has seen the introduction of several plants of sterling value ^ ^ 



dens; in two or three instances, indeed, their first appearance 

 almost produced a sensation. The usefulness of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society's meetings at Westminster for bringing 

 novelties, either of home or foreign origin, to the notice of the 

 gardening world, and having their value appraised by compe- 

 tent judges, has been more than ever apparent, and not since 

 Lindley's time, probably, have the shows of the society been 

 so uniformly interesting and valuable as during 1892. The 

 activity which has been displayed for several years past, both 

 by professional and amateur hybridists, has been more marked 

 than ever, and the results of their work constitute an impor- 

 tant division of the new plants of the year. Messrs. Veitch 

 & Sons, of Chelsea, who will always be remembered as the 

 pioneers of this branch of horticulture, still maintain the first 

 place in the ranks of English hybridizers. Not only have they 

 been at work among orchids, but rhododendrons, nepenthes, 

 amaryllis and streptocarpus have all been enriched by new and 

 beautiful varieties as the result of their skill. I have already 

 drawn the attention of American readers (American Garden, 

 Jan., 1891) to the new streptocarpuses as likely to prove ex- 

 tremely useful plants. The race, which originated at Kew, has, 

 'hiring the last two years, been energetically worked upon by 

 Messrs. Veitch, and is now grown in every garden of note in 

 this country; the reports of their new cultivators speak 

 strongly in their favor. 



"New Orchids. Taking first the new importations from c>?riped- 

 abroad, the orchid which has proved the most striking of the 

 year is Cypripedium Chambcrlainianum. * This beautiful plant, '»«"•■ 

 which is remarkably distinct from any other cypripedium in 

 cultivation, was introduced by Messrs. Sander, of St. Albans, 

 from New Guinea. It is indeed the most encouraging dis- 

 covery in the plant world that has yet been made in that island, 

 which is one of the few remaining areas of any size that can 

 be expected to yield new plants differing matenalh trom those 

 we already possess. C. Chamber lainianum is a robust plant, 

 with broad, strap-shaped leaves of a rich green color. The 

 flowers are borne on erect scapes two feet high, and as many 



