OCTOBER. 299 



sea, to attain the height of 100 feet, w'ith a straight stem feathered with 

 branches down to the ground, and to produce an excellent timber for 

 boat building, for which it is much used at Monterey. Our own 

 specimens have coarser and larger leaves than insignis. It grows with 

 fewer branches, forming less of a bush while in a young state, and 

 having more tufty foliage, which partakes of the deep green of insignis. 

 Our own opinion inclines us to consider it more in the light of a variety 

 of insignis than as a distinct species, which appears to be Hartweg's 

 opinion, as quoted above. It is, however, equally entitled to our 

 notice, and from the fact of its growing on the sea beach in California, 

 it Avill be well adapted for the sea coast of Britain, where it will form a 

 valuable acquisition to the list of plants suitable for sea- side planting. 



NATIONAL FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



September^. — Dr. SANKEYinthe Chair; Messrs. Lidgard, Parsons, 

 and Holmes censors. Several seedling Dahlias were produced ; Mr. 

 Dodds, of Sahsbury, had Miss Herbert, bronzy pink, with hght tip ; 

 Lord Raglan — a Sir John Franklin flower, but lighter in colour ; and 

 Mrs. Stowe, bright lilac pink, medium form, and a very pretty flower, 

 to which a Certificate of Merit was awarded. Mr. George Wheeler, of 

 Warminster, sent blooms of Lord Bath, deep maroon colour, good form 

 and substance, with depth of petal, and Primrose Peerless, a promising 

 primrose flower. The former of these — Lord Bath, would no doubt 

 have received an award had the flowers been in good condition. Mr. 

 Keynes sent Ruby Queen, bright ruby red, a well formed medium 

 sized flower, to which a first class Certificate was awarded ; Comet, 

 pale yellow and pink, slightly striped with crimson, which received a 

 Certificate of Merit ; and Lady Folkeston, yellowish buff tipped with 

 bright rosy purple, which also received a Certificate of Merit. Mr. 

 Rawlings sent Miss Frampton, deep red ground with shaded white tip, 

 good form and substance, and well deserving the first class Certificate 

 awarded to it. Mr. Pope, of Pimhco, exhibited Omer Pacha, scarlet, 

 and Mrs. Howard, light yellow, shaded and tipped with deep salmon ; 

 a Certificate of JNIerit was awarded to the latter variety. A few good 

 seedUng Hollyhocks came from Mr. Parsons, of Welwyn, but as single 

 blooms only of each variety were shown, the judges could not give any 

 awards. In our opinion the best were Argo, deep yellow, large and 

 close ; Standard, salmon buff, high close centre, fine form ; and Mrs. 

 Parsons, bright rosy salmon, and a striking flower ; these are flowers of 

 first-rate quality. Next in merit were Little Gem, light rosy pink, 

 close and well formed, but small, Orange Unique, orange and pink, 

 guard petal somewhat coarse, and Eliza, bright rosy pink. 



Pleased as we are to record the merits of good things, we must 

 protest against the rubbish put up for the judges' decision, which, how- 

 ever, was soon arrived at, as on this occasion several Antirrhinums were 

 staged, not one of which was worth a moment's notice. The same 

 remark applies to several seedling Verbenas staged, which were not equal 



