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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 27, 1869. 



glorious MasJevallia Veitchii, and Dendrobium Bensoniae, all of which 

 rarities have been introduced to cultivation throu;^h that well-known 

 firm, and which received, most jastly, the first prize in their respective 

 classes. Some Orchids were also staged by M. Linden, the well-known 

 nurseryman of Brussels, which, although late in coming, were in very 

 good order. Two Vandas in particular were very fine — V. tricolor. 

 having sis good spikes of bloom, and V. snavis three. The other 

 Orchids exhibited by M. Linden were the rare Ada aurantiaca and Mil- 

 tonia Warscewiczii, Odontoglossum nwvium, Cypripeninm candatum 

 Bplendens, a new variety, but not in bloom ; the beautiful Warrea dis- 

 color, and Oncidium serratum and nubipenum, Miltonia radiata, Cypri- 

 pedium coucolor, Odontoglossum Pescatorii, Trichopilia criapa, Meso- 

 spinidium sanguineum. Aerides japonicum, and Nasonia cinnabarina. 



We now leave the Orchids and pass to the new plants, and here 

 M. Liudeu is, as usual, in the foremost rank. The most remarkable 

 amongst M. Lindeua new plants were Kudgea nivosa, a compact- 

 growing shrub \vith large trusses of woolly snow-white flowers, which 

 must become a general favourite ; Philodendron Melonini, a fine plant 

 with large obeordate leaves : Carludovica imperialis, which promises 

 to be a magnificent plant ; Xanthosoma Wallisii has pretty sagittate 

 leaves, all the veins of which are margined with white ; Episcia tes- 

 sellata, another distinct and handsome species with large bronzy 

 buUate leaves. A curious Passillora, with white variegated bat-wing- 

 like leaves, is a most distinct species, as is also Dioscorea eldorado, 

 which has the beautiful gold veinings of an Ansectochilus. Anthu- 

 rinm trilobum in large collections will form a handsome and distinct 

 plant, but we fear it will soon attain too large a gi'owth for those who 

 have only limited room ; Furcroya Liudena is a handsome plant, with 

 the margins of its long leaves broadly margined with creamy white ; 

 but one of M. Linden's best introductions of the last few years is, un- 

 doubtedly, Tillandsia Lindeui. It is of neatrosulate habit of growth, 

 throwing up a scape of splendid large rosy carmiiie bract?, which are 

 arranged in a distichous manner, and are very persistent. Between 

 these are produced flowers as large and similai- in shape to a Fran- 

 ciflcea, with the fine rich colour of Pleroma elegans. 



We next notice Astrocaryum robustum, Thrinas jamaicensis, Dictyo- 

 caryon Wallisi, Corypha Martiana, which resembles Pritchardia Mar- 

 tiana, Geonoma zamorensis, Triartia costata, and Phytelephas Pa:'ppi- 

 giana, as being very promising, and beautiful Palms. There are 

 several new Marantas, but we think them inferior to those we already 

 have, although charming plants. An elegant plant for table decoration, 

 ■with handsome digitate leaves, is called Didymopanas Houlletii, and 

 lelongg, probably, to Araliaceae. 



Messrs. Veitch & Sons exhibit a beautiful hybrid Alocasia, obtained 

 by crossing A. metallica and A. Lowii, For three new plants they 

 stage Philodendron Pearcei, beautiful, with bright green leaves, shaded 

 •with a velvety greenish black ; Pandanus Veitchii ; and the most 

 elegant Aralia Veitchii, which is a superlative gem. They also exhibit 

 in another class a fine broad red-leaved Draca:na, called magnifica, 

 which is beautifully shaded with violet. 



In this division are also a very creditable collection of SelagineUas 

 from Belgium, and some new plants from M. Dalierie, of Ghent, and 

 some Marantas from some one in the neighbourhood. 



These, with a few minor things, comprise this remarkable Show — 

 remarkable for being held so early in a climate so inhospitable ; re- 

 markable for the managers forgetting that their alphabet is almost 

 unknown to the rest of Europe; and remarkable for having induced 

 even one of our amateur gardeners to subject his treasures to the risks 

 attendant upon a journey by sea and rail of more than three thousand 

 miles. We hope there will not be an attempt to have a similar exhi- 

 bition at Tobolsk, the capital of Siberia. 



CATS VERSUS NEMOPHILA INSIGNIS. 

 I AM glad to Lave found someone at last who can sympathise 

 ^ith me under the above nuisance. My experience tallies 

 exactly with that of your correspondent, " Puss in Boots," 

 save in once instance — viz., that of the cats eating the plant. 

 I remember once introducing our own cat to a clump of Ne- 

 mophilas. Her antics were most amusing. She would take a 

 huge spring, and bury her head among the flowers, seemingly 

 in an ecstacy of delight, and would then roll in them, occasion- 

 ally taking a mouthful, which seemed to have much the same 

 effect upon her as laughing gas upon a human being. After 

 she had exhausted herself she would squat in the middle of 

 them, the picture of contentment. I have not jet tried '* Eoein 

 Kove's" novel suggestion, as, to tell the truth, the cats have 

 not favoured mo with their presence much lately. — A Discon- 

 solate YlCTIil. 



Birmingham Rose Show. — ^We are requested to draw atten- 

 tion to an advertisement in another colntnn, announcing that a 

 change has been made in the days on which this Show will be 

 held. The fixture is now Friday and Saturday, July 0th and 10th. 



Late Frost. — Near Loudon the thermometer fell to 27° on 

 the night of May 20th, with a cold easterly wind, succeeded by 



bright sunshine. Theeft'ects were visible on Saturday; numbers 

 of the young half-opened Strawberry blooms being destroyed, 

 but nothing serious. The young shoots of Bhododendrons are 

 killed; Pelargonium leaves and Vegetable Marrows scathed, 

 but Potatoes uninjured. 



