April 2, 1868. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



257 



flower and its perfume very much resemble those of the Ever- 

 green Honeysuckle. — \V. W. T. 



MR. WILLIAIM PAUL'S SHOW OF 

 FLOWEIUNG I'LANTS. 



SPRING 



This Exhibition opened on Satiinlay last, and will continue till the 

 1th instant. It is held in the Kastein Conservatoi-y Artado in the 

 Hoyal Horticultural Society's ^'ardeu at South Kcusinj^tou, and whilst 

 totally different iu its arriingciiicut, and to a conbidcrable fxt(.'nt in 

 the subjects employed, from the display furuished last year by Mr. 

 \V. Paul, it ie equally ehanninp and effective, and no one who has an 

 Opportunity should miss seeinj^ it. 



Commenciuf^ at the farther end from the Conacrvatorj', on the right 

 is a bank of plants some 1*2 yards in length, conaiatin;^ of Khoduduu- 

 drons, Azaleas, Lilacs, Boublo-doweriug Poaches, Deutzias, Clema- 

 tise&, a line variegated Hj drangea, Correas, Cinerarias, and a variety 

 of other plants of different heights, arranged not to produce a flat or 

 uniformly sloping surface, such as we frequently see on exhibition 

 stages, but one diversified by the introduction of taller plants among 

 those of lees height, iu imitation of hill and dale in nature. This is 

 the idea which Mr. W. Paul has endeavoured to work out, and we 

 think he has done so most successfully. 



The nest group is one of Acacias, among which A. Backhonsiana 

 and A. eriocarpa are conspicuous as free-flowering handsome kinds, 

 together with Cytisus Atleoauus, the whole edged with Lily of the 

 Valley. Near this is placed a standard Genista purgaus, with a head 

 forming one mass of golden blossom. Such a plant would form a 

 highly ornamental feature on a lawn. 



Next comes a splendid gi-oup of Tulips. Of these a few of the 

 most conspicuous are Koi Pepin, white and crimson ; P'abiola, pur- 

 plish lilac and white; Standard, gold-striped and crimson; Coulcur 

 Cardinal, red ; Keine des Cerises, white and crimson, very beautifully 

 striped with gold; Bride of Haarlem, white and deep red; Kose Gris 

 de Lin, very distinct, soft rose and white ; Florida, good, distinct, 

 white striped with purplish \-iolet ; Ariadne, fine crimson ; Keizers- 

 ki'oou. the Tournesols, aud the Pottebakl;ers. 



A group of Heaths adjoining the Tulips is particularly worthy of 

 attention, as containing magniticeut examples of Krica Wilmoreaua 

 with spikes 18 inches long. Then comts a long stage of Camellias, 

 with four rows of plants iu small pots in the front, and larger speci- 

 mens at the back. Small as the plants are, most of them aro in 

 beautiful bloom, and as it is rarel}- that so numerous a collection both 

 of new and old varieties is brought together at one place, they will be 

 of very considerable interest to cultivators of this gorgeous-flowering 

 shrub. A few of the most remarkable are Lavinia Maggi, with large 

 beautifully striped flowers, like a fliiked Carnation ; Belle Jeannette, 

 rosy crimson, with a faint white stripe iu the centre of each petal ; In^- 

 nocenza. milkj' white, with more substance in the petal than the Double 

 White ; Princess Frederick AVilliam, verj' free, Carnation-striped ; Cup 

 of Beauty, very fine, white ; Coutessa de Hainaut, lovely blush, finest 

 of its colour ; Bicolor de la Reine ; |Souvenird'EmileDefresnes, crim- 

 son, with a white band up each petal ; Monteroni, finely cupped, pure 

 white, petals of fine form ; Princess Bacchiochi, scarlet crimson, more 

 intense in colour than most of the red CamelUas : Prima Donna, 

 blush, very delicate iu colour ; Rosea spectabilis, bright rose, very 

 beautiful ; and Etoile Polaire, a lovely miniature crimson, striped 

 with white. 



