THE ELOEAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] JUNE, 1873. [No. 18. 
EXHIBITIONS. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
May 7. 
There can be little doubt that, whatever may be the 
future proceedings of the Council of this Society, no 
more unwise thing could he done than to diminish the 
attractions of these fortnightly meetings, for they inva- 
riably bring together a large number of the very choicest 
productions, and give the opportunity to all lovers of 
horticulture of meeting together. The last two Shows, 
especially that of May 7th, were remarkably good; and 
although no more miserable place than the Arcades 
could possibly be devised for exhibiting plants in, yet 
even this did not prevent a large company from ad- 
miring the wonders of cultivation placed before them. 
As it would be impossible to give anything like a de- 
tailed account of the exhibits, we shall as usual confine our- 
selves to notieing those which, as novelties, reeeived cer- 
tificates. Fii’st and foremost, we must place tlie splendid 
Odontoglossum vexillarium, exhibited by iMessrs. Veitch 
and Sons. Anything more exquisitely lovely than this 
orchid, which we hope to figure in our next Number, 
cannot possibly be imagined ; and no doubt, by-and-by, 
when it has received higher cultivation, it will, as many 
more have, be still more beautiful. To the same firm 
certificates were also awarded for Phoenix riipicola, 
a handsome bright greenhouse palm ; for Phitytoma 
brachypterum and Platytoma bellum ; for Sempervivurn 
triste, and for a free-flowering Azalea, Triomphe de 
Wandleghem, a semi-double variety, salmon colour, more 
remarkable for its free flowering habit than for any 
qualities as a florist’s flower. Mr. Bull received first- 
class certificates for a very bright Begonia of the Chel- 
soni and Sedeni type, named Sunrise, of a peculiarly 
pleasing shade of colour; also for Colax Jugosus, a pretty 
orchid from the Brazils; the sepals cream colour, petals 
white, marked with purple, and the tip spotted and 
striped with the same colour. That curious and beauti- 
ful tribe of Orchids, iVIasdevallia, received also a valuable 
addition in Masdevallia Deuisoni, exhibited by Mr. 
Denning, gardener to Lord Londesborough, and to which 
a first-class certificate was awarded. Auriculas were 
shown in large numbers, and a large nnmber of certifi- 
cates were awarded, especially in Alpines — we almost 
think with too lavish a hand, for beautiful as many of 
them were, they were very similar to many previously 
certificated. First-class certificates were awarded to 
Charles J. Perry, called after our lamented friend, a 
beautiful bright purplish-blue flower of good habit, 
having perhaps the fault of a rather angular paste, but 
still a fine flower : this was exhibited by Mr. Charles 
Turner, the raiser. A first-class certificate was also 
awarded to the Rev. H. H. Dombrain for a fine grey- 
edged seedling raised by Mr. Ileadly, of Stapleford, near 
Cambridge, called Charles E. Brown ; it had been distri- 
buted by the late Mr. George Lightbody, but has never 
before been exhibited near London. Cantab, another 
seedling of Mr. Ileadly’s, and exhibited by Mr. Charles 
Turner, also obtained a first-class certificate as a dark 
maroon self, as did also the Rev. A. Matthews, and 
the following Alpines: — Napoleon III., Sir Bartle Erere, 
Diamond, Apollo, Lady Elvey, Susie Matthews, and 
Queen Victoria. The same award was given to a white- 
flowered zonal Pelargonium, called White Clipper, exhi- 
bited by Mr. Must. The following new Roses also 
received first-class certificates : — Claude Level, a large, 
bold, bright-coloured carmine red flower, of which we 
have already spoken; Maxime de la Rochette, shaded 
red, pale on the edges, with a vigorous habit ; Souvenir de 
Monplaisir (Tea), delicate yellow, deeper in the centre, 
very fine blooming. Etienne Level, Cheshunt Hybrid, and 
Lyonnais, which have already been noticed, were also 
in fine condition ; so that there is evidently no lack of 
novelties in the various departments of horticulture re- 
presented at these Exhibitions. 
GARDEN ECONOMICS. 
THE ARCHIMEDEAN LAWN-MOWER. 
We have lately had the opportunity of judging on our 
own lawn of the valuable properties of this American 
invention. We had heard a great deal pro and con. 
and as it introduced a new principle, it was not unlikely 
that a good deal would be said against it : that principle 
■was to leave the mowings on the lawn. This was repre- 
sented as untidy, &c. ; and in order to meet this pre- 
judice it has been somewhat modified, a grass-box being 
now sent out with it. It possesses a great many 
advantages, one being that grass can be cut witli it 
when it is both long and wet, whereas with the ordinary 
lawn-mowers one has always to wait for dry weather, 
and in a dripping season may be unable to get on the 
