JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
70 
[ January 27 , 1881. 
have very short petioles, which are sometimes quite absent. In 
cultivation the flowers usually appear in the latter months of the 
year, a period when they are most acceptable ; indeed, it cannot 
be too highly recommended both as a decorative plant and for 
affording supplies of useful flowers that can be employed to great 
advantage in all the numerous modes of floral decoration, as they 
combine most gracefully with other flowers and Ferns. The public 
are indebted to Messrs. Yeitch of Chelsea for the introduction of 
this plant, as that firm obtained it from Peru about twenty years 
ago. It is found growing in woods at a considerable elevation 
above the sea level, and there attains the height of 20 feet or more. 
M. coccinca .—This is not so well known in cultivation as those 
already described, though it was, I believe, the first introduced to 
this country. Possibly that is due to the lesser degree of brilliance 
possessed by the flowers, though they are sufficiently attractive to 
render the plant worth growing. It thrives well in a stove, and 
trained up pillars its flowers appear to the best advantage, as the 
plant is of strong growth. It has flexible tough stems, elliptical 
leaves, and tubular corollas, which in the specimens that have 
come under my notice were of a rosy pink tint, deeper in the 
lobes. The calyx is peculiar, consisting of eight to ten linear 
recurved divisions, which impart a distinct appearance to the 
flowers. The latter are borne on small lateral branches, and are 
continuously produced during a period of two months or more in 
the summer or autumn. Seeds from Trinidad were first sent to 
the Chelsea Botanic Garden in 1823.—L. C. 
At the annual meeting of the Committee of the Horti¬ 
cultural Club, held at their Club House on the 18th inst., a 
satisfactory statement of the financial condition of the Club was 
presented, and a further sum was directed to be invested. Messrs. 
G. P. Hawtrey, Charles F. Hore, and G. Smith were elected 
members of'the Committee in place of the three retiring members. 
The annual dinner took place afterwards, and was very fully 
attended, John Lee, Esq., in the chair. Amongst those present 
were General Puckle, Bev. G. Henslow, Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain, 
Dr. Hogg; Messrs. Bull, G. Deal, Hawtrey, Killick, Laing, 
G. Smith, C. P. Wheatstone, Harry J. Yeitch, J. B. Haywood, J. D. 
Pawle, H. Porteous Oakes, James Cutbush, Robert Osborn, 
W. Lee, H. Wood Ingram, and Wollaston. A pleasant evening 
was spent, and much satisfaction expressed with the arrangements 
of the Club. 
-Mr. W. Sowerby informs us that the Royal Botanic 
Society will, as usual, hold four exhibitions during the present 
year. The Spring Shows will take place on March 30th and April 
the 27th, and the Summer Shows on May the 25th and June the 
22nd. The Evening Fete will be held on June the 15th. Lectures 
will be delivered in the Garden on Fridays at 4 p.h., from May 
the 6th to June the 24th. 
-At the annual meeting of the Wimbledon Horticul¬ 
tural Society held last Friday, Mr. H. A. Rolt, of Maud Yilla, 
Gladstone Road, Wimbledon, was appointed Secretary of the 
Society in place of Mr. P. Appleby, who resigned that office. 
-We understand, that in consequence of the increased 
DEMAND FOR FLOWERS AND PLANTS AT WELBECIC ABBEY, the 
seat of the Duke of Portland, Mr. Carr, the gardener, has been 
obliged to convert several of the Peach houses and late vineries 
into plant stoves. Messrs. J. Weeks & Co. of Chelsea have re¬ 
ceived instructions to put down one of their largest duplex boilers, 
and to make the necessary additions to the piping in the houses. 
