110 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ August 4, 1881. 
plant was made known until living flowers were seen, and yet 
that appears to have been the case, for it was in the autumn of 
1862 that Mr. Rucker’s gardener succeeded in gratifying not only 
his employer but a small world of Orchid lovers and growers. 
Since then, however, similar results have been produced in various 
collections. A year or two since a fine example was flowering at 
Ferribres, Baron Rothschild’s noted estate in France, and one 
spike, it is said, was over 9 feet long. A few have also been shown 
at the chief metropolitan exhibitions. 
The Holloway specimen, of which the woodcut (fig. 19) is a 
representation, is growing in a large pot with perforated sides, 
and from the top of the compost of charcoal, potsherds, and 
sphagnum moss the height of the plant is 6 feet. From the axils 
of contiguous leaves near the summit of the stem six pendulous 
spikes have been produced, the largest being 7 feet 3 inches in 
length, and bears thirty-one flowers with several buds not yet 
expanded. The total number of flowers and buds upon the plant 
is 194. All the flowers, except two or three at the base of each 
spike, have the petals and sepals alike, being burred and blotched 
with deep reddish brown upon a yellow ground, and when the 
plant is sufficiently elevated to enable this colouring to be seen to 
the best advantage it is very striking. The two or three mentioned 
above as differing from the other flowers are very remarkable. 
They have slightly broader petals and sepals, the ground colour 
being an orange yellow marked with small purplish or crimson 
dots. These flowers are invariably found at the base of the spikes 
produced by Renanthera Lowii, and they have occasioned much 
comment amongst botanists and others. It has been thought to 
be similar to the dimorphism observed in other Orchids that have 
one form of flower in which the pollinia only is produced, or per¬ 
fect, and the other with a stigma but defective in the pollinia, 
thus approaching the monoecious state amongst other plants ; 
indeed, it has been generally accepted as such, but an eminent 
authority, having subjected the flowers to a careful examination, 
states that there is no appreciable difference in the structure of 
the two sets of flowers produced by the Renanthera. One inter¬ 
esting observation has, however, been made—namely, that the 
basal flowers have a much stronger and more pleasant odour than 
the others, and this may have some bearing upon the subject. At 
all events the matter should be of sufficient interest to induce 
those growers who have the opportunity to make some careful 
observations with a view to determining it. 
Another species of Renanthera—viz., R. coccinea, may not 
unfittingly be referred to, as it is the oldest known form of the 
genus in cultivation. It is also very beautiful, and is scarcely 
less noteworthy than its remarkable relative. It is a native of 
Cochin China, and was first brought into notice at the close of 
the last century by the writings of a missionary named Loureiro 
and several other travellers. It is said to be cultivated in China, 
where it is grown in baskets and employed for decorating rooms, 
being suspended from the ceilings. The sight of some specimens 
in flower in such positions induced certain writers to characterise 
it as the most handsome of plants ; but though undoubtedly attrac¬ 
tive in a high degree, it is scarcely entitled to such unqualified 
praise. The flowers are borne in spreading panicles, not in spikes 
like R. Lowii, the sepals being narrow spotted with orange-scarlet; 
the petals are broader, of a reddish-orange hue without any 
markings. A plant of this species first flowered at Claremont in 
1827. R. matutina is a small-flowered form, very distinct from 
the others but pretty, the blooms bemg yellow spotted with 
crimson, and produced in great numbers upon panicles like the 
last-named. It has been found in Java and the Phillipines. 
Regarding the dimorphism of Orchids, the Cycnoches Warsce- 
wiczii shown last year at Kensington was an admirable example, 
and one of the most strongly marked I am acquainted with. 
Some Catasetums and allied genera exhibit similar peculiarities. 
—L. Castle. 
NEWCASTLE FLOWER SHOW. 
The summer Show of the Newcastle Horticultural and Botanical 
Society was held in the Leazes Park on the 27th, 28th, and 29th ult., 
and was by far the best the Society has ever held as regards both the 
number and high quality of the exhibits. The Society this year are 
making some new departures from their former system by holding no 
autumn exhibition. This, no doubt, may be attributed to the circum¬ 
stance that in the Town Hall there is net room to hold sufficient 
people to make the shows “ pay.” This is the more to be regretted, 
as the autumn exhibitions have generally been exceedingly good. 
However, it behoves the directorate to make every effort to surmount 
their financial difficulties, and place the Society on a firmer footing. 
On the first day of the summer Show under notice the weather was 
very fine ; the second day it rained heavily towards evening, which, 
we fear, must have reduced the takings by some hundreds of pounds, 
but upwards of twelve thousand visitors attended the Exhibition on 
the opening day. 
The Exhibition was held in a series of tents arranged side by side 
with their sides opened, thus forming a pavilion of flowers, &c., 
about 90 yards by 50. The sides were neatly edged with crimson, 
giving a fine effect to the whole. We will now refer to the exhibits 
according to their arrangement in the schedule. For eight plants in 
bloom, dissimilar, £26 and the Knightian medal were provided, the 
first prize being £12. This was won by Mr. Cypher, Cheltenham, his 
plants consisting of a fine Clerodendron Balfourianum over 6 feet 
high and densely covered with flowers, Ixora Fraseri well flowered, 
Erica tricolor Kingscottiana over 5 feet through, Allamandas Hen- 
dersoni and grandiflora, a fresh Dipladenia amabilis, and three other 
Ericas completed the collection, which was of remarkable merit. 
