THE FLORAL MAGAZINE 



NEW SERIES.] MARCH, 1878. [No. 75. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



Royal Horticultural Society, February 19th. On 

 this occasion the Council-chamber was made exceed- 

 ingly gay and enlivening by charming patches of 

 bright and effective colours alternating with the more 

 sober hues of ornamental foliaged plants. Cyclamen, 

 Cinerarias, and Primulas were exceedingly well repre- 

 sented, while too much cannot be said in praise of the 

 noble and rich collection of Orchids staged by 

 Messrs. James Veitch and Sons, Royal Exotic Nur- 

 series, King's Road, Chelsea. 



New plants were somewhat sparingly represented, 

 as is usually the case at this early period of the year. 

 First-class Certificates of merit were awarded to 

 Mr. William Bull for Hsemanthus rupestris, a new 

 species from the Western Coast of Africa, having 

 flowers of a darker colour than those of H. cinna- 

 barinus, on bold and effective trusses. This was 

 planted in a terra-cotta basket, carpeted with maiden- 

 hair Fern, which gave it a pleasing effect. The same 

 award was made to Mr. B. S. "Williams, Victoria 

 Nursery, Holloway, for Primula sinensis fimbriata 

 coccinea, a variety of a striking hue of carmine-rose, 

 bright and effective and of excellent habit. To Mr. 

 J. James, gardener to W. F. Watson, Esq., Redlies, 

 Isleworth, for Cyclamen persicum, White Beauty, 

 the finest pure white variety yet raised ; the flowers 

 large, stout, and finely formed. Of late years several 

 fine white vai'ieties have been raised, but this tops them 

 all, and marks the great advance being made in the 

 improvement of this beautiful flower. To Mr. H. B. 

 Smith, Ealing Dean Nursery, Ealing, for Cyclamen 

 persicum grandiflorum, Rosy Morn, a very fine variety 

 of the large flowered section, pale rose tinted with 

 purple, of excellent form and substance. And to Mr. 

 C. Edmonds, Hayes, Middlesex, for Cyclamen persi- 

 cum grandiflorum roseum, delicate rosy pink, paling 

 towards the tips of the segments ; very pretty, distinct, 

 and pleasing. Mr. Hayes had some very fine 

 specimen Cyclamen persicum in pots, the bulbs of 

 which were probably two and three years old, or 

 even more. They were densely bloomed, and the 

 admiration of all who saw them. Yearling plants 

 should always be depended on bloom in October 

 and into January ; but for flowering in February, 



March, and April, older plants must be grown. A 

 Botanical Commendation was awarded to Sacco- 

 labium calceolare, a remarkably small and ineffective 

 species, and yet extremely interesting on many grounds. 

 This came from Messrs. Rollisson and Sons, Tooting. 



Some really remarkable specimens of Daphne in- 

 dica rubra were sent by Mr. B. Johnson, gardener to 

 T. T. Clarke, Esq., Uxbridge. These plants were 

 five years old, and were full of bloom, and they were 

 such examples of this richly scented greenhouse plant 

 as are seldom met with. G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., 

 Weybridge, sent a striking blue-coloured, common 

 Primrose, named Scott Wilson; of a clear violet-blue 

 colour. It originated as a chance seedling ; and pos- 

 sessing some knowledge of the improved forms of 

 the common primrose as we do, we are bound to 

 say it is a unique and distinct form of first-class 

 merit as an approach to a blue colour. Mr. R. 

 Dean, seed grower, Bedfont, sent a beautiful pure 

 white common primrose, named Virginia, which the 

 Floral Committee desired to see again when more 

 flowers were expanded ; also a reddish -purple hybrid 

 primrose of large size and striking in colour. The 

 nearest approach to a blue Chinese Primula we have 

 yet seen was shown in a variety sent by Mr. C. S. 

 Jobson, gardener to H. Butler, Esq., Chipstead, in 

 which the flowers were of a clear mauve-colour shaded 

 with purple. In a generation or two of seedlings 

 the blue tint will, no doubt, be considerably 

 deepened. 



In a group of plants sent by Messrs. Jno. Standish 

 and Co., Royal Nurseries, Ascot, were two excellent 

 specimens of Chorozema cordatum splendens, finely 

 grown and densely bloomed ; a better winter and 

 early spring-flowering plant could hardly be desired 

 for a warm greenhouse. There were also some 

 flowering plants of H. P. Rose, Hippolyte Jamain, 

 one of the very best for forcing purposes ; and some 

 large pots of Lily of the Valley, having some 70 or 

 80 spikes of flower each ; the pots 8 or 9 inches 

 in diameter. In a collection of Orchids set up by 

 Mr. B. S. Williams were some examples of Dendi^o- 

 bium superbiens, figured by us last month ; and also 

 one of the best types of the improved berried 

 Solanums yet seen ; for the plants were of a close 

 shrubby growth, and densely laden with large bright 



