JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
458 
[ June 9, 1881. 
flowers. Mr. Eatty secured the third prize with small but fairly 
well-flowered specimens. 
ERICAS. 
Although Heaths and hardwooded plants do not now receive a 
tithe of the attention accorded them some years ago, there are still 
growers and exhibitors of these once popular plants, and the three 
collections staged in the single class devoted to Ericas at Kensington 
proved that the skill demanded to obtain them in good condition has 
by no means been lost. Messrs. T. Jackson, long renowned for such 
plants, were easily first with clean, healthy, even, and well-flowered 
specimens, among which E. tricolor Wilsoni and speciosa, E. Lindley- 
ana, E. Spenceriana, E affine, E. ventricosa coccinea minor, and 
E. v. tincta rubra were particularly fine. Mr. Tudgey, who was 
second, also had several handsome examples, E. ventricosa magnifica, 
E. mirabilis, and E. Cavendishiana being the most striking. Messrs. 
B. Peed & Son were third with decidedly the least satisfactory plants, 
but including an E. ventricosa magnifica in good condition and very 
evenly trained. 
ORCHIDS. 
No summer exhibition of any importance is now complete without 
one or more classes for Orchids, and when these are moderately well 
filled they generally form one of the most attractive portions of the 
display. The interest in these beautiful and peculiar plants so far 
from diminishing seems to be fast increasing, and on Friday last 
there was scarcely any part of the Exhibition more crowded through¬ 
out the day than that where the Orchids were arranged. Three 
classes were devoted to them, and eight collections were staged of 
varying degrees of merit, but as regards clean healthy growth they 
were all satisfactory and some were extremely fine. The chief class 
as regards the value of the prizes offered was the open one for fifteen 
distinct species or varieties, in which £20, £15, and £10 were the first, 
second, and third prizes respectively. Only two exhibitors, however, 
staged collections, and these, though both of great excellence, varied 
considerably in merit and occasioned some discussion. Mr. H. James, 
Castle Nursery, Lower Nomood, was placed first with fine masses 
forming a beautiful display of flowers, but chiefly what are known 
as “ made-up ” specimens— i.e., several smaller plants placed together 
in one pot. As masses the collection clearly surpassed the other, 
but in other respects some doubts were expressed as to their relative 
merits. Mr. James’s plants included the following :—Odontoglossum 
vexillarium, with eight spikes of highly coloured flowers; Cypri- 
pedium niveum, very pretty, with two dozen neat flowers; Epiden- 
drum vitellinum majus, with about thirty-six spikes of brilliantly 
coloured flowers ; Phalsenopsis grandiflora had fairly large flowers ; 
Oncidium ampliatum bore five large spreading panicles; Oncidium 
concolor was fairly represented, the plant having thirteen spikes ; 
Cattleya Mossire bore fifteen moderately good flowers; Aerides 
Fieldingi had five spikes ; and the other Orchids of less merit were 
Lselia purpurata, Odontoglossum vexillarium, Masdevallia Veitch- 
iana, Dendrobium chrysotoxum,D. nobile,and Cypripedium barbatum 
giganteum. The second position was secured by Mr. J. Douglas, 
gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, Ilford, Essex, who 
had very handsome healthy specimens which some experienced 
Orchid growers and judges considered equally as meritorious as the 
first-prize group, the majority of the specimens being single plants 
very well grown. Among the most noteworthy examples were Den¬ 
drobium Dalhousianum, with a dozen spikes of its large and peculiar 
buff-coloured flowers ; D. nobile, of great size, about 5 feet in dia¬ 
meter and profusely flowered, a well-known specimen ; Cattleya 
Warneri, a remarkably handsome variety, with soft purple broad 
petals and sepals and a rich crimson lip; Odontoglossum hastila- 
biurn, with three handsome panicles of flowers ; 0. Roezli album, and 
0. vexillarium, similarly fine ; Calanthe veratrifolia, bearing five tall 
handsome spikes of white flowers ; Anguloa uniflora superba, a fine 
variety of a distinct species, with creamy coloured sepals and pink- 
streaked petals, presenting a strange contrast with Anguloa Clowesi, 
also shown. The other most notable plants were Dendrobium thyr- 
siflorum, with five large dense spizes of flowers ; and a fine variety of 
D. Wardianum. with two growths each bearing ten flowers. 
There were three competitors in the amateurs’ class for ten Orchids, 
Mr. Child being awarded the chief pi ize for a similar collection to 
that accorded the same honours at the recent Crystal Palace Show. 
