54 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 15, 1880. 
instead of decaying became shrivelled, firm, and delicious. A 
very excellent Strawberry. The footstalk unusually thick as well 
as the scape, and the plant very vigorous and a great bearer. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
July 13th. 
The Society’s Meeting on Tuesday last was unusually large and 
interesting for this time of year, the Council-room being completely 
filled with plants, flowers, and fruit from a number of exhibitors. 
Tuberous Begonias were strongly represented ; the other most note¬ 
worthy exhibits being the superb collection of Japanese Iris blooms 
from Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, their Orchids and new plants, 
and the collection of Lettuces in the vestibule from Messrs. J. Carter 
and Co., High Holborn. 
Fruit Committee. —Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. Fruit and 
vegetables were not quite so abundant as the plants and flowers, but 
several exhibitors staged collections deserving of notice. Mr. Lyon, 
gardener to Sir E. H. Scott, Sundridge Park, Bromley, Kent, exhibited 
dishes of fine Elruge Nectarines and Crosse Mignonne Peaches ; the 
latter were very large, and a vote of thanks was accorded for 
them. Mr. Whitaker, gardener to Lord Crewe, sent dishes of Lord 
Napier Nectarines, for which a cultural commendation was awarded. 
The fruits were of good size and well ripened. From the Society’s 
garden fruits of a hybrid Strawberry were sent, the hybrid being 
the result of a cross between Fragaria lucida and F. Carolina. The 
fruits were rather small, but of a rich and peculiar flavour. It was 
characterised by the Committee as an interesting cross of good habit, 
abundant bearer, and novel flavour, but not of sufficient size or import¬ 
ance to merit a first-class certificate. Mr. Ward, Longford Castle 
Cardens, Salisbury, sent a seedling Melon, which was considered as a 
good ordinary Meion, but not superior to others in cultivation. Messrs. 
Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, sent small branches of Currants most pro¬ 
fusely laden with fruits. The varieties were Raby Castle, Early Red, 
and Baldwin’s Black. A vote of thanks was accorded. Mr. Pearson, 
5, Water Lane, Brixton, sent fruits of a seedling Straw T berry, very 
large but not in good condition. Mr. Hinds, Canford Manor, Wim- 
borne, sent a collection of vegetables, comprising very clean well- 
grown samples of Peas, Beans, Carrots, and Potatoes. The Committee 
signified their appreciation of the quality by awarding a cultural 
commendation. A bronze medal was awarded to Messrs. J. Carter 
and Co. for their great collection of Lettuces, which comprised over 
two hundred varieties, representing all the principal forms in 
cultivation. 
Floral Committee. —Dr. Denny in the chair. This Committee 
had a large number of new and beautiful plants submitted to their 
attention, and that the exhibits possessed considerable merit may be 
judged from the number of first-class certificates awarded. Messrs. 
J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, had a fine group of Tuberous Begonias, 
Orchids, and new plants. Some of the most noticeable Begonias 
were the dwarf forms. Mrs. Arthur Potts with rich crimson flowers ; 
B. Davisi -with neat bright scarlet flowers. Of the larger varieties 
Brilliant with enormous scarlet flowers ; Le Gdant, also with large 
■ blooms ; Emperor, Monarch, the pretty white form Reine Blanche : 
several named seedlings, Rosea grandiflora, and Countess of Kingston 
described below. An exceptionally beautiful collection of Japanese 
Irises was also exhibited which were very greatly admired. The 
varieties were not of English origin, having all been introduced 
from Japan by Messrs. Yeitch; the diversity and beauty of the 
colouring were most attractive. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., 
Burford Lodge, Dorking, sent a group of Orchids, among which was a 
grand specimen of Gramruatophyllum Ellisii, with a raceme consi¬ 
derably over 2 feet in length and bearing nearly fifty of its peculiar 
brownish flowers with small yellowish spots ; Nanodes Medusae had 
several of its strange dull reddish-coloured flowers with large fringed 
labellums ; the delicate and elegant Ionopsis paniculata was flower¬ 
ing freely ; Utricularia Endresii also being represented by an attrac¬ 
tive specimen. Cultural commendations were awarded for these plants. 
