is7:i. ] 
fiARDEX GOSSIR. 
I.') 
trcasuror, for the nhlo manner in whicli lie had 
fiihillcd the duties of his office. Tlie dates recom¬ 
mended by the general committee for the exhibi¬ 
tions of 1879 wore agreed to, viz., the Crystal 
Palace on June 28, and Aianchoster on July 12. It 
was also determined that exhiiiitors who are not 
members of the Society must pay an entrance-fee 
of 5.S. ; that the highest number of Hoses which 
amateur.s should be reipiired to exhibit should for 
this year bo thirty-six; and (this was decided at the 
dinner in the evening) that a die sh.ould be made 
and medals offered from year to year at the varioms 
Ho.se-shows in the kingdom, as funds would permit. 
A .subscription was entered into for this purpose, 
amt was liberally responded to. 
- m- Gilbert, of Burghle}', showed at 
the last meeting at Kensington some very 
pretty double-flowered varieties of Fr!inula 
Kiiionxi^, which have passed into the hands of 
Jlessrs. (Isborii and Sons, of Fulham, by whom they 
will ])robably be sent out towards the end of the 
ensuing summer. There are four of them, namely ; 
— Mrs, A. F. Barron, a pretty blush-pink; Prinress, 
]mre white ground, occasionally tinted with pale 
pink; ir/iitB Ladij, a near approach to pure white, 
but occasionally having the Howors slightly spotted 
or suffused with delicate pink; and l\[rirclnonptss of 
Erete.r, w'hitc ground tinted with pink, some ftowers 
striped or blotched with a deeper colour. The great 
characteristic of these plants is their excellent habit. 
They are vigorous in growth, with fine healthy 
foliage, and jiroduce immense clusters of their 
lovely and very double flowers. Another variety 
from the same .source has been recently certificated 
mider the name of the FarJ of Ihoironsfehl j it is of 
a rosy-carmine colour, very large and double, and 
altogether a very fine actpiisition in this useful and 
showy group of plants. 
— ^The Committee of the International 
Potato Exhibition has awarded two first-elass 
certificates to New Potatos. One of these 
selected vanities is the Bailstork Brnntij, a coloured 
rcjtind, inclining to pebble-shape, even and somewhat 
angular, rarely attaining to large size ; the skin 
tawny-white, smooth, and silk}-; eyes few, but cou- 
picuous, the side-c 3 'cs being of a ros_v-purj)lo 
colour, with arched brows of the same tint distinctly 
defined ; eyes of the crown or nose end clustered in 
a patch of a somewhat darker shade. The growth 
is moderate, the produce mostly of smallish ware 
size, plentiful, and clean. The flesh tine in texture, 
mealy, dry, aud delicately flavoured. The other is 
the Moodsiork Kidnioj, a white kidney, of oblong 
shape, extremely even and smooth, the skin tawny- 
white, .silky ; eyes few and inconspicuous, set level 
with the general surface in a small cluster of dots at 
the crown or nose end. The growth is moderate aud 
compact, the tubers plentifully produced, mostly of 
middling ware size, and in the very least degree 
affected by disease. The flesh is yellowish, fine in 
texture, and of the most delicate flavour. This is, 
.all points considered, one of the finest varieties 
known. 
— STiie Gardeners’ Year-Book and 
Almanack for 1879, by Dr. Hogg, has just 
])een issued for the twentieth year. This fact 
alone is a sufficient indication of its usefulness. It 
appears to be carried out on the old lines, the select 
lists and descriptions of novelties being c.=pccinlly 
valuable. Amongst the new subjects introduced 
this year is a treati.se on home-made wines; and 
there arc many useful garden receiiits, and the u.=^ual 
t.abular matter for ready reference. 
— Hn Sutton’s Amateur’s Guide for 1879 
we have much more than a seed catalogue, 
though that is also comprised within its pages. 
There is a year’s work in the garden, and cultural 
directions for growing the principal vegetables and 
flowers, all of a succinct and reliable character, and 
the whole is profusely illustrated, the coloured plates 
being very well got up. The amateur gardener maj' 
consult it with advantage and with confidence. 
— 2Ke have before us a specimen of Alrine 
Plants, painted from nature by Joseph Seboth, 
with descriptive text by F. Graf (London ; ^Y. 
Swan Ronnenschein), of which we can sa 3 ’ that the 
plant selected is very faithfully rendered. It appears 
to bo intended to issue a volume of one hundred 
plates, a second volume will follow, and a third and 
fourth if the work is sufficiently supported by the 
public. 
— ItN L.elia anceps alba we have one of 
the most charming of new Orchids, its peculiar 
characteristic being the puiit}' of its wliite 
flowers, tlie texture of which may bo compared to 
that of Lapageri.a alba, stained onb^ ly a dash of 
yellow on the disk of the lip. Tlie ovate ribbed 
psendobulbs are shorter aud paler than those of the 
t vpo ; the oblong leaf is thick and firm in texture, 
and the flowers large and remarkably spread out, 
measuring across the expanded petals four inches. 
Jlr. Bull has just imported it from Mexico, from a 
locality upwards of 8,000 feet above the sea, wlaue 
the cold is intense, icicles two to tlu’eo feet long 
being found on the ncighhouring ])iue-trecs. Tlii' 
plant grows mostly on precipitous rocks. 
— fJTo have Bouvardias for winter bloom¬ 
ing, strike the cuttings in spring ; plant out-of- 
doors during summer in light rich soil, kept 
well supplied with water, aud mulched ; lift and pot 
in September, setting them in a cold frame, shaded 
from bright sunshine for a week or two, and then 
place them in a greenhou.so where they will have 
plenty of light. All Bouvardias nray bo £rrcce.?sfull 3 ’ 
grown in this wa 3 u 
— ii.vsT summer a beautiful Scarlet 
a'ariegated Maple wa.s exhibited by Sir 
Philip Egerton, Bart., at South Kensington. 
It is a sport first discovered by Messrs. Hook and 
Yeate.s, nurserymen of Chester, who have succeeded 
in fixing it by grafting, and are now in possession 
of a small stock of this valuable addition to our de¬ 
corative trees. When the young loaves first ex¬ 
pand in the month of .April, the colour is said to be 
of the most brilliant description. If the variegation 
remains constant, and can bo freely propagated, 
this will become an effective tree in villa gi-ounds 
and park sceneiy. 
— 0N the subject of 'Watering Vine 
Borders, Mr. Thom.son, of Drumlanrig, writing 
to the .Jnurunl of irorl.icii/lin'e, says :—I feel 
convinced that in districts where the rainfall 
does not exceed 3(1 in. per annum, vines rarely' 
ever get as much water at the root as i.s good 
for them, and have far too much supplied to the 
atmosphere of the vineries by sprinklings. Where 
the drainage of vine borders and the soil areas they 