- Messrs. Carter & Co. announce that they intend offering 
the following valuable cash prizes for their new Peas and other 
Vegetables at the undermentioned meetings of the Royal Hor¬ 
ticultural Society during 1881 :—At the Great Summer Show, 
June 28th, 1S81, one dish (fifty pods) Carter’s Stratagem Pea, one 
dish (fifty pods) Carter’s Telephone Pea, one dish (fifty pods) 
Carter’s Pride of the Market Pea, one dish (fifty pods) Carter’s 
Telegraph Pea ; first prize, £5 ; second, £3 ; third, £2 ; fourth, 
£1 ; fifth, 105. 6d. At the Society’s meeting on December 13th, 
1881, for the best collection of twelve dishes of vegetables (with¬ 
out restriction as to varieties), to include twelve Onions, twelve 
Turnips, three Cauliflowers, three Celery, fifty Brussels Sprouts, 
twelve kidney Potatoes, twelve Carrots, twelve Parsnips, six 
Leeks, three red Beet, twelve round Potatoes, one dish, open ; 
first prize, £5 ; second, £3 ; third, £1 105.; fourth, £1 ; fifth, 
105.; sixth, 75. Gd. 
- We are informed that a meeting of the Northampton 
Chrysanthemum Society was recently held to present to the 
Hon. Secretary, Mr. E. Draper, a testimonial in recognition of 
the valuable services he has rendered the Society during the 
many years he has held that office. The testimonial consisted 
of an elegant gold lever watch, chain, and seal, with an appro¬ 
priate inscription. Mr. G. Gulliver presided, Mr. B. Johnson took 
the vice-chair, and a number of gentlemen were present, many 
of whom expressed their cordial gratification at the means 
adopted of intimating the general esteem for their persevering 
and indefatigable Secretary. Mr. Draper acknowledged the 
receipt of the testimonial in suitable terms. 
- We have received from Messrs. W. Stewart & Co., Holborn 
Viaduct, E.C., a copy of a small work by Mr. D. Houston, entitled 
“Practical Botany for Elementary Students,” which 
appears to be accurately and lucidly written, and well suited for 
the young of both sexes who are commencing the study of botany 
with the aid of a teacher. Descriptions are given of some of the 
commonest wild plants as types of the larger natural orders, with 
general indications of their chief properties. 
- A correspondent sends the following letter— “ In 
Messrs. Suttons’ nursery I recently noticed a large house 
filled with Cyclamen Reading Gem, for which a first-class 
certificate was awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society. It 
is a compact yet shrubby variety, with beautifully marbled 
foliage. The flowers are large, the petals remarkably broad and 
of great substance, colour white with a deep crimson base. It 
gives promise of being an easily grown and very serviceable 
variety. There are several other good varieties, some of the pure 
whites being particularly promising on account of their sturdiness 
and the size of their blooms. Much attention is paid to securing 
handsome foliage and sturdy flower stems, in addition to large 
sweetly-scented blooms.” 
- The following are amongst some |of the recent appoint¬ 
ments of gardeners :—Mr. J. Heath, Hitcham Grange, Maiden¬ 
head, has been appointed gardener to A. Longsdon, Esq., Fairfield, 
Upper Denmark Hill; Mr. G. Richards, late foreman at Gunners- 
bury Park, Acton, becomes gardener to A. Ussher, Esq., Villa 
Selvosa, Cannes ; Mr. C. Gregory, Terlings Park, Harlow, takes 
charge of the gardens of G. B. Tipping, Esq., Coombe Lodge, 
Kingston Hill; Mr. J. Brightman, late foreman at Peterborough 
House, Fulham, has been appointed gardener to J. Carter Hough¬ 
ton, Esq., 20, Devonshire Place, London; Mr. J. Davis, Draycot 
House, Fulham, succeeds Mr. Roe as gardener to J. S. Crawley, 
Esq., Stockwood Park, Luton ; and Mr. J. Foster, Solna, Roehamp- 
ton, becomes gardener to W. Kemp, Esq., Burnt House, Chigwell. 
- We learn that the magnificent floral decorations at 
the marriage of Mr. Leopold De Rothschild and Mdlle. Marie 
Perugia last week, which were so glowingly described in the daily 
papers, were supplied by Messrs. Veitch & Son of Chelsea, who 
executed all the arrangements with admirable taste.’ 
