Notes and Glcanhigs. 229 



in August, 1S67, the other in May, 1868, as copied from the proposal : " Miss 

 Watson, of robust growth, compact habit, and easy cultivation ; flower a lively 

 salmon-color ; fine large truss ; leaves superbly colored with deej^-red and chest- 

 nut zone and sulphur edge ; retail price in August, 1867, two pounds and two 

 shillings." " Mrs. Dix, yellow edge ; olive-and-bronze zone, breaking into bold 

 bars of clear brick-red (the red of wet bricks) ; the disk dull green ; leaves round 

 and flat ; the plant compact and dense ; to be sent out in May, 1868, at thirty-one 

 shillings and sixpence." When it is remembered that the price of which the 

 first of these above-named varieties was offered is, in American currency, about 

 fifteen dollars, and that of the second about eleven dollars, it shows, I think, that 

 these varieties are very much in vogue, and highly esteemed ; or else that the pro- 

 prietor must count upon the facility with which amateurs are gulled into the pur- 

 chase of new things. The azaleas were fine plants, of a regular conical, perhaps 

 I might say rather of a pine-apple shape ; so covered with blossoms, that scarcely 

 any thing else could be seen ; so that a plant of the scarlet variety seemed to be, 

 as it were, a blazing bush when looked at from a little distance. Of the flowers 

 of the plants of the lily-tribe that were exhibited, I shall say but little. Many of 

 them were very fine, and many were new to me. And so, too, of some plants that 

 were said to be entirely new. Of both of these, my recollections are too vague to 

 permit me to attempt to specify or describe any ; if I did, very probably my at- 

 tempts would be failures or erroneous : and all except the statement of their exhi- 

 bition, I feel, had better be omitted. My impression of the show was, that it was 

 a fine one, and that it must have been satisfactory to those who originated it ; and 

 it was with surprise that I subsequently read in " The Times " an article whose 

 writer took a different view, but rather, as I think, expressing dissatisfaction 

 with the extent of the show than with the articles exhibited. 



On the 4th of June, there was a Flower Show by the Horticultural Society at 

 their garden in South Kensington. This was in the open air, under a tent, in a 

 part of the garden, where, from a circular, level place, the ground, sloping upwards 

 on three sides, formed a kind of natural amphitheatre, that permitted an advan- 

 tageous display of the plants. This exhibition was, in its general characteristics, 

 very similar to that at the Crystal Palace. The roses, though not very numer- 

 ous, were superb, and the geraniums and azaleas very fine. Besides these, there 

 were numerous other plants of various kinds, collections of heaths, and many 

 plants of variegated foliage. But what struck me most was a show of pansies. I 

 am afraid that I shall be thought to use too extravagant terms ; but I must say that 

 these pansies were to me magnificent, — such as I had never before seen. They 

 were very large ; their petals thick, like a piece of velvet, that, when laid flat, 

 formed a perfect circle. The prevailing colors were yellow, purple, and white, 

 with purple eyes and marking. These flowers have always been particular 

 favorites with me : but such as these I had never seen, or indeed imagined ; and 

 I was glad to see in what perfection they could be produced by skill, combined 

 with, perhaps, other favorable conditions. Besides the flowers, there was at this 

 exhibition about a hundred cots of strawberries, with trusses of fine berries ; 

 a few very fine peaches and nectarines, and grapes both black or purple-and- 

 white. The Black Hamburgs were large bunches with large berries, but not 



