348 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ M«r 8, ISM. 



came from the Society's garden. The next snbjcet to which ho would 

 refer «as an Kpidendrnm of pccnliar interest. Last year when lectur- 

 inK on Dendrobia, he referred to a map showing the aislnbnt.on of 

 Orchids OTer the world, and he wonld again revert to it m order to 

 point out that in eaeh continent a ceriain Renus prevailed. 1 bus in 

 Africa it was AnRra-cnm ; in Asia, Dcudrobinm ; in America, lipi- 

 dendrum. Between the last two genera no great diflerence existed 

 as regards the number of their species. Last year there wore some- 

 what more than two hundred species of Dendrobium, and about the 

 same number of Kpidendrum. and in the present year it would be 

 dilBeuU to sny which genus had the lead. Although thus on an 

 equality as reiiards numbers, there was a wide difference in point of 

 beautv. for while a large proporiion of the Dendrobia had found their 

 way into cultivation, not more than hiUf a dozen Epidendra were con- 

 sidered worth growing. In the genus Dendrobium, ugliness was the 

 exception, and beautv the rule ; whilst with Epidendrum the case was 

 iust reversed. Of the latter, however, several fine species had yet to 

 be introduced, and among such until lately was E. embesccns A 

 coloured plate of it which in no way exaggerated its beauty had been 

 made by Miss Drake, for his work on the " Orchidace.T of Mexico and 

 Guatemala," and this was exhibited to the meeting. Thu Epidendrum 

 ill question was thought to belong to the section of the genus havmg 

 Icafv stems, and collectors were, therefore, instructed to look for such 

 a plant, but their researches proved fruitless, for the flowers arc in 

 reality produced from the pseudo-bulbs a fact which was only cUs- 

 eovered the other day by Mr. Skinner, at a sale at Stevens s. It hap- 

 pened that on that oceasiou several new species of Epidendrum were 

 put up for sale, and accompanying one of these was a dried flower 

 which Mr. Skinner recognised as being like that of erube.scens. He 

 accordingly purchased half a dozen plants for 'lU.. although had the 

 fact been known that they were the loug-sought-for E. erubescens they 

 ■would have brought many pounds. _ ■ r tt 



Mr. Skinner here observed, that another importation from the 

 same collector was on its way to this country. , , , , 



Mr. Bateman having remarked that cool treatment would probably bo 

 the most suitable for this Epidendrum, passed on to his special subject, 

 Dendrobium MacCarthi.-e, of which a plant with a smgle flowtT was 

 shown by his gardener, Mr. Sherratt. This beautiful species had been 

 described about ten years ago in the " Botanical Magazine, where it 

 ■was stated to grow pendent from the trunks of large trees in the forests 

 about Katuapoora, aud towards Galle, in Ceylon, where it was pretty 

 generally Imown to the natives as the Eainy-month flower. Its purple 

 and white flowers are produced to the number of four or five, m 

 racemes 1 foot or IJ foot long, during the rainy season, hence its 

 native name. It might sen-e as an encouragement to plant col- 

 lectors to state, that after all the island was thought to have been 

 ransacked this beautiful species was discovered. Mr. Bateman then 

 remarked that the annual rainfall in Ceylon averaged 1'>I) inches, and 

 four-fifths of that amount fell between November aud May. It would, 

 however, be interesting to know what was the climate of the particular 

 district of the coast where the plant is found. 



Mat Show —The first principal Show for the season was held on 

 the 3rd inst., and was well attended by exhibitors notwithstanding 

 the cold and unfavourable character of the early part of the day, 

 ■which no doubt served to deter many from risking their valuable 

 Orchids and other tender plauts from home. The afternoon, ho-w- 

 ever. was tolerably tine, and there was a numerous and faslnouable 

 company to witness what was altogether a very gay display of flowenng 

 plants, prominent among which were Orchids, remarkably hue Azaleas 

 and Roses, and for the season very good Pelargoniums. , , „ 



Stove and (.reenhocse Plants.— Mr. Donald, gardener to J .G. 

 Barclay, Esq., Leyton, contributed an excellent collection, consistmg 

 of Medinilla magnifica, with fifteen fine spU;es of bloom ; a fane spe- 

 cimen of Stepbanotis floribnnda, which when more fully m bloom will 

 be very beautiful ; Yinca oculata ; a fine plant of Eriostemon Imeari- 

 foUum ; Azalea purpurea, aud Iledaroma tulipiferum. From Messrs. 

