December 11 , 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
525 
the brilliant Zonal Pelargoniums from Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons’ 
Swanley, and a better example of the value o: these plants for winter 
flowering could not have been afforded. Several good varieties were 
represented by fine trusses or clusters of bright scarlet, crimson, and 
salmon flowers ; but of two varieties stands were shown of a dozen or 
more trusses each. These were F. V. Neulans, scarlet, with a white 
centre; and Souvenir de Mirande, soft salmon, with a white centre, 
both single and very effective. A group of bright crimson and gold 
graceful Celosia “plumes” were also sent from Swanley. A silver 
Flora medal was awarded for the collection. A group of double 
Primulas came from Mr. II. B. May, Edmonton, very neat, compact, 
and well flowered (silver Banksian medal). Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, 
Hextable, sent a plant of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, with small imperfect 
flowers, but why it was shown was not evident, as it was not calculated 
to enhance the general appreciation of the variety. Mr. A. Waterer, 
Knap Hill, contributed a group of Piceas for comparison with “ Picea 
pungens argentea,” for which a first-clas3 certificate was awarded ; and 
specimens of injured Aucuba and other leaves were shown by PhiliD 
Crawley, Esq., Waddon House. Croydon, where it was said the tempera¬ 
ture had fallen on the 28th ult. to 1°, or 31° of frost, the thermometer 
being 4 feet from the ground. Messrs. G-. Coppin & Sons, Addington, 
sent similar specimens; and a patent tree pruner, which was. com¬ 
mended. 
Orchid Committee. —Present: H. J. Yeitch, Esq., in the chair; 
Dr. M. T. Masters, and Messrs. Sidney Courtauld, James Douglas, Lewis 
Castle, De B. Crawshay, H. M. Pollett, H. Ballantine, J. Dominy, 
E. Hill, F. Sander, and J. O’Brien. 
So many good novelties were exhibited at this meeting that four 
first-class certificates and three awards of merit, besides a cultural com¬ 
mendation, were granted by the above Committee. But the light was 
so bad that none of the flowers could be seen to advantage or in their 
true character. G. N. Pepper, Esq., Milford Hill, Salisbury, sent a very 
large Laelia anceps, with about two dozen long spikes of fine brightly 
coloured flowers ; as a decorative plant it was one of the most attrac¬ 
tive shown. T. A. Gledstanes, Esq., Manor House, Gunnersbury (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Denison), had a large plant of the peculiar Ccelogyne 
barbata, the sepals and petals white,' the lip heavily fringed with 
brown. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, exhibited a group of beautiful 
hybrid Cypripediuras, amongst which were C. Medea from C. hirsu- 
tissimum and C. Spicerianum, clearly showing the characters of both 
parents in combination, the dorsal sepal partaking of the C. Spiceri¬ 
anum shape and colouring, the petals like C. hirsutissimum, but 
modified by the effect of the other species. C. Niobe, which was figured 
in this Journal page 527, Dec. 19th, 1889, is a charming hybrid between 
C. Fairrieanum and C. Spicerianum, and on this occasion several seedling 
variations from the same cross, differing both in size and colour of the 
flowers, such as C. Leeanum or C. Leeanum superbum does. Another 
hybrid Cypripedium named II. Ballantine, from C. Fairrieanum and 
C. purpuratum, the dorsal sepal rounded, broad, and heavily veined with 
crimson, the petals tipped with crimson. 
A most interesting group of hybrid Cypripediums was exhibited by 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, and the plants were tastefully 
arranged with small Ferns. Very handsome was C. Pollettianum, from 
C. calophvllum and C. cenanthum superbum. C. Castleanum was even 
more distinct, but less showy, from C. hirsutissimum and C. superbiens, 
the prevailing colour a soft bluish purple. C. Maynardi is a beautiful 
hybrid from C. purpuratum and C. Spicerianum, all of which are 
described fully in our Orchid column (page 513). It is evident that we 
may now look for many more hybrid Orchids from St. Albans, as the 
numberless seedlings raised are just reaching flowering size, and fresh 
novelties will be frequent. Besides those already named the following 
were shown at the meeting Selenipedium Weidlichianum.—A free 
flowering hybrid, from C. Hartwegi and C. Schlimi. The lip bright 
rose ; the petals twisted, edged, and tipped with rose ; the dorsal sepal 
lighter, and the lower sepals broad and white. The leaves are long, 
narrow, green, and flower stem tall, branching, with a number of 
flowers. Cypripedium Alcides.—A hybrid from C. insigne and C. hirsu- 
tDsimum, with greenish sepals and purple tinted lip. Cypripedium 
Orpheus.—From C. venustum and C. callosum, the dorsal sepal veined 
with purple and green ; the petals deflexed, purple at the tip ; the lip 
dark polished purple. C. insigne longisepalum is a peculiar importation 
from Northern India, with light greenish flowers ; the dorsal sepal 
very long. 
