1880.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



319 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Penna. Horticultural Society. — The Annual 

 Exhibition was held this year in connection with 

 the State Fair, in the hall of the Permanent 

 Exhibition Company, which, as many readers 

 may know, is the large structure covering twenty 

 acres of ground, and which was known as the 

 Main Building during the Centennial Exposi- 

 tion. 



Of plants there were scarcely any blooming 

 things exhibited, but Palms, Ferns and "leaf 

 plants " were numerous, and for the most part 

 presented evidences of good culture. This was 

 particularly the case with the Dwarf Marantas 

 exhibited by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas, of West 

 Chester. They were in shallow pans, about two 

 feet wide, though the plants themselves were 

 not over six inches high. Besides the Dwarf 

 Marantas there were similar pretty dwarf plants, 

 such as Peperoma maculosa, Fittonia argyro- 

 neura, and Tillandsia zebrina, all grown in this 

 admirable manner. Equally well grown and 

 interesting were a collection chiefly of Echeveria 

 and Sedum, which, as they are in such demand 

 now for bedding purposes, were especially in- 

 structive. 



There was nothing particularly new to notice 

 among the leaf plants exhibited. Among the 

 very well grown plants of Mr. Jamieson, gar- 

 dener to G. L. Harrison, Esq., we noted that 

 those two magnificent old kinds, Sphaerogyne 

 latifolia and Cyanophyllum magnificum, still 

 remain at the head of their class. 



Among the larger growing Ferns there are few 

 more effective than Nephrolepis davalloides fu- 

 cans, of which Mr. Jamieson had one about three 

 feet high, and as much wide. Of good speci- 

 mens, made so by age, was a very fine one of 

 Croton interruptum, shown by John Nisbet. 

 This was about six feet by six, and clothed with 

 branches to the ground. It had a very striking 

 effect. Another very good thing was a Fig tree 

 in bearing, in a tub, exhibited by Laura M. Hip- 

 pie. We did not notice that many of these inter- 

 esting single things had any premiums awarded, 

 as they were not probably in the "schedule of 

 of premiums." But it is the encouragement of 

 just such efforts as these that societies should 

 foster. The Fig, as a tub plant for houses 

 and small gardens, is just the thing to give plea- 

 sure to thousands who cannot have grand gar- 

 dens and immense pots of foliage plants. Fine 

 collections of the new Coleus were exhibited in 



pots by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas, and by William 

 Sutherland, showing how wonderfully varia- 

 tion has been increased ; but the true value of a 

 coleus depends on its behavior in large masses 

 out of doors. In this respect the old Verscha- 

 feltii still keeps firm hold of popular favor. 

 Among variegated greenhouse plants, a very 

 fine specimen of the Ficus Parceli in the collec- 

 tion shown by Mr. William Joyce, gardener to 

 Mrs. M. W. Baldwin, shows that this is still one 

 of the most striking plants of its class. In the 

 collection of Mr. H. A. Dreer, Eulalia japonica 

 zebrina reminds us how useful this pretty thing 

 is for outdoor summer decoration, and the yel- 

 lowish Torenia Bailloni in full flower, proves a 

 very valuable acquisition. 



Among the exhibitors of new plants, Mr. W. 

 K. Harris seems to be taking a lead. His twelve 

 distinct kinds of winter blooming Carnations 

 were very pretty, though the exact value to the 

 florist depends on free blooming and other pro- 

 perties. His Bpgonias were also very attractive. 

 One, Begonia Schmidtii, is a dwarf, compact, 

 half shrubby kind, with neat woolly leaves and 

 an abundance of pure white flowers. An older 

 one in full bloom, B. rubra, reminds us to say 

 that there are few better kinds to grow for red 

 flowers. 



Out among the fruits and vegetables there 

 was of course the usual big Pumpkin of agricul- 

 tural fairs, this time it weighed 130 lbs., and 

 came from Mr. W. Sproule, gardener to John 

 Hunter, Esq.; and there was a Watermelon from 

 C. B. Rogers, weighing 78 lbs. The old "Mexi- 

 can" or "Cassabar" Melons were out in force un- 

 der a "Persian" name. It is very difficult to 

 keep a Cantaloupe under a distinctive appella* 

 tion. Mr. Dreer had a curious collection of 

 Japanese vegetables, chiefly Legumes. A bunch 

 of a curious Salsola, more branching and vigor- 

 ous than the Salsola Kali of our sea coasts, was 

 among them, and we are at a loss to know how 

 the Japanese use this as a vegetable ; perhaps as 

 a pickle, as its close ally, the Marsh Samphire is 

 so often used in Europe. Of the Beans, one with 

 a very large pod, and after the manner of our 

 Lima Bean, and called Ensipora, may be of value 

 to us. A sort of Pumpkin or Squash, like a large 

 roundish Watermelon, and with the botanical 

 name of Lagenaria dasystemon attached, may 

 also be of service. But the proof of the pudding 

 is in the eating. There was a curious Hibiscus, 

 allied to the Okra, but with numerous small 

 pods ; whether better than our Okra we do not 