 Lee of Hammersmith, came a fine plant of the last-mentioued, mea- 

 Buring about 4 feet through in every direction, and with its numerous 

 pendulous blooms very bright in colour ; Eranciscca confertillora ; 

 Spacris grandiflora rubra; a good plant of Erica ventncosa coecmea 

 minor; Hibbertia ReecUi, and Boupainvma.a glabra trained as a 

 balloon-shaped specimen, and m that fonn having a yei-y good appear- 

 ance as an exhibition plant. In a miscellaneous collecUou from the 

 same firm were Adenandra fragi-ans, not yet in perfection ; the beau- 

 tiful Clerodendron Thomsono-, Chorozemas, Hedaroma fncbsioides a 

 Stepbanotis, two or three Heaths, Azaleas, Camelhas, and a ^vhlte. 

 flowered Epacris from New Zeahmd. Messrs. Cutbush also exhibited 

 a collection of small plants, among which were a number of dwarf 

 standard Azaleas in good bloom, Heaths, Eriostemons, Boromas, 

 Aphelexis, and Chorozemas. 



Awards— First, Mr. Donald. Second. Messrs. Lee. 

 Orchids constituted one of the principal features of the Show, but 

 were not so numerously shoivn as would have been the case had the 

 Vfcather been finer. They made, nevertheless, a veiy good disylay. 

 The only collection of twelve put up for competition m the Mirssry- 

 men's class came from Messrs. Lee, and included Phala-nopsis amabdis 

 and grandiflora, Cattleya Skinueri aud amethy.stina. Acndes roseum 

 Saccolubium guttatum and ampuUaceum, Cypnpedium barbatum and 

 its variety snperbnm, Oncidium rosenm, and Dendrob«im noblle. 



Mr. Bnll also exhibittd a collection of twelve, in which were • 

 Phajus with nil spikes of bloom, Cypripedinm Hookeri aud Tillosnm, 

 and a Lycastc unnamed ; but as tlie rules with regard to entries had 

 not been complied with, it was excluded from competition. In the 

 closs for nine several good groups were shown. That from Mr. Penny, 

 gardener to H. H. Gihbs, Esq., Regent's Park, consisted of two yanc- 

 ties of Cattleya Skinneri, Cvpripedium I.owii and Tillosnm, A onda 

 snaris, Phala-nopsis grandiflora with two remarkably fino spikes of 

 bloom, Oncidium sarcodes, very handsome ; Dendrobium albo-sotgmn- 

 eum, and Trichopilia crispn. 'From Mr. I'age, gardener to W. Leaf, 

 Esq., came Vonda tricolor and iusignis, Phalanopses, Cypripediam 

 barbatum, a Lvcaste, supposed to be a variety of Lawrenciana, Acndes 

 vircns, Dendrobium tortile roseuni, and Oncidium ampliatnm majns, 

 the last one of the most effective t)rchids in the Show, having two fine 

 spikes bearing numerons flowers. Mr. Hill, gardener to R. Haubu^, 

 Esq.. The Poles, Ware, also contributed some fine specimens, cspeciaUy 

 two large Vandas, being Rolhssou's and Veitch's varieties of Vanda 

 suavis, some excellent Dendrobiums and Cattleyas. Phajos grandl- 

 folius with ten fine spikes, and Chysis Limminghi in fine condition. 

 Mr. Robson, gardener to G. Cooper, Esij., Cobnrg Koad, had also a 

 well-gro^wn example of Phajus grandifobus vrilh nine spikes; Pha- 

 la-nopsis SchiUeriana with a tine spike : P. Luddemanniana hcanng 

 two blooms, the older P. amabilis and grandiflora ; Vanda tricolor, 

 Trichopilia tortilis, and Cattleya Mossia-. Mr. Howard gardener to 

 J Brande. Esq., BaUiam, sent a collection of six. among which there 

 were a fine specimen of Cattleya intermedia, Dendrobium pnlchellnm, 

 forming a pretty mass of pinkish lilac aud orange blossoms, and 

 severar others of the same extensive and ornamental genus. In the 

 class for single specimens Dendrobium Farmeri with eight fine spikes, 

 and Lycastc Skinneri vrith upwards of a score of blooms, the one 

 from Mr. Howard, the other from Mr. Penny, received equal first 



Awiird-^— For twelve : second, Messrs. I,ee. For nine ; first. Ml. 

 Penny; second. Mr. Page ; third. Mr. HiU ; extra, Mr. Robson. For 

 six : first, Mr. Howard ; second. Mr. Robson. For smgle specimens : 

 Equal first, Mr. Penny and Mi-. Howard. 



