482 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 12, 1865. 



Besson, and Alba Miitabilis. As to the others I can predicate 

 nothing, and time only can tell whether the ** flattering tale " 

 is all fancy's sketch or not. — D., Deal. 



ROYAL HOUTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 December 5th. 



Floral Comjitttee. — This meeting, by the liberal aid of Mr. Vcif ch, 

 and plants furnished by Mr, Eyles from the Society's garden, con- 

 siderinj^ the late season of the year was mude very interesting and 

 attractive. Mr. Veitch'a collections of tioweriug plants and Orcliids 

 ■were extremely beautifal, and both received special certificates. 

 Among the former were a muf^ificent specimen of Thibaudia ma- 

 crantlia ; Phormiam teuax varicj^atum ; some very pretty specimens 

 of Epiphyllum truncatara ; Aucuba japonica vera, with its elon- 

 gated scarlet berries ; Aucuba lougifoha, which was awarded a first- 

 class certificate in June, ly(i4; Ilhoclodeudrou Princess Alexandra; 

 the beautiful Bertolonia pnbescens and guttata ; the not less beautiful 

 Sonerila margaritacea alba nova ; Eriocnema marmorea ; the Cuphea- 

 liie Libonia fioribnnda, and other interesting plants. The varieties 

 of Lycaste Skinneri among the Orchids were veiy beantifnl, the ex- 

 traonlinary -formed flowers of Angrscum sesquipedale were very con- 

 spicoons, especially when compared with the small- 11 owering Angra>cum 

 l)ertusum in Mr. Wilson Saunders's collection. Dendrobium Tatto- 

 nianum, Barkeria SHnucri, .and one or two varieties of the hybrid 

 Cattleya Dominiana were also included in this collection. Messrs. 

 Lucombe, Pince, Sz Co., Exeter, sent the parent plant of Polystichum 

 angnlare parvissimnm, a dwarf-habited variety, for which a first-class 

 certificate was awarded. Mr. Batemau exhibited cut specimens of 

 Thihandia oconensis, a greenhouse plant, introduced by Mr. Linden 

 from Grenada, having scarlet and white wax-hke-looldng flowers, 

 with hric;ht gi-een foUage. X'his received a second-class certificate. 

 SIi". Bateman also sent cut specimens of a Gaultheria, raised from 

 seed collected by Mr. Skinner. The specimens were not in conthtion 

 to a&'ord any idea of its merits. Mr. Green, gardener to W. W. 

 Saunders, E>fj., exhibited a small group of interesting Orchids, con- 

 sisting of Ctslogyne sp., name unknown, v^ith curiously-formed tiowers 

 of a pale dull brownish hue ; Angi-iecum pertusum with long naiTOw 

 sx)ikes of (bnssly an*auged white flowers, Liparis spathulata, and 

 three Oncidiums. A special certificate was aw:u-ded this collection. 

 Mr. Eyles exhibited a very nice collection of Orchids from the Society's 

 gardens, consisting of a verj- fine variety of Lycaste Skinneri, three 

 species of Cypripedium. vennstum, harbatum, and iusigne ; the 

 biTlliaut Sopbronitis gi'andiflora, Zygopetalon crinitum, various Dra- 

 caenas, Maranta albo-lineata, fiuo specimens of variegated Crofous : 

 also, several plants of Poinsettia pulchorriui.'!. with their brilliant 

 heads of flowers. Mr. Eyles also brought before the Committee 

 another of Mr. Weirs Odoutoglots, with dull green flowers marked 

 with brown blotches, not unlike O. gloriosum, but differing from the 

 latter in the remarkable position of the lip, which seemed placed at 

 right angles with the centre of the flower. Tliis variety was said to 

 be O. Lindleyauum. 



Fruit Committee. — G. F. Wilson. Esq., F.Fi-S., in the chair. The 

 subjects brought forward on this occasion were few. Mr. Parsons, gar- 

 dener to W. Blake. Esq., Daneshury, sent some excellent Winter Nelis 

 and .Toytphinc de Malinos Pears, also Wiutcr Crasanne ; and Mr. Myatt, 

 Deptford, a small seedhng Pear, which was of remarkably fine flavour. 

