190 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Lycurgiis, Lif^litbody's Fair Maid, Chapman's Sophia, ilr. James presented a bean- 

 tiful group of hardy ferns. 



South Metropolitan Auricula Society.— The members of this society lield their 

 fifth annual exliibition on Thursday, the 25th of April, at Mr. J. Butcher's, South 

 Street, Camberwell. Seedlings— '^r. J. Butcher was awarded a first-class certificate 

 for a green edge seedling, Mrs. Butcher, and a first-class certificate for a self seedling, 

 John Penn ; Mr. John Pink, of Gotha Cottages, Cobourg Roid, a first-class certi- 

 ficate for a green edge seedling, Annie ; also a first-class certificate for a grey edge 

 seedling, JEliza ; and a second-class certificate for a white edge seedling, Miss Oliver. 

 In the class for Seedling Alpines, Mr. J. Butcher took a first-class certificate for 

 Jane Webster, Zadi/ Middleton, and Rifleman; J.Ir. Pilcher, first-class certificate 

 for a seedling Alpine, Emma. llr. J. Butcher had Premier Prize for Lightbody's 

 Robert Traill, very fine eight plants, Mr. J. Butcher, first with Traill's Ceneral 

 Neill, Traill's May Flowei-, Dickson's Duke of Cambridge, Ashworth's Xewton 

 Hero, Lightbody's Robert Traill, Smith's Britannia, Wyld's Bright Phoebus, Martin's 

 Mrs. Sturrock. Second prize, Mr. Pink, with Page's Champion, Olliver's Lovcly 

 Ann, Cockup's Eclipse, Sykes's Complete, Waterhouse's Conqueror of Europe. 

 Lightbody's Alma, Galrn's Model, xMartin's Mrs. Sturrock. First best six, Mr. J. 

 Butcher, with Page's Duchess of Oldenburgh. Ashton's Prince of Wales, Headley's 

 Stapleford Hero, Barlow's Morning Star, Ashworth's Regular, Butcher's King of 

 the Crimsons. Second, Mr. Pink, Olliver's Lovely Ann, Page's Defiance, Grime's 

 Privateer, Waterhouse's Conqueror of Europe, Lee's Bright Yenus, Popplewell's 

 Conqueror. Four plants, Mr. J. Butcher, Olliver's Lovely Ann, Headley's Staple- 

 ford Hero, Ashworth's Regular, Spalding's Metropolitan. Collection of twenty-four 

 plants ; Mr. J. Butcher. There was a good show of Alpines, Polyanthuses, etc., etc. 



TO COEEESPONDENTS. 



Ground Vinery. — A. JS. — The Black Prince vine sent you is generally con- 

 sidered the very best that can be planted in a groiind vinery. We have generally 

 recommended the Black Hamburg, from having seen it produce superb crops in 

 these vineries, but Black Prince is a more general favourite. 



TiioP-^OLrMs, King of Scarlets, axd Scarlet Gem. — A. M. wi-ites as follows : 

 " Having ordered packets of Tropffiolum seed, ' King of Scarlets,' and ' Scarlet Gem,' 

 which were so strongly recommended in the Floral World, I v/ish to know if 

 they are very vigorous in growth, and at what distance apart the plants ought to be 

 put in a bed, and whether the two would do to mix in the same bed." — It is a fre- 

 quent mistake of lady gardeners to suppose that all plants can be raised from seeds 

 equally well as from cuttings. It is true that thousands of xiseful plants are finer 

 when grown from seed than any other way ; but in the case of all named garden 

 varieties, such as these tropaeolums, such as any of the named geraniums, verbenas, 

 etc., etc., the plants must be grown from cuttings, if uniformity of growth and 

 colour are desired. The men who raise these varieties in the first instance grow 

 immense numbers from seed, and having selected such as are worthy to be named, 

 they destroy all tlie rest. The fact of their destroying them should suggest to 

 amateurs that there is so much uncertainty about tlm produce of seed, that in the 

 case of flowers of which named varieties abound, seedlings should be grown only as 

 matter of experiment, and not at all with a view to the employment of the 

 plants in a bedding displar. Probably, the plants raised from seeds of these 

 tropaeolums may be very uniform and very good, but they may be very various and 

 very bad. We fully expect they will be, upon the whole, good, for the Compactum 

 race, to which they belong, produces a very showy race of seedlings. But we wish it 

 to be understood that we have not recommended the sowing of seed of these plants, 

 and that we never recommend the sowing of seeds of garden varieties, unless there 

 are special and peculiar reasons for it. As to these tropseolums in particular, they 

 may be planted a foot apart, and the two sorts will do very well together in the 

 same bed. 



Bebberis. — J. J. — Tlie leaf you send is like B. Nepalensis, Have you that ? 



