AUGUST. 253 



and variations of leaf, which are the peculiar beauty of the tribe, yet justly 

 admired for the contrast it affords by its fine bold appearance." 



Though acknowledged to be mainly indebted for its contents to works 

 on Ferns, already well-known, and therefore containing little or nothing 

 new, this little manual will doubtless prove useful. It is furnished 

 with an index to the genera at once descriptive and ready of reference, 

 and at the end with a glossary of technical terms. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 At a meeting held on the 25th ult., in the rooms in Regent Street, 

 w^ere one or two subjects of interest; ]\Ir. Smith, gardener to JMrs. Reay, 

 was awarded a first prize, for a collection of vegetables. I\Ir. Veitch, 

 jun., exhibited a cut specimen in a pot of Desfontania spinosa, which is 

 reputed to be hardy. Without the flowers it might easily be mistaken 

 for a Holly, wdiich it resembles in every particular, except in the 

 blossoms, which are long scarlet tubes, yellow at the top. If a free 

 flowerer, it will be a valuable acquisition. 



The yellow Cattleya citrina came from Mr. Dunsford. A terrestrial 

 Orchid, with a long upright spike of yellow flowers, and shown as " new 

 from Africa," was reported to be the well-known Lissochilus speciosus. 

 This came from Mr. Keele, of Woolwich. Mr. Williams had a cut 

 spike of a handsome new Schomburgkia. Mr. Yates, of Manchester, 

 received a certificate for a flowering branch of Renanthera c^ccinea. A 

 similar award was made to ]\Ir. Wrench, for fruit of Myatt's Pine Apple 

 Strawberry, one of the best flavoured sorts in existence, but unfortunately 

 a shy bearer, and on that account it has nearly now disappeared from 

 our markets. A white Grape, well flavoured, and said to be a seedling 

 from the Black Hamburgh, came from ]\Ir. Carpenter, of Birmingham. 

 There were some large and fine Pine Apples. Mr. Jones, of Dowlais, 

 had a Ripley Queen, 6 lbs. 12 oz., and another 5 lbs. 2 oz. ; also a 

 Providence 10 lbs. 2 oz. ; Knightian medal awarded. ]\Ir. Davies, of 

 Astle Park, showed a Providence 9 lbs., and some good Peaches ; Bank- 

 sian medal awarded. A similar aw^ard was made to I\Ir. Joy, of 

 Roundhay, for a Providence Tibs. 10 oz., and two Queens, each 4 lbs. 5 oz. 

 A certificate was assigned to Mr. Kinghorn for a dish of black or rather 

 very dark coloured Apricots, which, although a curiosity, were worthless 

 in point of flavour. St. Margaret's Cherry, a large black kind like the 

 Circassian, also came from the same exhibitor. Mr- Chapman had six 

 fruit of the Stanwick Nectarine, for which he received a Certificate. 

 Two plants of a Yam called Dioscorea Batatas, which is expected to 

 prove an excellent substitute for the Potato, were produced from the 

 Jardin des Plantes at Paris. Large Silver INIedal awarded. 



From the Society's Garden the best plants were the beautiful blue 

 Platycodon sinense, and a white variety of the well known half hardy 

 biennial Trachelium cseruleum. Though not showy, it makes a desirable 

 plant for many purposes, on account of the multitudes of flowers 

 which it produces, and the beautiful symmetry displayed in their 

 arrangement. The garden also supplied some fruit and vegetables. 



