The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-04-20 00:00:00

Ogriculturt.

YrOVIL AGIIOVITOSAL 80011117.—Tbs annual meet-
ins of the subscribers to this 'NOV was bald last week,
at the Three Choughs Hotel, J. N,lllihmor•' Esq.,
the treasurer, in the chair. The Treasurer's account
was smunined and approved ; after which Mr. High-
more resigned the treasurership to the society in eon-
sequence of being about to have the neighbourhood.
He said that never was the sods,' ia better position ;
and he was glad to be enabled to hand over to his me-
°Boor a Wanes in favour of the seeisty, amounting to
nearly 290. It was reaolved that the beet thanks of the
meeting be given to MI. Bighmore for the very efileient
manner in which he has For so many years diasharged
the duties of Treasurer, and for the deep Interest he
has always taken in the society's welfare' and to the
secretary for the peat service he has rendered during
the past year. The three retiring members of the
, committee were re-sleeted. A resolution was then
passed, "mat the number of vicalresidente be in-
'reamed to twelve, and that the names of the Bail of 11.
sheets., J. J. Farquharson, and M. D. Wingfield
Dishy, &qrs., with oonsent, be added." In conse-
quence of • promise from the Mayor, W. Bide, Esq., to
give 25 fn. towards the labourers' rewards, it was
decided to offer additional primes to shepherds for long
servitude and to women working on farms. It has
always been a rule of the society to disqualify persons,
except shepherds, who have won a first premium for
Industry and faithful Berries ; while the second pre-
mium could be carried off any number of times by the
same person. Accordingly, it was resolved, "That all
persons, except shepherds, winning a pries for rearing
lambs, who have won a second premium for industry
and faithful ferries during the last Si. years, be die
-
qualified." We are given to understand that two prises
of £5 and £3 will be given to the exhibitor, being the grower
of not less than flyspecks of the best managed dew-retied
flax, from the straw of the present year's growth. We
observe, also that apiece of plate, value F.IS lie., given,
by the tradesmen of Yeovil, is offered for the best dairy
oow, of any pure breed, in calf, and to be kept for
stook ; and that the prism offered for the best fifteen
stock South Down ewes, and the best fifteen stook horned
ewes, have been increased in value from £3 3s. to
25 5.. ; the former being given by W. Bide, Esq., the
latter by the Right His,, the Earl of Dohottor. The
very handsome premium of £lO 15.. offered by 0. D.
Wingfield Digby, Esq., for the best hackney or hunter,
Is continued; and altogether the prise•sheet exhibits
unmistakeable proof of the Increasing support and use-
fulness of the society.

NKW PALM-HMIS-1 AT

fine botanic)

garden at Bdingburgh has last bad it. attraction
enhanced by the opening of a new palm-house. It is •
spacious and elegant structure, and has been erected at
a met to Government of about £6,400. The former
palm-house, built about 25 years ago, has been retained
as an adjunct to the new one. The old building, raised
In 1833, is octagonal in form, with a breadth on all
sides of from 50 to 60 feet, and the new one, into which
It opens on one side, is an oblong of 100 feet by about
70. In addition to the large space thereby obtained is
the advantage gained by way of height, the new building
being 72 feet high, and the old one only 42. The new
palm-house connate of a massive stone structure, 35
feet high, with tall embed windows on every aide, and
upon the masonry rests a double stage oblong dome of
akin and iron, with iron galleries running inside and
outside both its stages. The style and proportions of the
edifice give it both a spacious appearame from within
and a commanding aspect from without. The palms,
formerly crowded and almost packed together in the
older building, have now been distributed over both.
Many of the taller ones have from time to time had to
be pruned and cropped to rye the roof, but in the new
building they will have the amplest limits. The Edin-
burgh Botanic Garden is probably the oldest in the
oonntry, having been established in 1670, originally in
the centre of the present eitT ; and, after successive re-
movals, it was established m its present picturesque
situation at Inverleith in 1822. The cultivation of the
palm was an early object of interest in the garden, and
some of the fine palms decorating the new building were
brought from the old garden at 'Leith-walk. About 2i
imperial acres of beautifully-wooded ground will shortly
be added to the garden on the west side, making its
whole area 17 acres. It is also in view to unite with it
the garden of the Caledonian Horticultural Society im-
mediately adjacent, and to use the latter as an arboretum.
The Professor of Botany of Bdingburgh University
teaches a class of about 200 pupils annually in the garden
and museum, and for a series of years nearly 40,000 per-
sons have annually visited the garden. Application is
being made to Government for an addition to the pre-
sent allowance to the establishment, which was fixed in
1833 at £l,OOO • year, since which date the museum
has been opened, the hothoums extended, and the new
palm-house built, it being found that without an in-
messed grant it is impossible either to maintain the
establishment creditably and efficiently, or to complete
the present improvements.