380 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 1?, 1887. 
varieties stronger still. Mr. Molyneux speaks very disparagingly 
against buying novelties. Has there been a season since he scored his 
tirst success that new varieties have not been of considerable help to 
him ! Methinks if every grower waited till the novelties were shown 
by someone else the greater number of them would die out on the very 
threshold of their existence. As it is, many of our very finest varieties 
have been years before finding their proper level, simply because we 
have not enough growers with sufficient pluck to try more of the novel¬ 
ties and bring out their merits or defects.—N. Davis, Camberwell. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
May 10th. 
The Cypripediums, the Daffodils, and Roses in pots were the most 
prominent features of this meeting, other miscellaneous exhibits being 
less numerous than usual. 
Fruit Committee. —Present—T. Francis Rivers, Esq., in the chain 
and Messrs. J. Lee, Arthur W. Sutton, T. B. Haywood, Phillip Crowley: 
W. Warren, G. T. Miles, J. Woodbridge, G. Norman, William Paul, 
R. D. Blaclcmore, H. J. Yeitch, J. Fitt, and J. Burnett. Mr. Norman, 
The Gardens, Hatfield House, Herts, sent six bunches of Lady Downe’s 
Grapes, remarkably well kept, the berries plump and of good colour. A 
"cultural commendation was awarded. Mr. W. Palmer, gardener to W. T. 
Hume Dick, Esq., Thames Ditton House, Thames Dibon, exhibited some 
fresh and good Black Hamburgh Grapes and a seedling Melon, which the 
Committee wish to see again. (Vote of thanks.) Mr. R. Parker, lmpney 
Gardens, Droitwich, showed a seedling white-flesh Melon, and from the 
Society’s garden at Chiswick were sent several specimens of seedling 
Rhubarb, with Hawke’s Champagne, Linmeus, and Victoria for com¬ 
parison. 
Floral Committee. —Present : G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the 
chair ; Dr. M. T. Masters, and Messrs. W. Wilks, J. Fraser, W. Holmes, 
T. Baines, G. Duffield, J. Douglas, H. Bennett, H. Herbst, J. Walker, 
A. Bradshaw, R. Dean, B. Wynne, C. Noble, J. Dominy, H. Ballantine, 
H. M. Pollett, C. Pilcher, A. J. Lendy, E. Hill, and J. O’Brien. 
At this meeting the Veitch Memorial medal and £5 were offered for 
the best collection of Cypripediums, and though there were only two 
competitors the display provided by the successful exhibitor was a re¬ 
in u-kable one. The pi ize was awarded to Mr. Simpkins, gardener to R. J. 
Measures, Esq., Cambridge Lodge, Camberwell, whose admirable collec¬ 
tion of Orchids is described in another column, and the plants shown on 
this occasion included some of the best. They were all very healthy, 
the flowers mostly large, and the colours good, and arranged as they 
were with Adiantums, Pterises, Cocos Weddelliana, and other graceful 
foliage plants they formed a most beautiful group, the honour accorded 
them being a well-merited recognition. The following is a list of the 
Cypripediums exhibited in bloom :—Argus four plants, A. mosaica, A. 
liigro-maculatum, barbatum two plants, and vars. pulclierrimum, nigrum 
five plants, gigauteum andO’Brieni, Boxalli three plants, B. superbum, 
B. atratum two plants, Bullenianum, cardinale, Curtisi, ciliolare six 
plants, callosum three plants, caudatum, c. roseum four plants, c. Wars- 
eewiezi, calurum, c. superbum, Druryi, Dauthieri, euryandrum, Harrisi- 
anum, brown variety, Haynaldianum, Hookeri, H. giganteum, insigne 
tylhetense, Lowi, lasvigatum four plants. Lawrenceanum nine plants, 
niveum ten plants, n. biflorum, Pearcei, Roezdi, Robelini, selligerum, 
euperciliare, Swanianum two plants, Stonei, tonsum, villosum aureum, 
vernixium, Warneri two plants, var. biflorum, and two unnamed species. 
