8 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



The grand seasonal show of the Smithfield Club, which took place at 

 Baker's Rooms, was, as usual, brilliantly successful. In the implement and root 

 department upwards of 300 exhibitors found room, by mutual squeezing, for 

 various examples of improved agricultural machinery and implements. Among 

 the roots was a collection by Messrs. Lawson, consisting of extraordinary Bel- 

 gian carrots, Kohl Rabi, swede turnips, and similar productions, selected to 

 illustrate the capabilities of pure sorts, without special nursing for exhibition 

 purposes. Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, showed mangel wurzels of 40lbs. weight; 

 some roots of the same, from Mr. Grove, of Great Baddo, Essex, measured 

 three feet in length ; Gibbs and Co. had superb chickory roots, orange jelly, 

 t'lrnips, and monster Kohl Rabi ; Page, of Southampton, mangel wurzels of 

 44lbs. ; nor must we forget the giant wheat of Major Quentin, of Waterford, 

 who has sold the whole of his crop of seven quarters to the acre, at three guineas 

 a bushel for seed. Ransome and Sims came out strong in horse-hoes and root- 

 pulpers ; Burgess and Key exhibited several high class gardening as well as 

 agricultural implements, and there were ploughs, threshing machines, and clod 

 crushers, in greater number than we need specify. Burgess and Key's digging 

 forks and draining tools, and Sigma's pretty hoes and dibbles, arrested the 

 attention of many a knight of the blue apron. 



We hear, from many quarters, of spirited preparations for the spring shows. 

 Hyacinths, forced shrubs and roses, cinerarias, and other early subjects, are 

 expected to be better shown than they have been for many years past. In 

 hyacinths and bulbs in pots, generally, there is certainly room for improve- 

 ment, and this class of flowers is much neglected by amateurs. 



The Horticultural Society will have a grand Spring Exhibition on the 6th of 

 April. There are thirty-five classes : twenty-three for flowers, and twelve for 

 fruits. Among the first are four classes for hyacinths, two for tulips, three for 

 narcissi, three for roses, and one of three prizes, namely, 4/., 3/ , and 21., for 

 six plants of fine and remarkable foliage, in which variegated plants will be ad- 

 missible. There are three prizes, of 2/., II., and 10s., for six distinct annuals in 

 pots ; three of the same amount, for cinerarias in sixes, correctly named, and 

 three of the same amounts for auriculas in twelves. 



The folks 'yond the Tweed are looking forward to the 23rd of March, when 

 an exhibition of hyacinths and other spring flowers and shrubs will take place 

 at the Music Hall, George-street, Edinburgh. Early vegetables, horticultural 

 implements, &c, will form a feature of the exhibition, as on former occasions. 

 Intending competitors may obtain schedules on application to Mr. Stark, of 

 Castle-street, or Mr. Lamont, of Fettes-road, Edinburgh. 



PLATYLOMA GERANIFOLIA. 



The coloured illustration has been kindly furnished by the proprietors of 

 Lowe's British and Exotic Ferns* the most beautifully produced of any of 

 the works recently published on the subject. It is not only the fullest and 

 most accurate treatise on ferns extant, but it is also the cheapest, each shilling 

 part containing four highly-rinished fern portraits, besides letterpress descrip- 

 tions. Of the fern here figured, we quote a portion of Mr. Lowe's description:— 

 " An interesting dwarf species, which has been looked upon as a Pteris by 

 most botanists, but placed in the present family by Mr. J. Smith. It appears 

 to be rather a delicate species to cultivate, yet is not difficult to raise from 

 spores. Young plants in the seed-pans will bear fertile fronds. An evergreen 

 stove fern, native of Brazil, India, and the island of Java. Introduced into 

 this country in 1816, according to Kunze ; and into the Royal Gardens, Kew, 

 in 1838. 



* A Natural History of Ferns, British and Exotic. By E. J. Lowe, Esq., F.K.A.S., F.G.S., &c, 

 with coloured illustrations. Vols. 1, 3, and 3. Price 14s. each. Koyal Svo. Groombiidge and Sons. 



