126 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ August, 
plants, viz., to keep the surface soil stirred 
occasionally to prevent the growth of moss on 
the top ; and also to keep the plants well 
watered, and free from decaying leaves. It is a 
series of small attentions that keeps the green¬ 
house gay at this time of the year ; and if these 
are ungrudgingly bestowed, the greenhouse will 
now be a source of much enjoyment to lovers of 
flowers.— Suburbanus. 
GAEDEN GOSSIP. 
S HE Thirty-seventh Anniversary Festival 
of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution was held on July 21st at the 
“Albion,” Aldersgate Street, under the presidency 
of H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, K.G., who was 
supported by H.S.H. the Duke of Teck, G.C.B., and 
by the Eight Hon. Sir F. W. Truscott, Lord 
Mayor of London. The meeting w'as well attended, 
and from a financial point of view proved to be the 
most successful which has yet been held. After grace 
had been sung, and the usual loyal toasts had been 
duly honoured, the Chairman proposed the toast of 
the evening, “ Continued success and prosperity 
to the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution,” 
in the course of which, remarked :—“ I know as well 
as most of you, that the culture of flowers is one 
attended with a deal of trouble and care. It is 
often on a cold night that the gardener has to sit up 
and watch his plants like a mother would watch her 
child. It is often that a gardener sets out in the 
soaking rain to save his flowers, and in many ways 
gardeners have to undergo a good deal of hardship. 
Therefore, we should all feel that the Society is one 
which appeals to our hearts. It is one that is 
admirably managed, from all I can hear. Its manag¬ 
ing committee consists of 24 gentlemen, who take 
the deepest interest in it, and who look after it with 
the greatest care, and see that no extravagance of 
any kind is permitted. Six of these gentlemen are 
practical gardeners.” The Secretary, Mr. Cutler, 
stated that the subscription lists amounted to over 
£1,400, and would probably reach £1,500. Of this 
sum Mr. H. J. Veitch had collected £554 Os. 6d., 
comprising £269 2s. 6d., contributed by 259 donors, 
some of them being young gardeners, in sums 
varying from 2s. upwards, £126 from twelve life 
subscribers, and £158 18s. from 149 new annual 
subscribers; and Mr. E. Tait, of Manchester (Dick¬ 
son, Brown, and Tait), had collected 110 guineas. 
— £t is announced tbat tbe following 
Great Exhibitions will probably be held in 
1881 and 1882 :—The Manchester Royal 
Botanical and Horticultural Society, it is said, will 
in this way celebrate its jubilee in the first week of 
September, 1881, the gardens at Old Trafford having 
been open to the public in 1831. It is also rumoured 
that an International Exhibition will be held in 
Edinburgh in 1882, in connection with the lloyal 
Caledonian Horticultural Society. 
— 04IE Annual Exhibition of the National 
Carnation and Picotee Society (Southern 
Section) took place on July 27, at South Ken¬ 
sington. The date was a little late for the earlier 
southern flowers, but the later flowers and tlio blooms 
from more northern districts were in good condition, 
and the result was an excellent display of very 
choice flowers. We shall give a report of the 
varieties shown in our next number. 
— ESSIe learn from M. Andre, that the 
plants supposed to be Antiiurium Andreanum, 
collected by Mr. Lehmann, and referred to at 
p. 97, probably represent a distinct species. This at 
least is the ojxinion at which Mr. N. Brown, of the 
Kew herbarium, has arrived after an examination of 
the specimens, but the publication of his observa¬ 
tions is reserved until the living plants developc 
their inflorescence. 
— $(,mong the Books on our table are the 
Tree-Planter and the Tree-Primer , by S. Woods 
(Crosby Lockwood and Co.). The first relates 
to the propagation rather than the planting of trees, 
shi’ubs, climbers, greenhouse plants, suffruticose 
and herbaceous plants, fruits, and herbs; the 
second relates to the pruning of fruit-trees, shrubs, 
and greenhouse plants. Both contain many useful 
practical hints, but these are frequently not very 
clearly expressed. The Amateur Gardener , by Mrs. 
Loudon, revised by W. Robinson (F. Warne and Co.), 
is a new cheap edition of a well-known useful work, 
the type of which is rather too small and close-set 
for the comfort of the reader. Arboriculture for 
Amateurs (Bazaar Oflice) is a handy volume on a 
subject of much interest, in which chapters are de¬ 
voted to the following subjects:—Formation of 
plantations, trees for dry and shady places, trees 
for moist situations, broad-leaved trees, ornamental 
planting, orchards, and hedgerow planting. The 
information is useful and practical, but the type is 
small. There is an index, which greatly adds to the 
utility of the book. 
— 0Fo grow Cyclamens well, a crop of seed¬ 
lings should be raised annually. Seed of a 
really good variety or strain should be secured, 
and sown as soon as ripe, in pans, slightly covered 
noth soil, and kept moderately moist. Place them 
in a brisk heat, and when the seedlings are large 
enough to handle, prick them off, and as soon as 
possible pot them into small thumb-pots. From 
thence shift into 3-in. pots, and as soon as these are 
filled with roots move them into 5-in. ones, in which 
they will blossom the first year. The best soil for 
them is good loam and peat, and plenty of silver- 
sand ; and they must have free drainage. They 
require to be kept growing on freely in a genial 
warmth; and must be kept thoroughly clear of 
insects, for they seldom recover from an attack of 
green-fly, if it be allowed to get the upper hand. They 
also require great attention as regards watering, and 
should never be allowed to become dry. 
— ^ fine specimen of tbe rare Sumatran 
Ptychosperma patula lias lately fruited in tbe 
Palm-liouse at Kew. Tbe bold foliage is of a 
dark green colour, the pinnae being broad and rather 
unequal. From below the crown of pinnate leaves 
the gracefully drooping fruit-panicles spring out; 
these in a young state are of a soft greenish- 
yellow, but later on the branches assume a deep 
salmon-colour, which contrasts well with the yellow 
fruits. 
— 01 he remarkable Australian Davidsonia 
pruriens, wbicb Dr. Mueller refers to tbe 
Saxifragacecv , is said to acquire tbe dimensions 
of a tree, and to produce a succulent fruit about the 
size of a Magnum Bonum Plum, the flavour of which 
is, indeed, somewhat rough, but nevertheless, an 
excellent preserve can be made from it. 
