636 Provincial Hort. Societies : — Ayrshire, 



from the anniversary speech of one of our Honorary Presidents, Earl Stanhope, delivered at the 

 meeting of the Medico-Botanical Society of London, in January last : — 



" ' He (Senhor Maldonado) confirms the statement which we had previously received respecting 

 the efficacy of the Mikanz'a Guaco, as an antidote against the bite of serpents ; and this very 

 important fact was originally discovered by mere accident, in remarking that a bird, called the 

 Guaco, which had been bitten by one of them, flew to the plant, and after rubbing itself upon the 

 leaves, returned back to attack the reptile. This affords an additional proof of the great benefit 

 to be derived from an attentive observation of the works of nature, which are no less instructive 

 than interesting. So impressed is the author with the utility of this plant that he has employed 

 five acres of land in its cultivation. The plant might, as he very properly suggests, be tried as an 

 antidote in Europe against the bite of vipers ; and he thinks that its best preparation would be in 

 the form of an extract. Nor is this the only virtue, valuable as it is, which is ascribed to the 

 Mikan ia Guaco ; for it appears, by the statement of the author, that an infusion of the leaves in 

 water is very beneficial in cases of diarrhoea, and that, by taking internally a decoction of the 

 leaves, and by using it also as a bath, three persons recovered, in a very short time, the use of 

 their limbs, of which they had been deprived, during seven or eight months, in two cases by 

 rheumatism, and in the other by palsy. He states that it has been found to be very useful in the 

 cure of fevers, for which he particularly recommends a mixture, in equal quantities of the Mi- 

 kam'a Guaco, of the Donna annita, of the Bacquey, and of the Ponosi, reduced to powder ; and of 

 this mixture a scruple is boiled in a cupful of water, and taken morning and evening. A single 

 dose of this remedy cured two other patients, although, in all the four cases, the sulphate of 

 quinine had been given without effect' " 



On conclusion of this address the Chairman read the following prize list : — 



Plants and Ftowers. Hot-house or Stove Climber : Passifldra ali-ita, Mr. Pontey. Stove Shrub : 

 Astrapse^a WaHiclw, Mr. Pontey. Stove Bulbous Plant : Pancratium ovatum, J. Norman, Esq. 

 Stove Succulent Plant: Cotyledon orbiculata, C. Home, Esq, Stoke; Celbsia cristata (six 

 potted tender annuals), Mr. Pontey. Ericas (not less than six), Mr. Pontey. Australian Plants 

 (not less than six), Mr. Pontey. Twelve Roses of sorts in a Bouquet, Mr. Brown. Six Carnations 

 of sorts, Mr. Paul, Saltash. Twelve Georginas of sorts, Mr Pontey. SixG. anemoneflora, Mr. 

 Saunders. — Fruit. Pine-apple : 1. Mr. Sharland, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, 

 Werrington ; 2. Mr. Crawford, gardener to Lady Molesworth, Pencarrow. Bunch of Grapes 

 (flavour) : 1. Mr. Saunders, gardener to E. P. Bastard, Esq., Kitley ; 2. Mr. Ellis, gardener to 

 J. C. Bulteel, Esq., Lyneham. Largest-berried, Mr. Saunders. Peaches, R. Bromley, Esq., | 

 Stoke. Apricots, Mr. Roberts, gardener to Commissioner Ross. Highest-flavoured Melon : 1. 

 Mr. Saunders ; 2. Mr. Sharland. Citrons, Lemons, Oranges, and Limes, Mr. Saunders. Pears 

 (of this year's growth), Mr. Jackson, Beer. Apples (of this year's growth), Mr. Sims, gardener to 

 the Rev. W. Radclifte, Warleigh ; of last year's growth, Mr. Ellis, gardener to J. Bulteel, Esq., 

 Fleet. Plums, Mr. Brown, Tamerton. Cherries, j Mr. Ellis, gardener to Captain Morshead, 

 Widey. Twelve largest Gooseberries: 1. Mr. Paul, [Saltash ; 2. Mr. Barrett, Morice Town. 

 Best-flavoured Gooseberries, Mr. Brown. Heaviest Thirty Bunches of "White Currants, of Red 

 Currants, and Black Currants (one pint), Mr. Ellis, Fleet. White Raspberries (one pint), Red 

 (one pint), Mr. Brown. Strawberries: 1. Mr. Ellis, Widey ; 2. Mr. Ellis, Lyneham. — Culinary 

 Vegetables. Three Cauliflowers, Mr. Ellis, Widey. Kidneybeans (Dwarfs), Mr. Roberts, Dock- 

 yard. Brace of Cucumbers (grown on ridges), Mr. Roberts. Six Cos Lettuces, Mr. Webb, gar- 

 dener, Penny-come-quick. Six Cabbage Lettuces, Mr. Webb. 



