156 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



delloidea, called grandiflora, which pro- 

 duces myriads ->f flowers of a rich rosy 

 purple colour, Messrs. Backhouse, of 

 York, sent a collection of alpine plants in 

 flower, amongst them Myosotis alpicola, a 

 charming dwarf species with lovely blue 

 flowers; Gentiana verna, intensely bright 

 blue ; a new and beautiful Linaria, etc., 

 etc. 



Royal Hoetictjlttjeal, June 1st. — 

 The average merit of the plants in the 

 arcades rendered this an assemblage of 

 plants for review rather than as a show, 

 grouping and artistic contrasts being im- 

 possible. But the lack of general effect 

 was compensated by the abundance and 

 general magnificence of the specimens, 

 and by the addition of the grand show of 

 American plants by Messrs. Waterer and 

 Godfrey, in the great suspension tent 350 

 feet in length. This was a gorgeous 

 spectacle, and we hope next month to 

 offer a few observations on the varieties 

 exhibited in this, and in the beautiful 

 collection by Mr. John "Waterer at the 

 Royal Botanic. Azaleas were not greatly 

 different from those already reported on, 

 as were also roses and pelargoniums. 



Stove and Greenhouse Plants. — The 

 first prize collection, from Messrs. Veitch 

 formed a central group, all placed on 

 the floor, and most of them towering aloft, 

 as if one had been suddenly transferred 

 to a genuine jungle, with palms aud tree 

 ferns rustling overhead. In the centre 

 was a noble Dicksonia antarctica ; round 

 it specimens of the following — Ixora Am- 

 boinensis, bright reddish-buff; Alocasia 

 macrorhiza variegata, with the proper 

 Tariegation of this grandest of all varie- 

 gated plants. Azalea dilecta, rich rose, 

 and gorgeous ; Pandanus reflectus, very 

 tropical in character ; Ixora alba, almost 

 a pure white, six feet high, and solid with 

 leaf and bloom ; Dipladenia crassinocla ; 

 Croton pictum, sublimely coloured ; C. 

 variegatum, a huge bush glittering with 

 orange and amber ; Allamanda Cathartica, 

 fine ; Latania Borbonica, Franciscea con- 

 fertiflora, covered with bloom. The 

 second-prize lot, from Messrs. Lee, con- 

 tained the grandest plant of Alocasia 

 Loweii yet exhibited, showing eighteen 

 leaves to the spectator without facing, the 

 plant four feet high, and as much through, 

 and the sagitate midrib, and the curious 

 colouring and rich varnish of the leaves, 

 making it very certain that this surpasses 

 A. metallica, sublime as that species 

 is in its colourings and proportions. 

 With this magnificent specimen were 



associated Oreoponax daetylifolium, 

 Acrophyllum venosum, pretty and in- 

 teresting ; Tetratheci verticillata, finely 

 flowered ; Cordyline indivisa, Erica 

 Cavendishii, Cyathea Smithii, Ixora coc- 

 cinea, and Theophrasta longifolia. Mr. 

 May led off in the amateurs' collections of 

 twelve, all the specimens being magnifi- 

 cent ; Mr. Peed second. Mr. Fraser first 

 in the nurserymen's class. In collections 

 of six Mr. H. Chilman first, with fresh- 

 looking plants ; Mr. A. Ingram second. 

 Mr. Rhodes first among the nurserymen ; 

 Messrs. 1 Jackson second. Amongst these 

 collections were fine examples of Ixora 

 Griffithi, lively orange-red ; Aphelexis 

 macrantha purpurea, Leschenhaultia bi- 

 loba major, a real gentian blue; Hedaro- 

 ma tulipifera, and its congener Genetylis 

 macrostigia ; Pimelia spectabilis and Hen- 

 dersoni, Epacris miniata grandiflora, a 

 few Polygalas, Statiee Holfordi and pro- 

 fusa. Pleroma elegans from Mr. Morse, 

 nearly seven feet high, well bloomed, but 

 rather thin and lanky. The same grower 

 had a splendid example of Rhynchosper- 

 mum jasminoides, in the form of a huge 

 round dense bush, smothered with its 

 fragrant white blossoms ; Stephanotis 

 floribunda from several exhibitors ; Phe- 

 nocoma prolifera from Mr. Fraser, an 

 everlasting, not enough known or grown, 

 and of which Mr. Cutbush made wonder- 

 ful use last year in his glorious collection, 

 of cut flowers at Alexandra Park; it has 

 Santolina-like leaves, which appear as if 

 sprinkled with silver filings, and the 

 flowers, which expand less than those 

 of Aphelexis, are of a delicious tint of rosy- 

 crimson. 



Neio Azaleas. — Mr. Eelk offered 

 prizes for Azaleas, Roses, and Pelar- 

 goniums in six- inch pots. Mr. Turner 

 came first in the Azalea class with very 

 pretty plants of Flower of the Day t 

 Ducltesse de Nassau, and President. 

 Mr. Turner was also first in the class for 

 three Azaleas sent out in 1862 and 1863, 

 with Elegantissima, white striped ; Charles 

 Fnhe, and Advancer. Mr. Ivery sent 

 Flag of Truce, Flegantissima, and Charles 

 Fnke. Among the new Azaleas from 

 Mr. Turner, Messrs. Veitch, and others, 

 were many that have been before exhi- 

 bited and described. Salmonea alba 

 cincta, white, with light salmon-red 

 stripes, good ; Mars, deep red, finely 

 formed : President, extra large, shape 

 perfect, the colour a curious shade of 

 rose-red, the top petal spotted with car- 

 mine; Magnet, large, light rose-red; 



