THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW" SERIES.] OCTOBER, 1878. [No. 82. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



When the Royal Horticultural Society met on the 

 20th of August, but few subjects were brought before 

 the Committee. There is always a kind of lull in the 

 production of new things at that season of the year ; 

 and many nurserymen are from home during August. 



Croton Williamsii was the leading new plant staged, 

 and was awarded a First-class Certificate of merit. It 

 is a variety with singularly handsome variegation and 

 ruberleaves ; and a good sized specimen being staged, 

 showing the character of the plant to the best advan- 

 vantage, it made a deep impression. It came from 

 Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria Nursery, Holloway, and 

 will prove a fine addition to the stove variegated 

 plants. The same award was made to Lselia Domi- 

 niana, figured in the present number. It had been 

 provisionally named Cattleya Veitchiaua, but a subse- 

 quent examination of the plant resulted in its being 

 grouped among the Leelias, and named as mentioned 

 by us. From Dr. Ainsworth, Lower Broughton, Man- 

 chester, came Cattleya Mitchelli, named after the 

 Doctor's successful gardener ; this is a distinct garden 

 hybrid, the result of a cross between C. quadricolor 

 (El Dorado) and C. guttata Leopoldi. The plant is of 

 medium growth, and its flowers are very distinct in 

 colour and form; the petals and sepals are of brownish 

 transparent violet ; whilst the lip is white, tipped with 

 rich purple. It was awarded a First-class Certificate 

 of merit. From Mr. H. J. Clayton, Grimston Park 

 Gardens, came a curious Seedling Fern, named Blech- 

 num interruptum, which was awarded a Botanical 

 commendation. 



In the way of Florist flowers, Dahlias were some- 

 what prominent, and First-class Certificates of merit 

 were awarded to Prince Bismarck, deep maroon, 

 flushed with magenta, of large size and good sub- 

 stance ; and to Helen Macgregor, the base of the 

 petals creamy pink, and tipped with bright rosy 

 purple, a very promising exhibition flower. These 

 came- from Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nursery, Slough. 



Other novelties consisted of a new white Begonia, 

 named Mrs. Elwes, from Messrs. John Laing and Co., 

 Stanstead Park Nursery, Forest Hill ; a reputed Seed- 

 ling from Vallota purpurea, which did not appear 

 to differ from the old type ; and Dendrobium 

 McCarthise, and also Odontoglossum Reichenheimi, 



from Sir Trevor Laurence, Bart., M.P., Dorking. Mr. 

 C. Turner also had the following new Seedling Dahlias, 

 viz., Robert Adair, brownish cinnamon in colour; Miss 

 Molly, lavender, a prettily -formed reflexed flower; 

 John Ashby, orange-red, distinct and fine ; and Amy 

 Robsart, bright violet. 



The September meeting of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society took place on September 17th, much too late 

 for Seedling Dahlias to be shown to the best advan- 

 tage, and the cold nights had given the blooms a rough 

 appearance. First-class Certificates of merit were 

 awarded to the following Dahlias : — Aurora, golden- 

 buff, a singularly bright and effective glow of colour, 

 the petals reflexed and of fine outline ; a most telling 

 flower in a stand on the exhibition table ; from 

 Messrs. John Keynes and Co., Castle Street Nursery, 

 Salisbury : to Joseph Ashby, orange-red suffused with 

 gold, a fine and distinct variety that will prove very 

 constant, and a great boon to exhibitors ; and to 

 Clara, shaded pink, a well-formed self-flower, but 

 rather flat as shown, — this came from Messrs. Raw- 

 lings Bros., Romford. A Second-class Certificate was 

 awarded to Fancy Dahlia Gaiety, the ground colour 

 pale-yellow, tipped with white, and flaked with pale 

 reddish-crimson. This will make a very useful 

 exhibition variety. It came from Messrs. John 

 Keynes and Co., who also had other fine flowers of 

 high class quality, but suffering from the effects of 

 cold nights. Chief among them was Rosy Morn, a 

 singularly distinct and beautiful flower, which we are 

 inclined to look upon as the best new Dahlia of the 

 year. 



A First-class Certificate was awarded to Messrs. 

 Hooper and Co., Centre Row, Covent Garden Market, 

 for a fine double-flowered tuberous-rooted Begonia, 

 named Louis Thibaut, and bearing rich crimson-scarlet 

 flowers, large and full. A capital collection of Double 

 Begonias also came from this firm. 



Mr. Henry Cannell, Nurseryman, Swanley, Kent, 

 brought flowers of the old scarlet single Dahlia 

 Arcinea, much improved on the form of the old 

 species ; and two other single Dahlias, named respec- 

 tively Paragon and Lutea ; the first having maroon 

 petals, with a distinct margin of magenta-crimson ; the 

 latter pale yellow. Each had but a single row of petals, 

 and a large yellow centre. To the last two First-class 

 Certificates of merit were awarded, on the ground that 



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