600 Provincial Horticultural Societies : — 



kale, &c. The fruit and the vegetables, more especially the rhubarb, excited 

 the astonishment of every individual who was at all acquainted with the back- 

 wardness of the spring, or conversant with the details of the kitchen-garden. 

 In connexion with the vegetables shown for competition by subscribers to the 

 Society, we may here mention that the cottagers' prizes attracted general admi- 

 ration, as showing the effects of careful culture alone, imaided by any of the 

 expensive expedients of the art of horticulture. In some articles, the cot- 

 tagers actually excelled the gardeners of our neighbouring gentry. 



The chief object of attraction was the centre tent. Here, some of the 

 choicest specimens of the floral world — choice, both for variety and beauty — 

 had been arranged with great skill by Messrs. Salter and Scammel, of the Victoria 

 Nursery, who had actually covered from their own conservatories the entire 

 half of the stage down the centre of this large saloon, without sending a single 

 plant for competition. These gentlemen have ever acted in the same spirit of 

 generosity towards the Society, and their disinterestedness Is beyond praise. 

 Among their contributions were observed two nev/ cinerarias; two speci- 

 mens of the E'pacris grandiflora in flower, very much larger than they usuallj' 

 grow; a new seedling amaryllis ; and several new camellias. The proprietor 

 of the Durdham Down Nursery had sent a fine basket of very choice seedling 

 pelargoniums ; and also two or three seedlings of adonis. A basket of pelar- 

 goniums, very finely in bloom, considering the time of year, belonging to Mrs. 

 Clement ; and a similar basket from Mrs. Knatchbull, containing a seedling 

 calceolaria, were much admired. C. Batsford, Esq., contributed a fine col- 

 lection of stove and green-house plants ; as well as a specimen of Clianthus 

 puniceus, which was regarded quite as a curiosity, it being in bloom throughout 

 its entire length. From the conservator}' of J. Jarrett, Esq., of Camerton 

 House, a most liberal contributor of rare and splendid exotics to the Society, 

 were remarked, Dendrobium densiflorum, Dendrobiutn fimbriatum, an Azalea 

 sinensis, possessing a splendid yellow blossom ; Andromeda floribunda; Cosme- 

 lia rubra, the blossoms of which exactly resembled drops of liquid blood ; 

 and a costly basket of stove plants. Acacia Juniperina, Cactus Jenkinson?", 

 and a striped seedling amaryllis, were very much prized. Among the contribu- 

 tions of S. Barrow, Esq., was a specimen of jFicus elastica. It excited universal 

 admiration ; it was about 6 ft. high, and the leaves nearly a foot long. Mrs. 

 Knatchbull of Babington contributed very extensively towards the good efl^ect 

 of the exhibition. Among the plants she sent were, a very fine Deutz/a sea- 

 bra ; and a Russelk juncea, which had attained the height of more than 6 ft., 

 and was covered with beautiful scarlet blossoms. We can only specify a few 

 more attractions of the large tent ; a J?hododendron arboreum, the property 

 of H. Nugent, Esq., and a basket of stove and green-house plants, sent by 

 C C. Elwes, Esq., in which it was difficult to decide whether the skill of the 

 cultivator, or the tact of the arranger, was preeminent. Mr. C. Empson sent, 

 for exhibition only, eight specimens, of which we copy the various labels, viz. — 

 1. Drawing of the Victoria regina, copied by permission of Mr. Baxter, of 

 the Botanic Garden, Oxford. 2. Specimen of the wax of which candles 

 are made near Caraccas, South America, the product of a laurel, called by the 

 inhabitants La Sebo. 3. Section of a box tree, from Mount Caucacus, dia- 

 meter 22 in. 4. Various specimens of wood from China, named in Chinese 

 characters, by a native botanist. 5. A pitcher of the A^epenthes distillatoria, 

 from the conservatory of His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, at Chatsworth. 

 6. Section of the Jristolochia sipho. 7. Truffles, recently gathered in Wilt- 

 shire. 8. Transverse sections of the stem of tropical tree ferns, from Aus- 

 tralia, India, and South America. These ferns reach, in tropical regions, to the 

 extraordinary height of 70 or 80 feet, and present the appearance of palms. 

 The circumference of the Australian specimen now sent for exhibition is 5-iin. 

 (Bath Herald, June 9.) 



Weston Annual Geranium Show. — June 13. A very brilliant display. 



Staffordshire. — Uttoxeter Horticultural and Floricultiiral Sociely, — - 

 June 1. The great point of attraction was the exhibition of tulips ; 600 were 



