THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 51 



London air. Individual examples will do much to remove the prejudices 

 that stand in the way of the full development of the capabilities of town 

 atmospheres for supporting many interesting forms of vegetation ; but, 

 in regard to the London squares, meanness adds to the impediments of 

 ignorance, and as long as these places are " kept in order," on terms that 

 barely pay for the wearing out of scythes and brooms on the flinty and 

 dingy grass plots, they must remain a disgrace, the more glaring because 

 usually associated with the substantial residences of the wealthy, who are 

 supposed to be patrons of art and arbitors of taste. 



Among the many objects of interest exhibited at the Horticultural Society's 

 meeting on the 2nd, the collection of Hyacinths from Mr Cutbush, of Highgate, 

 once more attested his success in the cultivation of this best of all our spring 

 flowers. They were amazingly well bloomed, and would not have suffered in 

 any one point, if compared with the best collection of Scottish growth ; and, 

 as is well known, the Hyacinth is, generally speaking, much better grown and 

 shown in the north than anywhere else in the kingdom. The sorts shown and 

 recommended for culture next season were the following: — Prince Frederick, a 

 double pale blue kind ; Norma, single delicate pink ; Tour d'Auvergne, double 

 white ; Baron Van Tuyll, single porcelain blue ; Prince Albert, a single, 

 nearly black sort ; Mrs. Beecher Stowe, single, rose, with the petals faintly 

 edged with white ; William the First, single deep blue ; Anna Maria, double, 

 cream ; Grand Vedette, single, large flowered pale blue ; Voltaire, single, white ; 

 Orondates, single, pale blue; aud Pyrene, double, white. Camellias were well 

 shown, and first prizes for them were awarded to E. A. Brande, Esq., for six ; 

 and to Mr. Glendinning, for three, the second prize for three going to Messrs. 

 Chandler, ofVauxhall. Among the winning plants, the only new and little 

 known kinds were Matkotiona, shown by both Mr. Brande and Mr. Glendinning ; 

 Targioni, a white striped with pink, and two beauties brought from China by 

 Mr. Fortune, and respectively named Princess Frederick William and Cup of 

 Beauty — the latter a large cupped white flower, with a tinge of blush, which is 

 sure to become a favourite. Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, sent a collection of 

 miscellaneous plants, in which were two specimens of Chinese Primrose, viz., 

 the double white and double lilac, and two Orchids, one the East Indian 

 Calanthe curculigoides, with a fine spike of pale salmon flowers, a colour rare 

 among orchids ; the other, the pretty Japanese Dendrobium moniliforme. 

 Messrs. E. G. Henderson, of the Wellington Road, sent a plant and cut flowers 

 of Monochaetum ensiferum, a profuse blooming and very handsome rosy- 

 flowered greenhouse bush, with small leaves, whose merits are now beginning 

 to be universally recognised. It was introduced from the mountains of Columbia 

 by Mr. Linden, a great Belgian collector of such plants. This will, no doubt, 

 prove a valuable plant for mixed collections, and will probably do well in a 

 greenhouse temperature of 50° in winter. A specimen of Berberis nepalensis, 

 with lovely yellow flowers, sent from the gardens of the Society, attracted con- 

 siderable attention, and was noted by many as one of the best of the new Ber- 

 beries, especially for conservator}' culture. Among the fruits was a splendid 

 basket of Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, possessing the rare golden yellow 

 colour of this variety when in perfection, shown by Mr. Hill, gardener to 

 R. Sneyd, Esq. ; along with them were some handsome bunches of Black Ham- 

 burgh. Mr. Michell, gardener to Lord Wenlock, sent bunches of Black 

 Barbarossa, in good condition ; Mr. Tillyard, gardener to Viscount Eversley, 

 sent two Antigua Queen Pine Apples, a quantity of NePlusMeuris andBeurre 

 Ranee Pears — the best of our February pears — and a dish of American Cran- 

 berries. The following Apples, viz., Court Pendu Plat, large, and finely 

 coloured ; Ribston Pippin, Dumelow's Seedling, and three unnamed kinds, were 

 contributed by the gardener to H. 0. Nethercote, Esq., Moulton Grange, 

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