34 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
results, each sample was marked with a number, the name of the 
contributor being kept back, and as the decisions were almost, if 
not quite unanimous they may be regarded as conclusive. To 
eleven of the newest the Committee awarded Tirst-class Cer- 
tificates. Amongst the most remarkable of the varieties in the 
trial were a large number raised from crosses effected by Mr. Laxton, 
of Stamford. 
The weather was not equally favourable to trials with flowers, 
a worse season for Pelargoniums being scarcely conceivable. 400 
varieties of Zonal Pelargoniums were planted out. The more deli- 
cate varieties made no growth, and even the coarser ones did not 
develope fully their respective merits. Of Phloxes 260 varieties, 
and of Penstemons 100 varieties were also grown in the flower-beds 
of the new trial ground, while of Fuchsias 100 varieties were grown 
in pots. These last indeed were not subject to the continued rain, 
but they suffered like the other occupants of the conservatories 
from the continued absence of sunlight. The Ploral Committee 
held three meetings at Chiswick for the examination of these, 
collections, and awarded 41 Certificates to Pelargoniums, 28 to 
Phloxes, 21 to Penstemons, and 26 to Fuchsias. Reports on these 
collections are published in the last numbers of the Society's 
Journal. 
During the past year a large collection of Peaches, I^ectarines, 
Apricots, and Cherries has been procured and planted against the 
new boundary walls, for the purpose of comparison and determina- 
tion of the varieties. These have all been trained in the form of 
single oblique cordons, so as to economise space and to secure as 
great a number as possible against the walls. 
Owing to the late spring frosts, which caused such havoc among 
the fruit crops in the country generally, all out-door fruits, with 
the exception of Strawberries, were unusually scarce in the garden. 
The large Orchard House continues very attractive. The trees 
during the past season were laden with fine highly-developed fruit, 
and were a subject of study to many, of the Fellows of the Society. 
The Vines in the large conservatory exhibited last year indica- 
tions of languor, through defective root action. This is doubtless 
attributable to the borders having become exhausted; these 
having been renewed, a more vigorous growth and greater pro- 
duction of fruit may be expected next season. 
A new plantation of Strawberries has been lately completed. 
The trial during the next season, for which preparations are 
being made, will embrace all the varieties of Potatoes which it is 
possible to collect. 
