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JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



f May 9, 1867. 



foliage. From Mr. Ball came a pimiJar collection, including Termi- 

 nalia clogaus, Dieffenbachia Weiiii, the silvery -mottled Habenaria 

 niargaiitacea, Eranthemum ij<neum, with Jeep f^rcen leaves and boUl 

 orauf,'e viins, Rhotmla auruum, having the fitem iiud leafstalks covereJ 

 with orange down, Bertolonius, Auufctochilaa petola marmoren, Dcb- 

 mouorops eU-Rana, a hondBome-looldng plant for table decoration ; 

 several now Ferns, ^'c. 



Of iine-foliaged and flowering plants several remarkably fine mixed 

 groups were exhibited. That from Messrs. Lee, to which the first 

 prize was awarded in Class 13, consisted of a large ftsd very handsome 

 specimen of AlocasJa metallica, Khopala corcovadense, Crotou varie- 

 gatom, Theophrasta imperialis, Dicksouia antarctica, with a thick 

 trunk and very graceful head, Paudanus elegantissimus, very large 

 and tine, one of the finest specimens of Genetyllis tulipiferum which 

 ■we Lave ever seen ; Mediuilla magnifica, with about sixteen splendid 

 panicles of bloom ; white Azalea Leeana. Erica Caveudishii, Poly- 

 gala cordifolia, and the white-flowered Plmelea spectabilis. Mr. 

 Williams, who was second, bad remarkably fine specimens of Latania 

 borbonica. Variegated Aloc-leavcd Yucca, Pandanns eleyantissiraus. 

 and Alocasia metallica ; also Azaleas, Eriostemon pulchellum. Erica 

 Caveudishii, and other flowering plants. An extra prize was awarded 

 to Mr. Fairbairn, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, Siou 

 who bad a noble ])lant of Seaforthia robusta, large specimens of 

 Alocasia zebrina, and maerorhiza variegata. Pbalpeuopsis grandiflora, 

 Vandas, &c. Similar awards were made to Mr. Wilkie and Mr. Gell. 



Messrs. Lee had also a first prize for the best t%velve stove and 

 greenhouse plants in flower. Tlicse comprised Azaleas, an Eriostemon, 

 Ixora coceinea, Acrophyllum venosum, vei-y pretty ; Eoronia piunata, 

 the lilac-flowered Tetratheca ericcefolia, Genetyllis fuchsioides, 

 Heaths, and Aphelexis. 



Of Cape Fleaths, shown in Class 15, rather small specimens came 

 from Mr. Wilkie, who was the only exhibitor; and in Class 16, for exotic 

 Ferns in 12-inch pots, Mr. Williams was first with good examples of 

 Licksonia antarctica. Alsophilas, Gleichenias, a fine Platyeerium 

 grande, Adi.antum Feci. Todea supeiba. and others. 



Of miscellaneous subjects Me-srs. Yeitch contributed a charming 

 group, consisting of Azaleas Stella. Marie yer\'aene, and Holfordii in 

 splendid bloom; the white-flowered Rhododendron Sesterianum, Hot- 

 teia japonica. Cliauthus Dampitn, Coleus. Vt-itchii. and the variegated- 

 leaved variety of Hemerocallis fulva. Messrs. Lane had a pretty 

 gi-oup of Azaleas ; Mr. Burley, of Bajswater, a group of Palms and 

 Dracifuas, for which he received an extra prize ; Mr. William Paul, a 

 box of cut-blooms of spring and early summer lloweriug shrubs ; and 

 Mr. Dean, Ealing, cut blooms uf doxxble Tulips. Mr. Anderson, 

 Meadow Bank, and Mr. Sherratt, gardener to J. Bateman, Esq., Kny- 

 perslej, also sent cut Orchids. 



Flokal Committee.— The Special Exhibition for prizes offered 

 by members of the Council, and supported by prizes from the Society, 

 must be considered a great success. The duties of the Floral Com- 

 mittee were, as we always wish them to be, somewhat heavy, and the 

 awards were numerous, "jlr. Muir, gardener to Sir P. M. de Grey Eger- 

 ton, Bart., M.P., received a first-class certificate for Epidendrura spa- 

 thicum cuemidophorum, wilh three splendid spikes of flowers. Messrs. 

