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EDITOR'S TADLE. 



difcttlor iin-l Miinintft Zebriiia wore all in nil. We had to wij>e off tlie deposit before wo couM 

 recognise the i^rounil color. 



Severn! of the liherul amateurs of the city sent their full-grown specimens to decorate the hall. 

 Tho.-ie phiiits (on a former occasion, designated hop poles by a eitcrical correspondent of your 

 M:u,'n/.ine) have their uses, and witiiout them the Floral Hall would have looked bare and unsightly. 

 To tiioso from a distance, who have read and not seen tiio curiosities of the tropical forests, these 

 much abused specimens arc objects of intense interest. Many of our country fi iends have read 

 of, but not seen the Indian Rubber tree, the Cinnamon tice, the green and black tea plants of 

 commerce, the Camphor jilant, the Cocoa tree, and many others noted in the arts, and famous in 

 domestic circles. Most of these may be seen and admired on such occasions, and though their 

 aspect and dimensions may not please the critical eye of the "working gardeners" of our day, 

 they are plea^ing to the less fastidious visiter who reads as he runs. 



In addition to such valuable plants as we have adverted to, from the conservatories of the vicinity, 

 there were for com]K'tition a most valuable collection of green and hot-house specialities. Cissi.s 

 discolor, with its remarkable and by-all-admired foliage, was most consjiicuous; for the specimens 

 deposited from the garden of Jas. Dundas, Esq., by Mr. Pollock; from E. Buist's nurseries, by 

 Mr. Sutherland ; and several other well grown and trained plants, were equal to the hii^hest 

 expectations of those who had seen it in the earlier stages of its cultivation. Trained on a suita- 

 ble wire or wood trellis, we cannot find, among late introductions, a more splendid object. Gar- 

 denia Devoniana, somewhat rare, was in good condition ; the flowers at first sight resemble those 

 of G. Stanleyana, but are of a cream color inside, as well as outside ; the tube of the Coiolla is 

 elongated, as in Stanleyana, and the Stigma is club-shaped, by which the species may be readily 

 distinguished. Very tine specimens of Allamanda neriifolia, Cathartiea, Aubletii, and other.-', 

 were among these collections. Large and well grown plants of Clerodendron kaempfcrii, squama- 

 tum, fallax, and others, attracted attention by their ample dark green foliage and bright scarlet 

 flowers. "We also observed a fine specimen of Stigmaphyllum ciliatum — a very choice climber, 

 with curious yellow flowers. Several new Begonias, such as Xanthina and Prestoniensis, Pjissi- 

 flora alata superba, Ipomea fieifolia, Sehubertea graveolens, Scutellaria Ventenatii, Dioscorea 

 discoloi', and many other more familiar green and hot-house plants, seemed to us worthy of 

 notice. Our readers who are interested in these details must excuse our particularizing more 

 fully the various objects, and the cultivators who deserve honorable mention. 



In addition to plants, there were several displays of cut-flowers. One collection of 2-1 Dahliss 

 was very choice, for the season, which was against the development of the points of this fancy 

 floral favorite. A stand of Verbenas was also much admired, before the clouds of dust obscured 

 Iheir bright tints. We noted a great number of dwarf Asters, or Queen Margarets, from M. 

 Souchet, Woodbury, N. J., late of Paris. They were much admired by the amateurs who depend 

 for flov/ers on their city yard->, for they were familiar objects to them. A very fine display of 

 variegated plants was exhibited, similar to that noticed at Brooklyn. They were among the 

 mo4 attractive objects on the ground — carefully selected, and of great vnlue. Also, a little stand 

 of box, filled with small variegated novelties, and interspersed with Lycoprodiums and Mosses, 

 was neatly arranged and tastefully conceived. We were much struck with a collection of pre- 

 pared specimens of the Algoe, or sea weeds, in large glazed fiames, siispended in the Floral Tent. 

 We confess to a little scientific predilection, and cannot pass these splendid specimens without a 

 word. We have to furnish at another time Mr. Sommerville's method of floating these unusually 

 large specimens, by an apparatus of his own invention, the full details of which he kindly placed 

 at our disposal. Algaj deserve a little more attention, even in a commercial point of view, 

 than they receive here. 



The fruit department has now to be noticed, but to do it justice would require more space than 

 we can at present appropriate to it; a passing glance is all we need attempt at present. There 

 was a large display of choice Apples — some fine specimens from the western country. Ohio and 

 Miihigan had their repi'esentatives. A fair display of Pears was to be found on the tables; their 

 quality and history we must leave to those gentlemen who were set apart to the agreeable work 



eet.ion and gustation. Tiie grapes we could judge of ourselves. A bunch of Black Ham- ^ 

 weighing upwards of six pounds, from tlie vinery of David S. Brown, Esq., was most Vj, 



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