The next group is one of Ancnbas, both green-leaved and varie- 

 fjated. male aud female in flower, and many of the latter in berry as 

 well, besides several other variegated Japanese plants. Pot Roses 

 occupy a stage between these and similar group of Ancubas, and 

 among the Roses a specimeu of Madame BoU is very fijie. Charles 

 Lefebvre, Madame Moreau, and Lord Macaulay, the last-named very 

 bright in colour, are also very striking. 



Hyacinths, upwards of two hundred in number, fill a stage similar 

 in length to that occupied by the bank of miscellaneous flowering 

 plants at the entrance, and form the finest display of that flower seen 

 near London during the present seasou. The spikes of many are 

 magnificent. Solfaterre, crimson BcarUt. is remarkably fine ; so are 

 Aigus. dark blue with a white eye ; Due de Malakoff, fawn ; Snow- 

 ball, white ; Van Speyk, Von Schiller, pink, striped with crimson, 

 forming a verj' close pyramid ; Haydn, mauve ; Gigantea, Charles 

 Dickens, Mont Blanc, Omement de la Nature, very delicate rose ; 

 Garrick, light and dark blue ; Lina, beautiful red ; and Lord Macau- 

 lay, crimson, broad petals. Bird of Paradise has no less than eight 

 spikes from a single bulb, andCavaignac five, forming masses of bloom 

 which would be valuable for general decoration in conservatories, 

 though of course they would not pass muster iu a florist's point of 

 view. 



Retracing our steps from the Conservatory by the front of the 

 arcade wo find a series of groups, some aiTanged on small tables in 

 the spaces between the windows, others on the floor, and consisting 

 chiefly of Hyacinths, Narcissuses, Cinerarias, fine-leaved Pelargo- 

 niums, and Kpacrises. There is also a small group of the beautiful 

 New Double Scarlet Thorn, which is valuable for forcing in a small 

 state, and when large will, doubtless, prove a highly ornamental tree 

 for out-door decoration. In the groups on the small tables just re- 

 ferred to the new Hyacinths are chiefly to be found, and of these Mr. 



"VV. Paul was this year the most successful exhibitor, taking first-claaa 

 certificates for King of the Yellows, the finest flower of its colour and 

 the best Hyacinth of the year; Grand Monarch, pule blue, striped ; 

 Clio, pale blue with u white centre, and dark blue blotches on each 

 segment, decidedly good ; Couronne dea Blcus, and Autocrat. Sera- 

 phiue, delicate grey, with a coirulean tube, is also very pretty, and pro- 

 mises to be fine for exhibition. 



Narcissuses aro unusually fine, some of the spikes having no less 

 than nineteen flowers ; and of Kpacrises there is a fine display, though 

 some had suffered from the journey. The best are liyaciuthiflora 

 graudifiora, white ; The Bride, white, ti]>pcd with red ; Coruscans, 

 peach; Acuminata, fine reddish scarlet; Delicata, pink, tipped with 

 white ; and Coccinea major, red. There are likewise boxes of cut 

 Roses, including tine buds of Madame Falcot, Madame Margottiu, a 

 new, very sweet, and very double pale yellow Tea ; President, very fine ; 

 Ladv Suflield, very fine form ; aud Globosa with petals turned over, 

 forming a crimson ball. In a group of fine-leaved Pelargoniums we 

 noticed Jason, with beautiful golden leaves, ono of the finest of its 

 section, and Prince Silverwings and Snowdrop, the latter with a broad 

 white edge, and a large finely formed scarlet flower. 



Tbo greatest credit is due to Mr. W. Paul for his fine exhibition, 

 aud that it will be highly appreciated by those who may have the good 

 fortune to see it we have every confidence. 



BANGALORE HORTICULTURAL FETE. 



