230 THE GARDENER. [May 



their blooming quarters, there during the dull dreary winter months 

 to be a source of pleasure and gratification to him who has had the 

 pleasing toil of growing them, and a source of admiration to all 

 comers and goers. Where bottom-heat is limited in extent, they could 

 profitably be thickly put into a seed-pan plunged in bottom-heat, and 

 after they are sprung potted off as described above. Neither need 

 those who have no bottom -heat despair, as they will come well on 

 without it, but are vastly the better of it, as it insures a quick and 

 much more vigorous start. J. F. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S SECOND 

 SPRING SHOW. 



This exhibition w^as held on the ITtli of April, but was a very small 

 affair ; and, though held in the Conservatory, fully one-half of the 

 plants w^ere contributed in the form of miscellaneous collections. 

 Azaleas were the chief feature of the show, and though it was the 

 time w^hen Azaleas would be plentiful enough, there was not a single 

 group contributed in the class for nine varieties. With six varieties 

 (amateurs), Mr George Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. H. Goldsmid, 

 Bart., M.P., Regent's Park, w^as first, with by no means good speci- 

 mens of Criterion, Holfordii, Etoile de Flandres, Prince of Wales, 

 Glory of Sunninghill, and Stella, the last being finely bloomed. 

 Second, Mr A. Wilkie, Addison Road, Kensington, with Burlingtonia, 

 Petuniseflora, Fielderi, Marie Vervsene, Perfection, and Admiration. 

 Mr George Fairbairn, the Gardens, Lion House, Isleworth, was third. 

 In the nurseryman's class for six kinds, Mr C. Turner, Slough, was 

 first with six half-standard plants, on stems about 2 feet in height, 

 having almost circular heads of flowers so densely produced as to give 

 the plants the appearance of floral mops. In the case of one or tAvo, 

 a few sprigs of foliage had managed to get to the fore, and gave a little 

 relief to the somewhat formal heads of flower. The plants were said 

 to have been imported from Belgium, and consisted of the following 

 kinds : — Baronne de Pret, Rosea odorata. Souvenir de TExposition, 

 Due de Nassau, Etendard de Flandre, and a pale rosy purple flower 

 with a name incapable of transcription or pronunciation by an 

 ordinary mortal. Messrs Dobson & Son, Isleworth, were second with 

 some sorry plants, exception being made in the case of a well-flowered 

 Stella, with a single specimen Azalea. Mr Wilkie was first with Sir 

 Charles Napier, and Mr C. Turner second with Marie Yervsene, also 

 a standard plant. 



It was too early for Herbaceous Calceolarias, though Mr James of 



