BRIEF REMARKS. 207 



A Certificate of excellence was awarded. — S'wandown, from Mr. 

 Turner. It has been previously noticed. A Certificate was awarded. 

 — Pandora, Mr. Hunt's. An excellent variety. — Hunt's Rotunda and 

 Turner's Black Diamond are defective in size. 



Verbena. — Orlando, from Mr. Smith. A blue lilac, flowers of 

 medium size. A Certificate awarded. 



Pelargonium. — Attraction, from Mr. Turner. A bright-coloured 

 variety ; likely to be useful as a showy kind for the market. 



Gloxinia alba grandijlora, from Mr. E. G-. Henderson, also G. 

 grandis, very fine ; and Escholzea alba, a white variety. 



Meeting held on July 10. — On this occasion there was a large 

 attendance, and the following flowers had awards : — 



Picotees. — Cassandra, petals of good substance, but scolloped, 

 which disfigures it so as to be worthless. — Diadem, a large flower, 

 heavy edged ; but its bars and spots are striking blemishes. 



Pink. — Titus, from Mr. Edwards. A large flower, very showy. 



Gladiolus Rosamondii, from Mr. Staines. A brilliant scarlet, with 

 white ribs. Very pretty. 



Fuchsias. — Diamond. The sepals reflex very much, and fully ex- 

 hibit the large corolla. A pretty addition. — V Elegant. Tube and 

 sepals white, with deep pink corolla. Not equal to some others out. 



Verbena. — National. Flowers a dull red, but a good trusser. 



Purple Rival was recommended. 



There were a number of other plants and flowers exhibited; but they 

 were not equal to many others previously sold out. 



Staines Horticultural Society. — The recent exhibition 01 

 plants, &c, was a considerable advance upon previous ones, and highly 

 creditable to all concerned. The best-grown Balsams we have seen for 

 some years were exhibited ; the plants were robust, in fine bloom, 

 about as broad as high, and the varieties excellent. The second-best 

 grown six were all alike as to variety ; and it being stated in the schedule 

 six varieties, plants of less merit as to management obtained the prize. 

 Pelargoniums, Roses, collections of Greenhouse and Stove Plants, as 

 well as Florists' Flowers, were of excellent character. 



Picotee Seeds. — Having in the year 1847 saved more Picotee seed 

 than I could conveniently sow the succeeding season, I tried the fol- 

 lowing experiments, with the view of ascertaining if I could preserve 

 its vitality for some years : — I dried some river-sand in an oven ; when 

 cold, I mixed some of it with the seed, and filled a small phial with 

 the mixture, corking it down tight, wrapped it in paper, and placed it 

 in a drawer. This season I entrusted it to a friend to sow, and I un- 

 derstand that he has obtained a crop of fine healthy plants. I took the 

 hint from having learned, some time back, that earth raised many feet 

 from the surface, on being exposed to the action of the atmosphere, 

 had produced several plants of new varieties ; it therefore struck me 

 that, if I could exclude the air, light, and moisture from the seed, 

 it might probably retain its vitality, and I think the experiment 

 has verified the correctness of my idea. — C. N. R. (Gardeners' 

 Chronicle.) 



Roses. — The following Roses were budded and grafted on the 



