iSag 
MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 
against some other. The weather must be the guide here too, as to opening the hand hghts. If the 
glass be under forty degrees, cover with transparent cloth to the ground on the windward side. See that 
they have plenty of water — not touching the flowers — for in the blooming season they absorb a good deal. 
The proper way to place the flowers is one in the centre and six round it, all just touching at the 
edges, but not lapping over at all. If there are more than seven pips, and all are good, put one or 
two at the top of the seven, or let some of them go to the top and some to the bottom, or one on 
each side ; but the seven being perfect, should not be distui'bcd from theii- position by the over number. 
Sometimes it is better to cut away the worst till there are but seven remaining. All the time the plants 
are in their- snug coi-ner they must not have an instant's sun ; on cloudy days all the coverings may be 
oflF, but if the sun should shine they must be put on again as quickly as possible, because a little sun 
would spoil the splendid colours and forms, on which alone the success of an exhibitor depends. 
"VATien Auriculas are removed for exhibition, none of the moss should be taken away, but a stick 
should be put in, and the stem made fast to it by putting, first, some moss round the stem, and then 
fastening a tie round the moss and the stick at the same time ; they cannot then move from thou- places, 
and will travel any distance. When they arrive at the show, j-ou first remove the stick by nntying the 
fastening of the stem, and pulling out the prop; then with a pair of neat tweezers pull out the moss 
fi'om between the pips, and adjust them in their places, so that the edges of the flowers only touch 
each other without lapjiing over in the least. In showing a pair of flowers, always get them well con- 
trasted, because it is a most effective point. Again, always have them the same height and size as 
nearly as possible, for that is another good point; and, in class showing, where it is plant against 
plant, see that you do not show any in a doubtful place. Some flowers are classed among green-edged, 
some grey-edged, and some white-edged ; now some flowers naturally grey-edged, and so classed, will 
occasionally become perfectly green ; and if the judges see a green-edged flower put up for a grey-edged, 
or vice versa, so that the flower is not what it is pat up for, they will thi'ow it out, or place it low down. 
Oliver's Lovely Anne is a flower of this sort ; it is a grey-edged flower sometimes, and a green-edged 
at other times ; many put this up in the grey-edged class, come what it will, because in the catalogue 
it is called grey -edged. You should always show a flower for what it really is, and not what it is 
classed or called. 
It is a common thing now to show Auriculas in sets of four plants, one green, one grey, one white, 
and one self. It is necessary that these should be well contrasted, so that their condition shall be 
pointed and good — the green-edged without a grey tinge, the grey without any decided green in any 
part of the flower, the white-edged pm-e white, such as Taylor's Glory would be in good order, and 
the self with a white eye. The rounder and flatter the pips the better. These four- should be unifoi-ni if 
possible, but if not, the self is the only one that should be of a diiferent size, for that is almost out of 
the pale ; and while the three real florists' flowers were uniform, the self might be lai'ger or smaller. If 
the three are not the same size, all you can do is to place the odd one in the middle and the two even 
ones on the sides, with the self in front if smaller, and at back if larger than the others. We have, 
thi'oughout, recommended soft moss in preference to anything else for parting the pips wliile growing ; 
but next to tlris cotton lint is the best, though the moss disflgm'es less, and hangs about less than lint. 
The importance of using one or the other is paramount ; there is no doing well witliout it. 
BkrlliittiDiis Mniim. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Apkil 2. — The most sti-iking object exHbited was a 
large plant of a free growing showy species of Medin- 
illa, from Manilla, which was contributed by Messrs. 
Veitch of Exetor. The leaves of this plant which are 
large, are rather coarse-lookiag, opposite and sessile ; 
the stems winged, and terminated by a large di-ooping 
panicled cyme of waxy rosy flowers, with broad half 
membranaceous reflexed bracts of a pinkish eoloui- ; it 
will become a conspicuous stove jjlaut, and was rewarded 
by the large silver medal. Mr. Loddiges, ofHackaey, 
obtained a certificate for a pretty new Trichopilia, which 
had been obtaiaed from Costa Rica ; it has broad oval 
leaves, and lai-ger flowers than the common species ; the 
lip is imdidated, and prettily spotted with pale rose. 
Messrs. EoUisson, of Tooting, sent a fine mass of Den- 
drobium macrophyllum, and of Oncidiiuu sphacelatum ; 
along with the rare Bornean Cypripedium Lowii, which 
has broad, rosy-tipped, wing-like petals ; the pretty 
yellow Epimedium pinnatiun ; and a double-flowered 
Amicula, with deep pm-ple flowers, called Primula Au- 
ricula nigra plena; the two last are very deshable 
Alpine plants. The collection received a Banksian 
medal. From Chatsworth, Mr. Paxton sent a fine mass 
of cut flowers of Anselha africana. Mr. WiUiams, 
