34 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c January is, 1 882, 
in, and our aim will be in this direction more and more with Primulas 
and many other plants. We have Primulas with blooms as large as 
a penny, but this I do not attribute so much to culture as “ variety ” 
or strain. We have had some massive plants with flowers that no 
amount of “short liquor” or large pots would make larger than a 
fourpenny-piece.—M. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
January 10th. 
Comparatively bright weather favoured this meeting, and 
though the Council-room was by no means crowded with exhibits, 
several pretty groups and useful new plants were staged. 
Pruit Committee. —John Lee, Esq., in the chair. Mr. J. H. 
Powell, Clewer, Windsor, sent a seedling Apple, a conical and ribbed 
fruit of medium size, and clear yellow colour, but it was evidently 
past its best and did not exhibit any merit. Rev. G-. M. Straffen, 
Tillington Rectory, Petworth, sent six dishes of Apples—Grecian 
Pippin, Round Winter Nonsuch, Cornish Gilliflower, Cat’s-eye Pippin, 
very similar to Blenheim, New Golden Pippin, a large Apple 
erroneously called Scarlet Nonpareil, and Queen’s Own. A letter of 
thanks was awarded. Messrs. Cutbush & Son of Highgate sent a 
seedling Apple from Suffolk which did not possess any merit and 
was passed. Mr. Robins, The Gardens, Rhyd Court, sent a seedling 
Apple which did not possess sufficient merit to receive an award. 
Mi - . R. Dean, Ealing, sent a dish of Winter Pearmain Apple, which 
was much admired, and a letter of thanks was awarded. Messrs. 
Cranston of Hereford sent a dish of an Apple called erroneously 
Herefordshire Beefing, but it was supposed to be Reinette Baumann. 
Mr. Burnett, Deepdene Gardens, sent a dish of Essex Spice Apple, 
but it was not possessed of the high flavour this variety usually has. 
Messrs. Lane & Son of Berkhampsted sent a dish of Hambledon 
Deux Ans. Mr. Burnett also sent a dish of Beurre Sterckmans Pear. 
The specimens were excellent, but the flavour inferior. Messrs. 
Rivers & Son of Sawbridgeworth sent fruit of Nancy Jackson and 
Lord Burghley Apples. The former is much grown in North York¬ 
shire, and is a valuable kitchen Apple, a handsome fruit, and the tree 
an excellent bearer. Lord Burghley was highly coloured and of good 
flavour. 
Messrs. Rivers also sent a collection of twelve varieties of Orange, 
including Maltese Blood, Bettercourt, Small Lime, Bijou Lemon, 
Thin-rinded St. Michael’s, White, Egg, Sustain, Achilles, Tangerine, 
Silver, and St. Michael’s. A silver Knightian medal was awarded. 
Mr. Burnett of The Deepdene exhibited two basketfuls of Mrs. 
Pince’s Black Muscat Grape which were in fine condition. They 
were remarkably well flavoured, and had been grown on a Yine 
grafted on Royal Muscadine. A vote of thanks was awarded. 
Mr. J. E. Barter, Harrow Road, London, exhibited three punnets of 
Mushrooms grown out of doors, which were highly commended, and, 
as a cultural commendation was awarded at the last meeting, a vote 
of thanks was given. 
Floral Committee. —For a meeting so early in the year the 
display was by no means insignificant, and several plants of great 
interest were awarded certificates. Messrs. James Yeitch it Sons, 
Chelsea, sent a group of new plants, several of which were certifi¬ 
cated. Begonia socotrana was represented by several plants flower¬ 
ing well. The white Jasminum gracillimum, the elegant Davallia 
Mariesi, and the buff-coloured Rhododendron Queen Victoria were 
similarly noteworthy. The Committee expressed a desire to see the 
Rhododendron again. Messrs. II. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, contri¬ 
buted stands of Zonal Pelargoniums double and single, the latter 
remarkable for the great size, good form, and brilliant colour of the 
flowers. Some of the most telling were Commander-in-Chief, scarlet; 
W. B. Miller, scarlet; Dr. Orton ( dark scarlet; Mrs. Turner, yel¬ 
lowish scarlet; Eurydice, rose ; and H. M. Pollett, scarlet, white eye. 
