1879.] 
THE TELAEGC XIUM SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
117 
Countess of O.ifonl, a splendid carniinc-rcd, of the 
Victor Verdicr type, is, like Frainjois Micheloii, 
rajiidly becoming ])opnlar, its chief defect being a 
want of fragrance, which it lacks in common with 
all the Victor Verdier race. 
Caroline de Sansal i.s a well-known and justly 
popular sort. 
Madame Alfred de Uouijcmont and Coquette des 
Blanches arc, all things considered, the best white 
])crpctuals wc have. 
Peach Blossom, a comparatively new sort, seems 
to iinprovc each year, and gi\-cs a new shade of 
colour very desirable. 
General Washinoton, one of the most widely dis¬ 
seminated varieties, does not reach the maximum 
number of points in any quality. In colour it is 
sometimes grand, but general!}" it has somewhat of 
a faded appearance, being quickly affected by the 
sun, and seldom seen truly jmre. The same maybe 
said respecting form, sometimes siqicrb, but gener¬ 
ally with some defect, either a green centre or un- 
symmetrical. Of fragrance it is almost entirely 
devoid. It ranks very high as a frcc-bloomcr, but 
like La France, this is at the expense of growth. 
Marquise de Casteltane does not always open well, 
but gives many lai’go carmine-rose blooms of globular 
shape that are truly superb. 
Baroness Ilothsrhild has exquisite cuii-.sha])cd 
flowers, entirely distinct from all others. It is, un¬ 
fortunately, of stubby, short-jointed growth, and can 
only bo jiropagated by budding or grafting. This 
will always tend to make it somewhat scarce. 
La Heine is another well-known old Eoso which wo 
cannot yet afford to discard, though now surpassed 
by so many finer varieties. 
Etienne Level, somewhat resembling Countcsis of 
Oxford, is rapidly finding favour, and had it but 
fragi’ance would be assigned a higher jiosition. 
Mdlle. Euqdnie Verdier, the last of the list, is cer¬ 
tainly one of the most delicately beautiful coloured 
varieties wo have, but here again the lack of fragrance 
deprives it of a higher position. 
We liave given the shade of colour in case 
any one should desire to select from this list, 
with reference to having but a few sorts quite 
distinct from each other in tint; but as already 
mentioned, Roses vary in form as in colour, and 
we may have two kinds, of precisely the same 
shade, yet strongly differing in every other 
respect, and therefore entirely distinct.— Henry" 
B. Ellwangee. 
THE PELARGONIUM SOCIETY’S 
SUOAV. 
Sfl^OR some five years, the Pelargonium 
T Society has now' been established, and 
(gY each year has held a summer exhibition 
for the display of specimen plants. That of 
the present season was fixed for June 24, but 
the cold and sunless rveather cau.sed its post¬ 
ponement till July 8, w’hen a very creditable 
gathering took place at South Kensington, in 
conjunction with the Rose Show of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. The principal groups 
of the Pelargonium family wore very well 
represented, excepting the Variegated Zonals, 
which w'ere few, and the Ivy-leaved sorts, of 
which there were no exhibitors, except in the 
interesting series sent up from the gardens at 
Chiswick. There was a large display of seed¬ 
lings of fine quality, especially amongst the 
show sorts; and the stands of cut-flowers 
formed a very brilliant feature of the show. 
It is much to be desired, however, that one of 
the special objects of the Society, namely, the 
production of new hybrids, and thus opening 
out new fields for development, should receive 
more attention at the hands of the members 
than it appears as yet to do :— 
Snow Pelargoniums. —These were largely re¬ 
presented. For 6 varieties in pots not exccccliiig 8 
inches in diameter, Mr. James Avas fst, with speci¬ 
mens, finely and cleanly grown and beautifully 
flowered, of Snowflake, Prince Leopold, Archduchess, 
Mary Hoyle, Princess of Denmark, and Pompey. 
2nd, H. Little, Esq., Hillingdon (Mr. J. Wiggins, gr.), 
with Congress, Florence, Brigantine, Janette, a 
lovely wdiite, which was unfortunately overlooked 
when the Certificates w'crc awarded, and Favourite ; 
these Avero smaller plants, but Avell floAvered. 3rd, 
F. Hunt, Esq., York Lodge, Stamford Hill. 4th, 
Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nursery, >Slough.—Fur 6 
varieties, not in commerce, the contest AA’as A'irtually 
bctAA'een tlie productions of tivo raisers, viz., rhe Rev. 
A. MatthcAvs and E. B. Foster, Esip Mr. C. Turner 
Avas placed 1st, Avith Nero (Matthews), dull red 
lower petals shaded Avith maroon, deep red upper 
petals, Avith large dark blotches, very fine form, 
good habit, and very free; Bertha (MatthoAvs), 
salmon-pink lower petals, dark top petals, Avith 
broad margin of orange-pink, Avhite throat, good 
form, and bold truss; Constance (MattheAvs), largo 
and fine soft blush white loAA-er petals, Avith slight 
veins of carmine, maroon top petals, with fiery pink 
margin, and Avhite throat; Joe (MattheiA's), pale 
violet pink lower petals, Avith veins and slight 
blotches of purplish maroon, dark top petals, Avith 
Avire-edgo of pale pink, Avhitc throat, rather cupped 
and rough, but A'cry free; O.sman Pasha (MattheAA's), 
rosy-violet loAver petals, dashed Avith orange, and 
slightly blotched and veined Avith maroon, dark top 
petals, Avith Avirc-edge of violet-pink, good form, and 
very smooth ; and .Amethyst (Brehaut), bright purple 
loAver petals, and shaded Avith maroon, glossy dark 
upper petals, Avith w ire-edge of rosy iiurplc, good form, 
dwarf, and very free. 2nd, E. B. Foster, Esq., ClcAver, 
Avith varieties of fine quality, but on small and 
somOAvhat siiaro plants; the varieties Avcrc Fireball 
(Foster), rich bright deep orange-salmon, of a 
remarkably viA-id tunc, the top petals a little deeper 
in hue, ancl having a deep black blotch, A\itli a very 
broad margin and clear A\hito throat, A'ery bold, 
striking, and shoAvy, of fine form, anil of excellent 
habitPenoAvn (Foster), a very large and fine 
variety, lower petals orange-salmon, delicately 
liaintcd and pencilled Avith dark rich deep top 
])ctals, and Avhifc throat, finest iorm ; Prince 
Inqierial (Foster), in much the same Avay, but 
rather more deejily pencilled on the loAvcr petals, 
the Avhitc throat too much veined Avith purple lines ; 
Valiant (Foster), salmon loAvcr jictals, tinted Avith 
orange, slightly blotched dark tiqi ]ictals, slightly 
m.argiued Avith orange-salmon, Avhite throat, good 
form ; Mountain of Light, small in size, but bright 
in colour, deep fiery orange loAVcr petals, dark blotch 
