March 28, I860. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICITLTXJEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



249 



rooting out of prejudices and narrow-mindedness, by so 

 ^eatly enlarging the field of our vision and our intercourse. 

 Then there is the noble building, proof of private mnniflcence 

 and corporate liberality, appropriated to the instructive 

 museum and the spacious library and reading-room open 

 to all classes ,- and, lastly, there is the gorgeous St. George's 

 Hall, devoted to the means of expanding heart and mind, 

 opening up to many new sources of interest, and impressing 

 all with proofs of the goodness of the Creator, in scattering 

 with liberal hand the elements not only of the necessary and 

 the useful, but also of the sweet and the beautiful. To 

 whom are the inhabitants of Liverpool indebted for this last- 

 named source of enjoyment? Without undervaluing other 

 agencies, we say advisedly, chiefly are they indebted to the 

 simple-mannered, clear-headed, warm-hearted, and hard- 

 handed gardeners. A gentleman lately has raised some 

 commotion by publicly stating that there were no great 

 horticulturists now. It was, no doubt, a slip of the tongue, 

 and some of us who make slips with tongue and pen, should 

 be generous in such matters. St. George's Hall showed no 

 proofs of retrogression. Great men lived before, but greater 

 men and great^sr gardeners have lived since the times of 

 Agamemnon. If there are now fewer towering trees among 

 the surrounding brushwood, it is because the once brush- 

 wood has been cultivated to rival the trees in their goodly 

 proportions. The possessor and the manager of the 

 gardens connected with princely mansions and baronial haUs, 

 may not stand alone in intellect and genius; but it is 

 'because equal genius and intelligence are possessed, united 

 with untiring industry, among the managers of tlte gardens 

 connected with the viUas of the merchant and the trades- 

 man. It would be well if such capabilities united with ster- 

 ling honesty were more generally appreciated. Even now, 

 however, every gardener wields a power for conferring 

 pleasure and happiness, and power of all kinds is best asso- 

 ciated with felt responsibility. Lite all people who live 

 much alone, we are apt insensibly to become prejudiced and 

 narrow-minded. Surely those who are recognised as the 

 means of imparting so much pleasure to others, may well 

 strive earnestly to rub off all those jutting angularities that 

 a kind of seclusion is so apt to engender, and thus endeavour 

 to become as distinguished for breadth of view and ex- 

 pansion of ideas, as for that kindness of heart which has 

 hitherto characterised the brotherhood. The more men thus 

 secure their own self-respect, a very different thing from 

 puffed-up self-esteem, the more will they command and 

 receive the respect of others. — E. F. 



E0Y.1L HORTICULTUPvAL SOCIETY. 

 Floral Cousiittee, March 21st. — The second meeting of 

 this year was held at South Kensington on Tuesday last. 

 The plants sent for examination were numerous and in- 

 teresting. The collections of plants exhibited by several 

 nurserymen and others were very excellent, and a great 

 many certificates were awarded. Mr. Teitch gent several 

 new and rare plants ; the following were distinguished by 

 first-class certificates : — Ureeolina aurea, a greenhouse bulb, 

 the plant unhke any we have seen before, producing large, 

 thick, oval, green leaves, and a cluster of bright^yellow 

 drooping flowers, which ai-e tipped with green, with a' white 

 margin ; Rhododendron Princess Helena, sweet-scented, 

 delicate, rose-coloured flowers, one of the hybrids between 

 Jasminiflorum and an unknown species ; 'Siphocampylus 

 species, a new climber, with bright purplish crimson flowers, 

 promismg to be very useful and ornamental— (we did not 

 learn whether this was a stove or greenhouse plant ; if the 

 latter it will speedily find its wav among numerous ad- 

 mirers') ;— a new distinct tree Fern,'Dicksonia Toungii ; and 

 Lomaria L'Herminieri, a beautiful Fern ; the young fronds, 

 which spring from the centre of the plant, are of a pale red 

 fant, which, sm-rounded by the green mature fronds, make 

 it very conspicuous. Special certificates were awarded to 

 plants from the same firm, comprising a beautiful Cypripe- 

 dium Lowii; a very fine specimen of Cephalotus follicularis, 

 growmg from one crown, an extraordinary example of good 

 cultivation; also a fine collection of plants containing a 

 well-grown specimen of Azalea Queen Victoria, Lycaste 

 faki^^eri. Acacia Drummondi microphyllum (which we hope 



to see again), Anthurium Scherzerianum, Cymbidium ebur- 

 neum, and othei-s. A. label of commendation was given to 

 a new Peperomia, with bright green foliage. 



