262 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 9, 1368. 



your readers have observed an ofiensive odour where Escallo- 

 niaa are growing. When I drew them slightly through my 

 hand I could not detect it. Does it only accumulate sutliciently 

 to be perceptible to the senses when the air is damp and calm, 

 and in a sheltered position where it remains almost stagnant 

 close to the earth ? The plants here occupy a sheltered posi- 

 tion, where dews remain almost undisturbed in very calm 

 weather. 



I shall be glad to learn if anything similar has been observed 

 by others. From what part of the plant can the odour be 

 emitted :' Does it proceed from the flowers ? — G. Dawsox. 



EOY.VL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



October 6th. 

 Faurr Co?nnTTEE. — G. F. Wilson, Esq.. F.R.S.. in the chair- 

 Messrs. Stuart Sc Mein, of Kelso, sent two plants of Curled Parsley, 

 which the Committee did not consider any improvement on the existing 

 variety in general cultivation. They also sent a Celery for gamishini;, 

 which the Committee considered too coarse for that purpose. Mr. 

 Todman, of Aldershot, sent a bastet of thirty-two Onions, weighing in 

 the aggregate 35 lbs. They were remarkably fine specimens. Mr. 

 Todman intimated that these were obtained by him by crossing the 

 White Spanish with the Tripoli, and he named the variety Ne Plus 

 Ultra ; but in the opinion of the Committee it did not differ from the 

 White Spanish. Among them there were some specimens of the 

 Yellow Onion of Holland. The. Committee commended the exhibition 

 on account of the culture, but not as a new variety. Mr. Colbourn, 

 gardener to J. Blyth, Esq.. Woolbampton. Berks, sent very fine speci- 

 mens of Salway Peach, which were so much admired by the Committee 

 that they awarded it a special certificate. Mr. G. Ward, gardener to 

 T. N. Miller, Esq., Bishop Stortford, sent a splendid fruit of Smooth 

 Cayenne Pine, weighing 10 lbs., to which the Committee awarded a 

 special certificate. Messrs. J. A: E. Small, of Colnbrook, sent a dish 

 of fine large Walnuts, which were excellent in flavour. Mr. Drewett, 

 gardener to Mrs. Cnbitt, The Denbies, sent specimens of Meredith's 

 Scarlet-fiesh and Wills's Green Gem Melons, but it was evidently too 

 late for Melons, as the. flavour was indififerent, and it was remarked 

 that Meredith's Scarlet-flesh was the same as Turner's Gem. A new 

 hybrid Melon came from Mr. Rideont, gardener to W. S. Brown, Esq., 

 Reigate. but the same observation is applicable to this as to the others. 

 Mr. Beach, Kingswood Warren, Epsom, sent fruit of a Green- 

 fleshed Melon, very sweet, but with no flavour. Mr. Stewart, of 

 Nunebam Park, sent a fine laroe fruit of Dr. Hogg, but the flavour 

 was inferior. All of these Melons had evident good quaUties, but the 

 late period of the season is against the production of tiavonr. 



Messrs. James Veitch Sc Sons exhibited a seedling dessert Apple, 

 called Cloke's Seedling, raised at Cheltenham. It is of a roundish 

 ovate shape, even and regular in its outline, of a rich yellow colour 

 on the shaded side, and streaked and mottled with crimson. The eye 

 is small and open, with segments reflexed at the tips, and placed in 

 an even saucer-like basin. Stall-- half an inch long. Elesh very 

 tender, very juicy, sweet, and with a fine flavour. It was awarded a 

 first-class certificate. Messrs. Small, of Colnbrook, sent a large 

 Apple, strongly resembling Golden Noble, large and handsome, and 

 of good flavour. It was named Queen Victoria, but the Committee 

 were of opinion that it was not sufliciently distinct from Golden Noble. 

 Messrs. Harrison, of Leicester, sent a fine Inrge seedling Apple, with 

 a brisk, crisp fle.=ih, called Annie Elizabeth, which received a first-class 

 ceiiificate as a kitchen Apple. Mr. Sampson, of Yeovil, sent a large 

 seedling kitchen Apple, called Benedictine, of pale colour, and a fine 

 brisk acidity. It was said to keep till January, and Mr. Sampson 

 was requested to send it again in January. Mr. W. Plester. gardener, 

 Elsenham Hall, Bishop's Stortford, sent a seedling dessert Apple from 

 the old Summer Golden Pippin, but it bad no merit to recommend it. 



