THE PI.ANT WORI.D 251 



gromwell, beautiful Mertensia, or Virginia cowslip, in white, lavender, 

 pink, light and dark blue sprays, and some in which the pink and blue 

 were combined, were all here, as were some sedges, three of the equise- 

 tums, mosses, Calt/ia, a pitcher plant and many others. An alpine 

 rockery showed many varieties of cactus, sedum and native rock growths, 

 the star of this collection being a plant of the Edelweiss, which is now 

 being protected by the Government. Cacti from other countries were also 

 shown, among them a small plant with a beautiful rose-pink flower six 

 inches across. This plant had a pecuniary value which I thought 

 excessive, but the man who brought the flower to such perfection told me 

 he could give an amateur gardener such a plant full of buds, which he 

 would guarantee would never bloom, so much was to be considered in its 

 care. There is always a prize for a novelty, and this was won by a superb 

 golden-yellow Calla, with large green leaves spotted with white. The 

 flowers were much larger than the ordinary white one, the whole plant 

 being simply regal, and forming a fine contrast to the neighboring cactus. 



An immense fern (^Nephrolepis exaltatd) bore fronds which shaded 

 beautifully and looked as though the priniae were three deep. It attracted 

 much attention. Unfortunately this is sadly malodorous. Other rare 

 plants were Vriesia spletidens, with barred leaves and maroon flowers, 

 resembling the gladiola in bud. ATillandsiabore three parted blue flowers, 

 with yellow-tipped stamens and blue pistils, emerging from a scarlet bract. 



The most peculiar of a group of orchids was Laelia Digbyana, greenish- 

 white in color, whose tubular lip ended in an appendage much like side 

 whiskers and beard of long pale green hair. A Schombertsia had large 

 golden, bell-like flowers, the fluted lip edged with white. There were 

 several other rare and wonderful orchids in this class. 



Begonias and crotons in endless variety. Among a collection of cut 

 flowers were Ixora with its stiff green leaf bunches of four-petaled red 

 flowers. Clerodendron with white bracts and scarlet flowers. Thun- 

 bergia fragrans , Stephanotis floribiuidiis with six parted white trumpets. 

 Bougainvillia, the Japanese paper flower, with solferino bracts, and small 

 tubular flowers of similar hue. False Acacia, the largest Gardenia ( Veitchii) 

 I have ever seen, and so sweet-scented. Camellias of deepest pink. 

 Branches of rose-colored flowers looking like English daisies, but more 

 purple, were called Aicraria hybrida, and the brilliant scarlet Anthurium, 

 well named flamingo flower. A plant quite well known was the Clivia, 

 its flower stem bearing many orange lilies. Near by was a much rarer 

 one, Schizmatoglottis 7-uhellum, the hard long leaves tapering to a point, 

 the spadix bearing pepper-like pods of green, yellow and scarlet. 



The exhibition closed with a business meeting, followed by a very 

 interesting lecture on ' ' Common Trees and their Uncommon Flowers, ' ' by 

 J. Horace McFarland. 



