84 
THE FLORIST. 
well and hearty, and whom we were glad to see in the room) was exhi¬ 
bited by that gentleman. He stated that there is now no doubt that 
Formosa yields the greater part of the Rice paper of commerce. This 
beautiful substance is largely consumed in the Canton and Fokien pro¬ 
vinces. In the city of Foo-Chou-foo, every lady wears artificial flowers 
made from it. It is estimated that this place alone consumes about 
30,000 dollars worth of it annually ! The cheapness of this article in 
the market shows that it must be very abundant in its place of growth. 
One hundred sheets, each about three inches square, can be bought for 
the small sum of three halfpence. One almost wonders, Mr.F. remarked, 
that it is not more sought after by workers in artificial flowers in Europe. 
Rice paper is the pith of the plant, cut into thin sheets by the Chinese. 
A most beautiful bunch of fruit of Musa Cavendishi was exhibited 
by Mr. Young, gardener to W. Stone, Esq., of Dulwich. It weighed 
16 lbs., and what is seldom met with in bunches of this fruit, the whole 
of the pods were quite ripe ; although heavier bunches have been 
exhibited, it was mentioned that none in every way so perfect as this 
had ever been brought under the notice of the Society. 
Mr. Williams, gardener to Mr. Fairie, of Liverpool, the gentleman 
who first flowered the beautiful Rhododendron Hookeri,figured in a former 
number, furnished a collection of cut flowers, in which were Laelia 
superbiens, cut from the noble plant purchased at the Horticultural 
Society’s sale of Orchids ; the best variety of Calanthe vestita, Coelogyne 
cristata. Camellias, Early Tulips, and the old-fashioned Diosma ovata, 
a Cape plant, from which the Hottentots extract a perfume held by 
them in great esteem; but which to Europeans would be considered 
anything but agreeable. 
Of fruit there were some admirable exhibitions. Mr. Jones, of 
Dowlais, sent a noble Black Prince Pine Apple, weighing 6 lbs. 10 oz.; 
Mr. South, gardener to A. H. Davenport, Esq., had another fruit of the 
same kind weighing 4 lbs. 13 oz.; and Mr. Ingram, of the Royal Gar¬ 
dens, Frogmore, sent an exceedingly handsome smooth leaved Cayenne 
Pine, weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz. The last named gentleman also furnished 
a dish of new West’s St. Peter’s Grapes, beautiful specimens for this 
early season of the year; these were really new Grapes, although we 
see the fact doubted in the columns of a contemporary. Grapes from 
Mr. Fleming, gardener to the Duke of Sutherland, at Trentham, con¬ 
sisted of White Tokay, plump and beautiful; Muscat of Alexandria, 
fine bunches just beginning to shrivel and having that rich golden yellow 
colour which is so desirable to find in this variety; and Black Barba- 
rossa, very fine, though not so large, they say, as it has sometimes been 
grown. Such a varied and beautiful collection of Grapes, it was 
remarked, could only be produced at this time of year from such princely 
gardens as those from which they were furnished. Mr. Hill, gardener 
to R. Sneyd, Esq., exhibited a boxful of very excellent Muscat Grapes. 
Mr. Tillyard, gardener to the Right Hon. the Speaker at Heckfield, 
sent a collection of fruit, consisting of a nicely ripened Queen Pine 
Apple, Black Hamburgh Grapes, excellent for fruit of that kind at this 
time of year; and Winter Nelis, Ne Plus Meuris, Easter Beurre, 
Glou Morceau, and Knight’s Monarch Pears, all specimens of which 
