MAY. 



75 



was so. Next comes Miss Burdott Coutts, a pure white with very large bells ; Mont Blanc, 

 one of the best, identical in every respect, save in size of bulb, with Q.ueen Victoria ; Paix 

 de 1' Europe, anew variety; Grande Vainqueur, Snowball, a very pure and fine variety, 

 Orondates, said to be a sport from the blue flower of that name ; Alba Maxima, Mirandoline, 

 Straten Generale, and others that might be enumerated were it not that it would be chroni- 

 cling distinctions of name only, without any perceptible difference scarcely in the flowers. 

 The Mauve-coloured varieties have received a grand accession in Haydn, a very fine violet 

 magenta that will become a favourite ; and Honnour d'Overeen, a crimson lilac : these, with 

 Paix d' Amiens, make up the best of this circumscribed class. Respecting Yellows, tho list of 

 these is extending yearly ; but the additions do not seem to be meritorious acquisitions. There 

 is a plethora of dirty yellows that look as if they had been imperfectly dyed. They can by no 

 means lay claim to " fast" oolours. A few good ones redeem in some degree the character 

 of the tribe, such as Heroine (the single variety), a pale canary yellow ; Ida, a brighter 

 coloured variety of the same hue ; and Victor Hugo, another pale yellow. These, with one 

 or two others, comprise the " cream" of the whole. 



I leave it to others to prescribe modes of cultivation, I have seen prescriptions that 

 clash the one with the other in a most amusing manner. The doctors of floriculture differ, 

 and perhaps as widely, as do the doctors of medicine. The horticultural pharmacopeia 

 seems to have its allopathic and homoeopathic disciples, in common with the pharmaceutics 

 of the medical profession. Experience will best prescribe the mode of culture ; but success- 

 ful growers and exhibitors do not all walk in the same beaten track. 



I find it to hold good as an invariable rule that the Blue Hyacinths of all shades have 

 the most vigorous foliage, in many cases reaching high up among the circlet of bells that 

 compose the spike. This is to be regretted, but hardly to be avoided. It seems to be 

 inherent in their constitution ; even among the best-grown specimens of Messrs. Cutbush and 

 Paul this was evident. In this respect the Whites stand next, with some few exceptions not 

 so robust as the Blues, and thereby seen to better advantage. A large majority of the Reds 

 have dwarf foliage, scarcely reaching to the base of the spike. They appear to be weaker, 

 constitutionally, than the Whites and Blues ; and I think as a rule most failures occur among 

 varieties of this colour. It would seem that as we proceed higher in the direction of intenser 

 colours, in the same ratio does the constitution of the variety become weaker. This may be 

 but a theory that will not bear the test of scrutiny ; but I have been struck with the apparent 

 manifestation of it on several occasions. 



Will some vendor of this flower, when preparing his catalogue next autumn, give us a 

 more explicit division of the colours ? To class Robert Steiger and Lord Wellington as Reds, 

 Prince Albert and Grande Lilas as Blues, and Grandeur h, Merveille and Snowball as Whites 

 is absurd, and as contradictory as it is misleading. One difficulty must be confessed : Our 

 dealers are dependant in a great measure on the Dutch growers for the descriptions they 

 give; and in Holland, owing to peculiarities of soil and climate, the colours are intenser 

 than when developed in England. Si ill, the general cultivation of the Hyacinth in this 

 country gives the opportunity for a more definite classification of colours, and I commend 

 the consideration of the matter to those who possess the facilities for accomplishing it. 



Quo. 



THE METROPOLITAN EXHIBITIONS. 



The Royae Botanic Societt, March 26. — The first of the spring exhibitions, in 

 connection with the Royal Botanic Society, Regent's Park, was held on this date ; and, 

 though small in extent, was yet very interesting, the prizes being confined exclusively to 

 coniferous plants, Camellias, and Prinralas, notwithstanding a large quantity of other plants 

 were staged.. Groups of coniferous plants came from Messrs. Standish, Laing, Cutbush and 

 Son, and Jackson & Sons. The prizes were awarded in the same order. They comprised 

 varieties of Thujopsis, Retinosporas, Pinuses, Thujas, Cedruses, &c. From the first-named 

 came a very interesting group of new plants from China and Japan, and included Retinospora 

 obtusa variegata, Aucuba japonica var., four varieties of variegated Euonymus, a golden- 

 foliaged Thuja, &c. Mr. Standish was also first with six Camellias in pots — viz., Sarah 

 Frost, Valteverado, Comte Cruvalli, and Comtesse Mastiani, reds ; Duchesse de Berri and 

 Montironi, whites. Second, Messrs. A. Henderson & Son. In the Amateurs' Class for six 

 plants, Mr. Cross, gardener to Sir F. H. Goldsmid, Bart., had a walk over with fine plants of 

 Storeyi, Donkelaari, Due de Bretagne, Tricolor, Baron de Prony, and Variegata. Twelve 

 stands of Camellias were produced in the class for twelve cut blooms, some remarkably fine 

 flowers being distributed among them Mr. Burn, gardener to Sir C. Isham, Bart., was 

 first; Messrs. Yeitch & Son, second ; and Mr. William Paul, third. The most striking were 

 Mathotiana, a brilliant crimson ; Elatior, bright red ; Lemichezii, Fra Arnolda de Brescia, 

 and Imbricata, reds ; and among the light kinds were Comtesse d' Orkney, Halfida de la 

 Reine, Targioni, blush with carmine streaks ; and Alba fimbriata. With twelve Chinese 



