244 THE FLORIST. 



and is one of the best we have seen. In the conservatory at the west 

 end of the buildhig was a brilUant display, consisting of Smith's 

 Balsams, many of them very fine indeed ; Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 

 Fancy Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, Scarlet Geraniums, Pihynchospennum 

 jasminoides, Salvia splendens grown on freely in large pots for autumn 

 iiowering in the conservatory, and nothing is more showy ; Lisianthus 

 Russellianus, very strong and well grown plants, the culture of which 

 Mr. Constantine so well understands ; and Scarlet Geraniums Cerise 

 Unique and Commander-in-Chief, two fine varieties for pot culture. 

 Roses and various other plants were also in full bloom. 



The forcing department is very extensive, and one of the most 

 complete in the kingdom, Mr. Mills having spared no expense in this 

 particular department as well as in all others. Pines, both turned out 

 and in pots, were very fine and healthy ; Queens are chiefly grown 

 here. Peaches were fine, and in one of the Peach houses w'ere specimens 

 of the Stanwick Nectarine, which Mr. Constantine regards as a failure. 

 Vines were in good health and fine. These are grown chiefly in low 

 semi-circular roofed houses, one of them partly devoted to Muscats, 

 promising an exceedingly fine crop. In another was a heavy crop of 

 Black Barbarossa, with very fine bunches from 15 to 20 inches long. 

 The Hamburghs were fine, with from 20 to 21 bunches on each rod ; 

 but the Richmond Villa Hamburgh is of very inferior quality, smaller 

 than the Hamburgh, not so rich in flavour, and liable to shrivel, and 

 does not hang so long. Figs are extensively grown here, the White 

 Nerii being the best for an early crop, and Lee's Perpetual is also a 

 good variety. 



Strawberries are forced on a somewhat extensive scale, and in a 

 range of pits plants that had been forced into bloom were planted out in 

 good rich soil the first week in April, and fruited abundantly, contiiuiing 

 much longer in fruit than if they had remained in pots. In this range 

 of pits Roberts's tiles were used fur fruiting the Strawberries on, and 

 seemed to answer well. Among the out-door Strawberries we noticed 

 Omar Pacha, which here seemed a very thin cropper and of inferior 

 quality ; Filbert Pine, one of the finest Strawberries grown, if not the 

 best, of excellent flavour, a free bearer, and best late ; Keens' Seedling, 

 Patrick's Seedling, which is a good forcing variety, very prolific, but 

 only second rate in flavour out of doors ; British Queen and Scarlet 

 Nonpareil, which appears to be a shy bearer and colours irregularly. 



Among Cucumbers grown here Constantine's Incomparable is the 

 most extensively used. This is grown chiefly on trellises, and is 

 a handsome and very prolific variety, from which Mr. Constantine has 

 been cutting since the 1st of January. Wheeler's Improved Sion 

 House is another good variety, and Ipswich Standard and Trollope's 

 King were also very fine. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 July 22.— The Right Hon. T. F. Kennedy in the chair. S. F. Win- 

 terbottom, Esq., H. Conybeare, Esq., and Mr. Alderman Finnis were 

 elected Fellows. 



