1870.] 
GAEDEN GOSSIP. 
230 
encouragement of florists’ flowers, sucli as Pinks, Picotees, Carnations, Pansies, 
Dahlias, Tulips, Auriculas, &c., held its first exhibition at the Crystal Palace on 
September G and tbo two following days. It Avas a successful Exhibition, especially as regards 
Dahlias; indeed, it is probable that such a collection, consisting of over 100 stands, has not been 
witnessed for many years; the blooms, moreover, were remarkably fine, and called forth un¬ 
bounded praise from the admirers of this lino autumn flower. Roses and Asters Avere shoAvn 
in considerable quantity and in fair condition, and Gladioli and Hollyhocks were also A^ery 
fairly represented. The Society, it is said, intends to offer prizes at the Royal Horticultural 
meetings in April and July, for Auriculas, and for Carnations and Picotees. 
■- Et has lately been pointed out that the true Lilium speciosum (often 
erroneously called L. lancifolium in gardens), noAv a very rare plant, and occasion¬ 
ally met with under the name of cruentum, is very superior to the dark-coloured 
varieties usually cultivated under the names of rubrum, atrosanguineum, &c., seedling forms 
which have usurped the place of the original and superior form, the characteristics of Avhich are as 
follows : —A statiue someAvhat below the average ; flower-buds sensibly shorter than ordinary ; 
broader and more I'egularly recurA’ed perianth segments, and consequently neater-looking 
flowers ; a distinct white margin and tips, more apparent on the petaline segments ; a more 
intense hue, and more richly-colom’ed spotting; and a someAvhat later period of floAA'ering. 
Its- superiority to the long-petaled uTegularly-recurving forms commonly seen is at once 
apparent. In the Knaphill nursery Ave lately saAv a bed of this true L. speciosum, groAvn on 
from the original stock, which has never been lost there. 
- ®HE question of how to measure the Size of Flower-Pots has recently 
been raised, especially as to whether the diameter should be taken from outside 
to inside at the top of the rim, or inside only at the top of the rim. The proper 
mode, however, is to take the length of a line extending from the inner surface on one side to 
the inner surface on the opposite side, just beloAV the rim, at about the point to Avhich the soil 
is filled up in using it,—practically 1 in. or thereabouts beloAv the iq^per edge, in pots of the 
sizes used for exhibition purposes. As disputes sometimes arise on this point at country 
exhibitions, it may be useful to note how they should be settled. 
- ^NE of the most novel and noticeable features of the Show of the 
Societe Centrale et Imperiale d’Horticulture in Paris consisted of a large and 
brilliant collection of Annual and Herhaceous Plants^ sent by MM. Vilmorin- 
Andrieux et Cie. This was remarkable not only for the number and immense variety of the 
plants exhibited, but also for the admirable Avay in Avhich they Avere grouped. The plan of 
sinking the pots adopted at these shows, AA^here the subjects are arranged on narroAv raised 
borders of pictui'esque outline, in Avhich the pots are plunged, Avas of special advantage in this 
case, and Avhoever arranged them Avas a true artist, and made out of a somewhat weedy class 
of plants as brilliant and effective a bit of colouring as an Indian shaAA’l-AA-eaver could produce. 
This plunging of the pots is a great improvement on the plan of our OAAm exhibitions, where 
sometimes the pots are hideously obtrusi\" 0 . 
- JJo doubt, the Begonia holiviensis is one of the finest species known 
under cultivation. It has been figured and described as being two-flowered, but 
Mr. Green notes that when floAvering in the collection of Mr. Wilson Saunders, it 
bore from the axils of the leaves some 80 floAvers or more, the Avhole in three-floAA'ered panicles. 
The centre flower of each panicle Avas the male, and was about 3 in. in length, while the lateral 
female flowers Avere about 2 in. long. Mr. Saunders’ plant formed a thick fleshy stem, 3 ft. 
9 in. high, producing seA’eral branches. 
- ^ REMARKABLE Specimen of Marechal Niel Pose has been recorded as 
growing at Wollaton Hall. This plant, which is a standard upon the Brier, was 
worked as a dormant bud about October, 1866. It now grows up an iron column 
about 12 ft. high ; it then divides, and is trained along a Avire 18 ft. on each side of the column, 
and nearly 10 ft. another Avay, the blooming branches depending in most graceful festoons, 
thus forming a floral picture such as perhaps no other conservatory in England can boast of. 
