290 THE METROPOLITAN FLORAL EXHIBITIONS. 



2. PETASOSTYLIS NIGRESCENS.— (Black-vi.owered.) 

 It was first discovered by Schiede at Papantla, in Mexico. Mr. 

 Skinner, since then, found it in Guatemala. It appears to be a 

 biennial plant, growing and blooming very freely in tbe greenhouse. 

 It produces an upright stern, scarcely branched for half a-yard 

 high, which terminate in a large, much branched panicle, two to 

 three feet high. The graceful, dark, drooping flowers give a very 

 interesting appearance, and continue for several months. The blos- 

 soms on the plant our drawing was taken from, it appears, were not 

 grown to so perfect a state, although it was exhibited at the Chiswick 

 Show; as we have seen it since with flowers upwards of double the 

 size. It is so peculiarly interesting as to deserve a place in every 

 greenhouse. It strikes readily from cuttings, and has produced seed, 

 too, in this country. 



ARTICLE II. 



THE METROPOLITAN FLORAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Metropolitan Floricultural Society, September 25. 

 ( Concluded from p. 270.) 

 Some observations upon the Seedling Dahlias only remain to com- 

 plete our account of this exhibition. 



The prizes awarded to seedlings at this meeting is, generally 

 speaking, regarded as a tolerable guide to the purchaser; but it is 

 to be considered that even there a difficulty is sometimes likely to 

 arise in finding proper judges, because most of the best growers are 

 themselves exhibitors of seedlings, and consequently precluded from 

 acting, — who, on looking at a flower, duly bear in mind and con- 

 sider all it ought to be. A kind new in colour, of remarkable shades, 

 or brilliant lacing, is almost sure to confine the judgment of many. 

 It is true, novelty in colour is entitled to some preference, and as all 

 the points of perfection cannot be attained at once, it mrty be allowed 

 to rank with letter-shaped flowers until another, of the same colour, 

 having an improved shape, is obtained to displace it. At the present 

 da}-, in stands placed for competition, such flowers as Grand Tourna- 

 ment (Union), Princess Royal (Hudson), or Cleopatra (Attwell), 

 claim to be placed side by side with Beeswing (Drurnmond), Non- 



