1 12 THE FLORIST. 



Let the boxes be sufficiently strong to bear stamping twice with 

 the post-office marks, which are generally affixed with a crushing 

 stroke. If they are made of tin, be sure that the corners are 

 rounded off, or they will be detained by the post-office authorities, 

 as many were last season. 



Cut your flowers quite early in the morning, and when packed, 

 place them in a cool place until they are despatched. 



The neglect of these simple precautions makes pure waste of 

 much time and many postage-stamps. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



March 5. — Few plants were exhibited on this occasion. A fine 

 specimen of Phaius grandifolius was shewn by J. Gadesden, Esq. of 

 Ewell Castle, for which a Banksian medal was awarded. Mr. Lod- 

 diges of Hackney sent a collection of Orchids, in which we noticed 

 a charming pale rose-coloured variety of Odontoglossum Cervantesii. 

 A pretty sky-blue Cineraria, but too small, was exhibited by Mr. 

 Layton of Hammersmith ; and Mr. Glenny sent a collection of Hya- 

 cinths, in which perhaps the most striking were Satellite, a bright 

 lake kind, and a dwarf flesh-coloured sort called Alida Catherina : 

 with them was a pot of remarkably fine Crocuses. Among plants 

 from the Society's garden we observed a new and rather pretty 

 Siphocampylus called Manettiseflorus, which promises to prove useful. 

 It had a fine shining myrtle-like foliage. 



March 19. — The weather being somewhat unfavourable, few sub- 

 jects were produced ; but among them was a great novelty in the 

 shape of the long- tailed Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium caudatum), an 

 extraordinary-looking plant, from the side of whose flowers hung 

 down two long tails, from which the species takes its name. These 

 tails were at least 15 inches in length. This came from Mrs. Law- 

 rence of Ealing Park, who has flowered it for the first time in Eng- 

 land. From Syon came a flowering plant of Odontoglossum hasti- 

 labium, or halberd-lipped Odontoglossum, a rather new and pretty 

 species ; and Messrs. Henderson sent a finely-grown specimen of 

 Acacia diffusa, a free -flowering and beautiful variety for pot-culture. 

 Along with it was also a very fine large white-flowered Epacris 

 named Hyacinthiflora candidissima, which was raised, we believe, by 

 our friend Mr. Story. A scarlet Gesnera, and some other small 

 plants, came from Mr. Henderson of St. John's Wood ; and in the 

 collection from the gardens at Chiswick was a most beautifully 

 flow^ered Epidendrum aurantiacum, a plant which we have had throw 

 up its flower- stems plentifully enough, but the individual blossoms have 

 never expanded. We have two plants in that condition at the pre- 

 sent time. 