 The Committee deferred comiug to a tlecisicn upon its merits till it 

 had been seen again. Mr. Veitch, Ch.-i'^ea. exhibited fruit of Stauu- 

 tonia latifoUa. gi-own by Mr. Jack, gardener to the Duke of Cleveland. 

 Battle AMiey ; also, fruit of Maudevilla sunveclens, both of whic-h 

 fruits are noticed in our account of the Scientific Meeting- Mr. Vair, 

 gardener to Lady Dorothy Nevill, again exhibited fruit of Monstera 

 deUciosa, from the stoves at Dangsteiu, and was awarded a special 

 certificate. 



Scientific Meeting. — W^ Wilson Saunders. Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. The awards of the Committees having been reported to the 

 meeting, the Rev. 51. J. Berkeley briefly reviewed the subjects ex- 

 hibited. Among these was the fruit of Monstera deliciosa, respcctinj^ 

 which Mr. Berkeley said he had not ranch to add to wliat he had 

 stated at previous meetings. The frnit when perfectly ripe was of fine 

 flavour, and would be useful were it not for the disagreeable prickles 

 which stuck in the throat ; it was extremely luscious, but he might 

 mention that a gardener who had eaten half of one, had in conse- 

 quence become exceedingly ill. The i'ruit of Stauutonia latifolia 

 grown by Mr. Jack, and exhibited by Mr. Veitch, next came under 

 notice. It was stuted to resemble the frnit of the common Brinjal, a 

 kind of Ef^g-plant. and the plant prodacinc; it belonged to the small 

 and curious natural order, LardizabaleaR. v/hich was nearly allied to 

 Berheridaccre. The Lardizabalas were almost entirely confined to the 

 east of Ann, and to America ; a doubtful species, however, was found 

 in Madagascar. The fruit of Stauntonia hexaphyUa was eaten in 

 Japan, but was not held in much esteem, being like that of Staun- 

 tonia latifolia, almost tasteless. Mr. Veitch had likewise brought the 

 fruit or pods of Mandevilla suaveolens, which resembled two long 

 horns. The Orchids were next touched upon. Angra-cum gesqui- 

 pedalc, characterised by its extremely long spur, was contrasted with 



A. pertusum, which, on the contrary, has a very short spur, and is less 

 remarkable for beauty of colour than for elegance of structure. A 

 Cuelogj'ne, from Moulmein, exhibited by Mr. Green, it had been 

 suggested by some, approached C. speciosa in character, but it was 

 more like Cadogyne Parishii ; still there was good reason to believe 

 that it would prove to he perfectly distinct. An Odoutoglossum sent 

 to the Society by Mr. Weir, was also jnobably a new species, and 

 offered a point of interest in the extreme lobe of the lip being in a 

 perfectly vertical position, which was almost without a parallel in this 

 ti-ihe of plants. The similarity of Thibaudia oconensis to a Rhodo- 

 dendron, exhibited in the spring, and to Rhododendron Keysii, 

 figured in the "Botanical Magazine," of ls.jj, was next pointed out; 

 but this Thihandia, however interesting it might he, was not com- 

 parable with T. macranthft, one of the most beautiful plants ever in- 

 troduced into this couutiy. Mr. Bateman had, in a lecture in the 

 early part of the season, pointed out how well the ^(Taceful pendant 

 habit of the Thibaudias fitted them for decorative purposes in build- 

 ings. A Gaultheria, from Mr. Bateman's, it was remarked, was 

 graceful, probably hardy, and most likely merely a variety of G.ferrti- 

 f(inea. Polystichum angulare parvissimnm from Messrs. Lucombe, 

 Pince, & Co., was spoken of as one of the most charming varieties of 

 British Ferns, and although the word parvissimnm had been objected 

 to, an authority for it had been found in Lucretius. Mr. Berkeley 

 concluded by calling attention to the charming collection of plant* 

 from the Society's gurdeu, and especially to Musa coecinea. 



