Exhibitions of Horticultural Societies. 453 



relief "The Bank;'^ the columns were covered with the petals of crim- 

 son dahlias, and the whole was one of the most beautiful fairy produc- 

 tions imaginable. On the opposite side there was an imitation of a tree 

 ten feet high, by D. Maupay, covered with upwards of four thousand 

 flowers of dahlias. On the ends of the branches were perched stuffed 

 birds, of great beauty, and on the top a dozen of the finest plumage ap- 

 parently in the act of perching, which had a fine effect. These artificial 

 productions gave i-elief to the green shrubbery, and had a most pleasing 

 appearance. Over the door of the north or banqueting room was a 

 star of the first magnitude, by S. Reeve, of New Jersey, and was com- 

 posed of dahlias and evergreens. Immediately within the room arose a 

 triangular column sixteen ieet high, constructed l)y the same hand, cov- 

 ered with dahlia flowers. Through the centre of this room ran a stage 

 having three elevations of one foot each; on the first two were displayed 

 a splendid variety of the choicest fruits of the season, tastefully ar- 

 ranged in glass dishes. The top was crowned with fine grapes in pots. 

 This stage was flanked by flowers, plants in pots, and vegetables of the 

 best kinds. Over the door, at the north end, was an imitation of the 

 American eagle, composed of various kinds of flowers, to suit the plum- 

 age, the eye beautifully represented l)y a flower of the Rudbeckza hirta, 

 strongly characteristic of the daring bird; the whole did Mr. Sherwood, 

 the maker, great credit. On entering the room, notwithstanding the de- 

 licious fruits presented, the eye was suddenly arrested bv two enormous 

 pumpkins, one raised by Mr. John Wetherill, of Chalkley Hall, near 

 Franktbrd, measuring in girth eight feet six inches, weighing two hun- 

 dred and thirty-eight pounds; the other by Thornton Comfort, of By- 

 berry, measuring in girth seven feet, weighing one hundred and eighty- 

 eighty pounds: they elicited great surprise. On one of the side tables 

 was the Nepenthes distillatoria, or pitcher plant, from the East Indies, 

 and the first exhibited in this country, being raised from seed by Mr. 

 Buist; on the end of each leaf is a pitcher with a lid, which is elevated 

 and depressed by circumstances; it is certainly one of the strange pro- 

 ductions of nature, and excited much curiosity. Many of the exotics 

 in this room were rare and beautiful; a very large CVinuni amabile in 

 bloom, from the garden of George Pepper, Esq., was justly admired. 



The rooms, when viewed from any point, presented a beautiful per- 

 spective, and it must have been highly gratifying to the Committee of 

 Arrangements to have heard enconiuins every where passed on them 

 by the immense numbers who visited the hall, where the beauty, wealth 

 and intelligence of Philadelphia were largely represented. 



Some only of the finest and rarest plants exhibited are here enume- 

 rated. 



Plants contributed by J. B. Smith, Christian Street. — Astrapse'a 

 Wallichw, mollis, viscosa; Ardisia littoralis, Adans6n^a digitata, Arau- 

 cclria imbricata, Jlnbna tripetala, muricata, squamosa, paliistris; Jlrlca 

 OTioDtana, oleacea, Acrocomia aculcata, I3anksia grandis, verticillata, 

 ericoides, pulchella, Cunninghamr, Beaufortm decussata, Beaumontia 

 grandiflora, Bonaparteajuncea, Brexia serratifolia, integrifolia; Came- 

 rarirt latifolia, Carissa spinarum, C'aryota urens, Catesba-Vi spinosa, Ce- 

 drela odorata, Cerbera Thevetta, Cicca racemosa, Carolinea princeps, 

 Coccoloba uvifera, Cbcos nucifera, Combretum purj)ureum, Corypha 

 speciosa, Cunbnia ca|)ensis, Cycas circinalis, Dillenm speciosa, Dra- 

 Cfe^na ferrea, terminalis, brasiliensis, reflexa, niarginata, australis, dra- 

 co; Hiira crepitans, Jacardnda filicifolia, Jacquinza, Jatropha multifida, 

 Ciircas, Mdnihot: Lataiiia borbonica, Laiirus Camphbra, Lawsonia 

 inermis, Livistonia mauritania[?], Lmonia tritbliata, pontaphylla; Jl/yr- 

 tus Pimenta, acris; Panddnus titilis, spiralis; Parkinsonm aculeata, 

 PhcE^nix dactylifera, reclinkta; Poinci<i7ja pulcherrima, Pbthos crassi- 