Mr. E. H. Letts, gardener to the Earl of Zetland, Upleatham, was 
second with an excellent-flowered Stephanotis floribunda, Anthu- 
rium Schertzerianum with forty flowers, Ericas insignis and ampul- 
lacea, all of great excellence. Mr. E. Tudgey, gardener to T. F. G. 
Williams, Esq., Hen wick Grange, Worcester, was third with a very fine 
group of plants. In the class for eight foliage plants there were six 
competitors. The plants attracted much attention, and formed one 
of the strongest features of the Show. Mr. Letts was first with 
remarkable specimens of Crotons majesticus and Johannis, both 
finely coloured, and the leaves of great size ; Dasylirion acrotrichum 
was splendid ; Encephalartos Yroomi was superb—supposed to be one 
of the finest specimens in England—Gleichenia rupestris glaucescens 
was over 9 feet through. Altogether they were a majestic lot, and 
well worthy of the premier honours. Mr. Hammond, gardener to 
Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., Brayton Manor, was second with good 
specimens of Croton majesticus, Dasylirion glaucum, Latania bor- 
bonica, and a capital Cycas revoluta. Mr. Cypher was third, Crotou 
Johannis being very fine, as also was Gleichenia rupestris. 
For groups of miscellaneous plants there were seven competitors, 
Mr. Hammond being first with a most effective arrangement, the 
charm of which consisted principally in an absence of packing. 
At the base of each tall plant small Ferns and flowering plants 
were grouped. Acalyphas well coloured were used with great effect. 
Mr. Noble, gardener to Theo. Fry, Esq., Woodburn, Darlington, was 
second with a very effective group ; Mr. Thompson, nurseryman, 
Fenham, Newcastle, being third. Many of the other groups con¬ 
tained fine flowering plants, but were defective in arrangement. 
Two collections of Orchids only were staged. Mr. Cypher was 
placed first with a good plant of Cattleya crispa, Odontoglossum 
vexillarium with five spikes and thirty-six blooms, and Saccolabium 
Blumei three spikes. 
Ferns were not so numerous as usual, Mr. Noble being first in the 
principal class, followed by Mr. Hammond, both of whom showed 
excellent sp‘ citnens. For three Crotons Messrs. McIntyre, Ham¬ 
mond, and Black were successful in the order named. Dracaenas 
and Tuberous-rooted Begonias were well shown, Mr. Hammond being 
the most successful exhibitor. Mr. Letts had the first prize for Ericas. 
Pans of bedding plants, alpine or rock plants, and hardy succulent 
plants, dissimilar, were very good ; Mr. Larke, gardener to the Rev. 
R. F. Wheeler, Whitley Vicarage, securing the first prizes in each 
class. These collections were much admired by visitors, and formed 
a pleasing feature of the Show. 
Roses. —Competition in the Rose classes has always been encou¬ 
raged by the Society, and the display was unusually fine. The 
exhibitions of previous years have generally been too early for north 
country growers ; however, this year they have had a much better 
chance. The Roses shown by Mr. Whitwell, Barton Hall, Darlington ; 
Messrs. Mack & Son, Catterick Bridge; and Mr. Jos. Watson, Fenham 
Nurseries, were extremely fine considering the extraordinary winter 
and spring there has been in the north. For forty-eight Roses, not 
less than twenty-four varieties, Messrs. Cranston, nurserymen, Here¬ 
ford, were first with extraordinary blooms of Charles Lefebvre, Com- 
tesse de Serenye, Mrs. Jowitt, Madame Sophie Fropot, Mdlle. Margue¬ 
rite D’Ombrain, Emilie Hausburg, Louis Van Houtte, Marie Finger, 
John Stuart Mill, Marie Rady, Mdlle. Marie Yerdier, and Exposition 
de Brie. Messrs. Mack were second with very good blooms of Alfred 
Colomb, Marie Baumann, Baronne de Rothschild, and Mons. E. Y. 
Teas ; Mr. Jowitt, Hereford, securing third honours. Six collections 
were staged. For thirty-six Roses, not less than eighteen varieties, 
Messrs. Cranston were again first, the stand containing superior 
blooms of Airs. Jowitt (a new Rose of a deep crimson scarlet shade 
of colour), Pierre Notting, Jean Liabaud, Madame Thhrese Levet, 
Fisher Holmes, Alfred Colomb. Baronne de Rothschild, Duke of 
Edinburgh, and Madame Chas. Wood. Air. Whitwell was an excel¬ 
lent second with fine examples of La France, Reynolds Hole, Dupuy 
Jamain, Madame Berard, Emilie Hausburg, Marie Baumann, Com- 
tesse de Serenye, Leopold I., and Thomas Alills. For twelve Roses 
of any variety Alessrs. Cranston were first with Mrs. Jowitt. For 
twelve Tea-scented Roses Alessrs. Mack <£ Son were deservedly first 
with charming blooms of Souvenir d’un Ami, Madame Berard, Belle 
Lyonnaise, Alardchal Niel, Aladame Hippolyte Jamain, Niphetos, and 
Jean Ditcher ; Messrs. Cranston securing the second prize. 
Table Decorations. —These are generally of a superior character 
at the Society ’3 shows, and we have seen them much better, and also 
the prizes much more severely contested for than on this occasion. 
For the most tastefully decorated table Air. AI. Thompson, gardener 
to Lindsay Wood, Esq., South Hill, was first with a very effective 