Mr. Stewart, of Nunebam, sent a splendid dish of Seckle Pears. 

 They were beautiful in appearance and dehcious in flavour. Mr. 

 Whiting, of The Deepdene, produced fruit of Gansel's Seckle, to be 

 tasted in contrast with Seckle. This is a fine Pear, and has not so 

 much musk in its flavour as Seckle. Mr. Whiting also sent Beurre 

 Superfin. which this season is rather acid and bitter. Althorp Cra- 

 sanne was dry and mealy, Marie Louise from a wall was very deU- 

 cately flavoured and rich, and those from apyramidwere more mssetty 

 and with a stronger and more pronounced flavour. Kingsessing is a 

 large and handsome American Pear, but the flavour was not good. A 

 special certificate was awarded to Mr. Whiting for this collection. 



Mr. RiJeout, gardener to W. S. Brown, Esq., Eeigate, sent fruit of 

 Granadilla, and jam made from it. The jam was rather sweet, but 

 on the whole was approved by the Committee. The Committee 

 awarded a special certificate. IsLv. Wells sent some excellent examples 

 of Vines, laden with fruit, gi'own in ground vineries. 



Mr. Charles Lee, of the Vineyard. Hammersmith, sent a bunch of 

 Black Hamburgh Grape, perfectly ripened against his house. 



Mr. Robert Collins, gardener to Major Trevor Clarke, sent a very 

 nice collection of dessert Apples, which rcceired a special certificate. 

 The Rev. Lister Lister, Monktou, Charnwortb. Ukewise contributed a 

 eoUection of Apples and Pears grown in his district. 



Flobal CoMMrrxEE. — Several collections of plants made this meet- 

 ing very attractive, and the additional interest caused by the compe- 

 tition of the edible and poisonous Fungi brought a goodly attendance 

 of Fellows. The awards made by the Committee were as follows : — • 

 Mr. R. J. Gray, of Newlands. Alphington, received a first-class certi- 

 ficate for Poiystichum angulare Grayii, each frond being brancbed- 

 Messrs. Veitch received first-class certificates for Vanda insignis, true. 

 They exhibited two flowers of varieties that have been sent out as 

 insignis, one buff, the other purplish white, differing in many re- 

 spects from the true Vanda insignis; Araucaria elegans, a bean- 

 tiful Conifer; and Adiautum densum. a very distinct Fern. A special 

 certificate was awarded for their collection of Orchids, also for their mia- 

 cellaneons collection of plants. 



Mr, B. Williams, HoUoway, sent Cattleya maxima snperba, 5IiI- 

 tonia Moreliana, and Odontoglossnm bictonense splendens. A special 

 certificate was awarded for his collection ef plants. Mr. Warren, 

 Salisbury, s-n fa collection of seedling Zonal Pelargoniums. A hybrid 

 Begonia raised by Major Trevor Clarke, B. weltonensis, was awarded a 

 first-class certificate. The plant was covered with bright rose-coloured 

 flowers, and has been in bloom since April. This variety is in the 

 hands of Mr. A. Henderson, who exhibited it in February, 1864, as 

 B. omata, when it received a second-class certificate. The specimens 

 exhibited were grown at Chiswick. A beautiful seedling Coleus came 

 from Chiswick gardens, and received a first-class certificate. It was 

 named Queen Victoria. This is a very distinct and beautiful variety, 

 the leaf having a dark maroon centre with a bright golden mai^in. 

 Many other seedlings were sent, which are to be examined again. 

 Several handsome yellow-leaved Caladiums came from the gardens, 

 and a beautiful yellow-foliaged Fuchsia, very distinct and good. By 

 some mischance this plant was not brought before the Committee. 



Mr. Coomber, gardener to Col. Wilkinson, brought a silver-edged 

 Zonal Pelargonium, ha\*ing a bright red zone, and named Mrs. Col. 