Cottagers' Prizes. Three Roses of sorts, Mr. Potam, Devonport. Three Carnations, Mr. 

 F. Wood, Plymouth. Three Picotees, Mr. Potam. Three Georginas, Mr. John Jarman, Ply- 

 mouth. Bouquet of Stocks, Mr. Potam. Bouquet of Hardy Flowers, Mr. Jarman. Basket 

 of Vegetables! (not less than six sorts), Mr. Stapleton, Compton. Carrots, Mr. Wood. Potato 

 Onions, Mr. Potam. Gooseberries, Mr. Wood. Largest Gooseberries, Mr. Jarman. 



Extra-Prizes. Plants and Flowers. Bouquet of Poppies, C Home, Esq., Stoke. Celbsia cristata, 

 Mr. Manning. — Fruit. Pine-apple : 1. Mr. Sharland ; 2. Mr. Keane, gardener to E. Tolcher, 

 Esq., Ridgeway. Grapes: Mr. Buge, gardener to Rev. J. Lane, Coffleet ; T. Holberton, Esq., 

 Yealmpton ; R. Bromley, Esq. ; and Mr Ellis, Lvneham. Rock Melon, Mr. Roberts, Dockyard, 

 and Mr. Sharland. Mayduke Cherries, T. Holberton, Esq. Morello : 1. Mr. Paul, Saltash ; 

 2. Mr. Barrett. Citrons, Mr. Burge, Coffleet. — Culinary Vegetables. Fine Head of Cape Broc- 

 coli, Mr. Edmunds, gardener to C. Calmady, Esq., Langdon. Bunch of Altringham Carrots, 

 Mr. Webb. Bunch of Horn Carrots, Mr. Manning, gardener to Admiral Sir Manley Dixon. 

 Bunch of White Spanish Onions, Mr. Sharland. — Cottagers' Prizes. Seedling Geranium, Mr. 

 Herring, warder in the Dockyard. Carnations, Mr. Potam. 



Judges: — Plants and flowers, E. W. Churchill, Esq. Royal Marines, R. Luscombe, Esq., and 

 Mr. Kanes. Fruit, J. H. Luscombe, Esq., D. Little, Esq., and Mr. Kerr. Culinary Vegetables, R. 

 Bromley, Esq., Mr. Brown, and Mr. Cummins. Cottagers' Prizes, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Bennett, 

 and Mr. Sharland. 



Among the plants from Pontey's nursery, besides the P'lta and Guaco, noticed in the Secretary's 

 address, we observed the following : — Passiflbra alata, with beautiful flowers ; .Erica viridiflbra, 

 furnishing a rare instance of a plant with truly green flowers ; E. Savileuraa, ampullacea, Ixhy ana, 

 and many others. Thunbergza alata, Combretum purpureum, Dryandra nervosa, D. formbsa, 

 and several sorts of Gloxinias and Dracsnas ; Canna bicolor, C. glauca, C^rbera fruticbsa, Phyl- 

 lanthus latifdlius, falcatus, and others ; Chamse v rops Palmetto, Tamarindus indica, RuellzVz Sabin?', 

 Pergularia odoratissima, with its highly-scented flowers, Quisqualis indicus, Vincas of sorts, 

 Calanthe weratrifblia, Gloribsa superba, Maurandya Barclaydwa, Salvia involucrata, Perbena 

 Mellndres and others ; Pelargoniums in great variety ; several sorts of Acacias, Amaranthus, 

 Crassulas, Lechenaultias, Calceolarias ; a beautiful display of cockscombs, balsams, and globes, 

 of different colours ; a great variety of Russian and Prussian stocks. 



S. Fuge, Esq., furnished some fine Georginas, in pots, and several beautiful exotics ; J. Norman, 

 Esq., some fine Pancratiums, Crinums, and orange trees with fruit; and C. Home, Esq., a great 

 variety of plants. To Captain Morshead of Widey, the Society is indebted for the quantity of 

 evergreens and flowers which he contributed towards the decoration of the room, as well as to 

 Mr. Brown of Tamerton, for his beautiful bouquets, which attracted particular notice. (Ply- 

 mouth Journal, July 29.) 



AYRSHIRE. 



The Ayrshire Green-house Society. — Kilmarnock, June 24. The different 

 competitors stood as under : — 