F. G. Tautz, Esq., Studley House, Hammersmith (gardener, Mr. J. C. 
Cowley), also had a smaller group of choice Cypripediums, comprising 
Harrisianum, barbatum superbum, Petri, Druryi, Sedeni candidibulum, 
Lowi, concolor, niveum, Boxalli atratum, and Calceolus, all healthy 
plants. 
Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Son, Chilwell, Notts, showed a collection of 
Zonal Pelargoniums representing some of their beautiful varieties, very 
notable being Clytie, cerise ; Edith Pearson, scarlet; Rev. R. D. Harris, 
salmon scarlet : W. Bealby, scarlet ; C. H. Swinstead, scarlet; Mrs. 
David Sanders, pink ; Norah, blush ; Constance, bright pink, and Aspasia 
white, all single varieties. F. G. Tautz, Esq., sent specimens of Odonto- 
glossum Schillerianum, with several Cattleya and Phalasnopsis flowers. 
Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, was awarded a cultural commendation for live 
varieties of Polyanthus, very rich in colour. Messrs. Shuttleworth and 
Carder, Clapham, exhibited the specimen of Cymbidium tigrinum pre¬ 
viously noticed, also Odontoglossum Carderi. (Vote of thanks). Mr. 
>T. James, Farnham Royal, Slough, showed flowers of his beautiful strain 
<of Calceolarias, bright and varied in colours. (Vote of thanks). De B. 
Crawshay, Esq., Sevenoaks, sent a plant of Odontoglossum crispum 
Mrs. De B. Crawshay with large, well-formed flowers (vote of thanks). 
Mr. G. Cragg, Hornsey, showed a small group of seedling Auriculas 
( vote of thanks). Mr. R. Miller, Shoreham, exhibited plants of a Regal 
Pelargonium named Pearl, with semi-double white flowers, very free and 
good (vote of thanks). Messrs. T. Todman & Sons, Upper Tooting, 
exhibited a seedling Rhododendron from R. javanicum, named grandi- 
florum, having large orange yellow flowers inches across, and about 
6ix in a head. 
Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, were awarded a silver-gilt 
Banksian medal for a handsome group of Roses in pots, comprising a 
number of choice varieties, both Teas and Noisettes. A bronze medal 
was adjudged to Mr. Wm. Rumsey, Waltham Cross, for four boxes of 
Rose blooms, those of Souvenir d’un Ami being extremely fine in size 
fcnd colour. Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, had their usual beauti¬ 
ful collection of Daffodils, with Anemones, Fritillarias. and other hardy 
flowers (silver Banksian medal). Mr. E. H. Krelage, Haarlem, sent col¬ 
lections of Tulips and Narcissi of many varieties (vote of thanks). Mr. 
T. S. Ware had a charming group of Primula Sieboldi varieties, miscel¬ 
laneous hardy flowers, comprising Muscaris, Gladiolus, Colvilli albus, 
and Daffodils in thousands of many excellent varieties (silver-gilt 
Banksian medal). Messrs. Collins, Bros., & Gabriel were awarded a 
bronze medal for a collection of Daffodils, and Mr. Anthony Waterer for 
a group of hardy Azaleas. 
CERTIFICATED PLANTS. 
Aaeissus Captain Nelson (Messrs. Barr & Sons and T. S. Ware).— 
A handsome variety of the large Trumpet section, the crown of rich 
golden colour and well formed, the petals lighter. Certificates were also 
awarded for Gloria Mundi, Glory of Leyden, and Madame W. de Graaf 
from Messrs. Barr & Son. 
Primula Siebo'di, Ware's White (T. S. Ware).—A beautiful variety 
with pure white flowers of good size. 
Fri till aria. pa.Hidiflora (T. S. Ware).—A form with pale yellow 
flowers and a few dark dots. 
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 
Dr. M. T. Masters in the chair. Present—Rev. C. W. Dod, Mr. Smith, 
Mr. Pascoe, Mr. Michael, Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Wilson, Mr. 
Murray, Mr. Smee. Mr. Ridley, and Rev. G. Henslow, Hon. See. 
