THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW SERIES.] 



AUGUST, 1S75. 



[No. 44. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



On Friday, July 23, at Marlborough House, his Royal 

 Highness the Prince of Wales presided over the meeting 

 of her Majesty'sCommissionersforthe Exhibition of 1851, 

 when it was decided to accept the following proposals as 

 the basis of an arrangement: — 1. That the Society 

 should raise its annual income from subscriptions to 

 10,000/., an amount that would provide adequately for 

 the promotion of the science and the encouragement of 

 the practice of horticulture, and for the efficient main- 

 tenance of the Gardens. 2. That the Commissioners 

 should waive the imminent forfeiture of the lease for 

 non-payment of rent for a sufficient period to give the 

 Society an opportunity of re-establishing itself. These 

 terms, says the Journal of Horticulture, are alike fair 

 and equitable to both parties, the Royal Horticultural 

 Society being now placed in such a position as will 

 enable it in future to pursue its course untrammelled 

 with conditions which formerly impeded its freedom of 

 action. Dr. Hogg is the new Secretary" of the Society, 

 and this selection augurs well for the future well-being 

 of this the foremost and most renowned of all similar 

 societies in this country. Referring to the great and 

 successful exhibition held at South Kensington on the 

 21st July last, our contemporary observes, that action 

 has at last been taken, and to a profitable purpose, of which 

 this the most recent exhibition of the Society was the 

 first fruits. Reference must be made to the weekly 

 horticultural papers for a full description of the un- 

 paralleled show of plants displayed at South Kensing- 

 ton on July 21st, and we will confine ourselves here 

 to a brief notice of some of the most notable plants. 

 Mr. Bull was awarded a first-class certificate for Dracaena 

 triumphans, a very distinct variety, with narrow dark j 

 bronzy leaves ; and for two new Palms, Kentia Moorei I 

 and Martinezia nobilis; Mr. Fleming, gardener to R. I 

 Houghton, Esq., Sandheys, Liverpool, received the same 

 award for Adiantum concinnum var. Flemingii, with I 

 finely divided arching fronds; a first-class certificate 

 was awarded to Messrs. Ivery and Son, Dorking, for 

 Polystichum angulare var. grandidens pumilum ; to Mr. ' 

 G. Smith, Tollington Nursery, for Pelargonium Won- j 

 derful, a sport from Vesuvius, semi-double, and of a | 

 bright scarlet colour, remarkable for the lasting qualities 

 of its flowers, and quite the finest thing in its way yet 

 introduced ; to Mr. Green, Holmesdale Road, Rebate, 



for Aloe Greenii, a shining mottled-green species, with 

 recurved spiney leaves; and to Messrs. J. and C. Lee, 

 for Juniperus virginiana Triomphe d' Angers, a pretty 

 silvery variegated Fern. In the great tent Messrs. 

 Yeitch and Sons exhibited an immense collection of 

 plants of the highest beauty and interest ; the collection 

 was backed by Tree Ferns and Palms, and in the fore- 

 ground were Orchids, Crotons, Lilies, Pitcher-plants, 

 Gloxinias and Begonias, the colours in the plants coming 

 under the two last being marvellous for brilliancy and 

 purity. Mr. Bull also exhibited a truly magnificent 

 collection of plants, principally rare or quite new, 

 including Tree Ferns, Palms, Crotons and Dracaenas in 

 great variety. The other principal exhibitors were Mr. 

 B. S. Williams, Mr. Wills, Mr. Turner, Messrs. Osborn 

 and Son, Messrs. E. J. Henderson and Son, Messrs. W. 

 Rollisson and Sons, and many others too numerous to 

 mention. 



P1NGUICULA GRANDIFLORA. 



In a previous number we referred to the magnificent 

 group of plants belonging to this species, as exhibited by 

 Mr. Dean at a recent meeting of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society. Referring to the culture of this charming 

 Butterwort in the Gardeners' Chronicle for July 10th 

 last, where a figure of the whole large group is given as 

 exhibited, Mr. Dean remarks that this species is grown 

 by him under such simple modes of cultivation as to 

 render it a matter for wonder how it is that so very 

 pretty and interesting a plant should not be more fre- 

 quently met with. That it is not common is evidenced by 

 the fact that comparatively few gardeners have ever seen 

 it, and although a British plant, it is even more rare 

 than are thousands of exotics. The observations made 

 and published both by Mr. Darwin and Dr. Hooker on 

 the insectivorous properties of the Pinguicula, have of 

 late aided in drawing attention to the Butterworts, but 

 its beauty gives it a special interest to horticulturists. 

 Perchance the simple and unaffected floral beauties the 

 plant develops may induce many to cultivate it as an 

 object of floral interest, and eventually it may be found 

 in every good collection of hardy plants. My stock of 

 this Butterwort came to me from Northumberland, and 

 was the gift of a thorough enthusiast in hardy plants, 

 who sent me with it one or two simple notes as to its 

 cultivation. I hear from Mr. Smith, Mr. L. Clark, and 



