162 THE FLORIST. 



leaves, and drooping tubular flowers three or four inches in length. 

 The latter are borne in a sort of leafy terminal corymb. The tube 

 is of reddish yellow streaked with darker red, and the limb consists 

 of five spreading obcordate red lobes. It is a native of the Andes of 

 Peru. It has flowered with Messrs. Veitch of Exeter, who inform me 

 that with some slight protection it has withstood the tvvo last winters 

 in the open air in Devonshire. J. H. 



CHISWICK AND REGENT'S PARK EXHIBITIONS. 



These great June shows were both favoured with dry weather, and 

 numerous and fashionable attendances. Mr. Hosea Waterer's mag- 

 nificent collection of American plants at Chiswick was in full bloom, 

 and its inspection formed a source of pleasure and profitable amuse- 

 ment to thousands. Arranged on a skilfully diversified surface, new 

 " phases" presented themselves at every turn, and viewed from the 

 little eminences here and there, traversed by the grass-margined 

 walks, a beautiful whole at once stretched forth to view. But floral 

 beauty had strayed from this "spot," sweet as it was on this occa- 

 sion, and had diff'used itself over the whole garden, and more spe- 

 cially the Arboretum. Here many of the ornamental trees and the 

 Rhododendrons exhibited all the perfection of which gay flowers and 

 fine foliage are capable of attaining. The large Wistaria against the 

 conservative wall, though past its best, was in great splendour; and 

 even standard trees of this charming plant were blossoming pro- 

 fusely on the lawn. 



But the afternoon " wears on," and we must have a look at the 

 magnificent stove and greenhouse plants, the Orchids, the Heaths, 

 the Roses, the Pelargoniums, and the Fruit. That beautiful collec- 

 tion of plants there belongs to Mrs. Lawrence of Ealing Park. See 

 how the huge Pimelea, loaded with small round white floral balls, is 

 admired ; and well it might, for a P, spectabilis seven feet in diame- 

 ter, and otherwise well proportioned, is no every-day sight. Then 

 the rosy-flowered P. Hendersoni, smaller and better suited for ama- 

 teurs, is not less creditable. But what is that group of ladies and 

 gentlemen examining so eagerly farther down the tent.? It is the 

 Orchids — those aerial-looking plants of strange forms which inhabit 

 the arms of trees and the crevices of damp rocks in tropical climates. 

 Colours of all hues may be found in these singular flowers, and these 

 often so amalgamated in the same species as to produce the most 

 lovely tints imaginable. But here are more extraordinary members of 

 the vegetable creation still — a collection of Pitcher-plants. " Some, 

 the Nepenthes, from the forests of the Indian Ocean, threw abroad 

 their tendrils, and suspended their curious bags of green and crim- 

 son and white by whatever they could cling to. Others, the Sarra- 

 cenias, from the swamps of North America, stood erect, like living 

 trumpets, or imitating ewers and jugs of green and crimson : even 

 while the spectator was looking at them, the unhappy fly might be 



