January 14, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
27 
No other nation hag such an institution as Kew, and no other nation has 
so much need of it. Its influence on our Colonial Empire has been simply 
incalculable, and the annual outlay upon it—even if the public derived no 
benefit from the institution as a pleasure ground and a place of education 
—-would certainly be a mere flea-bite if we could only show in comparison 
with it the commercial advantages it has conferred. The expense, by the 
way, would be enormously greater but for the system of exchange that has 
been so widely developed. Almost everything in the way of seeds and 
plants for cultivation which Kew requires is obtainable by this system, or 
by the gifts of Englishmen who have settled abroad and who feel a kindly 
interest in this great establishment which so pleasantly links together our 
colonial empire. A resident in Burmah, for instance, lately sent home an 
offer of a fine collection of Orchids, which were gladly accepted. East 
India Orchids are easily obtainable ; but a few South Americans present 
an exception to the general rule. We have comparatively little intercourse 
with the South American continent, and Orchids from that quarter are 
collected mainly by the travellers of nurserymen, from whom of course 
they have to be bought. But this rarely happens. Kew has something 
which the West Indies want, and in exchange for which the West Indies 
will send something that they have and which Kew wants. Or exchanges 
are effected between the gardens here and other botanic gardens throughout 
the country, or with nurserymen or private cultivators and amateurs. 
Growers all over the world have thus an easy medium for the supply of 
their wants,.and, whether their object is to introduce altogether new things 
or to improve their stock by the substitution of newer kinds, they will 
find what they want by communicating with Kew. Thus some time ago 
Jamaica growers of Pine Apples wanted a new stock. The Director of Kew 
was able to obtain suckers of the very best kinds in cultivation from the 
gardens of the Queen, the Duke of Devonshire, Lord Rosebery, and one or 
two other distinguished growers in England. In other ways also this establish¬ 
ment exerts a great influence on commercial affairs. Many of our colonists 
are apt to get very much behind their times and to fall very much into the 
dark as to what is going on in the great world around them. Thus, it 
recently came to the knowledge of the Government that Oranges were 
being shipped from Sicily for the New York market, while Jamaica— 
splendidly adapted for Orange-growing—was rapidly being ruined in the 
attempt to bring their cane sugar into the market in competition with the 
bounty-supported Beet-growers of the Continent. Oranges certainly ought 
to be taken into New York from Jamaica more cheaply than they can be 
taken from Sicily, and the attention of the Director of Public Gardens and 
Plantations of Jamaica has been called to this opening for enterprise. 
That is an^ illustration of what is continually being done by this great 
central depflt. The study of botany is promoted all over the world, the 
productiveness of our colonies is immensely augmented, every land under 
the sun is being beautified by the introduction of exotic plants, and here 
close to the greatest centre of our population we have a garden of the most 
enchanting beauty, and a collection of foreign plants which are the envy 
of scientific foreigners all over the world. Some day, perhaps, we may 
have added to Ke_w Gardens the forty acres of waste land at the present 
time given up entirely to solitude and hosts of rabbits, just at that corner of 
the grounds facing Sion House. At present it is of no use to anybody: 
there is nothing in it but thickets and trees, and the Queen’s cottage, into 
which no one ever.goes, and the whole domain of forty acres is religiously 
wired round sufficiently to keep out the public, but not sufficiently to keep 
in the rabbits. * 
.ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Januaky 12th. 
The severe weather deterred many exhibitors from contributing to this 
meeting, and in consequence few plants were shown. It was indeed the 
smallest, and but for the Orchids would have been the least important 
gathering that has been held at Kensington for some time. 
t 9, 0MMITTee -—P resent: Dr. Hogg, in the chair, and Messrs. Harry 
"r i 61 ... ’ Norman, W. Warren, John Woodbridge, Charles Ross, G. T. 
Miles, Wm.Denning, J. T. Saltmarsh, Arthur W. Sutton, Sidney Ford, Wm. 
Paul, R. D. Blackmore, Chas. Silverlock, Phillip Crowley, and John Burnett. 
ij V^ e Gardens, Gunton Hall, sent a seedling Apple called Lady 
bufneld., which was considered too small for a kitchen Apple, and not good 
enough in flavour for dessert. Mr. Mitchell, The Gardens, Aberaman, Aber- 
dare, sent a fine specimen of Smooth Cayenne Pine, to which a vote of thanks 
was awarded. Mr. John Walker, Thame, Oxon, sent some specimens of 
Walker s Exhibition Onion, a good strain of the Reading or Nuneham 
Park variety, to which a letter of thanks was awarded. A very interesting 
collection of stewing Pears was exhibited from the garden of the Society at 
Chiswick, and the Committee made a selection of varieties which they re- 
commended should be stewed and exhibited at the next meeting. 
