Foreign J\'otices. 349 



The best Geranium. — Diomede — Mr. Widnall. 



Seedling Geraniums. — Hudson's Don Giovanni; second secdiincr, 

 (not named) Mr. Widnall. 



Best four Geraniums. — Mr. Widnall's prize, viz. Lucidum, Grand 

 Sultan, Sir John Broughton, and Hector. 



Best two Geraniums. — Mr. Widnall's prize, viz. Gem and Perfection. 



Sir Abraham Hume''s collection of Plants. — The whole of this exten- 

 sive, rare and valuable collection of plants, embracing some remarkable 

 specimens, was disposed of at auction the -Zld of June last. The orange 

 trees, camellias, &c. are probabh^ the oldest in the kingdom. Nearly 

 half a century has elapsed since the late Sir Abraham commenced mak- 

 ing this collection, {Hort. Jour.) 



Victoria Rhubarb. — Mr. Wyatt, of Deptford, exhibited, at a meet- 

 ing of the Horticultural Society, June 5, a bundle of Victoria rhubarb, 

 consisting of twelve stalks, which weighed forty-six pounds, each two 

 feet eight inches long, and six inches in circumference. A Knightian 

 medal was awarded for this. (Id.) 



Annual Tulip Shoiv at Hampton.— li he following account of the an- 

 niversary meeting of all the principal tulip fmciers, with the remarks 

 upon the properties of blooms, we think will be found interesting: — 



This anniversary, which is a sort of a mustering day for the old and 

 young tulip fanciers, was, in point of weather, the most unfavorable we 

 have had some years, and yet there was a goodly meeting. The flowers 

 were not of first-rate quality. The numerous blooms that have receiv- 

 ed injury from frost almost defied the cutting of a dozen in any thiu'^" 

 like order for showing. The only stands pro(biced for her Majesty the 

 Dowager Queen's plate, were those of Mr. Holmes, Mr. Glenny, and 

 Mr. Strong; and such was the scarcity of flowers, that one in the win- 

 ning stand was only half bloomed. Even the great first condition, that 

 the bottom of the flower shall be without a stain, was violated fj-om 

 necessity, as the grower doubtless did his best, though he could not ex- 

 hibit what he had not got. Those who cut their flowers, calculating 

 upon the absolute necessity of complying with one condition as a fixed 

 principle, cut under a disadvantage, having to leave beautiful flowers, 

 which had not come to perfection of color, behind them, and being re- 

 stricted to those already blown out, and suffered accordingly. In the 

 competition for the silver cups, nine blooms Avere exhibited by Messi's. 

 Lawrence, Brown, V/ilmer, Strong, and Lovegrove; and here Mr. Law- 

 rence, for the third time, beat the field, but having received the first cup 

 within the prescribed time, was restricted by the rules to a large silver 

 medal on which the fact is engraved. 



The anomaly of judging the two classes upon two distinct and differ- 

 ent principles presented itself — the stained-bottomed flowers being at 

 once thrown out among the stands of nine. The blemishes of tulips 

 were divided by the Metropolitan Society into two classes; and these 

 two classes were always understood l)y the Society to be the guide by 

 which flowers were to be judged. The blemishes which have long since 

 been determined to disqualify a flower altogether, are — 

 A stained bottom. 

 A split petal. 



More or less than six petals. 

 A blighted petal. 



The presence of a wrong number of each class of flowers in a stand, 

 would disqualify the stand; all other blemishes, such as badly marked 

 flowers, flushed flowers, flowers which quarter, &.c. &c., tell against a 

 stand, but only tlirow it lower down in the ])lacing of the stands for 

 prizes. These principles were abandoned in judging the flowers for 

 the Q,ueen's plate, but maintained in judging for the Society's cups. It 



