1S70.] NOTES OF THE MONTH. 197 



stock had survived the winter, while seedlings from the same species, 

 grown on the same spot, had perished. It certainly does seem remark- 

 able that in the case of the experiments with Abutilons made by Messrs 

 Downie, Laird, & Laing, variegation, which has been proclaimed by 

 botanists to be a disease in vegetation, should be found overpowering 

 the green form of growth, and changing its character, and this whether 

 used as a scion or stock in the process of grafting. It was stated by 

 Dr Masters that it has been found by M. Van Houtte, in the case of 

 the Abutilons just referred to, that if the variegated scion be removed 

 the variegation gradually disappears from the stock, and green leaves 

 only are subsequently produced. 



The subscription to the Veitch memorial is said to have reached the 

 sum of <£900, but the manner in which this sum is to be expended has 

 not yet been announced : probably the Executive Committee have not 

 yet matured their plans. There has been a kind of eruption of horti- 

 cultural testimonials during the past few months, of varying degrees of 

 consequence ; and it is not impossible that a few years hence, so rapid 

 has been the growth in this direction of late, that a testimonial epi- 

 demic will set in, and great and small, known and unknown, will have 

 a chance of reaping a reward of this character, whether deserved or 

 undeserved. The Veitch memorial was a strongly exceptional case, 

 and we are glad to know so much money has been realised ; but when 

 nearly half-a-dozen others spring up around it, it must be admitted they 

 are somewhat unwelcome corollaries. 



The recent death of Mr Richard Stains was the means of removing 

 from our midst another of those Agricultural worthies that so largely 

 helped to make the past of floriculture famous ; while to some of them, 

 and notably to Mr Stains, it was given that they should be valuable 

 helpers in aiding its present development. For many years he was a 

 cultivator and exhibitor of florists' flowers ; but during the latter 

 years of his life, owing to the claims of business, &c, he had almost 

 entirely, if not quite, abandoned their culture. He was a firm friend 

 and constant supporter of the once National Floricultural Society, he 

 was an active member of the Committee of Management on its forma- 

 tion in 1851, and was the treasurer of the Society in 1859, on the occa- 

 sion of its dissolution. For many years also he was one of the judges 

 at the exhibitions of the Royal Botanic Society in the Regent's Park, 

 and at the time of his being stricken down with paralysis in 18G5 a 

 member of the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society. 

 His genial character and open-handed hospitality were known to all who 

 came in contact with him ; and it was painful indeed to many of his 

 old friends and associates to know that, though living, he was both 

 mentally and physically incapacitated from acting with them, or taking 