The most remarkable plant it contained was Vanda suavis, with four 
growths about 5 feet high and bearing half a dozen spikes of flowers. 
Odontoglossum citrosmum had five panicles of flowers, and Aerides 
Fieldingi had a similar number and was in fine condition. Mr. Salter, 
gardener to J. Southgate, Esq., Selborne, Leigham Court Road, 
Streatham, followed closely with healthy plants, and Mr. J. Douglas 
was third with a good collection. In the corresponding class for 
nurserymen Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway, secured the principal 
pirize with a good selection of valuable species and varieties, the 
plants being healthy and flowering well. Some of the most note¬ 
worthy specimens were Dendrobium suavissimum with a dozen or 
more fine spikes of bright yellow- flowers. Laelia purpurata was re¬ 
presented by a good variety, the lip of the flowers being particularly 
richly coloured. Epidendrum vitellinum majus and Cypripedium 
barbatum superbum were of great excellence, and the very distinct 
Dendrobium Jamesianum was also in good condition, among many 
others of considerable beauty. Mr. James was pilaced second, and 
Messrs. Jackson & Son were third, both with fair collections. 
NEW PLANTS. 
Two classes were devoted to new plants, one for twelve sent out in 
1880-81. and the other for twelve not in commerce. In each only 
one exhibitor appeared—Mr. W. Bull of Chelsea, who was accorded 
the two chief prizes. In the first-named class the following plants 
were shown :—Dracaena Lindeni, very distinct, with recurved leaves 
3 or 4 inches broad, with yellow margins and a green central band ; 
Davallia fijiensis, a pretty dwarf Fern with bright green finely 
divided fronds afoot broad and 15 inches long ; Asparagus plumosus, 
very elegant, with dark green filiform leaves arranged in a feathery 
manner, as the name implies ; Anthurium Andreanum, so well known 
now that it does not need description : the plant shown had three 
spathes ; Dieffenbachia Leopoldi and D. triumphan-, two new forms 
of Dumb Cane, the former having dark green leaves and a white mid¬ 
rib, the latter very dark green spotted with white and yellow ; and 
Aralia spectabilis, leaves pinnate, 4 feet in length, pinnse 6 inches 
long. The following, which have been referred to in this Journal at 
various times, completed the collection :—Adiantum aneitense, Philo¬ 
dendron Carderi, Anthurium insigne, Croton formosus, and Juncus 
zebrinus. In the class for plants not in commerce the following were 
shown :—Ilicium religiosum variegatum, a variegated form of the 
Star Anise, the leaves being margined and flaked with white; Dey- 
euxia elegans variegata, an attractive plant with linear, grass-like, 
narrow drooping leaves, dark green with clearly defined margins of 
yellow ; Croton insignis, leaves a foot long and 2 inches broad, 
green veined with yellow and crimson : very bright and pretty; 
Aralia concinna, leaves pinnate, 1 foot to 1| foot long, pinnse 
3 inches long and deeply cut; Sanseviera flabellata, a peculiar plant 
with cylindrical dark greyish green leaves like S. cylindrica, but 
channelled on the upper surface and arranged in a fan-like manner ; 
Dieffenbachia regina, compact in habit, with elliptical leaves white or 
light green sparsely mottled with dark green; Geonoma Blunti, a 
handsome Palm with pinnate leaves 4 feet long, the pinnae irregular 
in size and of a peculiar green tint; Selaginella involvens variegata, 
one of the caespitose type, slightly variegated; Dracaena Pacotti 
variegata, leaves tapering, slightly streaked with yellow and green ; 
Sarracenia flava splendida, distinguished by large pitchers, the upper 
part and lid yellow veined with red ; Alsophila taenitis, fronds bipin- 
nate, dark green ; and Dieffenbachia rex, a distinct form with large 
leaves irregularly marked with dark green and yellowish white. 
