50 
THE FLORIST AND FOMOLOGIST. 
six will be required for a pit 20 feet long, we find that they contain nearly 
12 cubic feet of soil. A pit of that length, and 6 feet wide, filled 18 inches 
deep with soil, which is about the average quantity employed when Melons 
are planted out, amounts to 180 cubic feet, hence there is a surplus of 168 feet. 
As the surface of the bed, however, requires to be covered 2 inches deep with 
soil for the shoots to run upon, then 20 feet subtracted from 168 leave a 
residue of 148 cubic feet. Let us repeat six successional crops during the 
season, and we find that no less than 888 feet of soil are saved. 
The economy of soil is one advantage, and a great one too; but the pot 
system does more—it very materially lessens labour, and prevents exposure, as 
is the case when the roots are moulded up. What I have stated I have 
practised, and I can therefore assert the advantages with confidence. 
Tortworth. A. Crame. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
A series of small exhibitions to be held on Saturdays in the conservatory 
of the Society at South Kensington are fast growing into interesting meetings. 
Small prizes are offered, which are yet a sufficient inducement to exhibit; and 
as the season advances, and flowering plants get abundant, some very pretty 
displays may fairly be anticipated. 
February 10th. —A miscellaneous group of flowering plants from 
Messrs. W. Cutbush k Son, of Highgate, made the centre of the conservatory 
very gay and attractive. Among them were nicely flowered plants of Rhodo¬ 
dendron Cunninghami; dwarf compact bushes of Prunus sinensis flore pleno, 
an admirable plant for forcing, the branches being thickly studded with pure 
white flowers; Azaleas Taylor’s Red and Nosegay ; Polygonatum vulgare, 
Dielytra spectabilis, &o. Of bulbs there were Hyacinths in large pots, con¬ 
taining six plants each, wkicli were very striking: the sorts were, Grand 
Yainqueur, Grandeur a Merveille, and Voltaire, single whites, but different 
shades of colour ; La Tour d’Auvergne, double white ; Orondates, single pale 
blue; and Amy, single bright red. These are apparently early-flowering kinds. 
The following kinds of Tulips were also shown, twelve in a pot, and were 
remarkably gay: Tournesol, double, and Vermilion Brilliant. Of Crocuses, 
there were Albion, dark purple-striped, very fine and showy ; Giant Yellow, 
pale in colour ; and Elfrida, a white variety, but having faint purple lines on 
the insides of the flowers. Mr. W. Young, of Highgate, had some ornamental 
and flowering plants, including Hyacinths, Yucca aloifolia marginata^ Dracaena 
Cooperi, Epidendrum cochleatum, kc. Mr. W. Bartlett, of Hammersmith, an 
amateur, showed some Hyacinths and Narcissi; some of the former had good 
spikes, but the foliage was too much drawn. 
A very interesting collection of Primula sinensis in variety came from 
Messrs. F. k A. Smith, of Dulwich, consisting of both double and single 
flowers. Of the latter there were P. sinensis fimbriata carminata, with large, 
stout, well-fringed flowers, suffused and flaked, and faintly spotted with carmine ; 
alba superba, very large fimbriated flowers, pure white when young, but 
slightly tinged with pink when older; purpurea occulata, the centre brownish 
orange, the flower deep purple, with white spots—as shown it was but in¬ 
different ; also P. filicifolia rubra, with very fine rosy red flowers. Of double 
flowers there were plena incarnata, centre bright rosy pink, paling off to 
pure white, fimbriated edges—large and double; Queen of England, centre 
suffused wflth pink, the smaller and weaker flowers being pure white—very 
double ; Fairy, not so double as the preceding, but in a kind of transition state, 
as the orange centre of the single flowers was quite conspicuous—centre pink, 
