Maj- 16, 1872. ] 



JOUEXAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDEXER. 



401 



Wilson, Esq., %YeybrJ(lge, Lilium Humboldtii showing its leaves 

 j)roduced iu nines afc intervals along the stems ; and Mr. G. 

 Smith, Edmonton; Mr. Janes, Highgate; Mr. Pestridge, Vx- 

 hridge ; and Mr. George, Putney Heath, Tricolor and other 

 Zonal Pelargoniums. Mr. Davis had a cultural commendation 

 for the Pelargoniums before alluded to, and Mr. R. Dean, Eaiiug 

 and Bedfout, for Intermediate Stock Mauve Queen with densely 

 packed beads of flowers 5 inches iu length. Mr. Williams, 

 HoUoway, sent Pink, White, and' Mauve Queen Stocks ; Messrs. 

 Carter & Co. Tricolor Pelargoniums, Solanum Capsicastrum 

 Ivory with white-variegated leaves, and Cordyline lentiginosa 

 before certificated. Mr. D. S. Thomson, nursei-yman, Wimble- 

 don, had a first-class certificate for Gloxinia CeciUa, large, white, 

 "with a purple throat. 



E. Foster, Esq., Clewer Manor, had first-class certificates for 

 Pelargonium Chancellor, rose crimson, with dark, orange-shaded 

 blotch in the lower petal, dark crimson top, shading off to a 

 magenta edge ; also for Naomi, Hlac rose, blotched in the lower 

 petals, dark top. Mr. Turner had a first-class certificate for 

 Azalea grandis, and M. J. Verschaffelt for Agave robusta, Per- 

 ringii, and Kellischii. Messrs. Barr & Sugdeu, Covent Garden, 

 again sent a collection of cut flowers of Narcissus, together 

 with Scillas. 



CETSTAL PALACE SHOW. | 



The great flower show.s of the season commenced on Satm'day i 

 last with that held at the Crystal Palace. Although the prizes 

 offered were liberal, the Show was not so extensive as usual, 

 but the quality of the plants as a whole was very good. 



For twelve stove and greenhouse plants, Mr. Baines, gai'dener 

 to H. MichoUs, Esq., Southgate, was first with fine specimens 

 of the pink Borouia pinnata ; Azalea Sir Charles Napier, scarlet ; 

 a large bushy Eriostemon; GenethyUis tulipifera, large and in 

 profuse bloom; Aphelexis macrantha purpurea, beautifully 

 fresh ; fine plants of Erica coccinea minor and Erica Caven- 

 dishii; Ixora coccinea, with magnificent orange-scarlet heads, 

 some of them 6 inches in diameter ; Azalea Magnificent, a mass 

 of snow-white blossom C feet high ; an excellent Statice pro- 

 f usa ; Aphelexis humiUs rosea, not fuUy out ; and Anthurium 

 Scherzerianum, with twenty fine spathes besides buds. Mr. 

 Baines's plants averaged from 4 to 5 feet in height, and nearly 

 as much in diameter, and it is not too much to say that they 

 constituted by far the finest feature in the Show. Mr. Peed, 

 gardener to Mrs. Treadwell, Lower Norwood, came second with, 

 ajnong others, fine plants of Chorozema cordatum, Dracophyllum 

 gracile, Eriostemon neriifoUum, Erica Cavendishii, and Epacris 

 miniata splendens. Mr. Chapman, gardener to .1. Spode, Esq., 

 Hawkesyard Park, Rugeley, was third with a well-grown collec- 

 tion, including very good specimens of Clerodendron Balfotui- 

 anum and Epacris miniata splendens. Mr. G. Wheeler, gar- 

 dener to Sir F. H. Goldsmid, Bart., Regent's Park, was fourth. 



In Class 2, for nine plants, nurserymen only, Messrs. Jackson 

 and Son, Kingston, were first, and Mr. Morse, Epsom, second. 