Jlr. Bull sent a new Palm, a very beautiful specimen 

 Brahea dulcis. which was awarded a first-class certificate-, 

 and Lomatia elegantissima. a pretty finely-cut-leaved green- 

 house plant, which, in 1SG4, received a second-class certifi- 

 cate, was now awarded a first-class. Second-class certificates 

 were given to Eteagnus japonicus aureo-marginatus, a useful 

 hardy ornamental shrub for covering a wall ; Arisffima 

 ringens purpuratum, a carious form of the Arum family, dif- 

 fering from Arisfema ringens in its purple stem. Mr. Bull 

 also sent Elaeagnus japonicus albo-variegatus ; Elsagnus 

 japonicus reflexus variegatus ; Camellia Prince Camille, a 

 deep rose imbricated flower, of excellent form ; Camellia 

 Comtesse de Gonda, the flower not open ; Nephrodium molle 

 cristatum, and Anthurium angustioranum. A collection 

 of plants, consisting of Imautophyllums, Dracfenas, &c., 

 received a special certificate. 



Mr. Parker. Tooting, exhibited his seedling Ehododendron, 

 Countess of Haddington, which received a first-class certi- 

 ficate in 1864. Messrs. 'Windebauk & Kingsbury, sent a 

 very choice collection of Primula sinensis, double and single- 

 flowering, the four selected received a first-class certificate. 

 These were — Glen Eyre, a fine double purplish rose ; Ker- 

 mesina, double carmine or rosy red. a novel colour; Stewartii, 

 single white, striped with pink, fine large yellow eye ; and 

 Miss Eyre Crabb, single white, striped and mottled with 

 rose. A special certificate was awarded for the whole beau- 

 tiful collection, which was universally admired. Mr. "Williams, 

 HoUoway, sent a new handsome Di-acajna limbata, first- 

 class certificate; and Tucca Stokesii, T. quadricolor? Da- 

 sylirion glaucum latifolium, and Hechtia species — a special 

 certificate was awarded for the collection, three fine speci- 

 mens of Imantophyllum, and a fine and beautiful collection 

 of SaiTacenias, which most justly deserved and received a 

 special certificate. 



Mr. 'Wilson Saunders exhibited a very interesting col- 

 lection of plants, which were awarded a special certificate, 

 containing Pyrethrum Corona de Kegna, Drymonia sp., from 

 Mr. "Weir's collection, a seedling Amaryllis, the curious 

 Arisa?ma ringens, which attracted much attention ; Iman- 

 tophyllum. Gladiolus sp., from Mi\ Cooper's collection, a 

 very minute form of this beautiful fiower, white with brownish 

 markings, not much larger than Lobelia speciosa; Solanum 

 vesoum; also a new Pelargonium, ot dwarf habit, from the 

 Cape. It had bright green lobed foliage, with a deep zone, 

 and the plant grew close to the pot. It will, doubtless, 

 afford a fresh groundwork for hybridising. Mr. Saunders 

 kindly presented the Society with a fine plant. "We trust 

 that other amateurs will follow Mr. Wilson Saunders's good 

 example, and send interesting specimens from their private 

 collections, which will make these meetings of so much 

 more importance and interest. Mr. Earley, gardener to 

 F. Pryor, Esq., Digswell, sent a large tray of beautiful cut 

 flowers, which were awarded a special certificate. 



Frxiit Committee — George F. Wilson, Esq., F.E.S., in the 

 chair. — At this meeting prizes were offered for the best three 

 dishes of dessert and kitchen Apples respectively, and for the 

 best collection of salads. In the former class, the only exhi- 

 bitors were Mr. Earley, gardener to Felix Pryor, Esq., of 

 Digswell ; and Mr. George Curd, gardener to M. G. Thoytts, 

 Esq., Sulhampstead, both of whom sent duplicate collections. 

 Those of Mr. Earley consisted of Sturmer Pippin, Cockle 

 Pippin, and Wheeler's Eusset ; and Cockle Pippin, Fearn's 

 Pippin, and King of the Pippins. The fiavour of all in both 

 collections was inferior, witli the exception of Stui-mer Pippin, 

 which was excellent. Mr. Curd's collection consisted of 

 Lamb Abbey Pearmain, incorrectly named Nonpareil ; "V^ine- 

 yard (wrong") ; and Cluster Golden Pippin ; MargU, Adams' 

 Pearmain; Cockle Pippin (wrong). In consequence of the 

 numerous errors in nomenclature, both collections were dis- 

 qualified, and a second prize was awarded to Mr. Earley. 



In the kitchen Apples, Mr. Earley had Lord Duncan, 

 Dumelow's Seedling, and Gooseberry Apple, to which a 

 second prize was awarded ; and Mr. Curd had Alfriston, 

 London Pippin, and Norfolk Beefing, all of which were fine 

 specimens and splendidly kept. To these a firet prize was 

 awarded. Mrs. Crabb, of Southampton, sent five dishes of 

 Blenheim Pippin, and of Uyedale's St. Germain Pears. 



