THE FLORAI. WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 189 



loudest praise. The collection of coniferous trees is not only superb for number and 

 variety, but it would be a most difficult matter to match them in quality. The 

 highest place in order of merit has been assigned to the most noble of the Arbor- 

 vita) family, Thuja gigantea ; and the tree pronounced the best amongst the 

 novelties of the order is the pretty Retinospora fillifera. A most remarkable 

 display of cactuses has been made by various cultivators, but prominent amongst 

 tliera is Mr. Pfersdorf, of Kensall Ne\y Town, who supplies Covent Garden Market 

 with those pretty miniature cactea? which look so attractive in bright red pots of 

 the size of thimbles. So again in the fruit department, the various examples of 

 training fruit trees constitute an admirable exhibition. Another speciality is an 

 exhibition of Wells's patent portable ground vineries, with bunches of grapes lying 

 on the slates that form the ground-floor of these structures. Some workmen's 

 dwellings have been constructed of walls made of mixtures of flints, stones, broken 

 bricks, etc., and cement. A couple of boards are put a certain distance apart, 

 and the mixture is poured in. As soon as it is hard, the boards are raised and 

 another piece is added, and in due time a waterproof and substantial wall is con- 

 structed at about a third part of the cost of a similar wall of bricks. In the central 

 garden there is a beautiful display of bedding plants, palms, tree ferns, and other 

 noble subjects, respecting which we shall hope to say a few words hereafter. 



Royal Botanic Society. — The third spring show of this society was scarcely 

 so attractive as the first and second ; nevertheless, there were on this occasion some 

 interesting subjects, notably Auriculas from Mr. C. Turner, of Slough, and Messrs. 

 Dobson and Son, of Isleworth. Pot and cut roses were shown in plenty, and there 

 were collections of pansies, tulips, and pelargoniums. In the classes for stove and 

 greenhouse plants, Mr. Burley, of Pembridge Place, presented some superb palms and 

 flowering plants. Mr. B. S. Williams, of HoUoway, exhibited numerous orchids, 

 ferns, and yuccas. Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, sent a number of new plants. Con- 

 spicuous amongst the novelties was a new bedding pansy, called Imperial £hie, 

 from Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing ; the colour of this is bright blue, and it 

 flowers profusely. Roses—'M.essrs. Paul and Son put up a splendid group, com- 

 prising — Le Rhone, Madame Willermoz, Alba rosea. Souvenir d'Elise, Madame de 

 Stella, Souvenir d'un Ami, Madame Boutin, Lord Raglan, and President. From 

 the same, three new roses ; the varieties were Duchesse de Caylus, Princess Mary of 

 Cambridge, and Fisher Holmes. Mr. Turner took a good place with a group com- 

 prising Aipaide de Rotalier, Madame Willermoz, Lord Clyde, Souvenir d'un Ami, 

 Charles Lawson, Celine Forestier, Victor Verdier, Professor Koch, Marechal Vaillant. 

 Mr. Turner's group of three new roses consisted of Duchesse de Caylus, Marechal 

 Niel, admirably done, the colour pure yellow ; Madlle. Margaret Dombrain. 

 Messrs. Lane and Son, of Berkhamstead, Herts, presented Duchesse de Morny, 

 Vicomte Vigier, Louise Darzins, PieiTe Notting, Anna Alexieff", Madame Victor 

 Verdier, Jean Goujon, Madame Alfred de Rougemnnt, Comtesse de Chabrilland. 

 Messrs. Lane and Sons new roses were Duke of Wellington, Marcella, and Dr. 

 Andry. Messrs. Lane and Sons put up a collection of pot roses in addition to the 

 foregoing. In the amateur class there were some admirable contributions. Mr. 

 James, gardener to F. W. Watson, Isleworth, had a group of six, comprising Baronne 

 Prevost, .Madame Charles Wood, Anna de Diesbach, Jules Margottin, John Hopper, 

 Fran9oi3 Lacharme. Mr. Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq., Isleworth, had John 

 Hopper, Gloire de Dijon, Anna Alexiefi", Baronne Prevost, Princess Clothilde, 

 Catherine Guillot. Pansies — Mr. James exhibited a beautiful stand of twenty-four 

 cut blooms, comprising Noir, Chancellor, Mussefl"el, Cupid, Novelty, Tennyson, 

 Arab, Invincible, George Wilson, General Lee, Dux, Cherub, Rev. H. Dombrain, 

 Miss Cochrane, J. B. Downie, Harry, Concord, Masterpiece, Princess of Wales, 

 Norma, Ladyburn Beauty, Blink Bonny, Jessie, Czar. Mr. James also exhibited 

 twelve pot pansies. Mr. Hooper, of Widcombe Hill, Bath, exhibited cut blooms 

 and pot plants. Mr. Wiggins maintained his well-established reputation as a culti- 

 vator of the Pelargoniums, his group of six being admirably trained, well out, and 

 of course fresh as the spring ; the varieties were Monte Christo, Vestal, Roseum, 

 Beadsman, Pline, and another. Mr. James presented Herbaceous Calceolarias in 

 the same matchless style as heretofore ; the varieties were Charles Dickens, Grati- 

 tude, Lord Derby, Lavinia, Master Farrell Watson, Louise. Collections of Auriculas^ 

 both of exhibition and Alpine varieties, were shown by Mr. Turner, Messrs. Dobson 

 and Son, Mr. James, Mr. Butcher, and Mr. Cox. Mr. Turner's best six were 

 Smith's General Bolivar, Dickson's Duke of Kent, Spalding's Metropolitan, Smith's 



