186 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
NOVELTIES, &c., AT FLOWER SHOWS. 
The Royal Botanic Society’s third Spring Show took place on April 27th, 
and still had the disadvantage of unpropitious weather. There was a pretty 
and interesting show notwithstanding. 
Mr. W. Bull had a rare group including a considerable number of 
New Plants, and got first-class certificates for the following:— Coprosma 
Baueriana variegata, a very pretty New Zealand shrub, having inversely 
ovate green leaves, with a broad yellow edge ; Dioscorea discolor variegata , a 
very handsome variety, having rich-looking leaves, on which were mingled 
brown and green spots ; Adiantum Lindenii, a fine stove Fern; Terminalia 
elegans, with trifid leaves of a pale green colour, veined with red; and two 
very beautiful varieties of Ancectochilus—Petola marmorea , and Dayi, the first 
having leaves of a dark chocolate green, handsomely marked with pale 
green ; the latter deep green, having reddish veins. Mr. B. S. Williams 
got the same award for Lomariopsis heteromorplia, a taking greenhouse Fern 
of creeping habit, and for Amaryllis aurantiaca, having large pale orange 
scarlet flowers, with a whitish sulphur circular throat, a bold-looking and 
striking variety. Both Messrs. Williams and Bull got second-class certi¬ 
ficates for Azalea Queen of Roses, the flowers of a rosy pink colour, large 
and stout, the upper segments being faintly spotted with pale rosy crim¬ 
son—a very pleasing shade of colour, hut the flowers somewhat uneven. 
Mr. Williams had grown his specimen better than Mr. Bull. Messrs. Ivery 
and Son, of Dorking, had a basketful of their new Azalea Fascination, a 
very pretty decorative variety indeed—colour deep pink edged with white, 
the upper petals blotched with rosy crimson; and Mr. Bull a pan of a 
pretty new Forget-me-not, Myosotis Imperatrice Elisabeth, with a very dwarf 
habit, the flowers pale blue with a rosy eye. 
Mr. James, gardener to W. F. Watson, Esq., had some Pansies in pots, 
grown in a style that reminded one of the most palmy days of this charm¬ 
ing though too much neglected flower. Out of that goodly number of Pansy- 
growers that erstwhile were to be met with about London, Mr. James is 
the only one left to us, and right well does he represent what used to be. 
His varieties in pots were:— Rev. H. Dombrain, Dux, Imperial Prince, and 
Masterpiece, dark seifs ; Vesta, pale yellow self; Chancellor, J. B. Downie , 
Win. Austin, and A. Wharmond, yellow grounds ; and Cupid, Lady E. Stanley, 
and Miss E. Cochrane, white grounds. Some cut blooms in excellent con¬ 
dition were also shown by Mr. James. Messrs. Downie Laird & Laing 
had a box of cut blooms of their new bedder, Imperial Blue, a variety 
having a rich depth of colour, and a large regular dark blotch ; the flowers 
were all well coloured, and of good size. It appears to stand the sun re¬ 
markably well. Mr. Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq., of Islewortli, 
had a collection of Polyanthuses that were very attractive indeed. As 
border flowers they are highly valuable in the spring; and surely their 
simple beauty would be much more appreciated if a trial were given them. 
The show of Auriculas was very attractive. To indicate how easily the 
fine Alpine varieties can be had—it is simply necessary to sow the seed in a 
pan or box, placing the same in a cold frame, and if the weather be hot, 
covering the pan with a piece of glass to prevent the soil from baking. 
As soon as the plants are large enough they can be put into store pots, i. e., 
three or four plants to a pot until they become well established, and then 
finally planted out on a shady border, rather raised, for flowering. 