Mr. H. Coppin, Rose Nurseries, Shirley, Croydon, obtained a vote 
of thanks for a group of Tuberous Begonias, containing several well 
grown and finely flowered specimens, also four boxes of cut Roses 
fresh and good. Mr. H. Cannell, Svvanley, Rent, had a large stand 
of Yerbenas, a number of varieties being represented, many of con¬ 
siderable beauty. A medal was awarded. Captain Patton, Langford 
Place, Abbey Road, N. (gardener, Mr. Borthwick), sent a Coleus 
named Allan Chandler, with leaves of great size, crimson marked 
with maroon, and edged with yellow and green, very bright in colour, 
a good variety, but with some others also exhibited on this occasion 
it was not considered sufficiently distinct from the numerous forms 
in cultivation to merit a certificate. Messrs. Heath & Son, Exotic 
Nursery, Cheltenham, were accorded a vote of thanks for a plant of 
Epidendrum elatum bearing a fine panicle of flowers, the fragrance of 
which strongly resembles that of ripe Pears. Mr. C. J. Salter, gar¬ 
dener to G. Southgate, Esq., Selborne, Streatham, was accorded a 
vote of thanks for a basket of plants of Phalsenopsis grandiflora, 
bearing a large number of fine flowers ; one inflorescence had sixteen 
flowers, and others from eight to ten. Mr. Salter also sent a basket 
of Oncidiums of several species flowering freely. From the Society’s 
garden were sent several of Lemoine’s Pelargoniums, also a group of 
seedling Begonias of especial merit, the habit being good, the flowers 
large and richly coloured. As arranged with pots of Mignonette the 
effect was very pleasing. Plants of Gomphrena globosa nana were 
also shown ; as its name signifies, it differs from the ordinary form in 
the dwarf and compact habit. A vote of thanks was accorded to 
G. F. Wilson, F.R.S., Weybridge, for flowers of Liliums, including L. 
pardalinum, L. californicum, and a seedling. Messrs. Cutbush and 
Son, Highgate, had a collection of Ivies in the vestibule comprising 
about fifty varieties, several of considerable beauty. 
First-class certificates were awarded for the following plants :— 
To Mr. H. Coppin for a seedling Tuberous Begonia Mrs. II. Coppin, a 
very distinct variety, with very large yellow flowers of good form; 
the leaves were somewhat of the Pearcei type in colouring, but very 
large, some being about 10 or 12 inches in length. The habit was 
compact and good, and the variety appears one of great excellence. 
To Messrs. Veitch & Son for Tuberous Begonia Rosea grandiflora, a 
beautiful variety, with flowers of enormous size, about 4 to 5 inches 
in diameter, of neat form, and pale pink in colour, very distinct and 
attractive ; Cypripcdium Morganianum, a hybrid between C. Stonei 
and C. Yeitchi, with narrow petals about 4 inches in length, spotted 
with dark purple, the sepals were of a light colour faintly striped 
with purple ; Tuberous Begonia Countess of Kingston, of dwarf habit, 
with large well-formed flowers of a rich crimson tint. In the colour 
and symmetry of the flowers this fine variety could scarcely be sur¬ 
passed. The following varieties of Iris Kcempferi were also deservedly 
certificated :— Carnation, very large flowers, peculiarly streaked with 
purple on a Tighter ground ; Striata superba, very neat symmetrical 
flowers with a pale lilac ground, marked with fine purple veins, and 
having purplish blue stigmas ; Imperial Wonder, large circular 
flowers, spotted and streaked with white and two shades of purple ; 
Kosoburo San, falls and standards broad and rounded, streaked and 
veined with purple on a light colour, very distinct and beautiful; 
Delicata, flowers of moderate size, semi-double, white in centre, lilac 
blue towards the margin, very chaste. To Mr. C. Turner, Slough, 
for Rose Mrs. Harry Turner, a Hybrid Perpetual with neat com¬ 
pact blooms of good substance and a surprising richness of colour. 