Azaleas. — Mr. Turner again produced magnificent pyramidal 

 plants, ranging in height from 5 to ti feet, some perhaps more. Ihc 

 varieties were Holfordii dazzling in colour. Gem, Louise Margottin, 

 Pemana. Petunia-flora, Coronata, Mai-y, Madame MieUez. and 

 Empress Eugenie. Mr. Carson, gardener to Vl. R. G. Farmer, Esq., 

 had also half a dozen fine specimens, consisting of Duke of UeTOD- 

 shire, Stauleyana, Optima, Lateritia, Sir Cliaries Napier, and Hol- 

 fordii Half 'a dozen good plants wore shown by Mr. Penny, and a 

 like number by Mr. Young, gardener to R. Barclay Esq. Smgle speci- 

 mens consisted of a fine plant of Iveryana from Mr. Turner, a very 

 large example of Rubra plena in excellent bloom from Mr. Carson, 

 and Macrantha puqnirea from Mr. Young. 



Awards— For nine ; first, Mr. Tunier. For six : first. Mr. Carson ; 

 second, Mr. Penny. For a single specimen: first, Mr. Turner: 

 second, Ml^. Carson ; third, Mr. Young. 



Pelaegon-toms.— There was a gay banh of these, although the 

 majority of the plants did not exhibit that profusmn of bloom which 

 they miv be expected soon to attain. Those from Mr. Turner were 

 the" furthest adve-nced. and constituted a very attractive exhibition ol 

 themselves. They cousisted of Beacon. Rose Celestial, I airest of tHe 

 Fair, Patroness, Candidate, Lady Canning. LUacma, Celeste, and 

 Empress Eugenie. Mr. Fraser. Lea Bridge Road, had good plants of 

 Lurline, Fairest of the Fair. Mer Polaire, Rose Ce estial. Leviathan, 

 Roseum, Fair Rosamond, Beadsman, and Candidate. Mr «ai;rt, 

 gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., Ley-tonstone. had Fairest of the hair. 

 Nestor, Sii^ CoUn Campbell, The Bride, Bracelet, aud Lilacina ; and 

 Mr. %Viggrns likewise sent a collection of six. Single specimens, con- 

 sisted of Desdemona in fine bloom from Mr. Turner Empress Kugeme 

 from Mr. Eraser, aud Rose Celestial from Mr. ■\\ ard. 



Awards— For nine: first, Mr. Turner; second. Mr. Fraser. lor 

 six: first. Mr. 'fl'ard ; third. Mr. ^^■ig,^'ius. For single specimens: 

 first. Mr. Turner; second. Mr. Eraser; thii-d, Mr. ^Yard. 



Roses.— From Mr. ^Vmianl Paul came an eNcellcnt group, com- 

 prising Victor Yerdier, Souvenir d'un Ami, PanlPerras, Jo'i° HoPP"' 

 Anna Alexieff, and others : also, a tine specimen plant of President . 

 and other gionps were exhibited by Mr. Turner. Mr M iggins, and 

 Mr. Beaslev, gardener to Mrs. 'Wood, Twyford Abbey, .Vton. 



Awards-For nine : first, Mr. W. Panl. For six : first, withheld , 

 second, Mr. 'Wiggins ; third, Mr. Beasley. , , 



Eekss.— An excellent collection of exotic kind.s was exhibited by 

 Mr. Barnard, gardener to .1. ^V. Taylor. Esq., }\ oodberry Dowri, in 

 which were fine specimens of Cyathea meduUans, Cooperi, and deaJ- 

 bata; Cibotium princeps, Dicksonia autarctica. and Gleichenia 6i>e- 

 lunca-. In another collection exhibited by Mr. Bnll, there were a very 

 handsome exomple of Marattia elegans. large specimens of Dicksonia 

 antarctica and Cyathea dealbata. Alsopbila anstralis, and Platycerinm 

 alcicome. Mr. I'reece, gardener to ]■:. Wood, Esq., Acton, and Mr 

 Young also furnished groups. Ot Hardy Ferns, the finest group was 

 that from Messrs. IveiT, of Dorking, which incnded several rare Mid 

 beautiful forms of Ath'vrium FUix-famiua, such as plumosum, F leldia- 

 and its variety diflissum, Vemouia-. crispum ; Pseudathynum HexUe. 

 aud a Wardian case of Trichomaues radicans. From Mr Bull came 

 A F.f. thyssanotum. Jervisii. Vemonia-. aud sapttatum, the crested 

 Roval Feii, Lastrea Stondi-shii, "^Yoodwardia orientalie, Polystichum 



