THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
Begonia Reading Beauty, with flowers of a pale bright 
yellow, very free indeed ; and Begonia Reading Snow- 
flake, a pure white-flowered variety in the way of B. 
Semperflorens, but a stronger grower and larger in 
the flowers. These came from Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons, Reading. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
on September 14, Dahlias were again somewhat largely 
produced ; but, probably owing to the change from 
heat to cold and wet, the flowers failed to show that 
refinement characteristic of them on the previous occa- 
sion when they were shown. First-class Certificates 
of Merit were awarded to W. A. Williams, shown on 
this occasion, very fine in its rich scarlet colour, indeed 
we take it to be by far the richest scarlet Dahlia we 
have, and it will make a great reputation as an exhibi- 
tion flower. The same award was made to another 
scarlet flower, named Joseph Green, smaller in size 
than the foregoing, but of good petal aud outline, and 
likely to be useful, although not such a good flower as 
the preceding variety. These came from Messrs. 
Keynes and Co., Nurserymen, Salisbury. Also to 
Dahlia Frank Rawlings, of a rich claret-purple colour, 
fine in form and petal, and of great substance ; and 
to Mr. Harris, a rich bright crimson-scarlet Self of 
excellent shape and substance ; both from Messrs. 
Rawlings Brothers, Romford. 
Some very fine and distinct new forms of the Coleus 
were produced, showing how great an improvement is 
taking place in the varieties of this useful decorative 
plant. A First-class Certificate of Merit was awarded 
to a variety named Mr. W. M. Shirreff, raised and 
exhibited by Mr. King, gardener to J. Simpson, Esq., 
Wray Park, Reigate, having very smooth leaves, of a 
bright maroon-body colour, enclosing a well-defined 
elongated triangular patch of lustrous crimson, and 
the teeth bright green. It has every appearance of 
being a strong grower, and possesses a neat branching 
habit of growth. The same award was made to the 
Messrs. Chantier, of Mortefontaine, France, for one 
of the handsomest and most distinct Crotons yet 
exhibited. It is named Baron Franck Selliere, the 
leaves are about a foot in length and four inches in 
width, deep green in colour, heavily mottled with 
creamy-yellow. It is a most robust grower, and bids 
fair to become a very popular decorative plant. 
Among the novelties staged on this occasion were 
some blooms of the curious and unique Dahlia Juarezii, 
from Mr. H. Cannell; the pretty Zygopetalum rostra- 
tum iu bloom, from J. S. Bockett, Esq., Stamford Hill ; 
the true Abies amabilis, from Douglas’s own importa- 
tion, from Messrs. C. Lee and Sons; Iresine Wallisii, 
in the way of I. Herbstii, also from Mr. Cannell; cut 
flowers of Rose Queen of Bedders, from Mr. C. Noble ; 
and a flowering spray of Bougainvillea glabra, from the 
open air, sent by the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, 
of Probus, Cornwall. 
ZEPHYRANTHES CARINATA. 
The Gardener s Chronicle describes this as undoubtedly 
the finest of the genus, its flowers are of a deep rose 
colour, aud measure from two to three inches across, 
aud in the opening buds are simply magnificent ; it is 
a very free bloomer, and, should it prove hardy, will 
form a good acquisition for the border and rockwork. 
On dry, well-drained situations on the rock, it will, no 
doubt, prove hardy. Mr. Ware, in his nurseries at 
Tottenham, has it planted in a variety of situations, on 
the rock and in the border, to test its hardiness. Z. 
tubispatha, a rare and distinct species, with pure white 
flowers, is also in bloom. September is the month in 
which these two fine forms are seen at their best. 
VARIETIES OF THE LAPAGEREA. 
There is no doubt but that Lapagereas obtained from 
seed vary somewhat, sufficiently so, indeed, as to admit 
of their being classed as distinct varieties, though it 
is probable they will not be distributed as such. A 
few days since flowers of four varieties reached us 
from the Tunbridge Wells Nurseries of Messrs. 
Thomas Cripps and Son. One, a delicate clear pink, 
appeared to be a cross between the ordinary red and 
white varieties, is quite new in colour, and, if it retains 
this distinctness, will associate charmingly with other 
forms. A large and deeply-coloured variety of L. 
rosea has such fine proportions and such a rich glow 
of colour, as to constitute it an improvement on the 
ordinary kind. There is less distinctness among the 
white than among the rose-coloured varieties. We 
heard once of a striped Lapagerea, in which case the 
white flowers were charmingly pencilled with rose, but 
we are afraid it existed only in the imagination of 
some floral enthusiast. It would be a great acquisition, 
and be warmly welcomed by plant-cultivators. 
