1869.] NEW PLANTS OF THE PAST MONTH. 455 



NEW PLANTS OF THE PAST MONTH. 



The meetings of the "Committees" at South Kensington on the 

 ] 7th of August was the occasion of bringing together not only new- 

 plants but some new fruits as well. A great curiosity was exhibited 

 in the form of a gigantic Aroid, which had been sent home to Mr Bull 

 by Dr Seemann. The plant consisted of an enormous leaf some 7 

 feet in height, and a fine snake-like marked stem. The species was 

 recognised by some of the botanists present, but it could not be named 

 at the moment. A first-class certificate was awarded to Mr Bull for 

 the Aroid, and also for two handsome forms of Encephalartos named 

 grandis and plumosa, and also to Macrozamia excelsa, another good 

 contribution to these highly ornamental plants. Mr Green, gardener 

 to W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., received a first-class certificate for a new 

 and graceful South African species of Asparagus, trained on a strong 

 cord, to which it readily attaches itself. Mr Green deserves much 

 praise for this and several other handsome ornamental plants of a 

 similar character which he has introduced of late. 



Messrs Kelway & Son of Langport, who on this occasion exhibited 

 some grand spikes of Gladioli, received a first-class certificate for a fine 

 new seedling named Medina, white, tinged with faint rose, a bold and 

 finely-shaped flower, forming a grand spike — also for Cherub and 

 Accius ; and a second-class certificate for Freemason, a pinkish car- 

 mine flower of good properties. Mr William Chater, Safi'ron AValden, 

 was awarded a first-class certificate for a new dwarf form of Ageratum 

 named Imperial Blue. In addition to a habit unusually dwarf, it 

 gives an admirable hue of colour, and is remarkably free blooming. 

 First-class certificates were awarded to Messrs Downie, Laird, & 

 Laing, Edinburgh and London, for a fine hybrid nosegay Pelar- 

 gonium named Lady Hawley, of a rich vermilion-red hue, excellent 

 pip, and large truss ; and for a fine zonal variety named Stanstead 

 Rival, dark scarlet, with a tinge of purple in the petals, excellent 

 trusses of bloom, and a neat habit. A first-class certificate was 

 awarded to Mr William Paul, Waltham Cross, for Euonymus 

 flavescens, a good addition tO this useful class of ornamental ever- 

 green shrubs. 



To Mr C. J. Perry, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, first-class cer- 

 tificates were awarded for Verbena' Ada King, with large pure white 

 flowers of fine substance and excellent truss ; and for Thomas Lawden, 

 pinkish rose, with crimson eye, a finely-shaped flower. Mr Eckford, 

 The Gardens, Coleshill, Berks, also received first-class certificates for 

 the following Verbenas : Eclipse, very dark scarlet, of fine form and 

 substance ; Harry Eckford, deep crimson, fine pip, and good truss ; 



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