COMPANION TO THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
51 
THE CULTURE OF THE CALCEOLARIA. 
It is wellnigh impossible, even with all Mr. Andrews’s skill, to convey 
any idea, in a single plate, of the extraordinary number of varieties we 
have, and tbeir perfect form and almost inconceivable shades of colouring. 
A more beautiful sight cannot be imagined than is annually presented to 
those who favour the Woodlands Nursery with a visit during the month 
of May and early part of June, where nearly one thousand plants are 
grown, and not two exactly alike, and, with few exceptions, large, round, 
well-inflated flowers, which are produced in abundance, and a healthy 
green foliage which contrasts well with the flowers. The colours which 
predominate in this class of plants are such as are not to be seen in any 
other; and whatever may be said in favour of the shrubby varieties, they 
are not to be compared with that peculiarly delicate and graceful beauty 
of the sub-slirubby kinds, such as can be obtained from a packet of seed. 
Their cultivation is very simple. The great matter is to keep them clear 
from greenfly, which should be eradicated immediately they are perceived, 
by a strong fumigation of tobacco for two successive nights; if this is 
neglected, failure in growing them is certain. If seed is sown in July the 
plants will flower the following May, and if pinched back once or twice 
they may be made to flower in June. This mode of cultivation is now 
generally adopted in preference to propagating plants of particular sorts, 
as there is an almost endless variety to be obtained from seed. The seed 
should be sown in pots of nicely-prepared mould, consisting of loam and 
peat with plenty of silver sand, and only just cover the seed; being care¬ 
ful in watering and also in shading, so that the seed is not exposed to the 
sun until the plants are a good size. As soon as the plants can be at all 
handled, they may be pricked out thinly in pans of well-prepared soil, 
and, as often as they require it, to be repotted until they get into 32- 
or 24-sized pots, which are large enough for them to flower in the first 
year. J. Dobson. 
EXHIBITIONS. 
Royal Horticultural Society, June 17th. 
Another magnificent display of flowers, held, as before, in the nave of 
the Great Exhibition building. Nothing could possibly be finer than the 
greater number of the subjects exhibited, although we do not consider 
the place suitable for a floral display. Amongst the objects of interest 
was the competition for Sir W. Dilke’s prizes for table decoration, for 
which there was a large number of entries; originality of design was, 
however, painfully absent; all those of any pretension to beauty being 
modifications of the original design of Mr. March, with, in some in¬ 
stances, the more than questionable addition of stuffed birds . There was 