 Low, Clapton, exhibited eighty specimens of a beautiful old Orchid 

 ■with many varieties. Cattleya citrina, much admired, and for which a 

 Bpocial certificate was awarded ; OdoutoglossumcitroFmum album, which 

 received a first-class certificate, and a collection of beautiful Or<::hids, 

 for which also a special certificate was awarded. Mr. Dean, Ealing, 

 sent a variety of Cabbage, Bras.sica oleracea, with variegated leaves. 

 Mr. Turner exhibited several seedling Alpine Auriculas of first- 

 rate quality, many of them rather past their prime : Bertha, a dark 

 shaded purple, had a first-class certificate ; Novelty, a paler shade, a 

 second class one. Mr. Turner also exhibited several seedling Fancy 

 Pelargoniums. Maid Marian, a pleasing variety, not quite perfect in 

 fonn, had a second-class certificate ; Belle of "the Season, a perfect 

 flower, one of the first class ; Pink of Perfection, a splendid rosy 

 carmine, a flrst-class certificate ; Marmion. deep violet rose, one of the 

 second class ; Perfection, a first-class, and Brightness, a charming 

 variety, a like award. Messrs. lioUisson, Tooting, had for Erica Tur- 

 bullii, a first-class certificate, and one of the second class for Erica tubi- 

 formis. Mr. Turner, with his usual liberality, decapitated a large col- 

 lection of his first-rate Tulips, which were awarded a special certificate. 



From Slessrs. Downie & Co. came Nosegay Pelargonium Rose 

 Stella, a plant of great merit, dwarf in habit, colour distinct, a very 

 useful bedding plant, quite worthy of the type Stella, and which 

 •was awarded a first-class certificate. Mr. William Paul sent a large 

 collection of seedling Zonal Nosef^ay Pelargoniums, many of them 

 of great merit, bat the specimtns were too small for any decision as 

 to merits. Waltham Nosegay, in every point to ho commended, was 

 awarded a first-class certificate ; Dr. Hogg, a darker shade than Amy 

 Hogg, an excellent variety, was awarded a first-class certificate. He 

 also sent Silver "VVing, Ossian ; of the Tricolor section, lied Admiral, 

 Rouge et Noir, California, Variegated Cjbister, and many others. An 

 XJlmns from Japan, also shown by Mr. W. Paul, and very distinct, 

 was awarded a first-class certificate. Il)eris carnosa, a very useful 

 dwarf plaut for rockwork, which came from Messrs. Backhouse, of 

 York, also had a first-clasii certificate. Mr. Williams. Paradise Nur- 

 sery, HoUoway, sent Azalea Reine des Koses, splcndul in colour, biit 

 without outline and form ; also Amaryllis aurautiacum. From Mr. 



BaracB, Camberwell, came Azalea Her Majesty, a fine flower, which 

 had received a first-class certificate on a former occasion. Mr. Watson, 

 St. Albau's, exhibited several seedling Zonal Pelargoniums ; among the 

 Tricolors, Mrs. Dixand Miss W^atson both retained their good character. 

 Excelsior, Annie Merry, and Enchantress must bo seen again. Mr. 

 Richards, gardener to Lord Londesborough sent a Saceolabium cnrvi- 

 folium of a good variety, which was awarded a special certificate. 

 The new plants exhibited in classes 10, 11, and V2 were awarded the 

 following certificates — Messrs. Veitch. Cattleya, hybrid variety, first- 

 class ; Alocasia species, very beautiful, dark-spotted leaf, first-class ; 

 Begonia species, with very singular scarlet flowers of a new form, 

 first-class. Mr. Bull, Ptyehosperma regalis, first-class certificate. Mr. 

 Bull also exhibited a bright rose seedling Azalea Charmer, beautiful 

 in colour but deficient in quality. Many other specimens were exhi- 

 bited which have been previously noticed, and maintain the good 

 characters assigned them. 



