JUNE. 163 



knowledge of the flower. If the weather has been favourable 

 for Auriculas, what shall we say of Roses ? Oh, Mr. Hole, I 

 fear very much that Flora's Queen will not show off so well this 

 year as last. I have never seen the damage done by the east 

 wind anything equal to what it is this year. 



Deal, May 24. D. 



CRYSTAL PALACE FIRST EXHIBITION for 1859. 



The first grand Horticultural Exhibition of the Crystal Palace Com- 

 pany took place on the 18th ult. The day was unfortunately gloomy 

 and wet, and prevented that full attendance which we should have liked 

 to have seen ; for certainly the exhibition was all that could be desired. 

 Pot Roses, collections of stove and greenhouse plants, and Orchids, were 

 remarkable for freshness and vigour of growth and abundance of bloom 

 — qualities not so predominant later in the season. Of the Roses in 

 pots, it is not too much to say they have never been surpassed, if at all 

 equalled. Many of the specimens were fully five feet high and four feet 

 through, literally loaded with blooms to the edge of the pot, to which 

 the health and freshness of the foliage contributed not a little, and 

 made them the gem of the exhibition. In collections of stove and 

 greenhouse plants were many remarkable instances of good cultivation, 

 and an absence of anything like inferior specimens. Indeed, the col- 

 lections, taken as a whole, were very evenly balanced, both as regards 

 size of plants and good cultivation. Mr. Dods carried off the first prize 

 in the large class, but was closely followed by others, all excellent in 

 their way. We have seen Azaleas, taken as a whole, finer in bloom ; 

 some of the exhibitors yet adhere to the close formal style of training, 

 of which Mr. Green's large double red afforded an example ; and we 

 observed a grand Gloire de Dijon Rose in, we think, Mr. Paul's twelve, 

 spoiled by training it in an oval shape ; the thinly bloomed Azaleas, 

 however, were the exception, for Messrs. Carson, Green, Dods, and 

 others had plants faultless in all respects. 



Mr. Green's ten plants were very remarkable, being large, fresh, and 

 covered with full-sized well-coloured blossoms. They consisted of 

 Sinensis, very fine ; Iveryana, Sir C. Napier, Perryana, and Varie- 

 gata, little less beautiful, and Coronata, Semi-duplex, Maculata, Sym- 

 metry, and Triumphans. Mr. Carson had an equal first prize, for 

 remarkable plants, but had not the quality of bloom. Those dissimilar 

 to the first-named lot were Alba superba, Carnea, Lateritia, Mur- 

 rayana, Broughtoni, and Exquisita. In six plants, Mr. Peed was first, 

 with very nice plants, which contained nothing new. In the nursery- 

 men's class, Mr. Ivery, Dorking, sent the best eight kinds, consisting 

 of a fine Iveryana, Magnifica, good, Harlequin, Glory of Sunning- hill, 

 Delicata, Rubra pleno, Criterion, very fine, and Duke of Devonshire. 

 Mr. C. Turner, Slough, stood next with well-bloomed specimens of 

 Perryana, Variegata, Gledstanesi, Lateritia, Devonshire, Alba lutescens, 

 Symmetry, and Purpurea arborea. Mr. Clark, of Streatham, and 

 Messrs. Fraser, of Lea Bridge, also obtained prizes in this class. 



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