ROY.VL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mat 22sd. 

 Special Prtze axd PELAROoyiiM Show. — Is there any person 

 sceptical enon(*h to donbt the popularity and capabilities of the Zonal 

 Pelargonium ? If such a one existed before last Saturday, I should 

 imagine he has made a clean breast of it now and acknowledged his 

 errors. There were to be seen in those abominable arcades (which 

 one gets more and more out of temper with, for doiug their very worst 

 to spoil all the efforts of cultivatois and manafjers by the wretched 

 Ught they give), such a collection of these in their various classes, 

 more especially in the Tricolor section, as has never been brought 

 together before, sufficient of themselves to make a grand exhibition, 

 and exciting the most lively interest amongst growers for sale and 

 amateurs ; while in the Council-room a number of our best growers 

 were engaged in listening to an excellent essay by Mr. Grieve, the 

 father of these beautiful Tri-olory. and to a discussion lasting over 

 some hours, as to the method of fjrowiug, itc. No other flower but 

 the Rose could stand such a strain upon it as this, and I must, there- 

 fore, conclude that the Hose and the Pelart^ouium are now the most 

 popular of our flowers. Of this latter I have nothing to say, save 

 that I am more than ever convinced that the term Gold and Silver 

 Tricolors and Bicolors will cling to them in spite of all attempts to 

 alter. I was somewhat amused to find one of our most distinguished 

 growers, who advocates another name for them, when he became ani- 

 mated lapsed into Tricolors and Bicolors. Mentioning names reminds 

 me that surely a gold medal ought to be given to the poetic genius who 

 stood godfather to a large number of Tricolors. Can anything be 

 more exquisitely charming than such names as "Love Mo Long," 

 " Eternal Spriug," &c. '? How cold and dead before such an amorous 

 and poetic swain must seem the "Mrs." and "Mr.," and plain 

 " Peter " and " Lucy." 



Class IP., for a 'single Golden Tricolor, brought a very large number 

 of plants into the field of competition, ami occasioned a great deal of 

 trouble to the Judges. The first prize was carried off by " Peter 

 Grieve," exhibited by Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, having a leaf 

 of remarkable roundness and with very few seiTatures ; it was also re- 

 markably high-coloured. The second prize was awarded to Carter's 

 Prince of "Wales, and Turner's Mrs. Headly. plants so much aUke that 

 it would have defied, I think, their owners, if the labels had been 

 changed, to have told their ovra. They are both very fine, handsome 

 in colour, and very vigorous in habit. The third Wfi.s awarded to 

 Achievement, sent out by Mr. Turner, of Slouph, this spring. It is 

 also a very vigorous-growing laud. There were a large number of 

 others, all vei-y beautiful, but these seemed to be in advance of the 

 rest. In Class 14, for a single Silver Tricolor, Mr. Turner took first and 

 second with Excellent and Lady B. Biydges: and Mr. Ccomber, gar, 

 dener to Col. Wilkinson, Highgate, second, with Mrs. Col. Wilkinson, 

 They were all fine, but I qne3tiou whether in point of colour any of 

 them exceed ItaUa Unita. In single Bicolors, the lion's share fell to 

 Messrs. Downie, Laird, it Laing, who earned off first, second, and 

 third prizes, and who certainly seem to have outstripped all competitors 

 in this class. Their plants were W. Morris, Ked Iting, and Impera- 

 trice Eugenie. In Golden-leaved Selfs, Mr. Turner was first with 

 Pillar of Gold; Messrs. J. & C, Lee second with Golden Nugget; 

 and Carter & Co., third, with Carrie Fowler. Truth compels me to 

 say, I did not think any of them a great advance on those wo have. 



In Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, the first prii^e was taken by Mr. 

 Wimsett, with WUls's new hybrid, WHlsii rosea, a distinct Ivy-leaf 

 with a zonal flower, and of a most lovely salmony shade of colour. 

 Mr. Wills is to be congratulated on his success, after fifteen years of 

 hard work, in secui-ing what is not only in itself good, hut the fore- 

 runner of a new race of Pelargoniums. Mr. Stevens, of Ealing, was 

 second with L'Elegante. In Silver-edged Pelargoniums Mr. Turner 

 took aJ three prizes with Bright Star, May Queen, and Mrs. Cutler, 

 all good, especially the first, which I saw and noted at the Crystal 

 Palace. In Nosegays the first prize was taken by Mr. Turner with, 

 Fire King, a very bright and large-trussed variety ; while in Zonals 

 Messrs. F. & A. Smith carried off the first with a fine new salmon- 

 coloured flower of large size and good form. Acme, a most decided ad- 

 vance. Mr. George Smith, of Edmonton, was second with Lord Stanley. 

 The competition in Class 21 for six Golden Tricolors was very close, 

 and brought together a most beautiful lot of ]ilants. The prize was taken 

 by Messrs. Carter & Co. for admirable plants of Mrs. Dunnett, a 

 very smooth and bright-leaved variety ; Prince of Wales, already men- 

 tioned ; Sir Robei-t Napier, very dark, and distinct from all others ; 

 and Edith Stuart. Mr. Charles Turner was second with Lady Culluni, 

 Mrs. Headly, already referred to, Mrs. Turner, Sophia Cusack, 

 G. Moreton, and Lucy Grieve, vei-y much out of colour. Mr. Stevens, 

 of Ealing, was third with cap i tally- gi'own plants, although, perhaps, 

 not so bright in colour as the others, of Lucy Grieve, Sophia Duma- 

 resque, Sophia Cusack, Lady CuUum, Mrs. 'Turner, and Countess of 

 Tyrconneil. 



