1876.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



285 



exhibited have been the Orchids of E. S. Rand, 

 Jr., who has shown the following fine varieties : 

 Cypripedium insigne, an old well-known species, 

 with thirty flowers. C. Harrisianum, a fine 

 hybrid variety, with five flowers. Calanthe vestita 

 rubra, with four v«ry fine spikes of flowers, a 

 very striking variety. Cattleya pumila, on a block 

 of wood, a charming species from Brazil which 

 remains some time in bloom. Cirrhopetalum 

 Medusss, a remarkable orchid, of which Williams, 

 in his manual, says, " The flowers, though not 

 large, are very numerous, and part of the sepals 

 are very much lengthened, so that the spike 

 looks like a head with long hair hanging down, 

 from whence its name has been derived ; it is a 

 dwarf growing plant, with thick fleshy leaves." 

 Laslia anceps, a superb plant, with five fine spikes 

 of bloom ; this is one of the best of orchids, it 

 lasts a month or more in perfection if kept cool. 

 Saecolabium giganteum, a very beautiful species, 

 deliciously fragrant, and also very valuable on 

 account of keeping in bloom a long time. This 

 plant was in splendid order; it had been in 

 bloom six weeks, and the flowers were appa- 

 rently as fresh as when they were first expanded. 

 Cattleya amethystoglossa, this is also a beautiful 

 species, and as yet somewhat scarce ; the flow- 

 ers are very rich colored and attractive, and the 

 specimen is the first exhibited. Mr. Rand has 

 also shown very fine sprays of Thunbergia Har- 

 risii and laurifolia, well-known stove climbers; 

 also Aphelandra fascinator, recently sent out by 

 Messrs. Veitch ; the flowers are very bright and 

 showy, and seed as freely as a morning glory. 

 James Comley has exhibited a new Amaryllis, 

 Hendersonii, the beautiful Lapageria alba, Den- 

 dr.obium nobile, Dracsena metallica (new), Lycaste 

 Skinnerii, very fine specimens of lily of the valley 

 in boxes; Cymbidium aloifolium , &.n old but choice 

 species. C. M. Atkinson — Neapolitan and Maria 

 Louise violets, good specimens, grown in pots. 

 Although in color Maria Louise is the finest and 

 best, the florists here say that it does not pay as 

 well at $1 a hundred as Neapolitan at 50 cents. 

 Cut flowers arranged in stands, dishes, and vases 

 have also formed quite a feature of the exhibi- 

 tions. 



In fruits, a very fine display of winter pears 

 was made by J. H.Fenno, who received prizes for 

 Beurre Langelier, Easter Beurre, and Josephine 

 de Malines. The first prize for Winter Nelis 

 was given to J. L. Bird, and the second to J. H. 

 Fenno, for L^vedales St. Germain ; and the sec- 

 ond prize to C. E. Grant for Catillac. Charles 



Bird exhibited an extra fine di«h of Beurre d' 

 Anjou. James Comley has shown some very 

 fine forced rhubarb ; the variety was Prince of 

 Wales, and it was grown in a mushroom house. 



The Society has appropriated for the present 

 year $6,800 for premiums, divided as follows : 

 For plants and flowers, $3,200 ; for fruits, $2,100 ; 

 for vegetables, $1,200; for gardens and green- 

 houses, $300. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Horticulture at the Cexteknial. — Notwith- 

 standing the terrific heat of Jiily, this first week 

 in August finds the floral department of the 

 Centennial Bureau of Horticulture a blaze of 

 glory, and receiving applause from all quartera. 

 Our remarks of last month, calling attention to 

 the fact tliat this is mainly the work of exhibitors, 

 have been appreciated, and both the press and 

 the public have been led to notice what the 

 florists and nurserymen are doing, in a way 

 gratifying to both. Tlie Public Ledger of Phila- 

 delphia at once had a very full notice of the 

 exhibits in the department, and it is to be hoped 

 that our rural papers, which above all we should 

 expect to do justice to such affairs, will have 

 once in a while a little to say about it, as well as 

 of the striking features in French ribbons, or the 

 novelties in a Japanese parasol. To-day we 

 make a few notes on the floral features, aiming 

 chiefiy to give such information about them as 

 will interest those engaged in flower gardening, 

 whether they get the chance to visit the ex- 

 hibition or not. 



In the laying out of the grounds for exhibition 

 purposes there were some plots not taken up, 

 and these the Centennial Commission has had to 

 fill up themselves. All this has been arranged 

 under the direction of Mr. C. H. Miller, the 

 Chief of the Bureau, and makes one of the most 

 beautiful floral features ever seen. Usually the 

 forms of flower beds amount to nothing. Their 

 real outlines can be seen on a piece of paper, 

 bvit not on the grounds. A circle, or a parallelo- 

 gram with rounded ends, is nearly as good as 

 anything else when seen sideways, but here the 

 beds can be looked down on from considerable 

 elevations, and the harmonies of color and form 

 be seen and appreciated. The beds are planted 

 on the massing and ribbon styles, and the great- 

 est success is that not one single variety has 