.. Floral Committee. —Present: G. F. Wilson, Esq., in the chair, and 
Messrs. L Douglas, James Walker, H. Bennett, W. Bealby, H. Herbst, Thos. 
Baines, G. Duffield, W. Holmes, R. Dean, H. Ballantine, A. H. Lendy, J. 
Dommy, H. Cannell, James O’Brien, E. Hill, G. Paul, and Harry Turner, 
f VRCRim—Pruning Lcelias. —The meeting owed its principal interest 
to tne Orchids shown by various growers, and one specimen which received 
the close attention of the Committee was a handsome example of Labia 
anceps from Mr. Blandford, gardener to Mrs. Haselfoot, Moor Hill, Westend, 
bouthampton, for which a cultural commendation was awarded. The plant 
had over forty pseudo-bulbs with strong healthy leaves of a rich green 
colour, indicating the most vigorous health, and it bore ten spikes 3 to 
^ ee " LJflb, with four or five flowers each. It was shown as an example of 
;i! e . pr ^ nm ? 3 y 3 * iem ; an d in a note accompanying the specimen it was stated 
that the plant had been subjected to pruning since 1873, the old pseudo- 
bulbs being removed when the leaves had faded. It was also said that the 
plant had been in the same pot for nearly five years. There was some 
difference of opinion concerning this pruning, as it is termed, but the 
general view was that the plant had been well grown and had not benefited 
by the removal of pseudo-bulbs in any way except in rendering it neater in 
appearance. e 
Lcelia anceps varieties .—From Baron Schroder’s garden, The Dell, 
Lgnam, Mr. Ballantine brought a beautiful collection of Labia anceps 
Dowers, represent ng all the best varieties in cultivation and showing the 
beauty of this useful winter-flowering Orchid to the best advantage. L. 
anceps alba has pure white flowers except a yellow centre in the lip. The 
sepals and petals are broad, and the flower substantial in general appear¬ 
ance. L. anceps Barkeriana is a noted rare variety, remarkable for the 
grand intensely rich crimson lip and rosy purple sepals and petals. L- 
anceps Dawsoni is a superb form, one of the most valuable and beautiful of 
all. It was named in honour of the late T. Dawson, Esq., of Meadow Bank, 
in whose collection it first flowered in 1867. It also flowered a few months 
later at Gravelly Hall, Birmingham, and this plant was shown at South 
Kensington at the time. The flower is very distinct from other varieties, 
the petals being exceedingly broad, and with the sepals are pure white. 
The lip is slightly contracted and reflexed near the tip, which is of a fine 
purplish crimson hue, the throat being boldly veined with a richer tint of 
the same colour, giving the flowers a particularly handsome appearance in 
contrast with the white sepals and petals. A variety was shown which is- 
believed to be L. anceps Sanderiana, and is something like Dawsoni, but 
inferior to it in beauty, the colour of the lip being paler, and the veins less dis¬ 
tinct. L. anceps Hilliana has white flowers, the lip yellowish and tinged with 
rose at the side. L. anceps rosea has a rose tint suffusing the lip and petals, 
and L. Williamsiana has white flowers, the lip yellow in the centre, and the 
throat well streaked with crimson. An unnamed variety of L. anceps with 
purplish sepals and petals, and a broad, square, dark crimson lip, was pre¬ 
ferred by some to L. Barked. Several other varieties have received names 
such as delicata, grandiflora, Percivalliana, vestalis, and Yeitchiana, some 
of which are distinct and handsome, especially the last-named, which is 
also well grown in Baron Schroder’s collection. In addition to the Laslia 
flowers Mr. Ballantine had a raceme of Odontoglossum crispum Bonnianum, 
which has neat rounded flowers of moderate size, white with a bluish tint, 
each sepal having one or two bold round blotches of brown near the tip. 