 In their collections we noticed very good plants of Stephanotis 

 floribunda, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea, Imantophyllum mi- 

 niatum, Clerodendron Balfourianum, GenethyUis tulipifera, and 

 Medinilla magnifica. Mr. W. Cutbush, Barnet, was third. 



In the corresponding class for amateurs, Mr. Ward, gardener 

 to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., Leyton, was first with a fine group, in 

 which were a plant of Statice profnsa, 4 feet in diameter and 

 iu excellent bloom ; GenethyUis Hookeri ; two fine Azaleas ; 

 GenethyUis tuUpifera very closely trained, but with highly- 

 coloured flowers ; DracophyUum gracUe ; Aphelexis macrantha 

 purpurea in splendid colour; and Tetratheca ericiefoUa, very 

 large and with a profusion of bloom. The other prizes went to 

 Mr. J. Wheeler, Stamford HiU ; Mr. Kemp, gardener to the 

 Duke of Northumberland, Albm-y Park; and Mr. Peed, in the 

 order in. which their names occur. 



In groups of six fine-foUaged plants Mr. Baines was first with 

 the two magnificent Sarracenias referred to iu another column, 

 Theophrasta imperiaiis, a fine specimen of Gleichenia spelunc^e, 

 Dasylirion acrotrichum, and an exceUent CordyUne indivisa. 

 Mr. Foreman, gardener to E. C. Nicholson, Esq., Heme HiU; 

 Mr. Chapman, and Mr. Peed were the other prizetakers. The 

 first prize for a group for effect went to Messrs. Carter & Co., 

 who had a diversified and weU-arranged coUection. 



Cape Heaths, as iisual, were numerously shown, and on the 

 whole very good. In the open class for eiglit plants, Mr. Ward 

 took a first prize with specimens of tricolor Wilsoiu, tricolor 

 elegans, and candidissima measuring nearly 4 feet in diameter, 

 and smaUer ones of depressa multiflora, ventricosa magnifica, 

 florida, and Massoni major. Another fii'st prize was awarded to 

 Messrs. Jackson Sc Son, who had also an evenly-grown coUection 

 in which ventricosa coccinea minor, ventricosa magnifica, tri- 

 color flammea, tricolor Wilsoni, and Victoria were in exceUent 

 bloom. Mr. Peed was second. For six, Mr. Ward was first 

 with compact plants about 2i feet high, among which the bright 

 pink mutabiUs, profusa, and eximia supei'ba were conspicuous. 



The other prizetakers were Messrs. Peed, Kemp, and J. Wheeler. 

 Azaleas were aUowed five classes ; many of the best specimens 



had already appeared at Kensington and the Regent's Park, 

 some fresh ones were good without being remarkable, and many 

 of inferior merit. The principal prizetakers among nurserymen 

 were Messrs. Lane, Turner, and WiUiams ; and among amateurs 

 Messrs. G. Wheeler, Peed, Gold, Chapman, and J. Wheeler. 

 Two fine groups of thirty in small pots came from Mr. Tiu-ner, 

 of Slough, and Mr. Williams, of HoUoway. 



Orchids made a fair show, and comprised a number of weU- 

 flowered specimens, but Uttle that was remarkable either for 

 novelty or for profusion of bloom. Mr. Ward was first for a 

 group of fifteen, and had a good Cypripedium viUosum, and 

 C. caudatum with a score of flowers. Mr. Burnett, gardener to 

 W. Terry, Esq., Peterborough House, Fulham, who was second, 

 had a good plant of Saccolabium ampuUaceum in fine bloom. 

 The third prize went to Mr. Burt, gardener to H. B. MUdmay, 

 E.sq., Seveuoaks. For ten, the prizes were taken by Messrs. G. 

 Wheeler, Jackson & Son, and J. Wheeler. In the nurserymen's 

 class the only exhibitor was Mr. WiUiams, whose eight con- 

 sisted of exceUent examples of Cypripedium barbatum nigrum, 

 C. viUosum, Vandas, Saccolabium retusum, Aerides virens, the 

 Foxbrush A(;rides, which from the number of racemes it pro- 

 mises to produce wiU be vei-y fine, and Dendrobium nobUe. 

