1882 .] 
NERINE EXCELLENS.-THE PELARGONIUM SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
113 
NERINE EXCELLENS. 
[Plate 567.] 
S HIS beautiful hybrid Amaryllid, which 
belongs to the interesting genus Nerine, 
was first described by us under 
the name here adopted in Mr. Bull’s 
New Plant Catalogue for 1882. It is a very 
charming addition to the little family group, 
which is in every way worthy the attention of 
all lovers of flowers, since it consists of green¬ 
house bulbous plants of the easiest culture, 
and of free-flowering habit. 
The plant now before us has ovate bulbs of 
moderate size, from the neck of which issues 
the flower scape and the foliage. The latter 
is broadly linear or lorate, blunt at the apex, 
and of a cheerful green colour. The scape 
rises about a foot in height, and terminates 
in an umbel of six to nine flowers, which are 
showy and attractive in character, being of a 
soft bright rosy-pink, with a carmine crimson 
rib down the centre of each segment, and ex¬ 
panding so as to form a large conspicuous 
flower-head ; the segments of the flowers are 
two inches in length, reflexed and somewhat 
undulated, five of them directed upwards, the 
other projected forwards, and the filaments 
declinate with pink filaments and crimson 
anthers, which when they burst discharge a 
yellow pollen. The bracts at the base of the 
umbel are coloured pink. Like most of its 
race it flowers towards the end of the summer 
months. 
We are indebted to Mr. Bull for the oppor¬ 
tunity of figuring this pretty hybrid, which we 
trust may be the means of drawing attention 
to a meritorious but somewhat neglected family 
of greenhouse bulbous plants.—T. Moore. 
THE PELARGONIUM SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
S HE increasing interest which is mani¬ 
festly taken in the Exhibition of this 
special Society, and we may add in 
that of some other floral societies 
similarly circumstanced, affords a good reason 
for pressing on their several supporters the 
duty of maintaining them in the efficient state 
to which they have—not without some effort 
—been brought, and not allowing them to 
sink into a languishing or dying condition as 
did the first National Rose Society, when left 
to the tender mercies of the R.H.S. as a step¬ 
parent, a relationship which some of our 
friends w r ould have us adopt for the special 
Societies of the present day, by affiliating 
them to a parent ■which has been slow to show 
any particular regard for them. 
The exhibition of 1882, which was held at 
South Kensington on June 27th, was a well- 
marked success, and afforded an opportunity 
of showing some courtesy to the members of 
the “ Cercle d’Ai’boriculture de Belgique,” 
which at the time were paying this country a 
visit of horticultural inspection. 
The Prize Schedule of the Pelargonium 
Society is divided into three sections—one for 
the encouragement of new varieties not in 
commerce; one for specimen plants of older 
varieties ; and a third for cut flowers. “If,” 
says a contemporary, “ the Pelargonium 
Society cannot be complimented on having 
induced raisers to break out into any new and 
distinct paths on the way of hybrid crosses, 
they can take credit for encouraging growers 
to produce the various classes of Pelargoniums 
in fine and attractive form, and they have 
also made the Pelargonium Show one of the 
leading floral institutions of the year, and that 
a very attractive and interesting one. There 
is not nearly so much of sameness of character 
about it as one might suppose, as the various 
classes of Pelargoniums differ so widely in 
form and habit; and in bringing together as 
it does all the best varieties in cultivation it 
enables intending purchasers to make good 
selections, while the encouragement given to 
the introduction of new varieties brings 
growers and exhibitors into annual contact 
with the best of the novelties.” 
Section I. Varieties not in commerce. 
It is to be regretted that there were no 
entries in the classes provided for new Hybrids. 
They cannot be expected to be as numerous 
as new varieties, and it may take some few 
years to induce growers to make the attempt, 
or to hit upon the happy cross which may 
make their attempt successful. So it must 
ever be, and we therefore trust the Society 
will not be discouraged by the absence of 
