THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
287 
the opening day of the exhibition, and, as the judging will commence early, all 
exhibitors will have to retire from the exhibitisii at 7 o’clock on the irjprning of 
September 3. This promises to be the grandest alfair of its kind ever held in 
England. 
Death op Botanists. — The Journal of Botany records the death cf two 
British botanists of reputation, namely, Mr. James Ward, of Richmond, Yorkshire, 
and Mr. James Irvine, of Cbeleea. 
Exhibition of Fruit at the Crystal Palace. — The Directors of the Crystal 
Palace intend holding an autumn exhibition of fruit and table decorations on Sep- 
tember 6, 8, and 9. 
Curb for Wasp Stings. — The Abeille Medicate publishes what it terms “ a 
simple and effectual cure for the sting of wasps, hornets, and bees,” commu- 
nicated to that journal by M. Dauverne. This is nothing more than lime-water, 
which can be made in almost every country place, where it might not be pos- 
sible easily to procure spiiits of ammonia. So effectual is lime-water in cases 
of this kind, that M. Dauverne states that on one occasion, when he was attacked 
by wasps, and severely stung about the head, a single application of it gave him 
instant and permanent relief. Other trials which M. Dauverne made of it were 
attended with the same happy results. 
The Death of Mr. J. A. Gordon, Superintendent of the Crystal Palace 
Gardens, is announced. In part trained under Sir Joseph Paxton, and after- 
wards enjoying his confidence, while labouring in association with Mr. Milner 
in carrying out Sir Joseph’s views, Mr. Gordon was well qualified for the arduous 
labours consequent on the formation and keeping of the beautiful grounds at 
Sydenham. As to the quality of bis performances, whether in forestry or tiower- 
growing, whether in landscape gardening or geometric colouring, the great public 
have been constantly informed in their visits to the Crystal Palace, for Mr. 
Gordon’s work always constituted one of the principal attractions of that delight- 
ful resort. He was also well knoivn as a contributor to the Gardener s Maga- 
zine, in whose pages many valuable articles by bis hand have from time to time 
appeared. Mr. Gordon left his widow and family unprovided for, and a subscrip- 
tion has been started for their relief. Mr. Gordon’s long illness exhausted his re- 
sources, which were necessarily small, and he bequeathed a few debts to those he 
left to mourn for him, and thus their embarrassments are increased. We trust that 
many of our readers will contribute to the fund, remembering that Mr. Gordon’s 
work was essentially of a public nature, and tended in an important degree to pro- 
mote the recreations of the people. Contributions may be forwarded to Mr. F. W, 
Wilson, Crystal Palace, Sydenham. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Rhododendron venusta. — I beg to correct an error in my letter on “ Beau- 
tiful Trees at Ashbury,” inserted in the August number of the Floral World. 
The woids “ Venuta Rhododendron” are followed by a (?). It should be Venusta^ 
a wintei -flowering rhododendron of great beauty, the cultivation of which seems 
somewhat neglected, owing to the blooms being so frequently cut by the frost. It 
may not be generally known that the Venusta possesses one marked peculiarity : 
if, when fro^t is anticipated, the buds are gathered with only a tiny portion of 
colour showing, they wRl open in water as freely as on the parent stem ; and are 
thus, with a little management, invaluable for bouquets at a season when little else 
is available in the open air. For ^‘Indian Azalea,” read Indica Azalea.” — 
J. S. TV. [We should have nlteied ‘ Venuta” of the manuscript to ‘‘ Venusta,” 
for we had no doubt at all ihat the ‘"s” had been accidentally omitted; but we 
were not aware of the existence of a rhododendron named “ Venusta,” and after 
referring to several authorities, from Sweet downwards, have found no tidings of it. 
There may, however, be a garden vaiiety so named, if not a species ; and we should 
be glad of information concerning it, as “ J. II. W.” describes it as flowering in 
the winter. The second correction our correspondent makes is unnecessary, for it 
is quite as proper to say “Indian Azalea,’ as “Azalea Indica.” We take this 
opportunity to render our hearty thanks to all the friends who have assisted in 
illustrating the subject of beautiful trees for kind climit.es. — Ed. F. W.] 
September. 