A dozen plants of a very handsome variety of Primula sinensis 
named Princess of Vales were also shown, which was certificated, 
and is described below. Blooms of Cineraria cruenta, rosy purple ; 
Chrysanthemum frutescens, white ; and Agathaea caslestis, blue, were 
very pretty; also some deep-coloured blooms of Primulas, a plant 
of one, name Dr. Denny, having large blooms of a very deep red 
hue, one of the darkest. The General Horticultural Company sent 
a plant of Dracaena Goldieana in flower, said to be the first plant 
that has flowered in this country. The flowers are produced in a 
close terminal head surrounded by reddish brown bracts. The 
flowers individually are insignificant. In general appearance the 
inflorescence is very distinct from the Dracaenas known in gardens. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, sent a new Orchid named Tri- 
chocentrum Pfavi, an epiphytal species, the leaves being narrow, 3 or 
4 inches long. The flowers are borne singly or in pairs on peduncles 
about 2 inches long; they are small, not’exceeding three-quarters 
of an inch in diameter, the sepals and petals white barred with brown, 
and the lip white with a rose blotch at the base. 
Mr. Todman, gardener to J. Connell, Esq., Bushy Dow-n, Tooting 
Common, exhibited several seedling Azaleas raised from crosses be¬ 
tween Azalea amcena, A. ramentacea, and A. obtusa. They were the 
following—Prince Leopold (obtusa and Todmanni), flowers bright 
red, of moderate size ; Miss Lizzie (amcena and Alice), light rose, 
semi-double, undulated margins ; Miss Annie (amoena and Cedo Nulli), 
purple, neat flowers ; Princess Beatrice (ramentacea and narcissiflora), 
white, semi-double ; Miss Nellie (amcena and Cedo Nulli), similar to 
Miss Annie, a little brighter in colour ; Prince George (obtusa and 
Eugene Mazel), deep red ; Miss Todman (amoena and Cedo Nulli), 
rosy purple, rounded petals. Most of the plants resembled A. indica 
in the foliage, the flowers being of larger size than any of the parents. 
The deep red, almost scarlet, Prince Leopold and the white Princess 
Beatrice are certainly two pretty varieties, well worth the attention 
of cultivators. A cultural commendation was awarded to Mr. W. 
Allan, The Gardens, Gunton Park, Norwich, for trusses of remarkably 
large and handsome flowers of Lapageria rosea ; the leaves, too, were 
of unusual size, 6 or 7 inches long by 5 or G broad. Mr. C. Green, 
gardener to Sir G. Macleay, Pendell Court, Bletchingley, sent flowers 
of Bignonia venusta, an ornamental and useful winter-flowering 
species, with tubular orange-coloured blooms in axillary umbels. 
A vote of thanks was accorded. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, sent a fine 
variety of Tree Carnation named Worthington Smith ; the flowers of 
neat form, rich scarlet in colour. Messrs. James Carter & Co., High 
Holborn, sent baskets of Primula Rosy Morn, with large deep rose 
flowers of great substance; neat plants of Bouvardia Alfred Neuner, 
and the blue Primula Holborn Gem, w-hich was certificated. A col¬ 
lection of Primulas was sent from Chiswick, including some fine 
single varieties with large flowers and of rich colour. The doubles— 
Mrs. Barron, white ; Earl of Beaconsfield, rose; Marchioness of 
Exeter, white ; and Princess, also white, were similarly fine. G. F. 
