124 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



do the same, and make sure of what they are growing. Good seed 

 Is, however, plentiful in the trade, but it cannot be sold, without 

 loss, at sixpence or a shilling per packet. At the same meeting, 

 Mr. Tomkins, of the Sparkhill Nurseries, Birmingham, exhibited 

 a group of Primula Princess Louise, a grand new white-flowered 

 variety, with flowers of an immense size, superb form, very wax-like 

 in texture, with age the flowers changing to a delicate blush. This 

 was awarded a first-class certificate — an honour to which it was 

 justly entitled. Gastronema flammea, a pretty bulbous plant, with 

 orange-red flowers, not unlike those of the useful Vallota purpurea, 

 to which the plant is closely allied, from Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, also 

 received a similar award. 



Dessert apples and pears were shown in capital condition and 

 considerable quantities. It appears unjust to omit mention of the 

 names of the exhibitors of the most meritorious fruit, but all that 

 can be done here is to give the names of the varieties in the best 

 state of preservation. Of the apples, the best were Cox's Orange 

 Pippin, Cornish Gilliflower, Ribston Pippin, and Beinette du 

 Canada ; and, amongst pears, the best were Bergamot d'Esperen, 

 Winter Nelis, Easter Beurre, Beurre Bance, and Knight's Monarch 

 — all first-rate sorts. 



At the Camellia Show on the 1st of March several stands of 

 very fine blooms were staged, but they contained nothing new, the 

 leading sorts being the old Double White, Cup of Beauty, Con- 

 spicua, Imbricata, Chandleri elegans, Kelvingtonia, Monarch, 

 Eximea, Saccoi Nova, Yariegata, Antica, and Countess of Orkney. 

 Lilies of the Valley were contributed in superb condition, but by far 

 the best were the specimens exhibited by Mr. Howard, gardener to 

 J. Brand, Esq., Bedford Hill, Balham, who, for many years past, 

 has occupied the first place with these beautiful flowers. Eirst-class 

 certificates were, at the same meeting, conferred upon Pelargonium 

 Mr. Mutter, a grand golden zonal variety, which, for brilliancy of 

 colour, vigorous constitution, and perfection of form, is unsur- 

 passed ; also upon Odonloglossum retusum-latro, a wonderfully 

 distinct kind, with brilliant orange scarlet flowers ; to a New Eern, 

 from Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Londesborough, Tadcaster ; 

 and upon Masdevallia elepltanceptis, exhibited by Mr. Pilcher, 

 gardener to S. Pucker, Esq., AVandsworth. 



The Hyacinth show on March 15 was the most important event 

 we shall have to chronicle. The number of exhibitors was not 

 large, but those who did exhibit acquitted themselves well, and the 

 extra collections staged by Messrs. Veitch and Sons, of Chelsea, and 

 Mr. W. Paul, cf Waltham Cross, were so large and so fine in 

 quality, that the exhibition was one of, if not the best displays of 

 Hyacinths and other bulbous plants yet held at South Kensington. 

 All the first prizes for Hyacinths, with one exception only, were 

 carried off by Messrs. Veitch and Sons, although it was the first 

 occasion upon which they have exhibited these flowers. In the 

 class for eighteen white-flowered varieties they had superbly-finished 

 examples of Madame Van der Hoop, LaCandeur, Alba Superbissima, 

 Baroness Van der Duin, Grand Vainqueur, Orondates, Snowball, 



