Horticultural Society of New York

Friday, October 24th 1823 – Today was devoted with Mr Floy, who has all along manifested an unremitting desire to be useful to the [Horticultural] Society [of London, DD’s employers]. In the evening I attended a meeting of the Horticultural Society of New York. I cannot refrain from mentioning the great exertions which most of the efficient members have made in communicating anything worthy of notice. 

A great many prominent inhabitants of New York have become members: De Witt Clinton, Dr Hosack, General Lewis, the Mayor of the city &c. Being the first effort to establish a Society in America they labour under many great disadvantages in having no other establishments to co-operate with them in their laudable exertion. The President, Martin Hoffman, Esq., is a very worthy respectable gentleman.  His knowledge of gardening is but limited, but he takes a very spirited interest in promoting the science.

Mr Hogg, F M Floy and Mr Wilson are the chief of its practical members. Presented for their inspection some fine beet of very superior quality, indeed as fine as I ever saw; carrots, very fine; broccoli, very good, some fine specimens of Spanish tobacco; the gentleman kindly offered the Society some seeds before sailing.

I was much pleased with the form of the proceedings. Some bunches of European grapes were presented; they were considered good for America, but in my opinion were very inferior to what are to be seen in England.

Here we have Douglas, again, schmoozing the great and good of New York society and building relationships between the Hort Soc of New York and his employer, the Horticultural Society back in London. This small extract from Mark Laird's essay in Flora Illustrata gives a feel for the make-up and activities of the Hort Soc of New York. Reference is: Early American Horticultural Traditions: Gardening with Plants from the New World, Mark Laird, pp 179-207, Flora Illustrata, New York Botanical Garden. And of course any extra time he has in the USA is all good for additional collecting activities.