1870. ] 
NOVELTIES, ETC., AT FLOWER SHOWS. 
115 
would be at once relieved from the anxiety which attends on the giving out of a 
boiler during the winter season, or while forcing is in full operation. Another 
meritorious point in the boiler now before us is, that it can be emptied for the 
removal of sediment—and sediment in a boiler is, at least, a source of great 
annoyance, often, indeed, of serious damage—without the labour of emptying the 
whole apparatus. By means of valves the water in the pipes can be shut back 
from the boiler, and by means of openings provided for the purpose, the boiler 
itself can be drained to the very dregs. 
To point out these contrivances is to show their utility, which is self-evident. 
The wonder is that so many forms of boilers should have come into use without 
the introduction of these or some similar advantages.- 
-T. M. 
NOVELTIES, Etc., AT FLOWER SHOWS. 
[S in the cases of many other subjects, a large-flowered section of Cyclamen 
‘persicmn has put in an appearance, and there is no knowing to what size 
the flowers may eventually be brought. At the meeting of the Eoyal 
Horticultural Society held on the 6th of April, a First-Class Oerdificate 
was awarded to Mr. Edmonds, Hayes, for such an one. Cyclamen persicum cjigan- 
teum, having bold and stout bright rosy-purple flowers of unwonted size ; this 
fine flower, combining the qualities of large size and high colour, may be said to 
consummate the splendid development of the Cyclamen witnessed this spring. In 
Azalea Fraiiqois Devos^ a fine addition is made to the semi-double greenhouse 
varieties, so valuable for cut purposes, as the blossoms are less fragile than those 
of the single flowers ; the colour is of a glowing crimson, the plant very free- 
blooming, and of capital habit; it was exhibited both by Messrs. Cutbush and 
Son, Highgate, and Messrs. Stan dish and Co., Ascot, and was awarded a First- 
Class Certificate. The same award was made to a very pretty new hybrid Per¬ 
petual Rose, named Mcllle. Eugenie Verclier, having full and finely-cupped 
blush flowers, the centre suffused with pink, said to be one of the very best of the 
new Roses being sent out; this was exhibited by Messrs. Paul and Son. A 
similar award was made to a curious Primrose from Abyssinia, named Primula 
Contii^ but which proves to be the P. Boveana^ and is probably only a variety of 
P. verticillata, identical with P. verticillata simensis. It is a greenhouse perennial, 
of free habit, with white powdered foliage, and pale-yellow scented flowers, pro¬ 
duced in whorls on the erect scape. This was exhibited by Messrs. Veitch and Sons, 
and will, in all probability, become very useful for hybridizing. 
Asters in bloom during the first week in April are certainly uncommon, but 
yet Messrs. Standish and Co. had a group of nicely-flowered plants in pots of 
the “dwarf bouquet” strain, the seed of which had been sown in August last. 
By sowing in June another season, they hope to be able to get them into bloom as 
early as Christmas. Quite as uncommon were some Staiiclard Pot Poses, shown 
by Messrs. Lane and Son, of Great Berkhamstead, nicely-grown plants on stems 
