JULY. 



105 



THE METROPOLITAN EXHIBITIONS. 



Crystal Palace, May 2ith. — This was to a very great extent a reproduction of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society's Show on the 21st, excepting that it was a different locality, 

 and the arrangements altogether diverse from that at Kensington. From Classes 1 to 18, it 

 was like an encore of the performance of three days previously, the same elements composed 

 the choir. Stove and greenhouse, fine-foliaged and variegated plants, Orchids, Azaleas, Cape 

 Heaths, Cacti, Roses, and Pelargoniums were but the same artistes, in exactly identical 

 positions, but on another orchestra. A slight gap was caused by the absence of the fine 

 Azaleas and Orchids of Messrs. Veitch & Son. The arrangement of the whole was extremely 

 good, especially in the centre transept, and Mr. Houghton deserves the highest praise for 

 the admirable manner in which ho had disposed his forces here. The corners formed by the 

 intersection of the nave with the centre transept, had, as occupants, huge piles of Azaleas, then 

 banks of ornamental plants reaching to the end of the transept, losing themselves in fr\yo 

 mighty semicircular mounds of stove and greenhouse plants, issuing from the summits of which 

 were appropriate groups of statuary. Between these towering horticultural Rameses, was a 

 small group of plants furnished by the Company, arranged with vases in a very pleasing 

 manner. Stretching along the nave were lines of Orchids, Roses, Azaleas, Calceolarias, 

 Cinerarias, Pelargoniums, and Cape Heaths, intersected by the more sober drapery of the 

 ornamental-foliaged plants that here and there formed an occasional link in the gilded chains 

 that lined the avenue. The fruit, together with a majority of the new plants, occupied stages 

 in the centre of the nave. Class XL, for eight new varieties of Greenhouse Azaleas, was 

 an object of considerable interest during the day. Mr. Turner, Slough, was first and third 

 with small but well-flowered plants of fine quality. Messrs. Ivery & Son, Dorking, being- 

 second and fourth with larger plants, but wanting that fulness and quality in the flowers 

 that distinguished Mr. Turner's best eight. They were Comte de Hainault, a very large 

 salmon rose, with crimson spots on the upper segment ; Miltoni, pale rose, with scarlet 

 marking on the upper segment ; Sir H. Havelock, a bright pale scarlet; Perfection, pale rose, 

 spotted and suffused with carmine ; Duc^de Brabant, salmon pink, with crimson marking on 

 the upper segment ; Mars, bright fiery scarlet ; Etoile du Gand and Salmonacea alba carta, 

 two handsome variegated varieties. Messrs. Ivery & Son had Rubens, a large fiery scarlet ; 

 Rosea alba, rose edged with white, and marked into purple on the upper segment * Etoile 

 du Grand, Variegata superba, and Tricolor, variegated varieties ; Flower of the Day and 

 Gloire de Belgique, having white flowers striped with carmine ; and Leviathan, a large double 

 white. Mr. C. Turner, was once more in the van with twelve Pelargoniums ; and Messrs. 

 Dobson & Son, second, with the same varieties as at South Kensington. Mr. T. Bailey, 

 Amersham, was first in the Amateurs' Class ? and Mr. Shrimpton second. With six Fancies, 

 Mr. Turner regained his lost laurels at South Konsington ; Mr. Bailey, who was first there, 

 subsiding to second place. The former had Claudiana, Roi des Fantaisies, Madame Rougiere, 

 Acme, Lady Craven, and Modestum. An infusion of new blood had strengthened Mr. 

 Turner; while Mr. Bailey had to rely on the same plants. Messrs. F. & -A. Smith were 

 first with six Cinerarias— viz., David, Criterion, Geant des Batailles, Fairy Queen, Phcebe, 

 and Miss Smith. Second, Messrs. Dobson & Son, with Brilliant, Duchess of Sutherland, Lady 

 Seymour, Perfection, Queen Victoria, and Masterpiece. A few seedling Pelargoniums were 

 staged. The following from Mr. Turner were full of promise : — Royal Albert ; Loveliness, blush 

 lower petals, with dark blotch on upper division, and white margin ; Tycoon, a rich dark 

 variety with white throat. Fancies :— Bella, deep rose, top petals margined with white, blush 

 lower petals spotted and stained with rose ; Godfrey Turner, crimson, margined with rose ; 

 and Butterfly, a very pleasing blush, spotted and stained with rose. Messrs. Dobson & Son, 

 had Startler, rich fiery scarlet, with very dark top petals margined with fiery ring. Mr. 

 "Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq., had Pelides, salmon rose, with deep blotch on top 

 petals, a finely formed and very free variety ; Canopus, deep rose, dark blotch on upper 

 petals, white centre, a very pleasing flower of fine form . A legion of new plants appeared in 

 the class devoted to them. Mr. B. S. Williams bad, among others, his new variegated 

 bedding plant, Scrophularia nodosa variegata ; Azalea elegantissima, noticed at South 

 Kensington ; a fine Cibotium princeps ; Phaltenopsis Schilleriana ; Pteris serrulata angusta, a 

 very handsome serrated Fern, and a light-coloured Angulosa species. Mr. W. Bull, of 

 Chelsea, had Yucca alba spica, a long narrow-leaved variety with white threads ; an 

 Araucaria species from Moreton Bay ; Yucca Stokesi, edged with white ; Agave americana ; 

 Serissa foetida marginata, a veiy pretty ornamental greenhouse shrub ; Cyanophyllum 

 speciosum ; some handsome Dracaenas, &c. Mr. Standish had a group of new Japan plants ; 

 and rare plants were also furnished by Messrs. J. & C. Lee, Hammersmith ; Jackson & Son, 

 Kingston ; G. H. Bunney, of Blackheath, &c. Cut Roses came from Messrs. Lane & Son, 

 and W. Paid. Pansies from Messrs. J ames, Shenton, and others ; and some cut Tulips were also 

 staged. Some fine Pines were produced. The best was a Queen, from Mr. J. Barnes, Budleigh 

 Salterton, Exeter. Second, Mr, T. Bailey, with a Providence ; and equal third, Mr. Barnes, 