Mr. W. Bull’s Prizes. —The successful exhibitor in the two pre¬ 
ceding classes as usual offered prizes, consisting of silver cups 
valued at fifteen to six guineas, in three classes, each for twelve new 
plants introduced and sent out by himself since 1878. In the ama¬ 
teurs’ class two collections were staged by Mr. T. N. Penfold, gar¬ 
dener to Canon Bridges, Croydon, and Mr. W. Selway, The Gardens, 
Knight’s Hayes Court, Tiverton, who were adjudged the first and 
second prizes respectively. Mr. Penfold’s plants were in fine healthy 
condition, the following being those shown :—Carludovica Drudei, 
Croton Chelsoni, C. roseo-pictus, C. gloriosus, Cyphomar.dra argen- 
tea, Asparagus plumosus, Dieffenbachia splendens, D. Leopoldi, 
Davidsonia pruriens, Selaginella Kiaussiana aurea, Calyptronoma 
Swartzii, and Ixora profusa. Mr. Selway also had vigorous examples 
of attractive plants similar to those enumerated above, but the fol¬ 
lowing were distinct:—Croton Williamsii, C. princeps, C. Challenger, 
Anthurium insigne, Encephalartos Frederici-Gulielmi, and Sarracenia 
flava ornata. The only other exhibitor was F. Yates, Esq., Higher 
Feniscowles, Blackburn, who entered in the class for amateurs that 
have not previously won any of these cups. He was awarded the 
chief prize for small but neat specimens of the following in addition 
to those already mentioned :—Lastrea aristata Variegata, Croton 
elegantissimus, C. formosus, Adiantum aneitense, Davallia fijiensis, 
Juncus zebrinus, Asparagus plumosus, and Dieffenbachia Shuttle- 
worthi. 
FINE-FOLIAGE PLANTS. 
In the one class appropriated to fine-foliage plants four good col¬ 
lections were staged, all by amateurs in accordance with the stipu¬ 
lation of the schedule. The premier group of eight plants was con¬ 
tributed by Mr. C. Rann, gardener to J. Warren, Esq., Handcross 
Park, Crawley, who as usual had some remarkably handsome plants. 
An example of Croton interruptus, 7 feet high, as much in diameter, 
and finely coloured, was the chief feature ; but several others were 
also notable, especially Croton Andreanus, also of great size and in 
most vigorous condition, the leaves being very large and beautifully 
variegated with yellow ; Areca sapida was about 12 feet high; the 
distinct and noble Pritchardia pacifica, with Thrinax elegans, Dasy- 
lirion acrotrichum, and Croton variegatus being in first-rate form. 
Following closely was a collection from Mr. T. N. Penfold, including 
large and healthy specimens of Croton Hendersoni, Cycas nobilis, 
and Spathiphyllum pictum. Mr. Tudgey was placed third, also with 
good plants, several Palms, a Cycas revoluta, and a Croton Queen 
"Victoria being the best. A class was also provided for a group of 
one hundred fine-foliage plants, but there was only one exhibitor— 
Messrs. Hooper A Co., Covent Garden, who were awarded the prin¬ 
cipal prize for a good collection of healthy Dracaenas, Yuccas, Pan- 
danuses. Palms, and Ferns. 
Fei-ns. —There was not a large display of Ferns, but in the amateurs’ 
class for six specimens there were four entries, and the quality of the 
plants exhibited was very satisfactory. The best collection was con¬ 
tributed by Mr. C. Rann, the plants composing it, as in the fine-foliage 