Fruit Committee. — Mr. Turner, of Slough, received a special cer- 

 tificate for three very well ripened bunches of Muscat Grapes ; also 

 for three bunches of Black Hamburgh, as black as Sloes, and covered 

 with a fine bloom. Mr. Merrett, Battersea, sent a box of Sir Charles 

 Napier Strawberry, very fine in flavour, and had a special certificate 

 for six plants of the same in pots, loaded with fine fiaiit. A similar 

 award was made to Mr. Fairbairn, Sion, for seven pots of Keens' 

 Seedling, likewise bearing an abundance of finely-ripened fruit. Mr. 

 (hirdiuer, Weston House, sent a dish of Peacbes, and Mr. Earley, 

 Digswell, Sturmer Pippin, Sam Y'^oung, and Cockle Pipjtin Apples 

 in good preservation. From the same exhibitor came fine heads of 

 Williams' Alexandra Broccoli, which received a special certificate, and 

 from Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, selected Stanstead Park Lettuce, a moat 

 excellent Cabl)age variety. 



General MEETrNo. — J. Bateman, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 The business was confined to the election of sixteen new Fellows and 

 the admission into union with the Society of the Stonr Yalley Horti- 

 cultural Society, Ludlow Horticultural Society, Bodmin Cottage Gar- 

 dening Society, and Basingstoke Horticultural Society. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S MEETING. 



The April meeting of this Society was presided over by Sir John 

 Lubbock, F.R.S., the President. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited several specimens of the rare and very 

 remarkable Beetle Dumaster Blaptoides (belonging to the family Ca- 

 rabidaij, from Ja])an. Mr. Pascoe exhibited and described a new 

 Longicorn Beetle from Greece, under the name of Toxotus Lacordairei. 



Mr. F. Smith exhibited a fine British species of Ichneumonidi& 

 (Rhyssa persuasoria), which appeared to have worked its long ovipositor 

 (bradawl fashion), through a piece of Fir wood in quest of the larva 

 of Sirex juvencus, on which it is parasitic, part of the ovipositor being 

 left in the wood. He had always supposed that the Ichneumon in- 

 serted its ovipositor down the hollow made by the Sirex larva instead 

 of makiug a hole for itself. The late Mr. Edward Doubleday had, 

 however, told him that he had seen in Nortli America many female 

 specirneus of Peleciuus, an allied genus, with their long abdomens 

 inserted into the stem of a tree, apparently for the purpose of egg- 

 lay iug : unable to extract the abdomen again, they had perished m 

 situ. ]\lr. Bates inquired whether an ovipositor was not a modification 

 of an abdominal seguient. Mr. Smith, on the contrary, considered it 

 to represent the aculeus ; and Mr. Wallace suggested that the sting 

 was a modification of the ovipositor, egg-laying being the primary use^ 

 defence the secondary and acquired use. 



Mr. G. Saunders exhibited a number of Podurida;, minute spring- 

 tailed insests, found on the surface of pools left on the melting of the 

 snow in the north of Yorkshire. 



Professor W'estwood communicated a paper entitled "A Decade of 

 new Mantispedffi in the Oxford Museum." 



MR. DIXON'S TREATISE ON TRICOLOR 

 ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 

 Mr. Dixon's small pamphlet, of which you in your last num- 

 ber have given so able and just a review, is one which at the 

 present moment, when the Tricolor Zonals are receiving so 

 much attention from both practical horticulturists nnd ama- 

 teurs, will be found extremely useful. The simplicity and 

 conciseness of the several hints suggested are a great recom- 

 mendation to this treatise ; and I am certain that lady amateurs 

 especially will find it not only of great assistance to themselves 

 in their interesting experiments, but that it will enable every 

 admirer of thtse splendid garden ornaments who had practically 

 little knowledge on the subject, to give ample and safe directions 

 to the gardener who may he leqiiired tu carry out his or her 

 desires. There are suggestions in this little book worthy of 

 some consideration ; and although to the practised skill of the 

 horticulturist no very new idea may he suggested, it is a book 

 well worthy of a shilling being spent for its perusal. — J. D., 

 A Constant Headek. 