 Wilkinson. It was exhibited at the last September meeting, and re- 

 ceived a second-class certificate ; bat it had improved so much that on 

 the present occasion it was awarded a first-class certificate. Mr. Bull 

 sent seedling Coleus Victor, a good variety, but too much like some 

 others ; Coleus refulgens, and Coleus Masterpiece ; Abies japonica, 

 an Areca, Veronica Celestial, Cupressus Balfouriana, Phytolephas 

 niacrocarpa, Ptychosperma elegans. requested to be seen again, and 

 Nothochla^na Candida, a Fern exhibited in 1866 as N. cretica, and 

 which received a first-class certificate in that year. Mr. Bull was 

 awarded a first-class certificate for a beautiful Anaectochilus — Dawsoni- 

 anus, also for Calamus Lavisianus, a second-class certificate for Gym- 

 nogramma Laucheana var. Mr. Wright sent seedling Dahlias ; Mr. 

 Rawlings the same, and received a first-class certificate for Emperor, a 

 fine dark puce flower. Mr. Bragge received a first-class certificate for 

 seedling Dahlia Commodore, a bright buil flower. Mr. Groom, Ipswich, 

 sent three seedling Zonal Pelargoniums — namely, John Hopper, light 

 scarlet, Mrs. Sach, white, and Climax, salmon rose. These powers 

 were of some merit, but as exhibited not first-rate. 



Mr. Drewett. sardener to Mrs. Cnbitt, Denbies. sent some flowers of 

 a seedling pink Tacsonia ; and Mr. Chambers, Beddingham, a seed- 

 ling Lobelia alba, white. Mr. Green, gardener to W. W. Satmders, 

 Esq., Reigate, received a first-class certificate for an Oucidium. 

 He also sent a new Bilbergia, named Sanndersii, from Bahia. Mr. 

 Church. Piumstead, sent a seedling Zonal Pelargonium, hardly free of 

 the guard leaf ; and Mr. Ferguson, a variegated form of the common 

 Musk plant. An Odontoglossnm grande, from the Society's garden, 

 Kensington, with six flowers in great perfection, received a special 

 certificate. Mr. Tanton, Epsom, again brought his Allamanda Ward- 

 leana, which has been decidedly proved to be A. Hendersoni. Major 

 Trevor Clarke brought four very beautiful varieties of the Autumnal 

 Crocus, C. byzantinus or nuditlorus, C. longitiorus. C. pyrensns or 

 nndifii^rus. and C. speciosus : the delicate shades of blue or grey were 

 very beautiful. Major Clarke also brought a branch of the scarlet- 

 fruited Egg Plant, which was very handsome ; likewise another Sola- 

 num, producing scarlet fruit, the plant having very prickly foliage. 



GENERAL Meetikg. — J. Russell Reeves, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 Four new Fellows were elected. In announcing the awards of the 

 Floral Committee, the Rev. Joshua Dix directed attention to an 

 Onion plant raised from one found in a plaster cast several years old, 

 which had been broken up in the studio of Mr. Noble, the eminent 

 sculptor, and sugcjested as the vitality of the Onion had been pre- 

 served so well in the plaster of Paris, the circumstance might afford a 

 hint as to the preservation of other bulbs imported from abroad. 

 G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S.. reported the awards of the Fruit Com- 

 mittee, and added that the first and second prizes, of the respective 

 values of i'3 3s. and £'2 2s., given for edible Fungi by Lady Dorothy 

 Nevill, and Mrs. Lloyd Wynne, had been awarded to Dr. Bnll, of 

 Hereford, and Mr. Worthington G. Smith, of North Grove West, 

 Mildmay Park. 



Major R. Trevor Clarke then expressed his regret that on an occa- 

 sion when Fungi had been broufrbt forward in number, that great myco- 

 logist the Rev. Mr. Berkeley, owinc; to an indisposition, had been unable 

 to remain at the meeting, and make remarks on the Fungi exhibited 

 Fortunately, however, the two exhibitors who had gained the prizes, 

 were also mycologists, and had consented to offer some observations 

 on the subject ; but before calling upon them to do so, he would 

 direct attention to the four species of beautiful autumnal Crocuses 



