126 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
OUR MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
The International JETorticultukal Ex¬ 
hibition lias been the great event of the 
month, and the all-absorbing topic in the 
horticultural world. To it horticulturists 
have flocked from all parts of the world, and 
not a few gentlemen came from France, Bel¬ 
gium, and more distant parts of the continent 
to see the riches of British gardens, of which 
they had heard so much and seen so little. 
They were not disappointed, for never has 
there been in this or any other country a hor¬ 
ticultural exhibition on such a scale and of 
such excellence as that which has just closed. 
The attempt was a bold one, for notwithstand¬ 
ing the considerable sum subscribed towards 
defraying the expenses of carrying it out, no 
one could be certain of its financial success ; 
the weather might have proved unfavourable, 
or the Exhibition might not, in a time of com¬ 
mercial disaster at home and commotion 
abroad, have met with a due share of atten¬ 
tion and favour; but happily the attempt was 
crowned with a success that far exceeded the 
most sanguine expectations of the promoters, 
for the Exhibition was not merely a splendid 
success in a horticultural, but also in a finan¬ 
cial point of view, having been productive, 
we believe, of a considerable surplus. On the 
Saturday previous to the Show, in the vast 
tent there was little to be seen beyond the 
turfed banks prepared for the reception of the 
plants; a few Rhododendrons here, some 
Pinuses there ; a lofty tree Fern at one point, 
and a lowly Moss at another; and there were 
not wanting those who predicted that the 
plants never could be arranged in time—it 
was an impossibility; but by Tuesday morn¬ 
ing how marvellous the transformation, and 
how brilliant the scene ! Looking from the 
elevation at the southern end of the tent the 
eye was arrested by glorious specimens of 
stove and greenhouse plants, by wonderful 
Azaleas—perfect pyramids of bloom, by masses 
of Pelargoniums, and by Roses such as even 
sunny France could not excel. Then there 
were" tree Ferns, ranging from 20 to 30 feet 
in height, and with spreading heads half as 
much in diameter; Palms of many forms, 
and tropical in their character; Yuccas and 
Agaves near at hand, and in the distance 
sombre Yews and more lively Pines, relieved 
by gay flowering shrubs. Turn which way 
one would some fresh beauty met the eye, or 
new discovery was made. Faults there may 
have been in the arrangement—no one could 
reasonably expect it to be perfect when the 
time was so short, the mass of materials so 
great; but the general effect was such as to 
excite the admiration of even the least im¬ 
pressionable. Again, in the Orchid tent the 
display, though more confined in the area 
which the eye was enabled to comprehend, 
was of the richest; for there were gathered 
together the most beautiful of that lovely 
family of plants, so varied and fantastic in 
form, so rich and diverse in colouring. Here, 
too, were Marantas with their leaves beauti¬ 
fully and variously banded and barred with 
different shades of colour, Caladiums powdered 
with vermilion or marbled with white, golden- 
flowered Japan Lilies, Bertolonias studded 
with pearls or with rubies, and many interest¬ 
ing novelties, chiefly from tropical countries. 
The subjects exhibited were so numerous 
that our remarks on each class of them must 
necessarily be very brief. Flowering stove 
and greenhouse plants were an impor¬ 
tant feature, and without presenting any¬ 
thing very extraordinary in their character, 
were generally in great perfection. The col¬ 
lections of Mr. Baines, gardener to H. 
Micholls, Esq.; Mr. Peed, gardener to W. 
Leaf, Esq.; of Messrs. Lee, and of Mrs. Cole 
and Sons, were particularly worthy of notice, 
and comprised fine Ixoras, Heaths, Azaleas, 
Eriostemons, remarkably good specimens of 
Acrophylium venosum, Genetkyllis tulipifera, 
Aphelexis, Pimeleas, and Medinilla magni- 
fica. A very fine specimen of Dracophyl- 
lum gracile, with numerous fine heads of 
flowers, came among others from Mr. Rhodes. 
Fine-foliaged plants and Ferns were in very 
strong force, and comprised Crotons, Rhopalas 
of large size, Alocasias, variegated Aloe-leaved 
Yuccas, Marantas, Dracaenas, Seaforthia ele- 
gans, Latanias, and other Palms; and of 
exotic Ferns there were many fine examples 
of Dicksonia antarctica, Alsophila australis, 
Cibotiums, Gleichenias, Cyatheas, and Ma- 
rattia elegans ; but by far the most remark¬ 
able were the tree Ferns exhibited by Mr. 
Williams, of the Crystal Palace, and which 
averaged 24 feet in height and had heads 
16 feet in diameter. The largest was a most 
noble specimen, not less than 30 feet in height. 
Of hardy Ferns several fine collections were 
shown ; and those from Messrs. Ivery, of 
Dorking, and W. Marshall, Esq., were 
especially good ; Messrs. Ivery also ex¬ 
hibited a number of new varieties. Azaleas 
as shown by Mr. Turner and Messrs. Yeitch 
were magnificent, the plants being 7 or 8 feet 
in height and as much in diameter at the 
base. Roses from Mr. Turner and Mr. 
William Paul were in charming bloom, and 
those from the former were remarkable for 
their freshness and brightness of colour; good 
examples were also shown by Messrs. Francis, 
Lane, and Paul & Son, and Marechal Niel 
from Mr. Mitchell of the Piltdown Nurseries, 
Maresfield, was an object of much admira¬ 
tion. The show of Pelargoniums was also 
magnificent, and being arranged in the cir¬ 
cumference of the centre circle on turf banks, 
they formed a conspicuous part of the dis¬ 
play. Mr. Turner and Mr. Fraser took the 
chief honours in the nurserymen’s classes, 
both for show and fancy varieties, Mr. 
