placed ourselves in the breach, 
and stoutly (and, wo trust, successfully) defended the 
institution from the worst of all enemies those of its 
own household. 
When, on the one hand, we think of the abyss into 
which the Society had fallen, and the paltry pleas to 
abolish the garden and transfer the Society to some 
snug apartment in London, there to consist of a coterie 
of fogies and their serving-man, and, on the other, to 
the vigorous vitality which is now evident in every de¬ 
partment, we are filled with pity towards those who, 
assuming to themselves a dictatorial and censorial im¬ 
portance, indignantly spurned every suggestion which 
might have been of benefit, and treated every well- 
meant action with a how-dare-you scowl which made 
nervous men actually afraid of the censor’s shadow. 
Happily those days are gone by, and a brighter has 
dawned. The arrangements which are being made for 
the great Show at Chiswick Gardens on the 3rd 
and 4th of June, and the ready and hearty response 
which the country has made to the circular of the 
Council, clearly show that the horticultural spirit of 
England is not yet exhausted. We hear that already 
the entries for the implements and mechanical depart¬ 
ments have been very great. Among them we may 
note — 24 Boilers, 28 Mowing Machines, 35 Pumps, 
12 Garden Engines, 12 Syringes, 8 Transplanting Ma¬ 
chines, 6 Greenhouse Conservatories, 6 Models of Con¬ 
servatories, 18 Tents, and 6 Bee-Hives. In the class 
Objects of Decoration there are already twenty-four ex¬ 
hibitors, five of whom are from Scotland, and five from 
Paris. Now, here will be a study worthy of the great 
Exhibition of 1851. But is this mass of information 
brought together from the four winds to be dispersed 
again after a couple of days? We hope not. It is im¬ 
possible for any one to do justice to such an accumu¬ 
lation of matters in the time. The first day, of course, 
everybody looks at the flowers, the company exchanges 
“ How do you do?” with friends, chats, and so forth, and 
there is no time for anything else; old friends meeting 
on such occasions after long intervals must talk a little 
over old times. We see no reason why it should not 
last fcr a week at least, and let the Monday after the 
opening be a shilling day. How many young gardeners 
there are who will take advantage of such an oppor¬ 
tunity of improving themselves, and of becoming 
better gardeners! And if they have the opportunity 
of a shilling admission on the Monday many of them 
will take a return ticket on the Saturday from distant 
parts, and return on the Monday evening. These are 
matters we w r ould advise the Council to consider. It 
has been found from experience that a liberal act 
has generally proved a profitable one, particularly in 
such cases as these. Wo always say, “look to the 
million.” 
There is another matter we would impress on the 
notice of the Council, and that is with regard to ar¬ 
rangements for the supply of refreshments. We do not 
desire to see a return to the old practice of champagne 
dejeuners, but we do insist that something more sub¬ 
stantial than a lemon ice and a sponge-cake should 
be provided. Many of the visitors at these Exhibitions 
come long distances, breakfast early, and have no time 
after arrival in town to obtain any refreshment. Towns¬ 
people run down from their places of business and their 
offices without a luncheon, and must either starve till 
six or seven o’clock, or must go into some of those road¬ 
side houses at Turnham Green to be jostled by plush 
and powder, and fumigated by beer and ’ baeco. Now, we 
hold the Council ought to offer to some respectable 
caterer the supply of refreshments, for which he shall 
pay a certain sum for the privilege ; and let the Council 
stipulate that no intoxicating drinks—we mean ardent 
spirits—be permitted. But do let us have a cut of cold 
beef, a wing of a fowl, or a slice of ham, or anything 
else substantial, as one gets at the Crystal Palace, and 
for any sake do not drive us into those poking places in 
the neighbourhood where you can get nothing in com¬ 
fort. Such a convenience might easily be provided in 
some retired spot, and we feel assured that there are 
many who will heartily thank the Council for any such 
arrangement, provided always that there is a printed 
tariff of charges, and “ no fees to the waiters.” 
POTTING PROCESSES, THEIR PAST HISTORY 
AND MODERN IMPROVEMENTS. 
Although the putting a plant in a pot appears at 
first sight a very simple process, and, indeed, is so with 
regard to plants of no very particular value, yet, to 
many plants or families of plants, it is doubtless of the 
first importance. Of what use would it be providing 
the best of garden structures, securing a sweet and 
wholesome atmosphere, &c., if our most delicate and 
choice plants were badly potted, and their soils in con¬ 
sequence become sour and stagnant? And, to ask 
further, what was it in former days that caused garden- 
pots in greenhouses to be so liable to a coating of green 
scum, and the plants so particularly liable to the de¬ 
predations of insects? Bad soils and bad pottings, 
doubtless, as predisposing causes. 
One of the first improvements that took place in 
modem potting processes was the use of coarse and 
turfy materials instead of the finely-riddled composts of 
former days. About the period of this advance people 
began to turn their attention to the make of garden-pots 
also, and it was speedily discovered that the pots which 
had been so long in use were anything but faultless. 
Thorough drainage as a principle in potting was speedily 
a growing question, and received the utmost consideration 
from practical men in all quarters who were well up in 
their profession. 
These great improvements, doubtless, received an 
extra impetus through the introduction of so many 
choice plants, many of which, especially some of the 
finer-rooted, commonly called New Holland plants, 
showed evident sigus that they would not thrive under 
the old sysfem. The commencement of the exhibition 
era, also, much facilitated progress of the kind, and 
now^ it may be said that British gardeners can grow, 
in the very highest perfection of which it is capable, 
almost every plant placed in their hands, from what¬ 
ever clime or under whatever conditions in its own 
locality. 
mi-Xr 
