THE ELOEAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] 
MARCH, 1874. 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We do not know if the period of storms is ever to cease 
in this unfortunate Society, but on reading the account 
of the Annual Meeting, held on the 10th February, one 
feels utterly at a loss to know what to make of the con- 
fusion that exists — questions of legality or illegality, 
questions as to whether the Society is solvent or in a 
bankrupt condition, as to whether it has a Council or 
not, are freely bandied about, and it would seem to be as 
difficult to thread one’s way through the matter as to 
find your destination in a Bradshaw. We remember a 
member of the late Council writing to us some years 
ago, and saying, “ There are so many quagmires and 
shoals in the Society that I find it difficult to make out 
my own way, much less to direct anybody else.” This 
seems to be the case still, but we think that one thing 
was clear at the meeting — viz., that the present Council 
is trying honourably and fairly to benefit horticulture, 
and to put the Society on as sound a basis as possible, 
and that it is a great pity it is not allowed to have 
a fair chance. Let it he seen that it has the confidence 
of the Fellows, and that its object is not to gain a 
position for its members, but to work honestly in the 
cause of horticulture, and then if it fails, let others take 
up what seems to be a very thankless task. It is much 
to be deplored that a Society which ought to combine the 
best wishes and exertions of all lovers of horticulture 
should be only the arena on which contending cliques 
desire to fight out their petty squabbles. 
EXHIBITION. 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Feb. 18. 
The Council Room presented a very different aspect to 
that which met our view at the January meeting, and, 
thanks to many of our metropolitan and suburban nur- 
serymen, a brilliant show of flowers gladdened the eyes 
of the visitors, nor were novelties wanting to add their 
charms. Messrs. Yeitch, Bull, Williams, Standish, and 
Turner contributed some fine collections, but our space 
only permits us to enumerate a few. 
In Mr. W. Bull’s collection were some interesting no- 
velties, for which first-class certificates were awarded — 
viz.jHippeastrum picturatum, small flowers, white ground, 
striped with crimson ; Alsophila elegantissima, a most 
[No. 27. 
graceful fern, with wide -spreading showy fronds, and Ple- 
ocnemia Lenzeana, graceful. There were other fine 
plants. Messrs. Yeitch and Sons had a beautiful col- 
lection of plants, amongst which Angraecum catratum, 
an exquisite Orchid with creamy white flowers, received 
a first-class certificate; as did also Toxicophlsea spectabilis, 
a stove shrub, with white flowers delicately scented : 
other fine plants were Odontoglossum pulchellum majus ; 
Lselia Pilcherii, which has been figured in the Floral 
Magazine ; a white variety of Cattleya Trianae ; 
Amaryllis Leopoldii, maroon crimson centre, with white 
margin, which we have also figured; there were also 
some very nice seedling Amaryllis, crosses from Hip- 
peastrum pardinum. Mr. B. S. Williams had, amongst 
other things, Calanthe Turned, very fine; Renanthera 
coccinea, and Coelogyne cristata. Mr. C. Turner, of 
Slough, sent a very beautiful collection of Aucubas in 
berry, trained as standards and laden with fruit, the most 
beautiful, perhaps, being Alba variegata,with large bunches 
of coral-like berries. Mr. W. Paul, of Waltham Cross, 
had a beautiful collection of cut blooms of Camellias, 
embracing most of the finest varieties of this generally 
admired flower, such as Alba plena. Marchioness of 
Exeter, Bealii, Sarah Frost, Jenny Lind, and Imbricata. 
From Mr. Perkins, of Leamington, came a number of 
plants of a new Chinese Primula, Prince Arthur, rosy- 
crimson, very novel and semi-double : for this a first- 
class certificate was awarded. Mr. R. Dean had the 
same award for a new Primrose called Violacea. 
There was but little competition for the liberal prizes 
offered by Mr. George Lee of Clevedon, Somerset, for 
his new Violet, Victoria Regina, and none of those ex- 
hibited were remarkable. The first prize was awarded 
to Mr. R. Dean of Ealing, and we may mention as last, 
but not least, one of the most interesting plants shown, 
Dendrobiuin Ainsworthii, a hybrid between Dendrobium 
lieterocarpum and Dendrobium nobile, raised by Mr. 
Mitchell, gardener to Dr. Ainsworth, Manchester. 
Altogether the exhibition was a very interesting one. 
TRELOAR’S COCOA-NUT MATS. 
The firm of Treloar and Co. of Ludgate Hill, has long 
been noted for the excellence of the mats produced by 
it, for indoor purposes, and it has now conferred a boon 
on horticulturists in the production of a cheap and 
durable mat to supersede the untidy and frail Archangel 
bast-mats. We have had two of them in use all the 
