Horticultural Society. 147 



— Zephyranthes rosea, " foliis humifusis linearibus scapo unifloro brevio- 

 ribus, perianthio expanso: sepalis ovalibus apieulatis, spatha bifida apice 

 carnosa." A beautiful bulbous plant brought from the Havannah by 

 Mr. G. Don. Mr. Lin dley approves of the separation, from the old genus 

 Amaryllis, of the group to which Mr. Herbert has given this name, and which 

 " may be safely characterized by their nearly regular flowers, which have 

 a vertical or nearly vertical position, and by their stamens not being bent to 

 one side and unequal in length, but equal and spreading equally, with the 

 exception of that which is opposite to what would be the upper segment of 

 the perianthium, if the flower were horizontal." After a handsome com- 

 mendation of Mr. Herbert's work, we have the following just remark : 

 " This is one of the many genera which confirm the opinion held by 

 Linnaeus, that a few well selected words are abundantly sufficient for a 



generic or specific definition : there can be no comparison between the 



neatness and decision of his characters, and the unwieldy lumbering de- 

 scriptions which are now too frequently mistaken for definitions. The 

 latter are the consequence of an excess in multiplication of divisions, and 

 would easily be avoided if it were only remembered that a difference is 

 not a distinction, nor prolixity precision." — Daphne collina : /3. r.capolitana. 

 This plant, published as a distinct species under the latter name in 

 Loddiges' Bot. Cab., Mr. Lindley considers as a mere variety, differing 

 chiefly in the want of pubescence under the leaves: — a sport of Nature 

 " which, if unmolested upon its native hills, would quickly have passed 

 away into the type from which it sprung."— Spiranlhes cernua: Ophrys 

 Linn., Neottia Willd. Mr. Lindley enumerates 16 species of Spiranlhes, 

 of which M. Richard, by whom the genus was established, mentions only 6. 

 — Rosa Kamchatka: (5. niveus. Some errors are pointed out in the ob- 

 servations of M- Trattinnick respecting this and other roses. 



XXV. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



July 6. — A Special General Meeting was held for the 

 ^"*- Election of a Member of the Council in the 

 room of the late John Walker, Esq.; when Sir Claude Scott, 

 Bart was unanimously chosen. 

 The following Papers were read : 



Description of an Instrument for effectually applying To- 

 bacco Fumigation for the destruction of Insects on Trees and 

 Plants. By Mr. John Read. 



Observations on and an Account of a Collection of Seeds, 

 formed in the neighbourhood of Constantinople, and trans- 

 mitted to the Horticultural Society of London. By the Rev. 

 Robert Walsh, LL.D., and Corresponding Member of the 

 Society. 



Description of a remarkable Elruge Nectarine Tree in the 



Garden of Lord Selsey at Westdean House, Sussex. By Mr. 



John Bowers, Gardener to Lord Selsey. 



.Inly 20. — Tin' following I'apers were read: 



D' diption of a Peacn Tree in the Garden of Miles 



T 2 Stapleton, 



