32G THE GARDENER. [July 



and L. purpurata splendens, &o., in very nice condition. The best 6 in the nursery- 

 men's class were contributed by Mr B. S. Williams, and consisted of a splendid speci- 

 men of Cypripedium barbatum superbum, nearly 3 feet over ; grand examples of 

 Cattleya Mossise and C. Warneri ; Lselia purpurata, two fine spikes of richly- 

 coloured flowers ; yErides odoratum, a very healthy specimen ; and Anguloa 

 Clowesii. Mr W. Bull, who had amongst others a fine specimen of Trichopilia 

 tortilis, was 2d. In the amateurs' class for the same number, Mr Denning was 

 again to the fore with Dendrobium Parishii, very beautiful ; La3lia purpurata, with 

 four admirable spikes, two very nice yErides, &c. : Mr J. Ward, gardener to P. G. 

 Wilkins, Esq., Ley ton, who had two good Cattleyas, Oncidium bifolium, Anguloa 

 Clowesii, with eight grand flowers, and a very fine Phalsenopis grandiflora, being 

 2d. The best single specimen was Dendrobium Devonianum, with four mag- 

 nificent spikes, about 30 inches long, from Mr T. Baines ; the second being a 

 remarkably handsome Lrclia purpurata from Mr R. Laing, gardener to P. W. Flower, 

 Esq., Furze Down, Tooting Common. 



The best 6 variegated Zonal Pelargoniums shown on this occasion came from 

 Messra Carter & Co. They consisted of Fairyland, Aurora, Sophia Cusack, Lady 

 Cullum, Prince of Wales, and Mrs Dunnett. 



There was a very nice show of fruit, but so crowded were the tables, it was 

 very difficult to get near it. The best Pine-Apple was a Queen, weighing 6 lb., 

 from Mr Ward, Bishop-Stortford, a good smooth-leaved Cayenne coming in 

 second best. Mr Douglas, of Loxford Hall Gardens, sent the best dish of Black 

 Grapes, superb Black Hamburgh, fine in berry, bunch, and colour. The best 

 White Grapes were Buckland Sweet Water, also from Mr Douglas ; the next best, 

 Muscat of Alexandria, from Messrs Standish & Co. The finest Peaches were 

 Royal George, Stirling Castle, and Bellegarde. The best Nectarines, Violette 

 Hative, Elruge, and Brugnon. Strawberries and Cherries were also good ; among 

 the former, British Queen and La Constante were particularly noticeable. 



Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society, June 3. — Even the 

 great things Manchester has done in time past were eclipsed on this occasion, 

 when Manchester held what was considered to be the finest show that has ever 

 tiken place in that city. There were some weak points, such as Roses, Fuchsias, 

 Ericas, Pelargoniums, &c. ; but these were more than counterbalanced by the 

 splendour of the Orchids, stove and greenhouse and fine-foliaged plants, 

 Ferns, &c, all of these being very fine. Oar limited space will not admit of 

 our doing justice to this fine Show. We may note, however, that prizes were 

 offered for collections of 50 Alpine plants, though on this occasion the term 

 Alpine was somewhat largely interpreted, as it included many things generally 

 excluded from lists of Alpine plants. Messrs Backhouse & Sons were first 

 with a most interesting group, containing Aquilegia Alpiua, Dianthus sylvestris, 

 Viola pedata, Lychnis or Pretrocoptis Lagascse, with pretty glowing pink flowers 

 and a very dwarf habit ; Armeria montaua, Linaria origanifolia, Lithospermum 

 prostratum, Iberis coriacea, Arenaria montana, Aquilegia glandulosa, Primula 

 cortusoides amcena, Saponaria ocymoides, Rosa pyrenacia, Aubrietia Campbellii, 

 Saxifraga longifolia, and Erinus hirsutus. Messrs G. and W. Yates, who were 

 second, had the new Spirea palmata, Silene montana, Polygonum Viviparum, 

 Silene alpestris, Papaver croceum, Aster Alpiua, and Dodecatheon media alba. 

 Messrs Stansfeld & Sons came third with Pinguicula grandiflora, Gentiana 

 verna, Primula farinosa, Cheiranthus Marshallii, Viola amcena, Iberis Gibraltarica, 

 and Veronica saponaria ; a very excellent lot, as the species and varieties named 

 give the very cream of the three collections. 



