148 THE FLORIST. 



of a conservatory ; also a leaf of the Victoria regia, said to be grown 

 in the open air at Chelsea. Near this sj)ace is a fountain, around 

 which the two last-named persons have arranged a quantity of plants 

 to resemble flower-borders in the open air. Messrs. Weeks also have 

 a stand of cut flowers. So also has Mrs. Dennis from King's Road, 

 besides living plants. Mr. Bragg from Slough has a collection of 

 Pansies in pots, and a box or two of cut blooms, with a stand of 

 various soft-wooded greenhouse plants. Mr. Clark of Streatham is 

 also one of the exhibitors. At the period of our visit his collection 

 was composed mostly of Heaths, Azaleas, and a few Roses in bloom, 

 with some other plants. Still passing onward, we arrive at the fine 

 groups of noble Palms exhibited by Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney : 

 they add much to the beauty of the arrangement. We are now at 

 the magnificent crystal fountain erected by Messrs. Osier. Beyond 

 and near the south entrance are the plants belonging to Messrs. Knight 

 and Perry, King's Road. Two beautiful specimens of Araucaria 

 excelsa occupy conspicuous places on either side of the entrance. 

 Near them, and in the middle of the transept, are the other plants, 

 forming an oblong group. Here is the Cowrie Pine of New Zealand, 

 Croton pictum, some pyramidal trained Bay-trees, Rhododendrons, 

 Azaleas, and numerous other j^lants. 



TEA-ROSES. 



TnE Tea -Rose, on account of its beautiful tints and peculiar fra- 

 grance, is a general favourite ; yet with amateur cultivators, who, 

 like myself, reside within a few miles of the metropolis, and are com- 

 pelled necessarily to grow it under glass in pots, it turns out a com- 

 plete failure after a season or two. We may be successful with most 

 kinds of plants, but this one proves always more than our match. 

 With great care, I get at first certainly very satisfactory specimens; 

 but I find it impossible to keep the plants in the same state, and the 

 blooms speedily deteriorate. However, before giving up this vexa- 

 tious and disappointing culture, I have made a new attempt, which 

 has been quite successful, and it is to make this plan known that I 

 trouble you w'ith these lines. J planted about fifty half-standards 

 and dwarfs in the autumn, consisting of Souvenir d'un Ami, Elise 

 Sauvage, Adam, Devoniensis, &c. &c., in a well-prepared compost, 

 and I erected a low span-roofed house over them, having glass sides 

 to the ground, and side windows for ventilation ; and 1 find it to 

 answer admirably : the plants are looking remarkably healthy, and 

 promise well ; the shoots are most vigorous, and are covered with 

 buds. 



Stoke Newington^ May 20. W. G. 



