THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 157 



HORTICULTURAL AFFAIRS. 



^HE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY held two meetings during 

 the past month. The first was devoted to novelties, and tlie second to 

 Auriculas, Rhododendron?, Greenhouse Azaleas, and Orchids. Amongst 

 the mo?t interesting and valuable novelties presented at the first meet- 

 ins:, lield on the 1st ult., were, Cychimens, Ito'jal Puffjle, Rose Queen 

 and Crimson Gem, three splendid varieties from the gardens of 11. Little, Esq., 

 Twickenham ; Ro-e Duchess of Edinburgh, a fine light hybrid perpetual, from Mr. 

 Bennett, of Stnpleford, Wilts, and Viceroy, the Bride, and Purpurea, three beautiful 

 beddirri< Primroses from Mr. R. Dean, of Ealing. At the second exhibition, on the 

 15th ult., Auriculas were shown in splendid condition by Mr. C. Turner, Slough 

 Mr. James, Isleworth, and the Rev. H. Dombrain. The Alpine varieties, whibh have 

 been wonderfully improved of late, made a beautiful display of colour, and were 

 much admired by the general visitors as well as by the growers. Amongst the show 

 varieties, Turner's Charles J. Perry, a magnificent new violet self, was staged in 

 superb style by Mr. James; and Turner's Colonel Champneys, a fine R'rey-edcred 

 variety, sent out a few years since, was shown well by all the exhibitors, the 

 examples from Mr. Turner being especially good. A fine bank of Rhododendrons 

 was contributed by Messrs. H. Lane and Son, of Berkhampstead, and a good collec-" 

 tion of specimen Clematis by Messrs. Jackman and Son. Orchids were well shown 

 by Jlr. E. S. Williams and Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Londesboroui'h, and 

 others, and presented an attractive appearance. 



Mr. William Paul's Annual Exhibition' of Roses, Pictorial Trees, Gera- 

 niums, etc., will be held at the Crystal Palace, from the IGth to the 2ord of May, 

 both days iuclasive. 



Mr. E. W. Badger's Paper on Potato Disease, read before the Midland 

 Farmers' Club, has been published by Billing and Son, Livery Street, Bir- 

 mingham. 



AxTHURiUM ScHERZERiANUM WiLLiAMsi, now being distributed by Mr. B. S. 

 Williams, of the Victoria Nursery, Upper Holloway, appears likely to prove a most 

 interesting and valuable acquisition. In habit of growth, and in the size and shape 

 of the spathes, it is precisely the same as the species ; but the latter differ in beino- 

 of an ivory white, and present a very pleasing appearance when in contrast with the 

 bright vermilion spathes of the extravagantly showy typical form, which is now 

 becoming known under the popular name of the " Flamingo Plant." 



The jMeadow B.ink OucHins will be sold by auction on Wednesday and 

 Thursday, the 6th and 7th inst. The collection is one of the finest in the United 

 Kingdom, both as regards its extent and the healthy condition of the plants of 

 vrhich it consists, and bids fair to be one of the most important events of the season. 

 The Colorado Potato Beetle was introduced to the notice of English readers 

 under a wrong specific name, and JI. Gustave Heuze writes to the Journal 

 d' Agriculture to say that its proper name is Doryphora decemlineata. It is so called 

 from the ten dark lines or bands on the wing-cases, five upou each, by which it may 

 be distinguished at a glance from other allied species. 



Apple Reixette du Grand-dug will probably prove to be a desirable varietj-, 

 and worth introducing to English gardens. The Journal d' Agriculture vepoits that 

 glowing accounts are received fro:n the Austrian School of Horticulture and Viti- 

 culture at Klosterneiuwberg (Lower Austria) of this apple. It is stated to be re- 

 markable for the freedom and rapidity of its growth, even in the worst soils, its 

 extreme productiveness, and the very superior quality of the fruit. 



An Exhibition of Clematis will be held by Mr. Noble in the conservatory in 

 the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, during the current month. A large 

 number of new varieties, as well as those already in commerce, will, we understand, 

 be represented. The exact date is not yd fixed. 



The Kew Museum has been recently enriched with a collection of robes or 

 dresses from Tahiti, which was presented by diflPerent members of the royal lamily 

 of Tahiti to the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to the Pacific in 1869. These 

 dresses are all made of Tapa cloth, the prepared bark of Broussonetia papyrifera. 

 E jcli consists simply of an oblong piece, with a circular hole cut for the head to 

 pass through. They are trimmed most elaborately, one being eut.rely covered with 

 May. 



