PROCEEDINGS. 



Messrs. W. P. Ayres and Co. furnished flowers of Tropseolum 

 Triomphe de Gand, which is identical with Baumann's beautiful 

 variety of T. Lobbianum ; also examples of T. Hockerianum, a 

 handsome kind with yellow flowers, spotted on each petal with 

 red. Accompanying these were the following remarks : — 

 " At the October meeting of the Society, some cut flowers of 

 Tropseolum Lobbianum were much admired. We now beg to call 

 attention to our improved variety of Lobbianum, now called "Triomphe 

 de Gand," which, we believe, originated with M. Van Houtte, of 

 Ghent. It will be perceived that the flowers are much larger 

 and more brilliant in colour, while as a irMte/'-blooming plant it 

 is equally profuse. We received two plants from the continent 

 under this name ; one was the brilliant thing we have sent, and 

 the other a dirty yellow, and quite worthless ; and we have reason 

 to know there is much of the spurious variety about. 



" We also send another very pretty variety, T. Hockerianum, 

 and for the sake of comparison, a bunch of T. Lobbianum. For 

 winter blooming we know no finer plants, and from this time until 

 March next our plants will yield us from 700 to 1000 plants." 



The Hon. W. F. Strangways sent a highly interesting collection 

 of cut specimens of winter-flowering plants, which are hardy in the 

 mild climate of Dorsetshire, but which mostly require the pro- 

 tection of a greenhouse about London. Among them were the 

 handsome Chilian Azara integrifolia, which lives in the open 

 garden at Cbiswick, but does not flower ; the beautiful Litho- 

 spermum rosmarinifolium, Convolvulus Cneorum, the red Brug- 

 mansia, the Anderson Speedwell, and Protea mellifera, which was 

 stated to succeed there perfectly, forming a beautiful flowering 

 bush ; but owing to the want of bright weather, its blossoms had 

 not yet opened this year. 



Specimens illustrative of the transition of iEgilops ovata into 

 the Touzelle Wheat of the south of France were exhibited. It 

 was stated that the circumstances connected with this transforma- 

 tion, which was worked out by M. Esprit Fabre, are as follows : — 

 It is well known that there grows in the S. of Europe, in abundance, 

 a wild grass, called by botanists iEgilops ovata, the grain of which 

 is much like that of starved Wheat, but whose floral organs are 

 of a very different character, and whose ears naturally fall to 

 pieces by a separation of the joints when ripe. This kind of 

 grain is said to have borne the name of Ble du diable ; the plant 

 which produced it was even called by Caesalpinus Triticum sylvestre. 



