34 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 11, 1883. 
Mr. B. S. Williams was awarded a silver medal for an extensive and 
beautiful group of Cyclamens and Primulas, the former predominat¬ 
ing and representing a great variety of rich and pure colours, the 
flowers large, compact, but vigorous. Primula palmata alba was 
notable for its dwarf habit and large well-formed flowers. Messrs. 
James Dickson ife Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester, sent four plants 
of an extremely dwarf Primula named floribunda, which is not more 
than 4 inches high, and bears heads of diminutive bright yellow 
flowers, the lobes round and spreading. A cultural commendation 
was awarded to Mr. J. King, Aylesbury, for strong plants of Primula 
Mont Blanc, with large flowers, white faintly tinged with pink. 
G. F. Wilson, Esq., Heatherbank, Weybridge, sent flowers of Prim¬ 
roses, crimson, purple, and yellow. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, exhibited a collection of Pri¬ 
mulas, amongst which a delicate pale pink variety named Princess of 
Wales, which has large flowers in dense heads. Other good forms 
were The Queen, white tinged with pink, large and fringed ; Swanley 
Red, very deep ; Swanley White, pure ; and several unnamed forms. 
Wallflowers,Cineraria cruenta, and Primrose Harbinger were also much 
admired. A cultural commendation was awarded to Mr. C. G-reen, 
gardener to Sir G-. Macleay, Pendell Court, Bletchingley, for flowers 
and leaves of Dahlia arborea, a species in the style of D. imperialis ; 
tall, frequently 9 feet high, with large pinnate leaves and rosy purple 
flowers, some with central tubular florets coloured like the ray 
flori t ! . Flowers of Nardosmia (Tussilago) fragrans were also sent. 
A cultural commendation was also awarded to Mr. F. Miller, gardener 
to J. T. Friend, Esq., Northdown, Margate, for a branch of richly 
coloured Bougainvillea spectabilis flowers, and some Camellia blooms. 
Mr. Hughes, gardener to E. A. Wood, Esq., St. Nicholas House, 
Scarborough, sent plants of some peculiar single and double Primulas 
of a yellowish tinge, and some double whites, which were much 
better. 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, were awarded a bronze 
medal, for a fine collection of Primulas, comprising the following 
varieties :—Holborn Gem, the noted blue variety ; Rosy Morn, large 
and rich rose; Magenta Queen, deep colour, large ; Mauve Queen, 
fine lilac hue; White Queen, large and handsome; Elaine, a Fern¬ 
leaved white; Covent Garden Favourite, rosy crimson, handsome; 
Golden Leaf, a form with yellow foliage ; and Hederifolia, with 
very sharply lobed leaves, and somewhat like an Ivy-leaved Pelar¬ 
gonium. A large collection of Primulas was sent from Chiswick, 
a number of good and distinct varieties. The best were Chiswick 
Red Improved, very deep colour; lilacina, delicate; cristata nana, 
with crisped leaves; cuprea, of a peculiar rosy red tint; rubra 
violacea, very rich colour ; and a white variety of great beauty, the 
blooms large and well formed. Specimens of the free-flowering 
Echeveria retusa were also sent. 
First-class certificates were awarded to the following plants :— 
Azalea Duchess of Albany (Todman).—Certificated as a decorative 
plant. This was described as a hybrid China Azalea, and bears pure 
white flowers of moderate size, with rounded petals, and they are 
produced very freely at this season. 
Odontoglossum mad^ense var. giganteum. —This very fine variety was 
exhibited by W. Yanner, Esq., Camden Wood, Chislehurst. It has 
narrow sepals and petals, the former being larger and more tapering ; 
both are white blotched with claret purple at the base, the triangular 
lip being white at the point and bright yellow at the base. 
Scientific Committee. —Mr. G. F. Wilson in the chair. 
Rhododendrons. —Mr. Mangles exhibited a three-year-old seedling of 
R. nobile, a form of R. arboreum, from an elevation of only 6000 feet 
in Ceylon, and which lately withstood 19° of frost; while R. arboreum 
proper, a hybrid of the last, R. cetosum from 13 to 16,000 feet, and 
R. anthopogon were all more or less injured, although coming from 
a much higher elevation. 
Magnolia Campbelli. —He mentioned on the authority of Mr. Gum- 
bleton that this species had flowered in Europe, as well as that the 
tree at Mr. Crawford’s gardens near Cork has at the present moment 
thirty buds. 
Ozonium auricomum .—Dr. Masters exhibited a specimen of this 
fungus from a Sycamore. Mr. W. G. Smith remarked that he had 
observed the same fungus on wood in a cellar. 
Dahlia arborea. —Mr. Green forwarded a branch bearing single as 
well as Anemone-flowered forms. There appeared to be some doubt 
as to its specific identity, as it has never been known to flower before. 
It was referred to Dr. Masters to report upon. 
Pines. —Dr. Masters also showed specimens of Pinus contorta re¬ 
markable for its twisted branches, Pinus Bolanderi, P. Murravana— 
all these from California and supposed to be the same, but the” hypo¬ 
dermic cells clearly show that they are specifically distinct. 
Melon Grown under Electric Light. —A small green smooth-skinned 
Melon sent from Dr. Siemens’ garden. It pioved very watery and 
sugarless. Dr. Masters will inquire and report on the exact conditions 
of its growth. 