The shade was a deep rich crimson with a velvety sheen ; Tery 
effective. Picotee Clara Reason, a light-edged variety of symmetrical 
form, full, pure white with a clear narrow margin of purple. To 
Mr. W. Bull for Lilium canadense splendens, a variety of this well- 
known species with a single neat flower of moderate size, the perianth 
divisions acute, reddish in colour, thickly spotted with black ; very 
pretty and distinct. To Messrs. Cutbush and Osborn for Hedera 
maderiensis, an Ivy with small leaves variegated with white. To 
Mr. R. Lewis, St. Austins, South Norwood, for Coleus Sowteri, a 
distinct and attractive variety with neatly formed leaves, rich crim¬ 
son in the centre, and margined with an even band of yellow. To 
Mr. J. King for Begonia Mary Steele, a tuberous variety of the Pearcei 
type, very floriferous, of good compact habit and bearing circular 
flowers of a fine yellow tint. Tuberous Begonia A. Hemsley from the 
Society’s gardens at Chiswick was also honoured with a certificate. 
It was exhibited as a “ decorative variety,” a term which was appa¬ 
rently intended to indicate the dwarf compact habit and floriferous- 
ness of the variety. The flowers were very freely produced, and of a 
fine pink hue. Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, also obtained 
a first-class certificate for Rose Pride of Waltham, which is described 
in the report of the Alexandra Palace Rose Show. 
Scientific Committee. —Sir Joseph Hooker in the chair. Mr. W. 
G. Smith exhibited water-colour drawings of certain furnaces for 
smelting iron in Scotland, the volumes of smoke of which were 
destroying Conifers in the neighbourhood ; a drawing of Lilium 
giganteum from Mr. Noble’s nursery, Bagshot ; and a fasciated 
peduncle of the Ox-eye Daisy, with three flower heads combined. 
Dr. Gilbert exhibited specimens of Bacteria and other organisms 
which are supposed to produce nitrification. Certain solutions con¬ 
taining nitrous acid were found to pass into nitric acid whenever the 
organisms were present, not otherwise. Dr. Masters reports that 
they consist of numerous micrococci, algae growth and Bacteria. 
Dr. Masters exhibited a specimen of the rare Simethis bicolor from 
Bournemouth. Rev. A. Rawson for a fasciated branch of Ash from 
Bromley Common. Mr. MacLachlan exhibited a specimen of sugar¬ 
cane from Queensland attacked by the larva (also exhibited) of some 
unknown moth, probably of the Pyrelidse. It resembles the injury 
done to the canes in the West Indies, Mauritius, &c. The larva appears 
to bore into the stem just above the leaf insertion, the egg having 
been laid in the axil, hence the desirability of stripping off the lower 
leaves. He also exhibited a Tulip capsule with a supernumerary 
carpel adherent, but open with exposed seed. Mr. James (Norwood) 
exhibited a series of blossoms of Oncidium Gardnerii, showing no 
specific difference between that and 0. curtum. The Rev. G. Henslow 
(Secretary) exhibited several Cabbage leaves with abnormal foliar 
appendages and pitchers from a field near Hitchin ; also Iberis 
amara, and remarkably tall specimens of Rhinanthus Crista galli from 
a corn field at the same place. 
Pyrethrtjms. —These are certain to become as popular, or 
perhaps more so, than Chrysanthemums. In two long broad 
borders 400 feet or more in length they are planted from 6 to 
9 feet apart, large plants with dozens of blooms each, and the 
effect is very fine. And then what handfuls or basketfuls of cut 
flowers can be gathered from them ! No doubt that in ten years’ 
