116 THE FLORIST. 



without much chance of preparing them, and then comes a frost, like 

 that we had on the 12th, and farewell all the gardener's hopes of early- 

 Peas, Cauliflowers, &c. Surely gardeners ought to be wise in their 

 generation, to fight against so many contrarieties. Want of sunshine we 

 complained of above. Up to the day we write, this deficiency of the 

 gardener's friend continues. We have had rain, very acceptable to 

 vegetables and other things, but sunshine we have had but little. 

 This is unfortunate for Strawberry- forcing, as they are not much with- 

 out an abundance of light. The wind has veered from the West to the 

 East again, and dark foggy weather with it. What a month for newly 

 planted trees! Those whom circumstances compelled, or who were 

 misled by the appearances in February, to plant (and much we know 

 was done) evergreens, will grieve over disappointed hopes, and may 

 perhaps learn wisdom fi-om experience. During the end of February, 

 and up to the full middle of March, the easterly wind has been as dry 

 as a " Sirocco " of the desert, and has taken away every particle of 

 moisture from the leaves of plants exposed to its withering influence. 

 Some of those which had roots (unhurt and growing) to supply the 

 daily waste by evaporation, have had hard work to go through the 

 ordeal. But what can we say about those planted previously ? We 

 can only sympathise with the planters who were then compelled to 

 plant, perhaps agamst their conviction ; to those who planted from 

 choice we forbear saying much, as we hope it will be the last time they 

 will act " so indiscreetly," as the polite phrase has it. Should rain and 

 dull weather follow, now will be the time for planting evergreens. Let 

 them, however, recover themselves a little before moving ; and if not 

 compelled — and time is no object — if you allow them to stand over till 

 September next, take my word for it, you will succeed all the better. 

 March 22. G. F. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 At a meeting of this Society, held February 26, a few interesting 

 plants were brought together. Messrs. RoUisson contributed some 

 Orchids, among which were one or two remarkable Vandas, of which 

 we hope soon to give coloured illustrations. They also sent an example 

 of the double white-flowered Chinese Plum, which " wfell done," is a 

 very ornamental plant. Messrs. Veitch had a brilliant-coloured Correa, 

 which was stated to have been raised from Australian seeds. They 

 also sent some well-grown Epacrises. Eucharis grandiflora was con- 

 tributed by Messrs. E. G. Henderson. It has large and striking 

 snow-white flowers, which very m.uch resemble those of a Pancratium, 

 to which the plant is evidently nearly related. From the Society's 

 Garden was Thyrsacanthus rutilans, whose pendent bunches of gay 

 scarlet tubular blossoms at once point it out as one of our most showy 

 winter-flowering stove plants. In the same collection were also Reseda 

 grandiflora, a robust new kind of Mignonette, and a Crimean Snowdrop, 

 1, it was said, on the heights of Sebastopol by Colonel Munro. 



