JUNE. 
137 
The special Prize Show at the Royal Horticultural Gardens, South 
Kensington, on May 7th, came in weather so hot and oppressive, that for 
once July appeared to merge into the early part of May. First-class certi¬ 
ficates were awarded to Mr. Muir, gardener to Sir P. M. Egerton, Bart., 
M.P., Oulton Park, Tarporley, for Epidendrum cnemidophorum; to Messrs. 
Veitch & Sons for a species of Alocasia from the East Indies, for a hybrid 
Cattleya, and for the very novel Begonia boliviensis; to Messrs. Low & Co. 
for a white variety of Odontoglossum citrosmum; to Messrs. Backhouse & Son 
for Iberis carnosa, a very dwarf, free-blooming species, suitable for rockwork; 
to Mr. W. Bull for Ptychosperma regalis, a handsome East Indian Palm; and 
to Mr. W. Paul for a slender Ulmus, or Planera, from Japan. Messrs. Rol- 
lisson & Sons had two seedling Ericas: E. tintinnabula, with short pale pink 
flowers, free, and somewhat fragrant, awarded a first-class certificate; and 
E. tubiformis, with waxy reddish crimson tubes, awarded a second-class 
certificate. Messrs. Low had in addition some other rare Orchids, and a 
group of nearly one hundred plants of Cattleya citrina, that will live long 
in the remembrance of those who saw them. There was a fair proportion 
of variation noticeable, especially in the colouring of the lip, and the 
flowers emitted a rich fragrance. 
In the way of Pelargoniums, Mr. Turner was awarded first-class cer¬ 
tificates for four Fancy varieties—viz., Perfection , having fine form and 
substance; Brightness , rosy carmine, a very pleasing shade of colour, and 
flowers of good form; Pink Perfection, bright rosy pink, bold and striking'; 
and Belle of the Season, pale ground, with rosy carmine blotches, good form, 
and free-blooming. Maid Marian and Marmion, both very useful kinds, 
were awarded second-class certificates. Mr. William Paul had a first-class 
certificate for Dr. ELogg, a zonal variety, figured in our last year’s volume; 
and Waltham Nosegay, colour vivid crimson, a very free-blooming and showy 
variety, with plain foliage. Messrs. Downie Laird & Laing had the same 
award for Nosegay Pelargonium Bose Stella, a great acquisition, the habit 
compact, and having large trusses of rosy pink flowers, of fine quality. 
R.D. 
OUR MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
Gardeners’ Examinations. —The Eoyal 
Horticultural Society’s Examinations for 
young gardeners for 1867, are fixed to take 
place on the 3rd and 4th of July, and on the 
30th and 31st of December. They will be 
based upon the Programme issued by the So¬ 
ciety of Arts for the present year, the par¬ 
ticulars of which may be had on application 
to the Assistant Secretary of the Eoyal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, South Kensington, W. 
The Eey. M. J. Berkeley. —Among the 
most satisfactory of the Civil List Pensions 
recently granted, is one of £100 a-year to the 
Eev. Miles Joseph Berkeley, in acknowledg¬ 
ment of the eminent services he has rendered 
as a botanist both to practical horticulture 
and agriculture. These, together with his 
unrivalled acquaintance with Cryptogamic 
plants, towards the diffusion of a knowledge 
of which he has done so much, amply entitle 
him to such a distinction. Long may he 
live to enjoy it! 
Chinese Primroses. —Mr. W. Paul, in his 
recent lecture on spring flowers at South 
Kensington, mentions a curious and interest¬ 
ing fact in the history of this plant. There 
is a tendency in most plants to vary in form, 
size, and colour, when removed from their 
natural or wild state and subjected to culti¬ 
vation. The type of the Chinese Primrose 
was pink or lilac, and scarcely more than one- 
fourth of the present size. By culture the 
size was increased, and by watching for varia¬ 
tions in form and colour, and selecting such 
as the parents of future races, the change 
went on till a break—that is, a departure 
from the normal form, was at length produced. 
Thus the white variety was obtained, but it was 
found that seeds saved from the red Primula 
would sometimes produce both red and white- 
flowered plants, and seeds saved from white 
Primulas would do the same, while the seed¬ 
lings varied greatly in size, colour, and form. 
The break was retained, but the result was 
