Devonshire. 591 



and novel feature in the floral exhibition was a collection of no less than 

 twenty-four rare species of Cactus ; two curious specimens of the manita, or 

 hand plant; and two wooden flowers, a very singular formation, resembling a 

 bark, composed apparently of the excrescences of trees ; all of which have 

 lately arrived from Mexico for the gardens of Thomas Downes, Esq. The 

 vegetables were very good : the asparagus and rhubarb produced by Mr. 

 Nash, gardener to J. P. B. Chichester, Esq., M.P., were uncommonly luxu- 

 riant. But in ordinary vegetables, as well as in common fruits, we thought 

 the cottagers far excelled the exhibition in the upper room. In the nursery- 

 men's department, Mr. Veitch more than usually distinguished himself. {North 

 Devon Journal, June 21.) 



Sept. 20. The general show of fruit, flowers, and vegetables was of a very 

 superior description ; indeed, far exceeding what had hitherto been produced 

 in Barnstaple. The room was also beautifully adorned with devices, in addi- 

 tion to the grand display of plants and flowers. On the stand in the centre of 

 the room, appropriated for plants and vegetables, there was a great variety of 

 things deserving notice ; but the Musa coccinea, contributed by the Hon. Newton 

 Fellowes, attracted particular attention. The Society was indebted to Mr. 

 Burge for a splendid device of flowers, representing a crown and the initials 

 V. R., which was very elegant and tasteful. There were several bouquets in 

 the large room and in the cottagers' apartment, exceedingly beautiful. {North 

 Devon Advertiser, Sept. 21.) 



The Royal Devon and Corniuall Horticidtural and Botanical Society. — May 

 17. Among the most rare and beautiful plants exhibited, we may mention the 

 following from Mr. Pontey: — Green-house Plants : Pimelea decussata, with 

 about two thousand trusses of flowers ; Tropae^olum tricolorum, clothing a 

 trellis 9 ft. high and 4 ft. wide, covered with beautiful bloom; Chorozema, 

 E'pacris, Lasiopetalum, Kennedy«, &c., of various species ; Lodsa lateritia, a 

 splendid climber, with beautiful orange flowers hanging gracefully on long pe- 

 duncTes, nicely trained on a wire trellis. [This plant is now found to be quite 

 hardy, and as it ripens its seed abundantlj', will doubtless soon be grown as 

 an annual, in every collection. The only objection is its stinging properties.] 

 Siphocampylos bicolor, a beautiful lobeliaceous shrub, about 5 ft. high, 

 covered with scarlet and yellow flowers ; one of the best conservatory plants 

 known, a free grower, and in bloom nearly all the year [see vol. xiii, p. 362.]. 

 Ferbena, new pink, new scarlet, Arranzaw^, &c., in a group, intermingling their 

 bright rosy and crimson flowers ; Petunia, in almost every variety of shade and 

 colour ; jErica, of this class there were 78 distinct species ; Passiflora kerme- 

 sina, on neat wire trellis. Hot-house plants : Combretum purpureum, 16 ft. high, 

 with its wide spreading branches, covered with flowers, trained along the ceiling 

 above the collection of hot-house plants; Crinum amabile,andCcanaIiculatum, 

 with their large fragrant flowers ; Ery thrina Crista-galli, and E. /aurifolia, a very 

 large specimen, the'single shoots of which measured 7 ft. in length, very strong, 

 and completely clad with flowers and foliage; amongst a superb collection 

 of Cacti were very fine C. Mallissonii and C. splendens, and a splendid col- 

 lection of that curious tribe Mammillaria ; Gesnera Griffithsw, a most beautiful 

 specimen ; Panddnus, or screw pine, a well known plant ; Maxillaria, a new 

 species, resembling M. Harrisonii; Miisa Cavendishii, &c. The pelargoniums 

 were exceedingly brilliant, showing plenty of flowers, and among them many 

 of the newest and most valuable sorts. The florist's flowers, comprising the 

 tulip, anemone, ranunculus, heartsease, iris, ixia, gladiolus, &c., were all ex- 

 ceedingly fine, particularly the tulips. Among the chief objects of attraction 

 at this exhibition, was the superb collection of pelargoniums exhibited by Mr. 

 William Rendle, of the Union Road Nursery, as a decoration to the room, and 

 not for competition, which was admitted to be the most splendid display of 

 that favourite flower ever witnessed in this neighbourhood. The dwarf growth 

 of the plants, combined with the largeness and beauty of the flowers, called 

 forth general admiration. Among the collection (which was very numerous, 

 comprising more than a hundred of the newest varieties in cultivation), was a 



