530 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



Royal Horticultural Society, September 20,— There were but few prizes 

 ofiFereJ by the Society, and little or no competition in any of the classes. Begonias, 

 Celosias, Penstemons, Stocks, Zinnias, &c., were the subjects invited. 



Fruit Committee. — A new seedling white Grape named Winter Muscadine was 

 exhibited by Mr W. Paul, of Waltham Cross. It was much admired, and the 

 Committee requested that it be sent in the winter to show its keeping qualities. 

 The Potatoes were well represented by the best growers. ^Mr 11. Fenn, of The 

 llectory, Woodstock, sent a number of seedlings and graft-hybrids. Of the last- 

 named the opinions of practical men are wide as the poles asunder, but nine out 

 of ten are agreed that it is a very uncertain speculation. The seedlings raised by 

 Mr Fenn, on the other hand, are of hii^h merit ; both in shape and quality there is 

 not much room left for improvement. Rector of Woodstock, a veiy fine white 

 round variety, has already received a first-class certificate. 



Floral Committee — A& it is now getting late in the season, there were but few 

 new plants exhibited. Messrs Veitch, of Chelsea, exhibited a choice group of stove 

 and greenhouse plants, Orchids, &c. Vriesiabrachystachys, a handsome compact 

 plant with spikes of gold and crimson flowers, and Agave rotundifolia, received 

 first-class certificates. Mr Green, gardener to W. W. Saunders, Esq., Hillfield, 

 Reading, received the same award for Hechtia argentea ; as did Mr Denning, 

 gardener to Lord Londesborough, for Pescatorea Wallisii. The same award was 

 given to Mr Knight, Hailsham, for his new climbing Rose Princess Louise : it was 

 exhibited in June. The flowers are medium-sized, pale rose, and nicely cupped. 



The following florist flowers received first-class certificates — Verbenas, Lady 

 Braybrook, Lady Gertrude, and Mauve Queen, from Mr Eckford, gardener to the 

 Earl of Piadnor, Coleshill. Seedling Dahlias have been unusually numerous this 

 season, and some of the flowers exhibited were of a high order of merit. Mr C. 

 Turner, of Slough, again sent Mrs Waite. This time it received a first-class award, 

 as did Livonia and Mephistopheles. Mr Parker, Maidens Green, Winkfield, sent 

 a very fine fancy named Admiration, which received a first-class, and John Batten, 

 a maroon-coloured flower, second-class certificates. 



Second-class awards were also given to Mr Turner for Master M'G rath. Ranun- 

 culus, and Bucks Lass ; to Mr Rawlings, of Romford, for Golden Beauty and Mrs 

 Bennet. Worthy of special note was a magnificent spike of Saccolabium Blumei 

 Dayanum, 20 inches in length, from Mr Russell, of Mayfield, Falkirk, and a cut 

 spike of Cattleya elegans. The first named was thought worthy of a medal, and 

 the Cattleya received a special certificate. 



Oct. 4. — This was the usual meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society's Fruit 

 and Floral Committee, Exhibition of Grapes, of edible and poisonous fungi. 

 An international exhibition of fruit was also announced by the Council. Only 

 four weeks' notice was given, but valuable gold and silver medals were offered 

 for collections of fruit. Both home and foreign exhibitors were invited, and the 

 result was the best exhibition of fruit held in London since the International of 

 1862, Apples came first on the list, and numerous meritorious collections were 

 put up. Mr W, Paul, of Waltham Cross, gained the gold medal with 171 distinct 

 varieties, culinary and dessert ; MM, Baltet fr^res, of Troyes, France, being a close 

 second. At first sight the foreign collection seemed the best, the fruit in most 

 instances being larger ; but on a closer examination the solid, cleanly-grown, and 

 even-sized fruit sent by Mr Paul was at once apparent. For collections of dessert 

 Apples, ]\[r Chaff, gardener to A, Smee, Esq., Carshalton, was first with fifty dis- 

 tinct sorts ; Mr R. Webb, Calcot, Reading, being second. In culinary Apples, Mr 



