FEBRUARY. 
27 
M. J. Berkeley stated that the genus Pyrus was supposed by some to be iden¬ 
tical with Cydonia, and it did indeed differ from it, mainly in the form of 
construction of the seed-vessels. He also stated that the fruit of Pyrus nepa- 
lensis would no doubt be useful for preserving, but was too hard to be eaten 
as other fruit for dessert. 
At the meeting for the election of Fellows, &c., presided over by Lord 
Henry G. Lennox, M.P., a paper was read by Mr. Hungerford Pollen, 
F.R.H.S., of the South Kensington Museum, 45 On the Management of Plants, 
Fruits, and Flowers for Exhibition.” Mr. Pollen contended that foliage plants 
and plants in dower should be grouped together and not separately, as is 
generally done; and he thought this could be done without destroying the 
effect of either as a group. In the arrangement of plants he would have 
Nature imitated as far as possible, and in the first place in regard to the quality 
of the light thrown upon them. This gave rise to the question, Should plants 
be exhibited in a building, in arcades such as those employed at South Ken¬ 
sington, or under tents ? He had a decided preference for tents. Nature 
diffuses light all round her objects, not merely on them ; while in regard to 
works of art, it was necessary to concentrate the light in parts only in order to 
get shade. Flowers are not done justice to unless an extraordinary quantity of 
light is brought to bear upon them. Thus the first great requisite is an abun¬ 
dance of light. Secondly, the plants should be mingled together, so that the 
bloom should be relieved by the foliage. The effect of Geraniums, for instance, 
without this aid, became in a great measure lost, a green background being 
required. The eye cannot take in such an excess of colour unrelieved, and 
parts of the effect are thereby lost. Thirdly, that on which plants should be 
shown. This should be Nature’s green grass or turf. Boxes of grass were 
recommended to be used to furnish a background for many things. Fruit 
should also be exhibited on grass, while white paper should be used as a back¬ 
ground for cut flowers. The Rev. Dr. Rock recommended the use of branches 
of the Lycopodium, or Lady Fern, as being well adapted to show to advantage 
the colours of fruit; and Mr. Wilson Saunders pointed out as another side to 
the question, the necessity of plants being so arranged that judges could decide 
which w~ere the most meritorious; that plants should be so placed that the 
judges could come to a decision rapidly ; and that while it was necessary that 
flowers should be made as attractive as possible to the eye, it was equally 
necessary that they should be made instructive, also which were the best plants 
in any section of the exhibition. R. D. 
CULTURE OF LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM* 
Notwithstanding the immense popularity of the new Lilium auratum 
from Japan, the several fine varieties of Lilium lancifolium will always be great 
favourites, and most justly so, and I would urge cultivators to direct attention 
to these kinds, and try to get improved form and deeper colours. The late Mr. 
Groom, of Clapham, had he lived longer, would have introduced some improved 
strains, for I quite recollect seeing in his nursery in bloom, just before his death, 
some fine high-coloured varieties of improved form, the petals being quite free 
from curves or curls on the margin, and being, moreover, broader than they are 
in the Lilium lancifolium generally. All, or most of his fine stock of Liliums 
were distributed at the sale which followed his death, and some of the best 
strains are no doubt about, but difficult to meet with. . Our chief aim in pre¬ 
serving the characteristics of this fine species and its varieties should be to con¬ 
tinue breeding by seed from the finest-coloured varieties, with the view of getting 
