EXTRACTS OF PROCEEDINGS. 



CXXV 



tween the viscid disk and pollen, so as to hit the stigma more 

 accurately and effectively. Gloxinias furnished an illustration of 

 reversion, for it is presumable that all " irregular " flowers were 

 originally regular, and have become irregular by adaptation to 

 insect agency. Horticulturalists now ''select" those with erect 

 and regular flowers, thus " reverting " to an ancestral type. Pelar- 

 gonia are remarkable for illustrating the fact that physiological 

 differences are often more pronounced than morphological, for it is 

 found that the forms with five well marked spots, one on each of the 

 five petals, will not cross with those possessing only two spots with 

 the other three wanting or only faintly represented. 



EVENING FETE AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



The Royal Horticultural Society held its annual evening fete at 

 South Kensington on Wednesday the 21st inst., and being favoured 

 with fine weather after a few showers in the early part of the 

 evening, it proved highly successful, and a very large and distin- 

 guished company assembled to enjoy the numerous attractions 

 provided. The east and west quadrants were occupied by numerous 

 collections of plants, which appeared to excellent advantage 

 beneath the electric light. Of the plants thus contributed a large 

 proportion were from the Society's garden at Chiswick, one group 

 of Tuberous Begonias being particularly attractive. An extensive 

 and imposing collection of plants were staged by Captain Patton in 

 the east quadrant, comprising 150 varieties of Coleuses, some of 

 them very handsome, arranged with Palms, Lilies, and miscella- 

 neous fine-foliage plants. Another very attractive group was that 

 from H. J. Atkinson, Esq., Gunnersbury House, Acton (gardener, 

 Mr. Hudson), which contained some very handsome specimen Ferns, 

 Crotons, Palms, and other plants effectively arranged, Mrs. Hud- 

 son contributed an elegant and pleasing example of table decora- 

 tion, which found many admirers. Nurserymen also exhibited well, 

 one of the principal groups being that from Mr. B. S. "Williams, 

 Victoria Nurseries, Upper Holloway, which included a number of 