Wilson, Esq., Weybridge, was accorded a vote of thanks for several 
fine Odontoglossums in GO-size pots. The plants were flowering ex¬ 
cellently ; some forms of 0. Alexandras being particularly fine, with 
over fourteen flowers in a spike. The diminutive Iris Kolpakowskiana 
was also shown, bearing one of its small purplish flowers, the whole 
plant not exceeding 4 inches in height. 
First-class certificates were granted for the following plants— 
Amaryllis Autumn Beauty (Yeitch).—A pretty hybrid, the result of 
a cross between Amaryllis reticulata and a scarlet variety. The 
leaves resemble A. reticulata in having a white cencral band ; and 
the flowers are also somewhat similar, being veined with rose on a 
white ground. 
Lcelia ancei^s Veitchii (Veitch).—A remarkably pretty variety of a 
well-known species. The sepals and petals tapering, white; the 
lateral lobes of the lip veined with purple; the throat veined with 
dark red, a yellow central blotch, and the tip purplish lilac. Each of 
the two spikes had three or four flowers. 
Erica hyemalis alba (Kinghorn).—A sport from E. hyemalis with 
pure white flowers, but exactly similar in habit and growth to that 
species. It appears to have been well fixed, and will undoubtedly 
become popular as a suitable companion for E. hyemalis. 
Primula sinensis Princess of Wales (CannelJ).—An exceedingly 
beautiful variety, very floriferous, of compact yet vigorous habit. 
The flowers are large, 2 inches in diameter, white suffused with a 
delicate rose tint, and are borne in enormous pyramidal trusses above 
the foliage. 
Lygoclium Forsteri. —A first-class certificate was awarded to Mr. J. 
Kettle, gardener to H. E. Green, Esq., Kingsford Flanway, Colchester, 
for this Lygodium, a vigorous-growing and attractive form. The 
sterile fronds are pinnate, with three or four pairs of tapering pinnae, 
each about 3 inches long. The fertile fronds are similar in form but 
smaller, and with the margins of the pinnae deeply and regularly 
incised. 
Primula Holborn Gem (Carter).—This has been frequently referred 
to in these pages in terms of approval as a distinct variety, and the 
plants for which the certificate was granted showed even further 
improvements. The habit is compact, the foliage neat, the flowers 
of good size and form, and the blue tint has been considerably 
deepened. It is unquestionably one of the most distinct in commerce. 
Tecophlcea cyanacrocus (Wilson).—A pretty little bulbous plant 
3 or 4 inches high with bright blue flowers about three-quarters of an 
inch in diameter, having six ovate segments. 
Scientific Committee. — Ilyleccetus dermestoides. —Mr. Pascoe 
showed a male and female specimen of this English beetle, and alluded 
to the report that it feeds on the wood-boring species, but does not 
bore the wood itself. Mr. McLachlan remarked that it was an open 
question whether this idea were true. 
Coltsfoot in Blossom. —Mr. McLachlan observed as a proof of the 
mildness of the season, that he had noticed this plant flowering 
between Lewisham and London. 
Sobralia macrantlia Leaves. —Dr. M. T. Masters exhibited leaves of 
this plant in a blackened state. They were received from Mr. 
Douglas of Ilford. It was thought to be due to an overdose of 
tobacco water. Further information was requested to be asked for. 
Glastonbury Thorn. —Dr. Masters exhibited a specimen of this plant 
received from Mr. Boscawen, with fruit; also in bud, as it is flower¬ 
ing later than usual. He also showed a variegated sport of the 
common Laurel from the same gentleman. 
Willow sp. —Some specimens of new species of Willow, S. holosericea, 
&c., were received from Dr. Fraser of Wolverhampton. It was sug¬ 
gested that they were accidental importations. They were forwarded 
to the Kew herbarium. 
Papaya cundinamarcensis. —A fruit of this plant was received from 
Mr. I. A. Henry of Edinburgh. It was raised from seed sent by 
the late Professor Jameson of Quito, and had been fertilised by 
Professor Dickson. It is described as “ very fragrant, and makes when 
boiled or in clarified syrup an excellent sweetmeat.” 