Certificated Plants. 
Cypripedium Pollettianum and Maynardi and Cutt.leya O'Brieniana 
(F. Sander & Co.).—All these have already been described. 
Cymbidim Tracyanum (Mr. H. A. Tracy).—This is also described in 
our Orchid column. 
Lcclia Gouldiana (T. Sfatter, Esq., Stand Hall, Whitfield, near Man¬ 
chester ; gardener, Mr. B. Johnston).—An excellent plant was shown of 
this fine Laelia with bright rosy crimson flowers, very freely produced, 
the plant of capital habit. 
Cypripedium Osborni (Mr. T. Osborn, Grove Gardens, Teddington).— 
This a hybrid from C. Harrisianum superbum and C. Spicerianum, 
remarkable for the great size of the flowers, the dorsal sepal being ex¬ 
tremely broad, white, with a crimson central bar and a few streaks, 
polished petals, and a purplish crimson lip of considerable size. 
Lcelia Tresederiana (T. Statter, Esq.).—A hybrid from Cattleva 
crispa superba and C. Loddigesi, with small, neat, light flowers, the 
sepals and petals pure white, the lip having an undulated margin of a 
bright crimson purple colour, and a white base. In form it was rather 
more suggestive of C. crispa than the other species. 
Pinus pungens argentea (Mr. A. Waterer, Knap Hill).—Though shown 
as Picea pungens, this would seem to be a variety of Pinus pungens, an 
American species from the Alleghany Mountains, where its popular 
name is “ the Table Mountain Pine.” The variety shown is distinguished- 
by a fine silvery glaucous colour, very bright and uniform. 
CUNILA MARIANA. 
The term Dittany is applied to several different plants. For example, 
the Dictamnus Fraxinella is so named, as also are two species of 
Origanum, while Cunila Mariana is known in North America as the- 
common Dittany. Possibly these names have arisen from some fancied- 
resemblance between the plants so designated ; but to say the least the- 
similarity of the Cunila to the Dictamnus is by no means strongly 
TIG-. 70. —CUNILA MARIANA. 
marked. Cunila Mariana, of which an illustration is given in fig. 70, 
is a tufted dwarf hardy perennial plant included in the Mint family, 
and related to the Monardas and Salvias, though differing mater'ally in 
general appearance. The plant rarely exceeds a foot in height, and 
produces its small rosy purple two-lipped flowers in great profusion, in 
dense corymbose or cymose clusters. According to Gray this Cunila is, 
found in the dry hills south of New York ; in England it thrives in any 
ordinary soil not too wet, and flowers in late summer. 
THE AIGBURTH NURSERY. 
INDOOR plants are remarkably well grown in the Aigburth Nursery" 
belonging to Messrs. R. P. Iver & Sons. Great changes have taken place- 
and improvements have been effected 3ince Mr. Ranger took charge av 
manager. The outside collections have been extended and improved, 
but the glass arrangements have considerably increased. Cyclamens 
have become a prominent feature ; several houses are devoted to them, 
the plants ranging in size from the ordinary trade size to those in 
7-inch pots 15 or 1G inches across. Who would trouble to keep old. 
plants when they can be grown to this size from seed in about twelve 
months ? 
Palms are grown in various sizes by thousands from tiny seedlings- 
to large specimens. The large Anne house built a few years ago is filled 
with Palms, principally Kentias. Perhaps K. Belmoreana is the mo3t 
beautiful of all ; there are several distinct forms, as may be naturally- 
expected, from seedlings. One plant is very conspicuous for the dark 
alrn-st black colour of its foliage and the drooping habit of its leaves. 
Pelargoniums are well grown ; Roses, Azaleas, Dracaenas, Camellias, 
