THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW SERIES.] DECEMBER, 1881. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



Prominent among the subjects brought before the 

 Floral Committee at the meeting of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society on November 8th were Chrysanthemums, 

 several new and pleasing forms being forthcoming. 

 First-class Certificates of Merit were awarded to the 

 following varieties : — Lady Selborne, a pure white- 

 flowered sport from the pink-flowered Japanese 

 variety, James Salter, of which it is an exact counter- 

 part, except in colour, and, like it, it is one of the 

 earliest to bloom : from Mr. C. Salter, Leigham -Court 

 Road, Streatham. Chrysanthemum Rex-Rubrorum, also 

 a Japanese variety, having large and full flowers, the 

 narrow florets of a beautiful rich reddish-crimson 

 colour, distinct and fine : from Messrs. James Veitch 

 and Sons, King's Road, Chelsea. The same award 

 was made to the following novelties : — Primula Sinensis 

 foliis variegata, a form of the well-known Chinese 

 Primula, having the foliage prettily variegated with 

 creamy- white and green ; one of the most effective of 

 the plants of this character we have seen for some 

 time past : from Mr. C. Herrin, Chalfont Park, Ger- 

 rard's Cross, Bucks. Begonia Socotrana, a new species 

 from the island of Socotra, remarkable for its peltate 

 or shield-like foliage, which is similar to that of Saxi- 

 fraga peltata; the flowers are numerous, of moderate 

 size, and of a beautiful clear rosy-pink colour. This 

 interesting plant was introduced by Professor Balfour : 

 from Messrs. James Veitch and Sons. To Coleus 

 Columbine, another of the fine bright-coloured sorts 

 that is constantly being produced. Well may the 

 Garden remark that "the disposition of the markings 

 of the foliage is indescribable." Its most prominent 

 characteristic is a mingling of rich crimson of various 

 shades with green and pale yellow, giving the plant 

 a highly attractive appearance. This came from 

 Mr. G. King, Wray Park, Reigate, and, with three or 

 four others recently exhibited and Certificated, will 

 pass into the hands of Messrs. James Carter and Co. 

 for distribution. To Masdevallia Chimsera, the true 

 form of it, and it is remarkably distinct from any 

 other on account of the manner in which its flowers 

 are produced. In the majority of the Chimeroid 

 Masdevallias the flowers are produced from the base of 

 the plant, but in this they are borne erect on stiff 



[No. 120. 



stalks, which show them to the best advantage. To 

 Heliconia aureo-striata, a stove-plant of bold aspect, 

 having broad handsome leaves streaked and marked 

 with yellow on a deep green ground. It is dwarf in 

 habit, and somewhat resembles a Musa in miniature. 

 To Davallia Fijiensis plumosa, a crested fronded form 

 of a most elegant Hare's-foot Fern, from the Fiji 

 Islands; the broad deltoid fronds are finely divided, 

 the pinna? terminated by a crest. It is an evergreen 

 Fern, and a most desirable form. To Dracaena 

 Lindeni, a distinct and striking species, in habit 

 somewhat similar to the African species D. fragrans, 

 but with the foliage handsomely variegated. Its ele- 

 gantly recurved leaves are of a deep green colour, and 

 are traversed their entire length by bands of creamy- 

 white and various shades of yellow ; the diverse forms 

 of the variegation and the blending of the colours 

 render the plant of the highest value for decorative 

 purposes. All the foregoing came from Mr. William 

 Bull, New Plant Establishment, King's Road, Chelsea, 

 To Croton Laingi, a variety with long narrow leaves 

 that droop on all sides in the most elegant manner. 

 The variegation consists of golden-yellow, deep me- 

 tallic-green and crimson, the former being disposed 

 chiefly in the lower half of the leaf. This came from 

 Messrs. J. Laing and Co., Stanstead Park Nursery, 

 Forest Hill. 



A Cultural Commendation was awarded to Mr. R. 

 Clark, Nurseryman, Twickenham, for a superb lot of 

 Cyclamen Persicum, perhaps never before excelled for 

 colour and quality. The group set up by this grower 

 was very much admired. 



Among novelties produced on this occasion were 

 Amaryllis Autumn Beauty, rich rosy-crimson pencilled 

 with white ; Coelogyne peltastes, a new species of 

 climbing habit and pretty yellow flowers ; Cypho- 

 kentia macrocarpa, a handsome Palm with pinnate 

 leaves, the younger of which assume a bronzy hue, and 

 form a fine contrast to the green ones ; and some new 

 Chrysanthemums, among which Lord Beaconsfield was 

 one of the most noticeable, having broad florets of a 

 reddish-crimson on one face, pale yellow on the other, 

 and intermingled in a confused head. These were 

 all from Messrs. James Veitch and Sons. Mr. Bull 

 had Lilium Neilgherrense, with its fine creamy-white 

 flowers, and Kaampferia Gilberti, a species with 

 foliage elegantly variegated with white and deep 