Mr. Wilson Saunders said he \rished to offer some observations on 

 two or three Orchids which he had brought to the meeting. Among 

 them were three varieties of Oncidium carthaginense, which he had 

 brought to show the vai-iation of species in their natural habitats, and 

 all of which varied considerably in colour and ma:*king. although 

 coming from the same locality, Belize ; the colour of the petals had 

 nothing to do with the botanical distinctness of species, and what- 

 ever those not conversant with botany might think, colour was no 

 criterion at all. Mr. Berkeley had made some observations on a 

 Ccelotrvne which he (the Chairman) bad brought ; its great interest 

 lay in the side petals having vanished into hair-Hke appendages, and 

 there was no doubt that it belonged to the genus Cadogvne, the species 

 of which were now becoming very abundant. Assam. Martaban, Tenas- 

 serim, and Singapore, were the countries of the Ccelogynes. Mon- 

 stera deUciosa had been mentioned : it was a plant most easily grown 

 l)y those having a damp house with the requisite heat, and could 

 then be fruited very easily. Cultivation might do much, bnt it 

 was his belief that it could not be turned to accoi'.ut as an edible 

 fruit. I'he way in which he grew and fruited it eveiy year was to 

 keep it close to a tank, so that the roots might find their way into it ; 

 and it was curious to observe how seemingly anxious they were to go 

 into the water, passing down into the tank as a long thick root, and 

 then branching out and divaricating in aI\ directions. They sucked 

 up water in an extraordiuaiy way, and the plant then grows with great 

 rapidity. The large leaves were pertuse, or cut in holes, and had a 

 cuiious effect when held up to the light. The mode in wliieh they 

 were developed was also most remarkable, the leaf being turned back- 

 wards and rolled round the leafstalk, forming a sort of spathe ; by 

 degees it begins to unfold and assume an asctndins position, and in a 

 week it becomes hardened. Mr. Saunders concluded by recommend- 

 ing the Monstera for cultivation on account of the interest attached 

 to its growth. 



INTERNATIONAL FRUIT SHOW. 

 December 9th. 



Tins was opened to the public on Saturday last, and will continue 

 till the 16th. Although it was only considered as ono of the minor 

 shows, and the amount of encouragement held out in the shape of 

 pi'izes was consequently limited, the result has been an extensive and 

 1,'enera.lly excellent displtty. far exceeding the most sanguine expec- 

 tations that had been formed of it. Home-grown productions are not 

 in such plenty as we could have wished, and of fortdgn nations, Den- 

 mark and Belgium are the only ones that have come forward. On 

 the otlier hand, the colonics aic well represented by Kova Scotia. 

 which takes the lead with a very lai-ge collection, consisting chiefly of 

 Apples : by Victoria, Multa. nnd last, but not least, India. 



Of the British part of the Exhibition, the most prominent feature 

 is the magnificent collections of Mr. Lewis Solomon, and Messrs. 

 Webber & Co., of Covenl Garden. It is scarcely necessary to remark, 

 that a large proportion of the subjects which they exhibit have been 

 obtained at threat cost from France and the West Indies ; still there 

 are, especially in Messrs. W'ebber's collection, some e^ traordinary 

 Pears of English growth. Mr. Soloinon exhibits twelve Fines — 

 Jamaicas, Cayennes, and Queens ; Bananas. Pomegianates, Shad- 

 docks of the largest size, Pomeloes, Prickly Pears, Medlars ; Barba- 

 rossa. Black Hamburgh, and Sweetwater Grapes in bunches ; fine 

 ba?:kets of Black Hamburghs and Muscats ; also, of Tan^ierine, Man- 

 darin, and St. Michael's Oranges. It is, however, the Apples and Pears 

 that constitute the great feature of the collection ; the latter consist of 

 immense fruit of Uvedale's St. Germain, grown merely for show, it 

 beinc^a stewing Pear, Glou Morceau, Chaumontel, Easter Beurre, and 

 St. Germain, all of the largest size ; also. Black Worcester, another 

 kitchen variety. The Apples comprise Kibston Pii)pin, the beautiful 

 Lady Apple, Nonpareils*, Reine d'Angleterre, a veiy showy French 