The Bangalore Horticultural Fete, which took place yesterday 

 (December 31st, 1H67), was everything that could bo desired on the 

 part of spectators, with one omission, of which more anon. At an 

 early hour, 3 p.m., carriages, "shays," and " shandei-j'dans " com- 

 menced to rattle along the two-aud-a-half-mile road that leads from the 

 Cantonment of Bangalore to the Government Lai Bagh Gardens, and 

 up to five or half-past five o'clock, the stream of vehicles stiU con- 

 tinued, reminding one of a Derby day on a small scale, or a Pre- 

 sidency uproar on a large one. A portion of this road was well 

 watered, aud as the drive is a pretty one, the time (u route passed 

 pleasantly in such racing as the road afforded. At this sport notorious 

 hack gharries of Bangalore appeared to be adepts after their own 

 peculiar fashion, and it was amusing to see the dusky half-naked 

 Jehus drive their skinfulls of carrion into a wild " spurt " of fifty 

 yards, which inevitably terminated in a dead stop and a cloud of dust, 

 thick as the smoke of a sixty-eight pounder. At the gates of the gar- 

 den, and along the road leading to the tents, the Commissioner's 

 escort of Mysore horse was stationed and looked very well in its scar- 

 let apparel, though the troopers' appearance would be much improved 

 if they would cease to tie their puggeries round their jaws with nap- 

 kins which gives them the laughable effect of being afflicted as a 

 body with toothache and tic doloreus. The tents, which were consider- 

 able in extent, and connected by passages, to which matting spread 

 overhead afforded a protection from the sun, were pitched on a level 

 piece of ground oi)posite the bandstand, and were gaily decorated with 

 flags and streamers. 



Inside, the show of Flowers, Vegetables, and Fruit, and especially the 

 latter, exposed for exhibition on long rows of shelves, was something 

 worth seeing in England, and perfectly astonishing iu this country. 

 Indeed a basket of Apples, the property of a native gardener, and 

 which obtained the first prize, was of such superlative excellence, that 

 your correspondent can truly say he has never seen a basket of Apples 

 fiuqiasB it at home. This improvement in the quality of the fruit 

 must be very satisfactory to the Horticultural Society, for a few years 

 ago there was but one kind of Apple at Bangalore, and that of the 

 most i-rahhcil description. It would be vain to attempt an enumeration 

 of the different fruits that lay in tempting profusion upon the shelves, 

 but I was disappointed in the Peaches aud Strawberries, of which the 

 public had hoped to see a goodlier Show. This cannot be said of the 

 Grapes, however, and one clwarf Vine, the property of Major Puckle, 

 the Secretary of the Society, was especially worthy of notice. Planted 

 in an ordinary-sized flower pot, this handsome little tree was covered 

 with large bunches of splendid ripe Grapes, but the most extraordinary 

 part of its history was the fact that but one year ago it was taken as 

 a cutting from the parent stem. 



Among the flowers one could not help being struck with the beauty 

 and good taste of Major Boddam's collection, and the same may be 

 said of the cut flowers exhibited by Signer De Vecchj. The latter 

 gentleman also exhibited some specimens of silkworms aud silk, the 

 last in softness and lustre being very remarkable. General Haines 

 deservedly obtained a first prize for a lovely Geant des Batailles Rose, 

 whose beauty, could it only be made to last long enough, might be justly 

 said to bo " a thing of joy for ever.'' 



Among miscellaneous articles of exhibition, your correspondent re- 

 marked an American Grass, which he believes is indigenous to Rhode 

 Island, exhibited by the Secretary as an excellent Grass for lawns. 

 It is impossible to doubt the operation, as the specimen ex.hibited was 

 very similar to the verj- richest "after grass" one sees in England 

 in a first-class meadow field. The band of the IGth Lancers was 

 iu attendance, and discoursed most excellent music in the gardens 

 outside, to the delight of a well-dressed crowd that sauntered about 

 the lovely parterres of the Lai Bagh. Among the company present 

 were Mr. Bowring, General Haines, Dr. Norman MacLeod, and Dr. 

 Watson, and, in fact, the whole of Bangalore society, together with a 