Mycelium on Alum. —Mr. W. G. Smith exhibited a vessel full o f 
solution of alum in which a fungus was growing. On transferring it 
to a syrup it proved to be the Vinegar Plant, or Penicillum crustaceum. 
Lapageria rosea. —Mr. Boscawen sent a fine spray of this plant, 
which was grown out of doors in Cornwall, as well as flowers of a 
species of Colchicum from Cyprus. 
Lecture. —The Rev. G. Henslow called“attention to various Pri¬ 
mulas exhibited, which showed different types of foliage as well as 
of blossoms. The typical form of leaf is palmate, resembling the palm 
of the hand. Of this Messrs. Carter exhibited a golden-leaved variety 
which is now permanent, having originated as a single seedling from 
Vesuvius. A second variety is the Ivy-leaved form, which ap¬ 
peared suddenly in different gardens, a peculiar form having no 
minor indentations in the margin. A third variety is the crisped- 
edged leaf. This form, like curled Cabbage and Parsley, is due to a 
kind of hypertrophy or excess of growth. It is interesting to note 
that this is accompanied by very poor flowers, but after a few years 
the curled habit will doubtless become fixed, when the blossoms can 
be improved by crossing. Another remarkable fact connected with 
this sport, as with some others, is their sudden appearance simul¬ 
taneously in different localities, and without a common origin. It 
was observed several years ago that double Petunias appeared on the 
continent and in England for the first time simultaneously. What 
the meteorological conditions may be to give rise to this curious 
coincidence are as yet unknown. The second type of foliage is the 
Fern-leaved, in which the apex has grown out so that the form is 
elongated. These two types of foliage run through other plants and 
give rise to the corresponding types of “ compound ” leaves, such as 
the digitate of the Horse Chestnut and the pinnate of the Ash. 
Similarly Palms are mainly divided into fan-shaped and feather¬ 
shaped leaves, according as the midrib is arrested or elongated. 
With regard to the flowers, the diversity in the tints of red is 
almost infinite, but curious results follow from crossing. Thus, two 
whites crossed may give a deep red. A mauve (Holborn Gem) self- 
fertilised gave half its seedlings white, the other half mauve, or the 
so-called blue. Such diversities are well known in other plants be¬ 
sides Primroses ; thus, Mr. Veitch found that an orange Rhododen¬ 
dron crossed by a white one gave white, pink, and yellow-flowered 
seedlings. The same thing occurred in Abutilons. 
HISTORICAL JOTTINGS ON VEGETABLES.—1. 
The aboriginal inhabitants of Britain appear to have done little 
or nothing in the way of plant-culture with any object. It was 
after the arrival of the Romans that the subjugated Britons 
began eventually to follow the fashions of Italy, and those who 
could formed flower gardens and orchards ; kitchen gardens 
perhaps, one has to add, since the Romans were “ no great 
shakes ” at the cultivation of vegetables for culinary purposes. 
In the matter of fruits we all know our great indebtedness to 
them. They introduced new species, they also improved upon 
others that were growing wild in our extensive forests. The Fig, 
Pear, Plum, Cherry, Quince, Apricot, Peach, Chestnut, and Walnut 
are only a part of the fruits the Romans have been credited with, 
but they did not add much, if anything, to the English kitchen 
garden. Demand creates supply, as w e are aware, and the Roman 
fashions in regard to meals, even during their grandest days, were 
rather peculiar. De Quincey has proved beyond question that 
their jentacvlum and prandium. translated by us a3 “ breakfast ” 
and “ dinner,” were meals of a shadowy kind—a slice of bread or 
a biscuit, eaten anywhere, flavoured by a Fig, a Date, or an Olive. 
The ccena or supper was the sole substantial meal, consisting of 
several courses. One course was all fish usually, another all 
fruits, but vegetables did not occupy a place of importance in 
any. Some dishes of broth or stews were, however, flavoured 
with herbs, and the vigorous stomachs of the Romans relished 
Onions, Leeks, and Garlic. In two of these our taste is, on the 
whole, not at all in sympathy with theirs. 
During the unsettled times when Dane and Saxon contended 
for the mastery gardening was not much attended to in England. 
We know that many plants which had been introduced by the 
Romans were lost sight of. The preponderating population—the 
Anglo-Saxon race—had no particular genius in this direction, 
and it was not till after the Conquest that the London citizens 
appear to have turned their attention to the raising of vegetables 
for the table. That city, from its position as the chief resort of 
visitors and the abode of the Court, was sure to take the lead in 
all matters of progress. Undoubtedly the English got some 
valuable hints from over the Channel, nor should we be reluctant 
to acknowledge our early horticultural obligations to our French 
neighbours. We have not failed to make them returns ; indeed, 
at one time it was remarkable how eagerly every English metnod 
in gardening was examined and acted upon by the French 
gentry. 
Subsequent to the Conquest a great impulse was given to all 
branches of gardening by the Crusades, which opened up more 
frequent communications between the countries of Europe and 
parts of Asia. Then, again, the palmers and pilgrims in their 
peregrinations often carried from one monastery to another the 
seeds or branches of some plant that was a novelty, which the 
monks would carefully cultivate in their small but well-tended 
plots. 
There exists in the London chronicles an old petition of the 
