Horticultural Society and Garden. 343 



secretary observed that the latter was a very distinct sort of pine to that com- 

 monly called the Ripley, and indeed it differed little in external appearance 

 from the old queen pine Specimens in flower of the following plants 

 were exhibited : Yellow-flowered and white-flowered rosa Banksiae ; the 

 three-leaved China rose, more commonly known by the name of the 

 Cherokee rose, Rosa sinica ,• Pyrus grandiflora ; Pyrus floribunda ; Genista 

 decumbens; Spartium scoparium and spinosum ; Oncidium pumilum; 

 Pancratium illyricum; Cytisus purpureus and supinus; four sorts of 

 wall-flower, and various sorts of tulips and paeonies; but the most con- 

 spicuous object was a specimen of the Carolinea insignis, from the 

 stove of Messrs. Loddiges, a fine plant from the Spanish West Indies. 



June 6th. The first paper read was on the cultivation of plants in live 

 moss by Mr. Street, gardener at Biel, Haddingtonshire. Mr. S. collects 

 plants of sphagnum and other mosses, sometimes paring off a little of 

 the surface in which they grow, and mixing it with them. In pots of 

 this mixture, Mr. S. finds marsh plants, such as canna, hydrangea, 

 and a great many other genera, grow remarkably well; bulbs did not 

 succeed very well in it, though crocus flowered freely; cuttings, such as those 

 of aucuba, and other genera, struck root in it. The advantages of this 

 mode of culture are said to be neatness of appearance and no crumbling 

 of earth and dirt in moving the pots, watering the plants, or turning out 

 the balls to examine the roots. A similar practice has been carried to a 

 certain extent, by Mr. Sweet, Mr. Shepherd of Liverpool, and especially 

 by our much -esteemed correspondent Mr. Archibald. (See p. 255.) 



The next paper was on the different varieties of the tree Peeonia, by 

 the Secretary; and the last on the infancy of vegetation, by a foreign 

 writer . 



The articles exhibited were, Vanack cabbage, Pseonia albiflora Whitleiji, 

 Rosa Boursault, various double Scotch roses, twenty-three varieties 

 of Azalea pontica, and above twelve species and varieties of Rhododen- 

 dron, by Mr. Lee; eight species of iris; six varieties of Viola tricolor ; 

 Drummond's thornless rose, which has been in flower for a month ; 

 double scarlet anemones; double garden ranunculuses; the yellow Scotch 

 rose, from a plant obtained last year from Paris ; Lonicera flava, &c. from the 

 garden of the Society; Gloriosa superba, from Sir Charles Hulse; Brassia 

 caudata, Quisqualis Indica, Zephyranthes grandiflora, the Sir Abraham 

 Hume geranium, and some other geraniums and plants, by different 

 individuals. 



The fruits tasted were, a queen pine, some peaches and nectarines, cher- 

 ries and strawberries, and a fruit of Xanthochymus pictorius,from the garden 

 of Mrs. Beaumont at Bretton Hall, being the first time the plant has 

 ripened its fruit in this country. It had an acid taste, by no means 

 agreeable. 



A thrust-hoe was exhibited by Mr. Knight of Clapton; it differs from the 



common Dutch or thrust-hoe in having 02 



a sharp edge behind as well as before, 



and in having the edge of the fore-part 



of a pointed form (in the way of Jig. 62.). 



Mr. Knight has very properly instructed 



and authorized a respectable manufacturer to introduce them for general 



sale. The seeds given away were yellow savoy, and green chard beet. 



The following notice was read by one of the secretaries : 



Sale of Garden Produce. — "The Committee have directed that in future all 

 such fruits and choice esculent vegetables as shall remain at the Garden after 

 the supply of specimens for examples, and for exhibition at the meetings of the' 

 Society, shall be disposed of to the Fellows of the Society, or to persons recom- 

 mended by them, in the following manner: — A list of such articles as can be 

 disposed of, with moderate prices for the same annexed, shall be sent daily 



