MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 
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dener to J. Mood, Esq., Rosehall, for fine plants of Dr. Jephson and Lord Sandon ; Mr. W. Gordon, gardener to 
Capt. Williams, Campie House, Musselbui’gli, had Scarletina reflexa and Elizabeth. The prize for Tropical 
Orchids, was awarded to Mr. J. Thompson, gardener to Dr. Neill, Canonmills, the kinds being Cyrtochilum macu- 
latum and Aerides crispum. For Stage, Fancy, and Scarlet Pelargoniums, the prizes were gained by Mr. A. 
Cameron, gardener to S. Hay, Esq., Trinity Cottage ; his kinds were, Forget-me-Not, King of Saxony, Negress, 
Sir Walter Scott, Centurion, and Nestor; in the Fancy class, Queen Victoria, Maid of Anjou, and Mazeppa Superb; 
and in Scarlets, well flowered plants of Tom Thumb and Queen Victoria. Mr. J. Rooney, gardener to Professor 
Dunbar, Rosepark, produced a plant of Achimenes Jaureguia; an honorary award, was properly made to Mr. 
Rooney for the same. The first prize for Pinks was gained by Mr. J. Henderson, gardener to C. K. Sivewright, 
Esq., Cargilfield, with Harriet, Goliah, YVhipper-in, Twyford Rival, Morning Star, Lady Mildmay, Lord John 
Russell, Diana, Jenny Lind, Laura, Robinson, and Double X, all finely bloomed. A second was awarded to Mr. 
C. "White, gardener to J. Russell, Esq., Amotdale, Falkirk, for Lady Teazle, Queen Victoria, Oxoniensis, Lord 
Brougham, Whipper-in, Prince Albert, Pilot, Criterion, Laura, Henry Steers, Mary Ann, and Alfred Morrison. 
The highest flavoured variety of Strawberry, of recent introduction, shown by Mr. A. Lauder, Musselburgh, was 
Malcolm’s Aberdeenshire. The prizes for Cherries were awarded to Mr. A. King, Inveresk; and to Mr. J. 
Thomson, gardener to Capt. Falconer, Carlowrie, both for Mayduke. Messrs. J. Dickson and Sons prize for the 
best twenty-four Roses (Moss, Provens, French, Perpetual, China, and Bourbon, four of each sort), was obtained 
by Mr. A. Sleigh, gardener at Lauriston Castle, whose kinds were, Moss—Common, Louise Collet, Princess Royal, 
and Laneii; Provens—Duchess of Kent, Devigne, La Sylphide, and Common; French—Grandissima, Belle 
Rosine, Surpasse-tout, and Julie d’Etanges ; Perpetual—Comte de Montelivet, Duchess of Sutherland, Geant de 
Batailles, and Comtesse Duchatel; Hybrid China—Victor Hugo, Chenedole( Henri Barbet, and General Jacque¬ 
minot ; Bourbons—Jaim, Abricote, Madame Roussell, Dupetit Thouars, and Bougere. Mr. J. Douglas, gardener 
to Sir T. Dick Lauder, Grange House; and Mr. Thomson, Carlowrie, likewise produced excellent stands of Roses. 
Of the articles sent, not for competition, many were contributed by nurserymen. Mr. Handasyde, Fisherrow, 
sent fine blooms of his seedling Duke of Perth Pansy. From the garden of Dr. Neill, came Francoa ramosa, with 
a collection of Alpine plants, including a double flowered variety of Sagina procumbens, the smallest double 
flowered plant known. I. Anderson, Esq., Maryfield, sent Pentstemon heterophyllum; S. Hay, Esq., a gorgeous 
specimen of Kalosanthes coccinea; J. Edmond, Esq., Newbank, a new large fruited variety of Red Cun-ant. 
Among the plants from the Society’s Garden may be mentioned an elegant specimen of Veronica salicifolia, bearing 
520 spikes of flowers; and several very luxuriant and conspicuous plants of Hirniea elegans. 
Victoria regia. —Mr. Spruce, who is now occupied as a botanical collector, in the countries where the Victoria 
grows, has recently given, in Hooker's Journal of Botany , an interesting account of its appearance in its native 
waters. He writes:—“ We reached the igarape, and were at once gratified by seeing the Victoria growing by the 
opposite shore of the igarape itself. We were warned by the people not to go amongst the plants, as their 
prickles were venomous : but I got both hands and feet considerably pricked without experiencing any ill effects. 
We were fortunate in finding the plant in good flower, but, according to the testimony of all at Santarem who 
have seen it, the leaves attain their greatest dimensions in the winter. Captain Hislop assures me he has seen 
many leaves 12 feet in diameter, whereas the largest we saw measured a very little above 4 feet across, and they 
were packed as close as they could lie. But I can easily conceive how, in the wet season, their dimensions should 
be considerably augmented, for whereas at present the plant is growing in less than 2 feet of water, in winter the 
igarape will be filled to its topmost banks, or at least 15 feet deeper than at present, while its breadth will also be 
greatly increased, so that the petioles of the Victoria, lengthening doubtless with the rise of the waters, will 
bring the leaves to a much greater surface, on which they they will have room to dilate to about twice their pre¬ 
sent size. The aspect of the Victoria in its native waters is so new and extraordinary that I am at a loss to what to 
compare it. The image is not a very poetical one, but assuredly the impression the plant gave me, when viewed 
from the bank above, was that of a number of tea-trays floating, with here and there a bouquet protruding be¬ 
tween them : but when more closely viewed, the leaves excited the greatest admiration, from their immensity and 
perfect symmetry. A leaf turned up suggests some strange fabric of cast-iron just taken out of the furnace ; its 
colour, and the enormous ribs with which it is strengthened, increasing the similarity. I could find no prostrate 
trunk as in the other Nymphseacese. The root is central, the thickness of a man’s leg, penetrating deep into the 
mud (we could not dig to the bottom of it with our tresados), and sending out fascicles of whitish radicles, about 
25, from below the base of each petiole, the thickness of a finger, and 2 feet or more in length. The radicles are 
imperforate, and give out here and there a very few slender fibres. From the same root I have seen flowers 
uniting the characters of Victoria regia and Cruziana (of the latter I have only the brief description in Walpers), 
so that I can hardly doubt there being the same species, as had been already more than suspected. The igarape, 
where we gathered the Victoria, is called Tapiruari. I had two flowers brought to me a few days afterwards from 
the adjacent lake, which seems to have no name but that of the sitios on its banks: Mr. Jeffreys has also brought 
me flowers from the Rio Arrapixuna, which rims into the Tapajoz above Santarem, and in the wet season unites 
the Tapajoz and Amazon. I have further information of its growing abundantly in a lake beyond the Rio Mayaca, 
which flows into the Amazon some miles below Santarem. Mr. "Wallace, who recently visited Monte Alegre, had 
a leaf and flower brought to him there ; I have seen a portion of the leaf, which he dried. Lastly, I have correct 
intelligence of its occurring in the Rio Trombetas near Obidos, and in lakes between the rivers Tapajoz and Ma- 