 For six, Mr. Peed and Mr. Burnett stood first and second. 



For Pelargoniums, Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, 

 Esq., Leyton, took as usual the first place with Maid of Honour, 

 at least 4i feet in diameter ; Exliibitor, Eegina formosa, Ariel, 

 Rob Roy, Beacon, and others, which, though smaUer than the 

 first named, were also in exceUent condition. Mr. James, gar- 

 dener to W. Watson, Esq., Isleworth, was second with weU- 

 bloomed neat plants about 2 feet in diameter. Of Fancies, the 

 only six came from Messrs. Dobson & Sons, of Isleworth, who 

 had good specimens of Tormentor and others. 



Of Roses in 13-inch pots splendid specimens came from 

 Messrs. Paul & Son, and Mr. Tui-uer, who were respectively 

 first and second. The varieties were nearly the same as those 

 noticed at the Kensington Show of May 1st. In the amateurs' 

 class, Mr. James was first with a really weU-grown half-dozen, 

 Mr. Gold being second. For twelve in 8-inch pots Mr. Turner 

 had a first prize. 



The MetropoUian Floral Society offered prizes for Pansies 

 and Tulips. For thirty-six blooms of the former, Messrs. 

 Downie, Laird, & Laing were first, Mr. Hooper second; for 

 twenty-four, Mr. James "first, Mr. Catley third. For thirty-sis 

 TuUps, Mr. Turner and Mr. Hooper, Bath, were respectively 

 first and second ; for twelve, Mr. Norman, Plumstead, first, the 

 Rev. H. H. Dombrain second. 



Among the miscellaneous subjects were thirty-six blooms of 

 Marechal Niel Rose, exhibited by Mr. Skinner, gardener to 

 Captain Christie, Westerham HiU ; these were truly magnifi- 

 cent, some of them measuring 6 inches in diameter, and very 

 richly coloured. Mr. WUliam Paul, Waltham Cross, also sent 

 stands of cut Roses, and the new white-flowered and other 

 Pelargoniums recently exhibited by him. Messrs. Fisher, 

 Holmes, & Co., Handsworth Nursery, Sheffield, sent a basket of 

 Thymus citriodorus aureus marginatus, a neat golden-variegated 

 Lemon Thyme for edging purposes. Messrs. Downie, Laird, 

 and Laing contributed a misceUaneous group of plants, together 

 with some fine new Fancy Pansies ; Messrs. Dobson & Sons, 

 Calceolarias; Mr. Ware, Tottenham, spring-flowering plants 

 and blooms of double Pyi-ethrums ; and Mr. Hooper, Pansies 

 and Turban Ranunculuses. Groups of new plants were ex- 

 hibited by Mr. WiUiams and Messrs. Carter & Co., and seedling 

 Pelargoniums by Mr. Turner. 



REVIEW. 

 Botami for Beginners : An Introduction to the Studij of Plants. 



Bij ivi. T. Masters, M.D., F.E.S. London: Bradbury and 



Evans. 



In his preface Dr. Masters says, " From the experience of 

 several year's as a lecturer, the compUer of the foUowing pages 

 has an-ived at the conclusion that one of the greatest difficul- 

 ties in the way of those beginning to study botany arises from 

 the profusion of details usually presented to their notice at 

 the outset." Such has long been our own view of the methods 

 hitherto devised for teachmg science to the uninitiated in sci- 

 entific subjects and to those for whom science has no uatui-al 

 attractions. Even lovers of Nature, however ardent in their 

 desires to acquii-e a knowledge of her mysteries, are met on 

 the threshold with difficulties in the vei-y language by which 

 their knowledge is to be attained. As the best way of learning 

 a language is first to leam to speak it and then to study the 

 grammar, so the best way to learn a science is to become 

 fauuliar with the objects to" be studied and then to investigate 

 theu' structure. 



In the work before us Dr. Masters has ably carried out this 

 method of instruction by introducing first of aU an acquaint- 

 ance with the objects, and then treating of their various struc- 



