^)} 424 FOREIGN NOTICES. 



terminal, scaly imbricated cone (fig. B. 8). Tlie scales are fleshy, firm, lanceolate, and contract«d 

 at tlu-ir baso, wliore tlicy unite into a solid center. All appear to be fertile, and to bear in a 

 niche in tlio middle, where the contraction is a single inverted ovule (tig. B. 4). The ovule is 

 globular, with 2 integuments beyond the nucleus; the outer integument is loose and thin, and 

 wraps round the ovule in such a way that its two edges can not meet on the un<l< isidc of the 

 ovule;* the second integument is firm and fleshy; the nucleus is flask -shaj)od, and protrudes a 

 fungous circular expansion through the foramen. The fruit (fig. B. 5) is formed b}' the consolida- 

 tion of the free scales of the cone, into a solid fleshy mass of a depressed form and very irregular 

 surface, owing to many of the scales being abortive, and crushed by those whose seeds are able 

 to swell; while the ends of the whole retain their original form somewhat, are free, rather spiny, 

 and constitute so many tough, sharp tubercles. The seed (fig. B. 6) is a pale brown, shining, 

 ovate, brittle nut, with 2 very slight elevated lines, and a large irregular hilum ; at the base it is 

 invested with a short, thin, ragged membrane, which is the outer integument in its final condition. 

 The nucleus lies half free in the interior, tlie fungous apex having shrivelled up and dis:ippearcd. 

 Explanation of the Cuts. — A, a branch with male and female flowers, natural size ; B, various 

 details of the fructification, more or less magnified ; 1, a spike of male fiowers ; 2, a male or 

 anther part ; 3, a twig and young cone ; 4, a scale seen from the inside with the inverted ovule, 

 showing the fungous foramen protruding beyond the primine (outer integument); 5, a ripe fruit; 

 6, a seed showing the 2 slight elevations upon the surface, and the remains of the ragged primine 

 at the base. — Journal London Horticultural Society. 



The Recent Flower Snow at Paris. — The Society d'llorticulture de la Seine held its show in 

 the Champs Elysecs, on the 9th inst., and four following days. To give more eclat to this exhibi- 

 tion, England, Germany, and Belgium were each invited to send a judge: Mr. Bivers, of Saw- 

 bridgcworth ; Mr. Booth, of Hamburgh ; and M. Millez, of Lisle, were the three representatives 

 chosen. The show, as compared with those held in England, was a small afi'air ; but the way 

 they manage these matters in France may be of some interest to your readers, and it will there- 

 fore be as well if I give the words of one of the "jurors" (the judges are here called a jury), 

 as follows: 



" Our letter of invitation told us that we must meet at the house of M. Dkouart, Paie Faubourg 

 St. Honore, at 10 o'clock precisely on the 8th inst. I accordingly made my way there, and found 

 a room full of amateurs, with a few gardeners and nurserymen; by 12 o'clock all had assembled, 

 and we then proceeded to the Champs Elysees, to the tent erected so as to enclose one of the 

 fountains on the left hand of the avenue, about 200 yards from the Place de la Concorde. After 

 some discussion, and after each of us signing our names in a book, 24 judges, or as they say here 

 a 'jury,' of that number were selected; to each was given a silver medal, a free card of admission, 

 and a note of invitation to a ' grand banquet' at the Trois Freres Proven^aux, at seven in the 

 evening; we then proceeded to business. The show of flowers and plants was, as near as I could 

 judge, about one-third the extent of those held at Chiswiek and the Botanic Garden ; the tent 

 was about 80 yards long, and 50 wide, and well filled with plants in groups, on raised beds of 

 earth, turfed at the sides ; no specimens were to be seen, but all, or nearly all, were such plants 

 as we see in our nurseries for sale ; so that, although the show was pretty enough, there was 

 nothing individually interesting, as in our grand specimens of Orchids, Indian Azaleas, and others. 

 The jury of 24, after some discussion, was divided into two parties of 12 each, one headed by 

 the Marquis de Barthelemy, the other by the Abbe Berleze. From 12 o'clock to 6 how we did 

 talk and hold up our heads, and put them down again, and then more talk, and then the prize 

 was awai'ded or withheld, according to the show of hands ; our work, compared to our talk, was 



* Since this was written, Sir "W. Hooker has placed in my hands a sketch of the anatomy of the female flowers of 

 Saxc-Gotlinaa, by Mr. B. Clarke, who describes the ovule thus : " Its ovule has the same structure as that of Gnetum, 

 as described by Mr. Griffith, viz. : it has 3 integuments ; the internal protrudes, and forms a sort of stigma, not so 

 obvious as in Gnetura ; the external has constantly a fissure on its posterior, or rather inferior surface, which, however, 

 docs not close as in Gnetum when the ovule advances in growth, nor yet become succulent. Mr. Griffith de- 

 scribes the fissure in the external integument of Gnetum as constantly posterior; and if the ovules of the strobilus 

 were erect, they would agree with Gnetum in this particular." 



