Retrospective Criticism. 431 



Waterhousiawa, elegans Newmam'i, and splendens. Several very beautiful spe- 

 cimens of Cactus appeared on the stage, chiefly speciosissima and Jenkinsonw, 

 and premiums were voted to Mr. Brewster, Balcarres, and to Mr. John Gow, 

 Tulliallan. But there was no competition in tropical orchidaceous plants, the 

 culture of those curious and lovely epiphytes, so abundant in the collections 

 of Loddiges at Hackney, and Rollisson at Tooting, not being yet sufficiently 

 general among private cultivators in Scotland. 



Several very superb bouquets of cut flowers adorned the tents ; and pre- 

 miums were awarded for them to Mr. Rintoul, Whittingham ; Mr. Brewster, 

 Balcarres ; and Mr. William Smith, MountLodge, Portobello. 



The specimens of fruit were not numerous, but excellent of their kind. The 

 silver medal was voted to Mr. Robert Watson, gardener to David Anderson, 

 Esq., of Moredun, for beautiful peaches and nectarines, and white, black, and 

 grisly Frontignan grapes ; and premiums to Mr. William Cuthbertson, gardener 

 to the Earl of Roseberry, Dalmeny Park, for well-ripened figs; and to Mr. 

 Charles Kay, gardener to James Dundas, Esq., of Dundas Castle, for black 

 Hamburg and white muscadine grapes. 



Numerous fine plants were sent for exhibition only, and some of these formed, 

 indeed, the chief ornaments of the show stage. A large orange tree, profusely 

 covered with fruit, and several magnificent Cape heaths, were from the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, which alone, indeed, could afford such noble specimens. Ex- 

 tensive collections of rare greendiouse plants, and the most showy geraniums, 

 exceeding fifty in number, were from Messrs. Dickson and Company's Leith 

 Walk Nurseries. Messrs. Eagle and Henderson also contributed some fine 

 plants ; as did likewise Messrs. T. and W. Handasyde of Fisherrow, and Mr. 

 Niven of the Hillside Gardens. The private contributors of plants were Pro- 

 fessor Dunbar, Rose Park, who sent an Azalea indiea alba, forming a large 

 bush, and completely clothed with its pure white blossoms, so as to excite 

 general admiration ; Thomas Hay, Esq., Prospect Bank, who sent choice pe- 

 largoniums ; and also Mr. Macnaughton, Edmondstone Garden ; John Hen- 

 derson, Esq., Trinity ; and Dr. Neill, Canonmills, who contributed general 

 collections of green-house and stove plants. 



The whole grounds were in the highest state of keeping, evincing the 

 excellent management of the garden superintendant, Mr. James M'Nab. — 

 P.N. 



Art. V. Retrospective Criticism. 



Lo A^s A lateritia. — At p. 139. vol. xiv. of the Gardener's Magazine, it is 

 stated that Lodsa lateritia is an annual in its native country ; and this year the 

 Horticultural Society of London have distributed packets of the seeds of this 

 plant, also describing it as an annual. With me it is decidedly perennial ; as 

 my old plant, which flowered and ripened abundance of seed last year, is now 

 growing stronger in the green-house than autumn-sown plants in the stove. 

 It will also be much earlier in flower, as is commonly the case, than the 

 younger plants. 



At the show at the Horticultural Gardens on the 11th of last July a speci- 

 men of this plant was exhibited, and received a prize as Lodsa aurantiaca. (See 

 Gardener's Magazine, vol. xiv. p. 400.) I was sorry to observe this at the 

 time, as I think the Society ought to adhere rigidly to the proper names of 

 exhibited plants, in order, in some sort, to supply a standard for practical men 

 to go by. This multiplication of names, now so common and so reprehensible, 

 is a very serious evil to young gardeners, and also deters many, in all ranks of 

 society, from the botanical study of plants, by the confusion it creates. The 

 genus Ferbena is very much involved in this absurd practice ; and the present 

 season is adding another instance, if not more, to the already long catalogue. 

 — A Young Subscriber. May 16. 1839. 



Ceandthus collinus. — Erratum. In p. 231., the paragraph placed under 



