266 THE FLORIST. 



part ; the leaves are fleshy, elliptical, about an inch long, hairy be- 

 neath, entire on the margin. It is flowering freely here at present. 



In the open border*, under west and south walls, Verbena gerani- 

 folia is in as good perfection as in the height of summer ; this is 

 a valuable kind, as it flowers throughout the summer and autumn. 

 The double-flowered Meadow Safl^ron (Colchicum autumnale flore- 

 pleno) is one of the prettiest things in the herbaceous grounds ; 

 it flowers without leaves, and should be planted in light soil near the 

 margin of the borders, where at this, its flowering season, it has 

 a beautiful appearance. Against an east wall is Arbutus Andrachne, 

 one of the best of our half-hardy trees, just coming into flower; it 

 has a very smooth wood covered with a fine powder, the leaves are 

 of a bright shining green, very smooth, and the young branches are 

 red. It is apt to sufl'er here in winter by the leaves becoming brown, 

 unless slightly protected It is a native of the Levant. 



Ro^al Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



November 2. — C. Wentworth Dilke, Esq., in the chair. Chrysanthe- 

 mums were invited ; but owing to the dull weather which had pre- 

 vailed, none could be produced except Pompons. Of the latter there 

 were three exhibitions — one from Mr. Ivery of Peckham ; another 

 from Mr. E. G. Henderson of the Wellington Road ; and a third 

 from Messrs. Chandler of Vauxhall. Those from the last-named firm 

 were, however, not for competition. Messrs. Henderson's plants ar- 

 rived too late, and therefore the prize offered (a Knightian medal) was 

 awarded to Mr. Ivery, whose sorts were, Autumnus, buff, with a brown 

 centre; Sacramento, a very handsome variety, bright yellow, with a 

 brown eye ; Minon, delicate pink, with a brown centre ; Hender- 

 sonii, pure yellow; Argentine, white; and Surprise, pink, with a 

 brownish centre. Messrs. Henderson had one named Solfaterre, very 

 like Sacramento, but perhaps larger ; Ranunculus, pink ; and a brown 

 kind named La Liliputienne. The rest were not different from those 

 above enumerated. Among Messrs. Chandler's plants was one named 

 Le Nain Be-Be, a small pink sort, with a faint scent like that of Violets. 

 Chrysanthemums are again invited on the 7th instant, when we hope 

 there will be a good display. Among other subjects was an exhibition 

 of twelve young plants of ^schynanthus splendidus, from Messrs. Lu- 

 combe and Pince of Exeter. These were much admired, owing to their 

 clusters of brilliant fiery red flowers, numbering from eight to ten in 

 a head. They appeared to have been the flowering tops taken off 

 early this autumn, struck and grown in 3-inch pots : a Knightian 

 medal was awarded them. Of Orchids, Messrs Veitch produced Ca- 

 lanthe vestita, a lovely late-flowering species, with large white blos- 

 soms, having a red eye ; also a plant of the charming Vanda coerulea : 

 a Banksian medal was awarded. From the Society's garden came 



