JULY. 205 



My time has been lately, and is now, much taken up with some 

 extensive improvements that are being completed here, so that my 

 reply to Mr. Fry is in consequence brief; but I could not let it pass 

 unnoticed lest my silence may be misconstrued. 



Stourton. M. Saul. 



MESSRS. WATERER AND GODFREY'S EXHIBITION OF 



AMERICAN PLANTS. 

 The above firm, so well known for their extensive collection of American 

 plants, as well as for hardy nursery stock, have this season an exhibition 

 of the former at Ashburnham Park, Chelsea, arranged in a series of 

 beds, under a very spacious tent. The beds are well arranged for 

 filling the space and showing off the plants to the best advantage. A 

 gallery runs across the upper end, and the view from this, looking over 

 the various groups with the colours well mixed, has a striking appear- 

 ance, and would alone repay a visit to the exhibition. The plants 

 consist of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Kalmias, and a few others. Many 

 of the specimens are large and well bloomed ; the object has been 

 rather to show what effect good varieties of American plants will 

 produce when planted in masses than merely a display of rare sorts, 

 of which in the nursery at Knap Hill they have a large stock, and no 

 one can have visited the exhibition without being impressed with the 

 great value of these plants for the decoration of country residences. 



Among some of the more striking varieties we noticed Atrosanguineum, 

 a good old sort, of a dark crimson ; Archimedes, bright rose ; Brayanum, 

 vivid scarlet, a first-rate kind; Currieanum, a late blooming sort, of a 

 lilac colour ; Delicatum, blush, pretty ; Fastuosum, a double variety, 

 with lilac flowers ; Hogarth, rosy scarlet, fine ; Nero, dark rosy purple ; 

 Pelargoniflorum, rose, with distinct spots ; Cato, rosy blush, very 

 fine ; Catawbiense elegans, a beautiful light variety ; C. grandiflorum, 

 blush, a fine truss ; C. delicatissimum, ditto, changing to white, very 

 fine ; C. roseum grandiflorum, C. grandiflorum : these two are splendid 

 varieties, with large trusses, and bloom freely, as are C. roseum elegans 

 and C. roseum pictum, which, like the above, were covered with bloom ; 

 C. hyacinthiflorum, a double kind, distinct ; C. Everestianum, a good 

 old light variety. The hybrids from R. catawbiense and ponticum are, 

 many of them, extremely beautiful, and as the plants are hardy, and 

 will grow in almost any soil ; and besides, blooming late they are the 

 sorts to select for extensive planting. The other hybrids, including 

 the scarlets, are more brilliant in colour, but scarcely grow so free 

 except in suitable soil. We noticed some fine plants of Kalmia latifolia 

 7 or 8 feet high and nearly as many through ; with a good sprinkling 

 of Azaleas. The bringing of these collections together is a good 

 opportunity for country gentlemen and gardeners to select for themselves. 



