March 3, i88i.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 173 
and potting them. They have, he says, surpassed bulbs that were 
purchased and potted in November, and he recommends the above 
“ simple mode of having charming masses of Snowdrops under 
glass.” 
- We have received from Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry of the 
Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, New York, “ A Descriptive 
Catalogue of Select Roses,” which possesses several distinct 
and commendable features. In addition to full and lucid descrip¬ 
tions of most of the best varieties, particulars are given of the 
parentage, names of the raisers, and the years when the varieties 
were sent out. For instance, under La France we have “ (Guillot 
fils, 1867), raised from seed of a Tea Rose ;” and under Madame 
Lacharme, (“ Lacharme, 1873), a seedling from Jules Margottin.” 
The catalogue is accompanied by a coloured plate giving good 
representations of Coquette des Blanches, Jean Liabaud, Climbing 
Jules Margottin, Alfred Colomb, and Marie Van Houtte. 
- It is announced that the Royal Southampton Horti¬ 
cultural Society will hold their Summer Show on Saturday 
and Monday, July the 30th, and August the 1st; the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Show being fixed for November the 22nd and 23rd. As 
usual liberal prizes are offered in numerous classes, and with 
favourable weather no doubt the Exhibition will prove very 
satisfactory. All inquiries should be addressed to Mr. C. S. 
Fuidge, Secretary, 39, York Street, Lower Avenue, Southampton. 
-A specimen of the beautiful Rhododendron Countess 
of Haddington has for more than a month past been flowering 
in the greenhouse at Kew. It is one of the oldest of the hybrids, 
so admirably suited for cultivation in such structures, and is also 
one of the best, although it now has many formidable rivals. 
The plant, like many of its relatives, is not quite so compact in 
habit as might be desirable, but it forms a moderately close head 
when well grown, and produces its flowers very freely. These 
are borne three to six in a loose umbel, and have a bell-shaped 
corolla, which when fully expanded is 4 to 5 inches across. The 
inner surface is white, the outer tinged with a delicate rose hue ; 
and the flowers further possess the additional attraction of an 
agreeable odour. The leaves are elliptical in form, about 4 inches 
long by 2 in width, slightly ciliated, and bright green. The 
plant is, we are informed, the result of a cross between Rhodo¬ 
dendron Gibsoni and R. Edgeworthii, and is thus similar in its 
parentage to R. Duchess of Buccleuch. It was raised by Mr. 
Lees, formerly gardener to the Earl of Haddington at Tynning- 
hame, East Lothian. 
- The Committee of the Liverpool Horticultural 
Association have elected their officers for the ensuing year— 
A. B. Forwood, Esq., as President of the Association; W. B. 
Halhead, Esq., and Mr. Richardson were re-elected respectively 
as Treasurer and Chairman. It was decided to hold their annual 
Summer Show, as last year, on Saturday and Monday (Bank 
Holiday), July 31st and August 1st, as advertised in another 
column. It was also decided to hold a, Chrysanthemum Show in 
November, of which due notice will be given. 
-Concerning the weather in the early part of the 
week, Mr. B. Cowan writes from Durham—“ Snow and sleet 
fell at intervals from Saturday and all day Sunday. To-day 
(Monday) snow has fallen incessantly all day, the average depth 
being about 5 inches, with strong N.E. winds.” Mr. W. Iggulden 
writes from Somersetshire—“ There was a rather heavy fall of snow 
on Sunday, much of it still remains. The thermometer stood at 
18° on the night of the 27tb, and on the 28th at 16°.” In 
London also on Tuesday a minimum temperature of 23° was 
registered. 
- Among useful cool-house Orchids Oncidium cucullatum 
is well known, and though certainly not one of the most showy 
it is by no means to be despised. Several varieties are met with 
in collections, but one of the finest we have seen is now flowering 
in Messrs. E. G. Henderson’s nursery, Maida Yale, where its 
superiority over the ordinary forms is clearly shown, as several are 
flowering in the same house. The sepals and petals are similar to 
the type, perhaps slightly darker in colour ; but the lip is of un¬ 
usual size, exceeding an inch in diameter, the spots being large 
and of an extremely rich purple tint. 
- We are requested to note that the Horsham Rose 
Association will hold their fourth annual Exhibition on Thurs¬ 
day the 5th of July. 
- While passing through the house devoted to succulent 
plants at Kew one day last week our attention was drawn to 
Aloe Lynchii, which was then flowering for the first time. It is 
a hybrid raised several years ago by Mr. R. I. Lynch, after whom 
it has been named by Mr. J. G. Baker, who has given much atten¬ 
tion to these plants, and has recently made some alterations in 
the nomenclature of Aloe and allied genera. The hybrid named 
above is not only interesting from its appearing to combine the 
characters of the parents, Aloe striata and Gasteria verrucosa, in 
a very marked manner, but it is also very neat, and might even be 
considered pretty. The leaves are smooth, slightly curved up¬ 
wards, 10 inches long, 2 inches broad at the base and tapering 
to the apex. They are in size and form very much like the Aloe 
parent, but they have a number of white spots upon a light green 
surface, in that respect being suggestive of Gasteria verrucosa, 
though not raised as in that species. In general habit the 
plant resembles the last named. The inflorescence is a panicle 
more than 2 feet in height, with spreading branches, bearing 
tubular flowers about an inch in length, light orange colour at 
the base, and the upper portion greenish white. The plant is very 
interesting botanically, and by no means devoid of attractions in 
a horticultural point of view. Mr. Lynch informs us that the 
seed-bearing parent was Aloe striata (A. albocincta) although 
several were crossed reciprocally. 
- We are informed that the Glasgow and West of 
Scotland Horticultural Society have fixed their Shows for 
1881 to be all held in the Glasgow City Hall, on Wednesday the 
30th of March, and the 7th and 8th of September. 
- A correspondent sends us the following note upon 
extensive Cucumber Culture —“Mr. James Whittaker of the 
Prescot Nurseries^ has just finished planting his new Cucumber 
house, which is 197 yards long, and contains eight wells of water. 
Some idea may be formed of Mr. Whittaker’s Cucumber-growing 
when we state that in the season he sends from his nurseries over 
three tons weekly. In his new house he purposes constructing a 
tramway for running small waggons on.” 
- The schedule of prizes to be competed for at the forth¬ 
coming Summer Show of the Wimbledon and District Royal 
Horticultural Society has been finally settled, and will in 
due course be distributed. There are some important alterations 
made in it may be briefly mentioned. Three prizes are offered 
for a group of miscellaneous plants to cover a space not exceeding 
100 square feet, open to all comers. There is also liberal pro¬ 
vision for groups in the gardeners’ and amateurs’ division. The 
introduction of groups into the Show will no doubt render it more 
attractive. In the amateurs’ division classes have been added 
for flowering Begonias and Coleuses, while the value of the prizes 
has been increased in the classes under each heading where 
practicable. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bait., has consented to act as 
President, and has also offered a special prize for competition. 
The following gentlemen have likewise signified their intention 
of giving special prizes—viz., the Rev. J. M. Brackenbury ; F. W. 
Parsons, Esq. ; A. Schlusser, Esq. ; J. F. Schwann, Esq.; R. S. 
