HIE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 59 



The first meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, at South 

 Kensington, for the present year, was held on the 18th of last 

 month, and was one of the best winter meetings ever held by the 

 society. The principal features were the grand banks of winter- 

 flowering Orchids, staged by Lord Londesborough, Tadcaster, York- 

 shire, and Messrs. Veitch and Sons, of Chelsea; Ivies, by Mr. 

 Turner, of Slough, and Messrs. Lane and Sons, of Great Berkhamp- 

 stead ; and Cyclamens,"; by H. Little, Esq., of Cambridge Park, 

 Twickenham, and Mr. Wiggins, of Isleworth. Novelties were, of 

 course, scarce, but a few good things were shown. The most im- 

 portant were : — Cypripedium vexillarmm, a pretty hybrid, between 

 C. JPairreanum, and C. barbatum, with pale rose-purple, shading to 

 white, sepals and petals, and a brownish lip, from Messrs. Veitch 

 and Sons ; Ficus lanceolata, a most beautiful erect-growing species, 

 with lance-shaped, leathery leaves, averaging fifteen inches in length 

 and two in width ; and Pteris serrulata gleicJienifolia, a most elegant 

 variety of this fern, which has already been described in these pages, 

 from Messrs. A. Henderson and Co., Pine Apple Place, Maida Vale, 

 W., and Adiantum cajpillus-veneris Admirable, and Scolopendrium vul- 

 gare Consummation, both very pretty, from E. J. Lowe, Esq., Hillfield 

 House, Nottingham. All the above were deservedly awarded first- 

 class certificates. Amongst the new plants shown that received no 

 awards, mention must he made of a very bold, robust-growing variety 

 of Lomaria gibba, which will no doubt be much valued for exhibition 

 purposes, exhibited by Mr. Douglass, Loxford Hall, Ilford. At the 

 same meeting, Messrs. Carter and Co., 237 and 238, High Holborn, 

 W.C., exhibited fruit of the Solanum eiliatum, which promises to be 

 of immense value for conservatory decoration. The fruit is quite 

 round, averaging an inch in diameter, and is of a very deep red 

 colour. The plants are said to be neat and compact in growth, and 

 well adapted for pot culture. 



The competition between Mr. Turner and Messrs. Lane and 

 Sons, for the prizes offered by the Society for nine specimen Ivies 

 was very spirited ; the former, however, succeeded in carrying oft' the 

 first prize with splendid specimens of the leading varieties. Mr. 

 Turner also exhibited a very fine bank of Aucubas, comprising well- 

 berried examples of the best varieties, and Mr. B. S. Williams, Vic- 

 toria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Hollo way, exhibited a fine 

 variety with yellow berries, which has now retained its character for 

 the last five years. This is a most desirable acquisition because of 

 the striking appearance it has when placed in conjunction with the 

 scarlet-berried varieties. 



Prizes w-ere offered for kitchen apples and pears, three dishes of 

 each, and the first prize in both classes was taken by Mr. Turner, 

 who exhibited grand examples of Golden Noble, Blenheim Orange, 

 and Alfriston Apples ; and Vicar of Winkfield, Cat iliac, and IJvedale 

 St. Germain Pears, all of which are first-rate for use at this season of 

 the year. Fine collections in both classes were put up by numerous 

 other exhibitors, but it would take up more room than could well 

 be afforded, to give the names. The varieties staged in all the collec- 

 tions were chiefly the same as those enumerated above. Amongst 



