230 THE GARDENER. [May 



have this season held their own against the best that any other Hyacinth-growing 

 district could do in the United Kingdom. Some amount of external pressure 

 had to be employed to induce the Council to take it up, and a charming show re- 

 sulted ; but as of old the "stars in their courses fought against Sisera," so now 

 did the elements fight against the promoters of the show, and in consequence of 

 the rain but few visitors comparatively could inspect an effective floral display. 

 The chief amateur cultivator of Hyacinths was Mr Brannigan, gardener to S. M. 

 Tand} 7 , Esq., Appian Way, who carried off nearly all the leading prizes in the sev- 

 eral classes in which he competed; while in the Nurserymen's classes, Messrs A. 

 Campbell & Sons, of Glasnevin, who, like Mr Tandy, staged some very finely de- 

 veloped flowers, had it all their own way. Besides Hyacinths, there were Cycla- 

 mens and Tulips, both indifferently grown ; Violets, Primulas, very fine ; forced 

 shrubs, Lily of the Valley, &c. One feature of the schedule was a gardener's cup, 

 subscribed for by the practical gardeners of Ireland, and awarded to the gardener 

 who took the greatest number of prizes. This handsome trophy fell to the lot of 

 Mr Brannigan, gardener to S. M. Tandy, Esq. The Council of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society ought to be much encouraged by the floral success attending the 

 attempt made to establish in Dublin a show of Hyacinths and early spring flowers, 

 and we hope it will again appear in the programme of their doings for 1871. 



The first spring show of the Royal Botanic Society was held at the Regent's 

 Park, on the 30th of March, and presented a few very interesting features. Forced 

 flowering plants and shrubs made an effective display ; so did the Cinerarias and 

 Cyclamens ; of the last named a great number were staged, all of that fine quality 

 incidental to London. In the class for 6 Cinerarias, Mr James, gardener toW. F. 

 Watson, Esq., Isleworth, had nice specimens of Mrs Reeves, white, margined 

 with rosy crimson, and dark disc; Uncle Toby, deep blue, a good self; Agrippa, 

 white, with narrow edge of rosy purple ; Lord Elgin, a free-blooming rosy- 

 crimson self; Snowflake, white; and Master F. Watson, broadly margined with 

 crimson-rose : the style of growth of these plants quite recalled the days when 

 Mr Turner used to exhibit these charming spring-flowering plants. Cyclamens 

 were grand in the extreme — the splendour of development of such young plants 

 taught the utter fallacy of the resting process ; and yet one of our weekly 

 contemporaries, noted for sticking so closely by the old traditions of horti- 

 culture, in its latest issue, in replying to correspondents, actually recommends 

 in each instance the period of rest ! Mr James was first with 6 fine plants, 

 each averaging from 60 to 100 flowers; Mr Edmonds was only just inferior; 

 and Mr Stevens only just beaten for second honours. Primulas were fine, 

 but contained nothing calling for special remark. Mr Ware, Hall Farm 

 Nurseries, Tottenham, who has made a great name for spring-blooming, hardy 

 herbaceous, and Alpine plants, had a very interesting group of the former, com- 

 prising the fine white-flowered Trillium grandiflorum (what a pity it is this 

 fine plant is not oftener seen !) ; Hoteia japonica, Richardia (Ethiopica, the 

 variegated Crown Imperial, &c. In addition, Mr Ware had a group of twelve 

 Liliaceous plants, grown in shallow pans, and exceedingly interesting, comprising 

 Scilla Siberica, S. bifolia, S. prsecox, the charming Triteleia uniflora, Muscari 

 botryoides, M. botryoides pallida, two very pretty varieties of the Grape Hya- 

 cinth ; and the purple Erythronium dens-canis ; and an equally charming group 

 of Alpine plants, including some very pretty Primulas — viz., P. nivalis, P. den- 

 ticulata, P. marginata, P. pubescens, P. erosa Fortunei, Narcissus juncifolius, a 

 very pretty dwarf species, &c. Camellia blooms were plentifully produced, of 

 good average quality. In the Nurserymen's class, Messrs A. Henderson & Co., 

 Pine-Apple Place Nursery, were first; and in the Amateurs, Mr A. Wilkie, Addi- 



