1869.] HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 285 



Stove, greenhouse, ornamental-foliaged plants, and Palms were fine features, 

 some of the latter doing good service in the way of affording relief to the 

 gaily-coloured Azaleas, &c. Specially noticeable were Goniophlebium subauric- 

 ulatum and Gymnogramma Peruviana argyrophylla, two very fine greenhouse 

 Ferns ; and an extremely well coloured specimen of Hedaroma tulipifera. 

 There were also large collections of Conifera, of variegated Pelargoniums, some 

 Cinerarias, &c., but nothing calling for special remark. 



The Orchids contained some things of fine quality, as Manchester is a district 

 where these grand plants are becoming extensively grown. There was a good 

 contest in the class for ten Orchids in flower, the first prize going to Mr "VV. 

 Swain, gardener to Thomas Jones, Esq. , Whalley Range, Manchester, and the 

 second to Dr Ainsworth, Lower Broughton. The best collection of sixteen plants.were 

 not only well grown, but comprised some rare and valuable varieties. Particularly 

 worthy of notice were the following : Phalgenopsis Luddemanniana, with sixteen 

 flowers expanded, and about as many more in bud ; Camarotis purpurea, a pretty 

 miniature fox-brush Orchid ; Cattleya "Wagneri, a sumptuous Mexican plant, with 

 immense flowers of the purest white ; a fine variety of the well-known and lovely 

 Cattleya Mossise, called Aurantiaca, on account of the deep orange stain of the 

 labellum ; and Dendrobium Devonianum, the flowers of which are peculiarly like 

 butterflies upon the wing. Dr Ainsworth has a beautiful group, comprising, 

 amongst others, flne examples of Trichopilia crispa, nicely-finished lady-slipper 

 Orchids, and the curious Dendrobium Parishi, the ugly leafless stems of which 

 resemble slow-worms, save and except that they are clothed with lovely mauve- 

 tinted flowers. 



There were not many novelties shown, but the few were good. Messrs Veitch 

 & Son had two new vai'ieties of Crotons, the leaves of which are sumptuously 

 variegated with bars and lines of the richest gold yellow. That one of the most 

 virulent drugs should be yielded by such elegant plants is scarcely a singular 

 circumstance, for a considerable proportion of the most beautiful members of the 

 vegetable kingdom are pronounced in chemical qualities. But the consideration 

 adds somewhat to the interest with which one views and criticises such plants as 

 Croton Hilli, the leaves of which are richly painted with shades of bronze, and 

 yellow, and red ; or Croton Wisemanni, the narrow leaves of which have a central 

 stripe of the clearest yellow, and more or less of transverse veins of the same 

 colour. A new "flax-lily," named, after Bishop Colenso, Phormium Colensoi, 

 will attract the attention of cultivators who value fine-foliaged plants that can be 

 grown to perfection in cool greenhouses ; and Dracena Moorei merits attention as 

 a valuable addition to the useful class of plants adapted for table decoration, its 

 large chocolate-coloured leaves having an agreeable appearance under gaslight. 



FRUIT. 



Of fruit the display was not extensive, but, with the exception of some of the 

 Pines, it was of great excellence. The Black Hamburg Grapes from Lord Wharn- 

 cliffe's and Lord Bagot's were all that could be desired. Mr Smith, gardener to Mr 

 H. Walker, near Liverpool, showed a splendid fruit of the Black Prince Pine. 

 There was but one collection of six sorts of fruit, which came from Lord Carring- 

 ton's, and got the first prize. The following is the-prize list, slightly abridged : — 



Special Prizes (open to all). 



by B. S. Wil- I best and most 



1, by the Man- I plants, not less 1 



Chester Botanical Society. For the ! ing plants, and not more than eight 



First prize presented by B. S. Wil- I best and most eSective group of fifty 

 Hams, London ; second, by the Man- I plants, not less than twenty-five flower- 



