62 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I July 24, 1888. 



collection of fruit from Mr. Tillery, comprising fine Peaches and 

 Nectarines, and Bigarreau Napoleon Cherry, a variety which, from 

 its very large size, its handsome appearance, and its excellent flavour, 

 is one of the most desirable and useful of Cherries. He would supple- 

 ment the observations made by Mr. Dix respecting the garden at 

 Chiswick by stating, that in addition to the bedding and fine-foliaged 

 plants there is there an extensive collection of Strawberries and Goose- 

 berries, fruit of which might be tasted by Fellows on application to 

 Mr. Barron, and among other subjects which might be named the 

 Vines in the large conservatory and pits are just now of great interest. 

 The Rev. M. J. Berkeley said, that before proceeding to review the 

 subjects exhibited on the present occasion, he had to state that the 

 Nierembergia sent by Messrs. Veitch to the last meeting had on ex- 

 amination proved to be entirely new, and accordingly it had been named 

 N. Veitchii. On the same occasion he had regretted that N. rivnlaris 

 was not before the meeting, for although it had been figured in Miers' 

 Illustrations of South American Plants, it was new to gardens. 

 He might, however, mention, that it possesses this peculiarity, that at 

 «yery node there are one or two glandular spots which throw out 

 roots, so that the plant may in this way be increased indefinitely. 

 Acalypha tricolor, shown at the last meeting, and supposed by Messrs. 

 Veitch to bo a native of the New Hebrides, appeared to be a variety 

 of the Indian Caturus hispida of Linnams. The next plant referred 

 to was Cassia floribunda, and Mr. Berkeley regretted its not being 

 before the meeting, for it did not appear to be sufficiently known in 

 this country ; but at Paris, where it goes by a variety of names, it is 

 a favourite bedding plant. It is a native of Mexico, whence it was 

 introduced into this country in 1M18, and requires to be kept in a stove 

 in winter. Mr. Berkeley then remarked that there were two plants 

 exhibited under what were evidently wrong names ; one was called 

 a Dioscorea, though it was utterly impossible that it could belong to 

 that genus, and the other a Pter'idophyllum, though it was certainly 

 not a Fninariaceous plant. The pretty orange fruit of Momordica 

 charantia then came under notice, as well as the use made of 

 M. balsaniina in curing wounds. For this purpose the fruit is cnt 

 open before it is ripe, put into oil, and exposed to the smi until the oil 

 becomes red. when the latter may be applied to the wound which it 

 is desired to heal. Of Athyrium Goringianum pictum, from Mr. Bull, 

 it was remarked that though small in its present state the fronds 

 would attain a much greater length, and that the variegation would 

 then be more marked. An jEehmea, from Belize, exhibited by Mr. 

 Wilson Saunders, was then compared with JLchmea Mertensii, figured 

 some years ago in the " Botanical Magazine," and to which it was 

 stated to bear considerable resemblance, but to differ in the flowers, 

 being yellow instead of red, and not so closely set in the spike. Mr. 

 Berkeley, in concluding his remarks, observed that the Pelargoniums 

 at Chiswick were grown in small beds side by side so as to afford great 

 facilities for comparison, and though the relative merits of the varie- 

 ties had been marked by the Floral Committee, people conld judge 

 for themselves. 



The Chairman here observed with respect to Pelargoniums, that he 

 wished to call attention to those with sweet-scented leaves. He had 

 cultivated Pelargoniums for many years, and had always been grieved 

 to see that every effort had been directed towards obtaining fine 

 flowers, but in securing this object the scent of the leaves had been 

 in a great measure lost. He yet hoped, however, to see fine flowers 

 combined with sweet-scented foliage and good habit. 



Mr. Bateman apologised for the absence of Mr. W. Wentworth 

 Buller who was to have made some remarks on Orchid cnlture and 

 double-glazing, but unfortunately he had been called to the country. 

 Before saying anything about the Orchids, he (Mr. Bateman) 

