1868 . ] 
NOVELTIES, &C., AT FLOWER SHOW'S. 
165 
admissible, yet it is strange what a glorious growth can be produced in 
these plants by a combination of the two. 
I-have heard it urged that the Skimmia japonica will not bear the full 
power of the sun, but according to my experience this must be a fallacy, 
for the plants at this place are exposed to the full power of the sun in the 
hottest hours of the day, and this leads me to infer that the secret will 
rather be found in the coolness of our clay subsoil. It is not at all unlikely 
that with a dry, gravelly, or rocky subsoil, and a light, peaty superstratum, 
the power of the sun would be too much for the thick, fleshy roots of this 
plant, which appear to me to be much better adapted to a cool and moist 
soil, than one which is light and dry. I may add, that having observed 
several seedlings spring up under the bushes where the soil is undisturbed, 
I am of opinion that the potting-off is unnecessary. 
Redleaf. John Cox. 
NOVELTIES, &c., AT ELOWER SHOWS. 
’HE “essentials” of a good Pelargonium were, in the opinion of the 
late Mr. Edward Beck, novelty, freedom of bloom, good habit both 
of plant and flower truss, and fidelity of colours. To these the 
critical florist would add form, and so he should; yet a stage of 
Pelargoniums would be imperfect without some flowers defective in 
this latter respect, which would be most effective under canvas. It is, 
however, pleasant to notice that the new Pelargoniums of the present 
year, as well as of two or three years past, possess large size in combination 
with form, and the other “ essentials.” Lord Ronald (Foster), awarded a 
first-class certificate at the Crystal Palace, lacks somewhat the point of 
form (of secondary importance in Mr. Beck’s opinion), but is, nevertheless, 
a very cheerful and useful flower ; it has pale lilac pink lower petals, and 
dark top petals, bordered with fiery orange, and edged with rose. Rosalind 
(Beck), is a flower of no mean promise, though awarded a second-class 
certificate only; the lower petals are carmine salmon, with large white 
throat, dark top petals, margined with pale rose; a finely-formed and 
smooth flower. The same award was made to Nonpareil (Turner), a stained 
flower, having dark markings on a pale lilac ground on the lower petals, with 
dark top petals ; a very promising flower. Maid of Honour (Foster), was 
awarded a second-class certificate at the first Show at the Regent’s Park. 
It is in the way of Lord Ronald, but paler on the bottom petals, and with 
the top petals not quite so w T ell marked, yet it is a large and fine flower, 
produced on bold trusses, but the flowers reflex a little too much. Heroine 
(Foster), awarded a first-class certificate at the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Great Show, is a beautiful variety, with pink lower petals and white throat, 
dark blotch on top petals, margined with a fiery hue, and broad pale rosy 
