1870.] HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 137 



Blenheim Orange, Burr Knot, and Wellington ; and Mr Earley the second, with 

 excellent examples of Golden Noble, Yorkshire Greening, and the Gooseberry 

 Apple. Mr C. Ross, gardener to C. Eyre, Esq., Welford Park, Newbury, was 

 first in the class for Pears, with very handsome specimens of Uvedale's St Germain 

 and Catillac ; Mr Hobbs, Thames Bank, Great Marlow, coming in second, also 

 with large and fine examples of Catillac. Mr Gardiner, gardener, to Sir T. Dyke 

 Ackland, Bart, Killerton, Devon, contributed good specimens of Verulam, Vicar 

 of Winkfield, and Bellissime d'Hiver, an excellent stewing Pear, not generally 

 cultivated. From Mr Meredith, The Vineyard, Garston, came a splendid basket 

 of Grapes, consisting of Black Alicante, Muscat of Alexandria, and Lady Downes 

 Seedling, all large and in fine order ; a special certificate was awarded. The same 

 award was also made to some finely-flavoured and well-kept Muscat of Alexandria 

 Grapes, sent by Mr Fowler, gardener to the Earl of Harewood, Hai*ewood House. 

 They were cut from the old Vine at that establishment, which last season pro- 

 duced over four hundred bunches, and were fully ripened in September. To Mr 

 Paul, Waltham Cross, a special certificate was also awarded for a beautiful collec- 

 tion of Apples. From Mr Gilbert, gardener to the Marquis of Exeter, came a 

 good specimen of the smooth-leaved Cayenne Pine-apple, which had been pro- 

 duced by a plant grown on the "cutting-over" principle. Mr Sharpe, Tangley- 

 mere, Guildford, sent a fruit of a Pine received from Bahia, which was sound 

 and juicy, and much better in flavour than imported Pines usually are. Mr 

 Miles, gardener to Lord Carington, sent a dish of the fruit of Solanum betaceum, 

 known in gardens as S. Guisados, which was said by Mr Berkeley to be good when 

 cooked ; also some very good home-grown Lemons. Messrs Carter & Co. exhibited 

 a collection of English and new American Potatoes, and several varieties of Beet. 



The meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on the 16th of February, 

 was again enlivened by some valuable contributions of Orchids. Foremost was a 

 fine group from Lord Londesborough, which Mr Denning, the gardener at Grim- 

 ston Park, sends through to London in a van heated with hot water. There 

 were cut specimens of Phalsenopsis grandiflora, P. Schilleriana, and a very fine 

 variety of the latter ; ako a very fine plant of Dendrobium speciosum, with fif- 

 teen spikes of flowers ; several plants of Odontoglossum Alexandra, Ccelogyne 

 cristata, some beautiful Cattleyas, Oncidium nebulosum, Brassavola glauca, &c. 

 Mr Thomas Burnett, gardener to "W. Terry, Esq., Fulham, had a magnificent 

 plant of Ccelogyne cristata, densely covered with beautiful white blossoms, and 

 finely grown. Messrs Veitch & Son had a fine group also, comprising Odonto- 

 glossum Rossii, 0. cervantesii, 0. cordatum, O. cucullalum macultatum, a small 

 but very handsome Orchid ; the charming Oncidium Phalsenopsis, Nasonia punc- 

 tata, with two small orange-red flowers, not unlike those of a minute unex- 

 panded Sophronitis ; a fine spike of Dendrobium cucullatum giganteum ; Lrelia 

 purpuracea, Dendrobium heterocarpum, D. crassniode, D. moniliforme, and D. 

 nobile. 



Prizes were offered for six Chinese Primulas, distinct. The best were shown 

 by Messrs F. and A. Smith, who had one single and five double kinds, the last 

 including two fine carmine-coloured varieties. The class for three Dielytras in 

 bloom did not fill ; and in the class for six Lycastes, Messrs Veitch & Sons 

 were the only exhibitors, having among them the beautiful Lycaste alba, the 

 flowers creamy white, with a yellow throat, each plant having from eight to twelve 

 flowers. 



Two prizes respectively of £3 and £2 were offered by the Rev. George Kemp, 

 a member of the Fruit Committee, for the best winter dessert of Apples and 

 Pears, 3 dishes of each. Mr Parsons, Danesbury Gardens, Welwyn, was first 



