18 
THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
the town, threw them open to the visitors, and that thus 
they had an opportunity of seeing not only the fine pro- 
ductions gathered together from all parts for the Exhi- 
bition, but also one of the best kept gardens we know 
anywhere, with its unequalled collection of birds in 
aviaries which are the perfection of all that is elegant 
and commodious, and the aquatic birds, wliich are hardly 
less interesting; and it is to the credit of the people to 
be able to add, that not a single thing is even injured, 
although some three thousand persons visited the 
grounds. 
ORANGE FUNGUS ON ROSES. 
This is one of the greatest pests of which the rosarian has 
to complain, and we have ourselves had to mourn over 
its ravages, especially during the last two years. It seems 
to attack the trees when at their greatest luxuriance ; 
the leaves become at first infested by a black spot, then 
the orange spots appear underneath, the whole of the 
foliage then becomes affected and then drops off. We 
have at this moment bushes as completely stripped of 
foliage as they would be in the middle of winter, and the 
result must be the loss of the bushes ; for, as their source 
of nourishment is stopped, the plant must suffer, and 
does, for we lost last year a large number through this 
disease. Whether it is caused by the large amount of 
manure used, or, as we suspect, by the atmospheric 
changes which have been so great the last two years, we 
cannot say, but it seems when once it gets into a rosary 
to be epidemic. We have tried various means to stay it, 
but they have been quite ineffectual; but we lately 
heard of a remedy which a friend has informed us he has 
found very efficient — viz., Condy’s Fluid ; a wineglass of 
this is to be put into four gallons of water and the plants 
syringed with the mixture daily. The friend who re- 
commended it to us, assures us that he completely 
saved a plant of Marshal Niel under glass, which had 
been badly affected, by its use. It is too late to try it 
this year, but we shall certainly hope to give it a fair 
trial next season. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We hear that considerable alterations are to be made in 
the operations of the Society for the ensuing year; the 
schedule is to be entirely remodelled, and instead of the 
money being frittered away in a number of small shows, it 
will be given on fewer occasions and better prizes will be 
offered. The fortnightly meetings will be continued, 
but they will be strictly meetings of the Floral and 
Fruit Committees, at which any novelties may be brought 
forward. We think this a decided improvement, for the 
public not unnaturally feels that to pay half-a-crown for 
the small shows, which are so frequently held, is a waste 
of money, and exhibitors will be glad of the respite 
afforded to them. An alteration in the mode of ap- 
pointing the judges will also be made, and the wishes 
and wants of exhibitors will be more consulted than they 
have been hitherto. The dates of the Shows have been 
fixed as follows; — Third Wednesday in March, third 
Wednesday in April, second Wednesday in May, first 
Wednesday in June, first and third Wednesdays in July, 
first Wednesday in September, and second Wednesday 
in November ; a Committee of Exhibitors has been ap- 
pointed to confer with a Committee of the Council, and 
to assist in the preparation of the General Schedule for 
1874. This is as it should be, and we are hopeful that 
the Society has a good prospect of success before it. 
DELPHINIUMS. 
Among hardy perennials there are few more gorgeously 
beautiful than the perennial Delphiniums. We lately 
saw some beds of these in Mr, ParkeCs nursery at 
Tooting, and also at Messrs. Henderson’s, St. John’s 
Wood, and their beauty was really dazzling. They 
are for the most part hybrids from Delphinium elatum 
grandiflorum, and D. formosum, and have been chieffy 
raised in France. Among the finest that we noted were 
D. Barlowi versicolor, with pale blue flowers shaded with 
a darker tint and studded with yellow hairs ; D. formo- 
sum, with large azure flowers shaded with indigo; M.le 
Bihan, with globose double flowers, blue externally, 
shading off into pinkish violet; Madame Jacotot, witu 
large soft blue or amethyst coloured double flowers ; 
Coronet, with dwarf habit and deep blue flowers ; Prince 
of Wales, recommended for its robust constitution; 
Agamemnon, with large pale blue flowers ; Amiable, 
Gloire de Saint Mande, La Mastodonte, Ranunculiflomm, 
a double-flowered variety, with pale violet flowers shading 
off into pink. M. Thiers is also a good double. Many of 
these cannot be reproduced from seed, or even if seed be 
obtained it cannot be depended on to yield the desired 
variety, hence the necessity of propagating them by 
parting the roots. They are not particular as to soil and 
ti’eatment, though some are more fastidious in these 
' matters than others. Their flowering period may be 
prolonged by cutting off the flower-spikes as they fade. — 
Gardener’s Chronicle. 
CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Carter and Co., Holborn ; Sutton and Sons, of 
Reading; B. Williams, Holloway; Messrs. Veitch and 
Sons, Chelsea. — We hope to say something on these 
next mouth. 