 wished to direct attention to a plant of climbing habit with most bril- 

 liant-coloured flowers, Mutisia decurrens, introduced some years 

 ago by Messrs. Veitch, from the Chilian Andes, through their collector, 

 Mr. Pearce, and figured in the " Botanical Magazine " in 1861. It 

 was there stated to have stood the severe winter of 18C0-61 unharmed 

 in the open air at Exeter, but he was happy to be able to inform the 

 meeting that when he left his garden in Cheshire, than which a worse 

 climate could hardly be found, it was in flower on a wall where it had 

 never received any protection whatever. The brilliant orange flowers 

 glittered like gas) jets, and he considered it the most beautiful haidy 

 plant introduced for several years. Passing on now to the Orchids, 

 Mr. Anderson, of Meadow Bank, Glasgow, had sent one or two 

 Orchids, and amongst them Cattleya citrina, remarkable for two things, 

 the length of its vernacular name, the other its habit of growing in a 

 downward instead of an upward direction. Another flower sent by 

 Mr. Anderson was Anguloa eburnea, a plant with singularly formed 

 white flowers, which, he might mention, had attracted the attention of 

 the Princess Alexandra last year more than any other Orchid. The 

 next plant which he would notice was Grobya Amherstia 1 , which was 

 figured in the " Botanical Magazine" in 1835, and had now, after an 

 interval of thirty years, produced its sombre-coloured flowers. He 

 now came to a plant with a very long name, Grammatophyllum 

 Ellisii. Its generic appellation was given in consequence of the 

 leaves appearing to bear certain characters or letters, and old Runi- 

 phius even went so far as to name certain of these. Some of them 

 were said to resemble Hebrew characters, others Samaritan, and 

 others again to be more nearly approaching the Roman letters. The 

 specific name was that of its discoverer, the Rev. William Ellis, whose 

 work on Madagascar and his missionary labours in that island 



were well known. The plant was figured in the " Botanical Maga- 

 zine " in 1859, but there was every reason to believe that it had sub- 

 sequently been lost till a year or two ago, when fresh specimens came 

 into the hands of Messrs. Veitch. One of these Mr. Bateman said 

 he had secured ; it grew vigorously, and about three weeks ago 

 showed flower, but he was sorry he could not bring the plant to Lon- 

 don with him, and he had, therefore, to content himself with cutting 

 off the spike and placing it on a young specimen which Messrs. Veitch 

 had kindly lent him for the purpose. After remarking that though 

 Madagascar is so near to Africa its flora, at least as far as Orchids are 

 concerned, is very distinct from that of the mainland, Mr. Bateman 

 drew attention to that splendid terrestrial Orchid, Disa grandiflora, 

 which Mr. Leach, of Clapham, was the first to flower, and has con- 

 tinued to be most successful in cultivating. Having thus touched at 

 the Cape, Mr. Batemau said he next came to central Africa, a part of 

 the world which had always been fruitful in monsters, and, holding 

 up an Angrscum, he observed that though M. Du Chaillu had no 

 found that, he was fortunate enough to import another, which had been 

 figured and described in the " Botanical Magazine " of this month 

 under the name of Angraecum Chailluanum. Mr. Bateman then in- 

 troduced M. Dn Chaillu to the meeting, and invited him to offer some 

 remarks on African Orchids. 



M. Du Chailln said that he felt some diffidence in speaking of 

 Orchids, not having made botany his study, although he had been a 

 collector of objects of natural history of every description, and 

 among them large numbers of plants. Unfortunately, however, on 

 his return from his last expedition he had lost on the voyage most of 

 those which he had collected. Orchids, he said, are chiefly found in 

 equatorial Africa near the coast, and become more scarce in the 

 interior. There they chiefly exist on hardwooded trees growing on 

 the banks of streams, and in the dry season, which lasts for three 

 months, they are shrivelled up ; but when the rains, which last for 

 nine months, set in, they grow luxuriantly and flower profusely, scent- 

 ing the air with a delightful fragrance. The species are few in num- 

 ber, but when they do occur they grow in large masses and have a 

 striking effect. Many of the Ferns in the same region are also very 

 beautiful. 



The Rev. Mr. Ellis having been called upon to make some obser- 

 vations on the flora of Madagascar, said that whilst in that island it 

 was his custom to send out natives to collect plants in those parts of 

 the interior which he could not visit himself. He then described the 

 zones into which the vegetation of Madagascar is distributed, and the 

 locality in which he found the Grammatophyllum named after him. 

 It was growing in the fork of a large tree by the bank of a river, and 

 had an amazing quantity of short, white, fleshy roots ; and he had 

 always found that it succeeded best when afforded plenty of water and 

 air. With regard to other Orchids, he did not think that collectors 

 would find any superior to Angrrecum sesquipedale, which occurred 

 in the lowest and hottest districts, selecting for its habitation trees on 

 the borders of the forest, and growing on the driest parts of the branches 

 and trunks, and where it would not be much shaded by foliage, thus 

 indicating that it requires plenty of air and light. Mr. Ellis then 

 adverted to a charming Ana:ctochil, with lilac flowers and green and 

 silvery-marked foliage, and stated that many very beautiful Ferns also 

 exist in Madagascar, some of which would no doubt prove valuable 

 acquisitions. 



On the motion of the Chairman a vote of thanks was unanimously 

 accorded to M. Du Chaillu and Mr. Ellis. 



The meeting was so numerously attended that it was only with diffi- 

 culty that the Council-room served to contain the audience. Several 

 new members were elected, and one Society, the Keevil District Floral 

 and Horticultural Society, was admitted into union. 



Weekly Show, July 21sf. — In the class for six Hollyhocks in 

 spikes, Mr. W. Chater, of Saffron Walden, showed some excellent 

 specimens,, which received the first prize, and the same gentleman took 

 first prize in the class for twenty-four cut blooms. In the class for the 

 best collection of vegetables there was a keen competition, which resulted 

 in Mr. Hill, Angel Row, Highgate, being first. Mr. B. Porter, gar- 

 dener to Hon. A. F. Ashley, Copt Hall, Essex, second; and Mr. 

 Young, gardener to R. Barclay, Esq., Highgate, third. For the best 

 six Liliums. Mr. Cutbush received a second prize, there being no com- 

 petition. In the miscellaneous class Messrs. Cutbush received a se- 

 cond-class certificate for a cut bloom of Phlox, and extra prizes for six 

 miscellaneous plants and six Heaths. 



BLOOMSBURY FLOWER SHOW, 



The annual Exhibition of window plants belonging to the working 

 classes of the parish of St. George, Bloomsbury, was held on Tuesday 

 last, the 17th inst., in the gardens behind the Foundling Hospital, 

 and was very well attended. 



The competitors were as usual divided into several classes, children, 

 servants, and adults severally competing among themselves. There 

 was no marked improvement over former years ; nor should we expect 

 to find it, as the exhibitors have not much chance of adding to then- 

 stock of either gardening knowledge or appliances. With two excep- 

 tions the classes were well filled, ami the competition was as a rule 

 very close. We were glad to see that in spite of the very small number 

 of plants exhibited in the class for ragged schools no diminution was 



