160 NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 



bition I had seen ; and that all the exhibitors and members, with one 

 exception, were perfect strangers to me. I neither knew nor cared 

 who were to be the judges ; they were appointed by the committee, with 

 which I had nothing to do, as I was not then a member of the society. 



However, as so much boast has been made of the great superiority 

 of tbe northern flowers over the southern, though I believe Mr. Slater 

 has claimed a victory for Chadwick's Brilliant show flower (at tbe 

 London Flori cultural Show last year), which Mr. Headley informed 

 me was won by my Queen of Scarlets, yet I should wish, and I 

 hereby challenge, Mr. Slater to meet me at the next July sbow at 

 the Surrey Zoological Gardens, and bring blooms of his finest 

 northern Scarlet Bizarres and pit them against south country ones, 

 either one or three blooms of each flower, and let us have a sweep- 

 stakes, the best flower to take the prize and honour. There are as 

 good in the metropolis as any in the world ; and let the committee 

 appoint three amateurs, or three other judges, who have no interest 

 in the matter. I will be there, if alive and well, with blooms of rny 

 Don John, and shall be right glad to see Mr. S. with his northern 

 flowers ; but I will just whisper to him not to bring any eight- 

 petalled blooms, as they will not do in London, or any where but in 

 the north. 



[Our object in introducing the subject was with a view to obtain 

 more general information on the merits of the flowers named, so as 

 to be a more certain guide for purchasers. — Conductor.] 



PART II. 

 LIST OF NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 



Dendrobium taurinam. Bull-headed. (Bot. Reg. 28.) Orcliidaceap. Gy- 

 nandria Monandria. Sent from Manilla by Mr. Cuming to Messrs. Loddiges, 

 with whom it has bloomed. The sepals of a yellowish green, petals twisted, 

 long, of a deep purple. Lip pale purple. Each flower is about three inches across. 



Barnadesia rosea. Rose-coloured. (Bot. Reg. 29.) Composite. Syn- 

 genesia Polygamia. A spiny, bushy, greenhouse plant, a native of South 

 America. It has bloomed in the collection at Sion-house Gardens. The flowers 

 are produced in circular spikes, but only a few at the summit expand at the 

 same time, gradually blooming to the base ; the head, when expanded, is a little 

 more than an inch across. The blossoms are of a rosy-red colour. 



Comarastaphylis arbutoides. Arbutus-like Gritberry. (Bot. Reg. 30.) 

 Ericaces. Decandria Monogynia. Sent from Guatemala by Mr. Hartweg to 

 tbe London Horticultural Society, in whose garden at Chiswick it bloomed la<>t 

 October, and again commenced blooming in May of the present year. It has 