Perixteria eerina and P. guttata. —Mr. O’Brien exhibited two flowers, 
one yellow the other spotted, believed to have been borne by the same 
plant, and characteristic of these two species. It was suggested that 
they might prove to be male and female respectively. Mr. Ridley 
undeitook to examine and report upon them. 
Longicorn beetle in Saccolabium eceleste. —Mr. Pascoe exhibited a 
live specimen taken from a stem. It proved to be Diaxenes Taylori 
from Moulmein, in the Malay Peninsula. 
Leucnjum tricopliyllum. —Rev. C. W. Dod showed a specimen of 
this plant. Though figured in an early volume of “ Curtis’s Magazine,” 
it appears to have been lost. It is a native of Portugal. 
Daffodi .?, hybrids. —He also showed a number of native hybrids be¬ 
tween N. poeticus and N. pseudo-Narcissus. They grow in abundance 
and great variety at an elevation of 7000 feet in the Pyrenees, since as 
soon as the snow disappears both these species flower simultaneously, and 
not separately, as in England. They are called “ Bernards” in their 
native home. 
Begonia , sp. —Mr. Ridley discovered the name of the species exhi¬ 
bited by Mr. Smee at the last meeting to be B. hispida from Brazil. 
Emmy mux, vars. —Dr. Masters exhibited sprays of the common green 
Euonymus, with yellowish young foliage. They were received from 
M. Max Cornu. The yellow tint disappears as the season advances ; 
the cause was attributed by the Secretary to cold, as he had noticed 
transplanted Bluebells remained yellow-green until the temperature 
rose, when they suddenly became green. Mr. Murray corroborated this 
fact, and added that corn will sometimes become yellow again on return 
of cold weather. 
Tulip Bulb abnormal .—Dr. Masters also showed bulbs in which one 
of the lowermost scales had become bent downwards, an axillary bulbil 
had grown downwards in conjunction with it. Mr. Dod alluded to the 
fact that Bluebells and Crocuses sometimes bore bulbs on dependant axes 
below the parent bulb ; but it was somewhat difficult to account for this 
peculiarity. 
Plant Diseases —The following communications were received from 
Mr. Plowright :— 
Distorted Crocus Leaves. —“ The Crocus leaves sent herewith present a 
curious distorted appearance towards their extremities that I have fre¬ 
quently observed at this season of the year. It usually becomes more 
marked later on. At first sight one would imagine it due to some 
mechanical injury, but this I believe not to be the case. The plants from 
which these specimens are taken have had their leaves similarly distorted 
for several years in succession. Whether it be the work of an insect or 
not, I should be glad to have the opinion of any member of the Com¬ 
mittee who may be familiar with this diseased condition.” This is of 
common occurrence, and is due to chill or other cause which prevents 
the leaves escaping freely from their sheaths. 
Larch Disease. — i! Most likely several diseases are included in the 
term ‘ Larch disease,’ as one frequently sees it employed in various 
semi-scientific periodicals. The specimens in question were obtained 
last autumn near Aberdeen in one of the excursions of the Scottish 
Cryptogramic Society. Professor Trail pointed out to me the large 
number of young Larches which were thus injured. During the follow¬ 
ing week, while at Hereford, I searched in vain for specimens of this 
disease, nor have I been more successful with the Larches in this neigh¬ 
bourhood. The specimens sent herewith were living at the time they 
were procured, the leaves attached to them being quite green. The 
peculiar swellings of the affected branches being like those produced by 
the Podosomata on Junipers—more or less fusiform—there is no reason¬ 
able doubt but that the disease is caused by the presence of the mycelium 
of a fungus, Peziza Willkommi. The diseased condition of the branches 
and the structure of the fungus, &c., are well shown in R. Hartig Lehr- 
buch der Baumkraukheiten. plate xi. The specimens show the fusiform 
swellings of the branches and the Peziza Willkommi in situ. It has 
been asserted by those who confine their attention to the examination of 
herbarium species that no difference exists between P. Willkommi ami 
P. calycina. Without doubt the perfect fungi resemble each other 
closely in external appearance and in spore measurements, but their life 