De B. Crawshay, Esq., Rosefield, Sevenoaks, showed a small collection of 
Orchids, conspicuous amongst them being Sophronitis grandiflora splen- 
dens, a highly coloured variety, with flowers 2jJ inches in diameter. Lselia 
anceps blanda, with blush sepals and petals and a crimson lip ; L. Craw- 
shayana, crimson ; L. anceps Williamsiana, the pale golden Odontoglossum 
aureum; and O. crispum Stella, a white variety, with spreading sepals and 
petals were also noticeable. C. Dorman, Esq., The Firs, Laurie Park, 
Sydenham, exhibited a curious little Brazilian Orchid, Promensea 
stapelioides, the flowers small and creamy white, the lip strangely dotted 
with maroon, like some of the Stapelias, to which it owes its name. Odonto¬ 
glossum Insleayi, from the same source, is a fine coloured variety, with 
flowers of great size; but Cypripedium insigne Dormanianum did not 
possess any remarkable characters, though the Odantoglossum tripudians 
superbum, which was certificated, is an extremely handsome Orchid, and 
amply deserved the honour. Mr. H. James, Castle Nursery, Lower Nor¬ 
wood, had a flower of Cattleya Trianae Measuresiana, with broad petals, a 
brilliant crimson lip, and a gold throat. A cone of Macrozamia Dennisoni 
over 2 feet in length was shown from the same nursery. The New Plant 
and Bulb Company, Colchester, sent a flower of a pretty light pink 
Cattleya. 
Primulas. —Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, were awarded a 
bronze Bansian medal for a group of Primulas comprising about 100 plants, 
representing several varieties of approved merit. The Queen is a white 
form, of good habit, and bearing large pure flowers in compact trusses. 
Improved White, with rather larger flowers, is said to be a selection from 
The Queen. Improved Blue is one of the best of the so-called “ blue ” 
Primulas. Primula sinensis cristata fl.-pl. is a double white-flowered 
variety, with round crisped leaves. The brilliant Chiswick Red was also 
well shown. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swauley, exhibited blooms of their 
principal Primulas, most diversified in colour and distinguished by their 
admirable substance. 
Tea Bose Sunset. —To indicate the floriferous character and usefulness of 
this Rose Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, exhibited a number of buds and 
flowers such as they are still cutting freely from the plants in pots under 
glass. The colour is a pleasing bronzy yellow, the blooms are neat and in 
the buds are excellent for buttonholes or bouquets, possessing moreover a 
powerful fragrance, It is very highly commended for culture wherever 
flowers are in much demand. 
Late Chrysanthemums. —Mr. John Walker, Thame, Oxon, had several 
stands of late Chrysanthemum blooms which, though not of the size that 
exhibitors like to see, were such as would be highly prized in gardens where 
much floral decoration has to be done. The varieties were Fair Maid of 
Guernsey, Ethel, Peter the Great, Pere Delaux, Elaine, and Jardin des 
Plantes. Mr. Walker states that he strikes the cuttings in March, and 
when placed under cover the plants are grown in a north house, where they 
come on Blowly until wanted. For all the exhibits named votes of thanks 
were accorded. 
PLANT CERTIFICATED. 
Odontoglossum tripudians superbum (C. Dorman. Esq.).—The finest 
variety of 0. tripudians that has yet been obtained. The flowers are over 
3 inches in diameter, the sepals’ oval shining brown with a yellow tip, the 
petals blotched with brown on a yellowish ground and tipped with the 
same hue. The lip is broad, fringed and blotched with bright purple. 
Scientific Committee. —Dr. M. T. Masters in the chair. 
Odontoglossum bictoniense with Foliaceous Bracts. —Mr. O’Brien showed 
a peduncle about 5 feet in length, with the upper bracts leafy. He attri¬ 
buted it to a check upon the reproductive energy which the plant had 
received, in consequence of which the vegetative system had been en¬ 
couraged, as seen in the lengthened stem and leafy bracts. 
0. Andersonianum, Synanthy of. —He also showed flowers of this species 
in a synanthic condition, with two lips, two columns, &c. 
Nerine Hybrid. —He also exhibited pink flowers of a so-called N. cin- 
nabarine raised by himself; it was referred to Kew for identification. 
N. jiexuosa Hybrid. —He showed a leaf about 16 inches long and 2 inches 
broad, of a hybrid between N. flexuosa and N. Fothergillii, both of which 
have much narrower leaves, showing the effect of crossing. 
Mahwah Flowers, Sugar in. —Professor Church gave an interesting account 
of his researches into the chemical constitution of the sugary corollas of 
Bassia latifolia of India. It was said that it would supersede the use of 
Beetroot and the Sugar cane; but, he remarked, this would depend upon 
the character of the sugar. He had analysed some samples of the sun- 
