FLORAL COMMITTEE, JANUARY 14. 



Ixxi 



Silver Banksian Medal. 

 To Messrs. Low, Enfield, for Cyclamen. 



To Mr. Godfrey, Exmouth, for a decorative arrangement ol 

 Chrysanthemums. 



To Mr. Drost, Richmond, for forced Lilacs. 



Award of Merit. 



To Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) ' Imperatrice du Bresil ' (votes, 

 unanimous), from Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford, Dorking (gr. 

 Mr. W. Bain). The plant exhibited was imported from Brazil last year, 

 and is remarkable for its long stout neck or stem, similar to a robust 

 Crinum, while its handsome flowers are suggestive of Hippeastrum 

 procerum, also introduced from South America, but unfortunately not 

 generally cultivated in this country. The plant in question is very 

 vigorous, with broad, smooth, strap-shaped, drooping glaucous leaves, 

 nearly 3 feet long by 2\ inches broad, and carried five large fully 

 expanded, exceedingly beautiful funnel-shaped flowers, arranged almost 

 horizontally at the apex of the tall stout spike, the colour being very 

 pale blue or delicate lilac, with a lighter centre and faintly speckled 

 with lilac near the base of the throat. The segments are distinctly 

 undulated along the margins. 



To Asparagus japonicus (votes, unanimous), from Messrs. Elliott, 

 Hurstpierpoint, Sussex. This seems to be a free-growing species, well 

 adapted for the decoration of a cool or intermediate greenhouse and 

 likely to prove a good pillar plant. Its growths are long and wiry, and 

 the flat, deep green, ovate, lanceolate, opposite leaves, about a half-inch 

 long, are arranged on slender branchlets. 



To Exacum Forbesii (votes, 15 for), from Messrs. Jas. Veitch, Chelsea. 

 Coming into blossom at mid- winter this free-flowering evergreen perennial, 

 indigenous to the island of Socotra, is a useful and ornamental plant for 

 the warm greenhouse. The specimens exhibited ranged from a foot to 

 16 inches high, similar in habit to but perhaps a trifle more bushy than 

 Ei xffine, with erect shoots, clothed with deep glossy green opposite 

 ovate leaves and small Solanum-like violet-blue flowers, half an inch or so 

 across, borne in terminal cymes. The central cluster of golden yellow 

 stamens gives it additional beauty. It was stated that up to the present 

 time plants have failed to produce seed in this country, and propagation 

 has to be carried on by means of cuttings, which root readily in sandy 

 soil placed in a warm, close propagating case. (Fig. 70.) 



To Iris Tauri (votes, unanimous), from Messrs. Wallace, Colchester. 

 This recently introduced species is perfectly hardy and one of the most 

 pleasing of early-flowering bulbous Irises, reminding one more of 

 I. Heldreichi than any other, from which it differs principally by reason 

 of its brighter and more intense shade of colour. It is a grand addition 

 to the dwarf early-flowering group, is sturdy and free in growth, with 

 short, lanceolate, glaucous leaves and fragrant violet-purple flowers. 

 The dark blue falls are variegated with white and striped down the 

 centre with golden yellow. 



Other Exhibits. 



The Earl of Uchester, Holland House, Kensington (gr. Mr. C. Dixon) , 



