THE FLOKAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW SERIES.] FEBRUARY, 1879. [No. 86. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



It was to have been expected that the January meet- 

 ing of the Royal Horticultural Society, which took 

 place on the 14th ult., would be a small one in point 

 of the variety of the subjects staged j for though 

 something like a thaw had set in, there was a coldness 

 in the air indicative of a further frosty time. 



Chinese primulas were the leading feature, and 

 very pretty they looked even in the bad light of the 

 dull winter's day. Several of our leading growers, 

 private and professional, sent groups of plants, all 

 of high-class strains, and some of them including 

 special varieties of great value. From Messrs. Sutton 

 & Sons, Reading, came a batch of their fine new 

 variety of Primula sinensis, named Ruby King, to 

 which a First-class Certificate was awarded. This is 

 of a fine deep ruby crimson colour, and in regard to 

 the size and substance of the flowers all that could be 

 desired. It is an early bloomer also, which is an 

 additional recommendation. Mr, Fitch has made an 

 excellent drawing of this fine variety, which we hope 

 to give next month. From Mr. W. Brown, Brent 

 Nursery, Hendon, a renowned market grower, came a 

 singularly pretty and attractive variety, named 

 Ccerulea, the colour a distinct shade of mauve-blue. 

 This was awarded a First-class Certificate of merit as 

 far back as 1873, but as it yields such a very small 

 quantity of pollen for fertilizing purposes, a stock of it 

 has never been obtained. This is to be regretted, as 

 its unique and pleasing character could hardly fail to 

 make it a very acceptable variety. The same grower 

 had a variety named Exquisite, with rich deep rosy 

 crimson flowers of great merit ; and also a batch of 

 plants of Princess Louise, a fine white variety with 

 blush tints, raised by Mr. Tomkins of Birmingham. 

 All these named forms are well deserving of cultiva- 

 tion. 



From the Chiswick gardens of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society came a large and interesting collec- 

 tion of named Primulas, comprising a large number 

 of home and continental varieties, among them one 

 of a remarkable depth of colour, named Bright Red, 

 which, after it has been improved, will become a great 

 favourite. 



A First-class Certificate of merit was awarded to 



Messrs. James Veitch and Sous, Royal Exotic Nur- 

 series, Chelsea, for Staphylea colchica, belonging to a 

 genus of hardy, white-flowered deciduous shrubs ; the 

 specimens shown had been forced into bloom, and the 

 distinction conferred on it was in consequence of its 

 value as a forcing plant. As far back as 1871, it was 

 described by the Gardeners' Chronicle as " a hardy, 

 vigorous-growing deciduous shrub, furnished with 

 opposite imparipinnate leaflets, and producing its 

 white flowers in terminal panicles of an ornamental 

 character so profusely, as to become a useful pot- 

 plant for market purposes. It belongs to the 

 Staphyleaceas, and is a native of the North of 

 Europe." " This is the first time it has been exhibited 

 as a forced shrub, but the plants shown by Messrs. 

 Veitch & Sons admirably demonstrate its value for 

 this purpose." 



A similar award was made to Messrs. Sutton & Sons 

 for a fine blush-white variety of Cyclamen persicum, 

 named Reading Gem, remarkable for the great breadth 

 and substance of its petals, and the purity of its 

 colour; and also to Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria 

 Nursery, Holloway, for Amaryllis, Dr. Masters, with 

 well-formed flowers of a rich blood-red hue, very 

 striking in appearance. We hope to be able to illus- 

 trate this shortly. 



From Mr. Parr, Harrow W eald, came a good yellow 

 Abutiion named Yellow Prince, which appeared to be 

 of a greater depth of colour than any variety we have 

 yet seen ; but as so many new forms are constantly 

 being produced by home and continental raisers, the 

 Floral Committee passed it with commendable caution. 

 From Mr. Ollerhead, grower to Sir H. W. Peek, 

 Bart., M.P., Wimbledon, came a finely-marked variety 

 of Odontoglossum cirrhosum, the petals of which are 

 richly spotted with dark chocolate. From Mr. 

 Thomson, the garden superintendent at the Crystal 

 Palace, came a basket of plants of Crassula lactea, 

 which was regarded as a useful winter-flowering plant. 

 From Mr. H. Cannell, of Swanley, Kent, came a stand 

 of remarkably fine trusses of Zonal Pelargoniums, not 

 only of great size and splendid substance, but richly 

 coloured. Mr. Cannell merits great praise for the 

 commendable manner in which he so persistently 

 vindicates the claims of the Zonal Pelargonium 

 to be regarded as an invaluable winter-flowering 

 plant. 



