5U THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



NEW PLANTS OF THE PAST MONTH. 



The approach of autumn is beginning to thin the number of new 

 plants that put in their claim for recognition at the hands of the Floral 

 Committee, though it is b}'^ no means an invariable rule, that when 

 new plants are thinly produced they are necessarily inferior in quality. 

 The meeting of the Floral Committee on the 21st of September brought 

 together fewer things than usual, but there were some good things 

 produced nevertheless. First-class certificates were awarded as follows : 

 To Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, a hardy Japanese species intro- 

 duced some time ago, and bearing a spike of white flowers changing 

 with age to pale primrose : from Messrs T. Cripps & Son, Tunbridge 

 Wells. To Veronica blue gem, a very dwarf and compact form of the 

 type of V. Andersoni, with a multitude of rich blue flowers. This 

 plant, it is said, came up as a chance seedling, and judging from its 

 appearance as seen on this occasion, appears likely to make an invalu- 

 able decorative plant for houses, and in all probability will prove well 

 adapted for bedding purposes : from Mr H. W. Warren, Nurseryman, 

 Salisbury. To Centaurea hybrida, a seedling from C. ragusina, 

 but quite distinct in character, having a fine large and bold silvery 

 foliage : from Mr John Salter, Versailles Nursery, Hammersmith. To 

 Mr Green, gardener to W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., for Agave pectin- 

 ata, a curious Mexican species, with dark-green fleshy leaves beset 

 with large Avliitish spines on the margin ; and to Cupressus albo-spica, 

 a fine silvery-foliaged plant, which was regarded as a variegated form 

 of Thujopsis borealis by some, and by others to be a variety of Cup- 

 ressus Lawsoniana. It had a handsome elegant habit, and it is said 

 to preserve its character in all seasons : from Messrs J. & C. Lee, 

 Royal Vineyard Nurseries, Hammersmith. 



Quite a sensational plant was a very fine seedling Viola, shown 

 under the name of Perfection, by Mr J. Jobson, Rothersfield Park 

 Gardens, Alton, and said to be a seedling from V. cornuta. It is 

 nearly thrice the size of this well-known variety, and of a deep purple 

 blue hue, and wonderfully profuse and continuous in bloom. It will 

 be sent out next spring by Mr B. S. Williams of Holloway, and was 

 on this occasion awarded a first-class certificate. The same award was 

 made to Mr J. W. Wimsett, of Chelsea, for Ivy-leaved Pelargonium 

 Willsii, one of Mr Wills' new hybrids, and producing numbers of 

 trusses of bright violet-rose flowers of the fine shape of the ordinary 

 zonal kinds. This was the result of a true effort at hybridisation, 

 and cost Mr Wills something like twelve years of patient labour. 



At a later meeting of the Committee, Mr Bull contributed a collec- 

 tion of handsome forms of Palms, to most of which first-class certificates 



