470 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
- The Highgate Summer Exhibition will be held on 
Thursday, July 5th. Seventy-three classes are provided, three 
prizes beiog offered in each, and in addition a number of special 
prizes are contributed by friends of the Society. 
- Mr. G. Abbey writes :—“ Small plants of Impatiens 
Sultani, with its brilliant rosy-scarlet flowers, are always in 
request for decorative purposes, especially for table decoration, 
where their flowers contrast well with the surroundings ; indeed, 
it is more beautiful than any flowering plant that can be used 
for the purpose in so small state. It has been frequently de¬ 
scribed in this Journal, and I need only add that cuttings in 
thumb pots when only a few days old and a very few inches 
high flower freely. For small vases it is invaluable. Cuttings 
strike like weeds inserted in sandy soil—loam, a little leaf soil, 
and about a sixth of sand, and shaded from bright sun. Very 
neat plants can be had in thumbs, and really beautiful plants in 
3-inch pots, in a month from the insertion of the cuttings. Large 
plants may be had in pots for decorative purposes.” This plant 
is rapidly becoming very popular, as we foreshadowed when the 
woodcut was given (page 75, vol. v.), and probably no plant of 
recent introduction has been so quickly increased as this. 
- Reference was made last week to the hardy Azaleas, 
and now the Rhododendrons at Kew deserve similar notice. 
The large beds on each side of the long walk are covered with 
large trusses, but there is too great a uniformity both in the 
colour of the varieties and in the form of the beds to be so pleasing 
as they would otherwise be if the effect was more, diversified. In 
“the Dell,” however, the beauty of Rhododendrons can be seen to 
the best advantage, and show3 which is the most suitable mode of 
planting such shrubs. The walk is sunk and winds between high 
and irregular banks, upon which the Rhododendrons are thickly 
planted in dense clusters, occasionally a fine old specimen being 
isolated to render its attractions more prominent. A large number of 
handsome varieties are represented, including some of the earliest 
forms of the Catawbiense section obtained. Others have enormous 
finely formed trusses, scarlet, rose, crimson, purple, blush, and 
white. It is regretable that so few are labelled ; if they have 
labels they should at least be placed where they can be readily 
seen, which is so in few cases. Some of the finest varieties are 
Henry Drummond, Everestianum, alba lutescens, Londinense, 
fastuosum fi.-pl., Hannibal, roseum superbum, Alarm, Johnsoni, 
Candidula, Blandyanum, macranthum, vestitum coccineum, 
Esmeralda, Paxtoni, perspicuum, Bylsianum, Onslowianum, and 
Hershell. These, it can be safely said, are unsurpassed for freedom 
and richness of colour, and several of them cannot be equalled in 
that respect by any of the newer varieties. The whole of that 
portion of the pleasure grounds where the dell is situated—namely, 
between the river and the Sion House vista, is now extremely 
beautiful, the semi-wildness being most refreshing. 
- It is announced that a horticultural exhibition 
will be held in the Botanic Gardens, Hull, on July 11th, 12th, 
and 13th of the present year, and judging by the schedule we 
have received, strenuous efforts appear to have been made to 
induce good competition. The prizes are substantial in amount, 
ranging from £12 to 2s. in 107 classes for plants, flowers, fruits, 
and vegetables, the majority being open to all exhibitors, a few 
classes only being devoted to cottagers within a radius of 
fifteen miles of Hull. The schedule has evidently been very 
carefully considered, very liberal provision having been made for 
specimen plants. The prizes for fruits are also good in the 
leading classes. It is stated that the object the Committee has 
in view is “ the advancement of horticulture by the establish¬ 
ment of a good annual horticultural exhibition in the Botanic 
Gardens, and by assisting in the great effort which is being made 
to place these gardens on a satisfactory footing as a horticultural 
and scientific establishment. One-half the nett profit of the 
Show is to be devoted to the former, and one-half to the latter 
object.” The Curator, Mr. Philip MacMahon, and those interested 
in the matter, will, it is to be hoped, obtain the success they so 
well merit. 
- Amongst writers upon Orchids at the present time Mr. 
B. S. Williams has deservedly obtained considerable fame, and 
nearly half a century’s experience has enabled him to master 
the details of culture of the difficult as well as the easily 
managed species. Familiarity with all the cultivated Orchids, 
too, has rendered his judgment most accurate as regards the 
merits of varieties—a point of much importance at the present 
day. A large portion of the information gained during this long 
period of observation is embodied in the “ Orchid Growers’ 
Manual,” and is appearing in a more extended form in the 
“ Orchid Album,” which is undoubtedly the best work on 
Orchids now obtainable. The coloured plates are most beauti¬ 
fully executed, faithful in artistic details, and life-like in colour¬ 
ing, which can be said of few coloured plates of plants, particu¬ 
larly the chromo-lithographs. All the plates are coloured by 
hand, and this is a most expensive item in the preparation of 
such a work, though it amply repays in the satisfaction afforded. 
The description and cultural portions of the letterpress are ably 
written, and will always render it a thoroughly useful as well as 
an ornamental work. 
- At a meeting of the Philadelphia Academy of Practical 
Science Mr. Thomas Meehan recently read some interesting notes 
on Echinocactus. He announced the discovery of sensitive 
stamens in Echinocactus Whipplei. This peculiarity had been 
long known in Opuntia Rafinesquiana and allied species, as well as 
in Portulaca, which, though its natural order was regarded as very 
distinct in systems of classification, had much in common with 
Cactacese. The motion of the stamens when touched in this 
species of Echinocactus was not instantaneous, several seconds 
sometimes elapsing before the motion responded to the touch. 
The flowers of this species are unable to expand to any great 
extent, on account of their short tube, surrounded by long and 
stiff spines. Mr. Meehan further remarked that in descriptions 
of cactaceous plants the relative length of the pistil to petals or 
stamens was often given. He had observed that in many species, 
about the period of the ejection of the pollen from the anther- 
cells, the stamens and style were of about equal length, the 
stellate stigma being just above the mass of anthers ; but the 
style continued to grow after the maturity of the anthers, and, in 
Echinocactus Whipplei, would finally reach to near half an inch 
above. He had not been able to get any genera of Cactacese to 
fruit under culture except Opuntia, unless they were artificially 
pollinised. By the application of the flower’s own pollen to the 
stigma they sometimes perfected fruit. 
- Dr. Trimen’s report respecting the condition and im¬ 
provement of the Ceylon Botanic Gardens during 1882 is now 
to hand, and gives full particulars concerning the Peradenya 
Hakgala and Henaratgoda Gardens, the planting, clearing, houses 
erected, &c. An active interchange of plants and seeds has been 
conducted with Kew and all the principal botanic gardens and 
other establishments, which has resulted in adding to the collec¬ 
tion nearly 200 species. It appears that the Coffee-leaf disease 
continues very serious, and in many places it has been found that 
the cultivation of Coffee does not pay the expenses, and is there¬ 
fore being discontinued. Cinchona cultivation is being largely 
increased, and Dr. Trimen states that at present it constitutes 
the “ foremost product of Ceylon.’’ During the year ending in 
September 3,099,895 lbs. of bark were exported, being an increase 
of over a million and a half pounds on the previous year. Much 
attention is also being paid to Cacao culture. Indir.rubber and 
