THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GDIDE. 93 



tilized them are about. It is true tbat all flowers do not seem to be benefited by 

 insects, but there is a perpetual change going on, insects and flowers are constantly 

 tending to adapt themselves to one another, and altering as to structure and geogra- 

 phical limits. Many flowers are indebted to insects for their very existence, and 

 honey, scent, and tlie arrangement of colour, all have reference to their acts. 



HOETICULTURAL AFFAIRS. 



flHE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY held its Annual Meeting 

 on the 9th ult., the President, Viscount Bury, in the chair. The report 

 presented to the fellows of tlie Society was not considered satisfactory, 

 and after a long discussion, on the motion of Mr. Shirley Hibberd, the 

 meeting was adjourned until the 9th inst., to afi'ord the Council an 

 opportunity for reconsidering it. The President, in recommending the adoption of 

 the report, stated that the Council had paid off about £2000 of the debts which had 

 accumulated prior to the present membsrs coming into oilice, and that they intended 

 to reduce the expeu«es of the current year by about £2000. 



Ax Exhibition of Potatoes in the forthcoming autumn is in process of 

 organization, the initiator of the movement being Peter McKinlay, Esq., Woodbine 

 House, Beckenham. Mr. Shirley Hibberd is co-operating with the originator of the 

 movement, and a committee is iu course of formation for taking the necessary steps 

 in the matter. 



GARDEXEhs' Royal Bexevolent Ixstitutiox. — The thirty-second anniver- 

 sary dinner of this charity 'will take place at the London Tavern on July 2, under 

 the presidency of Robert Broadwater, Esq., Master of the "Worshipful Company of 

 Fruiterers. 



Mr. Peacock, of Sudbury House, Hammersmith, with a view to encourage a 

 more spirited competition amongst amateur growers of succulents, will not, he in- 

 forms us, compete for any prizes offered for these plants during the current year. 



Dor.MAXT Vitality. — In the last number of the Hevue Uorticole, M. Carriere 

 figures and describes an instance where a bud of Chionanthus inserted on Fraxinus 

 Ornus had lain dormant for fourteen years. The Fraxinus was, it appears, cut 

 down and the stumps left above ground, and from the latter proceeded strong 

 shoots of the Chionanthus. If no mistake has been made by M. Carriere in the 

 length of time the buds have been inserted, the easels remarkable in being probably 

 the longest duration of dormant vitality on record. 



Potato PaizE.s. — Fifty guineas is offered by Messrs. Hooper and Co., Covent 

 Garden, W.C, in prizes for the largest produce from one pound of seed of Snow- 

 flake and Eureka, two now American potatoes now being distributed at 3s. 6d. per 

 pound. The competition is to be limited to European cultivators, and the money is 

 equally divided between tlie two sorts. 



Sexecio MACiiooLOssrs has been recently figured in the Botanical Magazine, 

 and is well deserving the notice i f cultivators of greenhouse plants. It has glossy 

 leaves, bearing a close resemblance to those of the ivy, and produces iu midwinter 

 large bright yellow flowers, which remain a long time in perfection. Dr. Hooker 

 considers it well adapted for cultivation in rooms. It is a native of the Cape, and 

 has been growing in the succulent house at Kew. 



Staphvlf.a pixnata, or Bladder Xut, has been recently sent to Covent Garden 

 as a forced flower. The leaves are coarse, but the pretty wliite flowers are well 

 adapted for button-hole and other bouquets. Tiie appearance of this old plant as a 

 market flower appears to be of sufficient interest to be placed on record. The 

 flowers remain a long time in perfection, and appear to singular advantage under 

 the influence of artificial light. 



Winter CuocfSEs were retardsd considerably by the severe weather, and did 

 not come into bloom until nearly the end of January. The first to bloom with us 

 were d imperati and C. nivalis, and these were closely followed by C. chri/san- 

 thus. The first and third of these have rich yellow flowers, and those of the other 

 are of a bright bluish purple. In mild seasons the.-.e crocuses present a most 

 cheerful appearance during January, and may with advantage be planted somewhat 

 liberally along the front of borders, within view of the drawing-room windows. 



Msrcb. 



