188 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 28, 1903. 
although we should be likely to> cast aspersion on such doings 
now, it merely indicates a change of fashion. There are many 
things which might at the present day be called into play 
with a view of increasing the interest attached to the place. 
There can be no doubt that it lias been a most valuable home 
to the society, %nd a quieter place of retreat than the gardens 
at South Kensington, which were merely a place for display at 
exhibition times, and was quiet enough and useless enough at 
other times of the year. We could guess at the popularity of 
these garden breakfasts at Chiswick judging by the importance 
of the people who not only patronised them, but took part in 
the carrying out of the functions. A breakfast in Chiswick 
Gardens was announced to take place on June 23rd, 1827, and 
amongst the lady patronesses we note that there were no' less 
than four Marchionesses, one Dowager Marchioness, one 
Dowager Viscountess, one Viscountess, nine Countesses, two 
Duchesses, and two honoured with the title of Lady, as well 
as others of the Upper Ten. The committee included the Duke 
of Devonshire, Duke of Leinster, Marquess of Salisbury, Earl 
of Aberdeen, Earl of Damley, Lord Downes, two Baronets, and 
several other gentlemen of importance, as well as Thomas 
Andrew Knight and Joseph Sabine, both highly notable in hor¬ 
ticultural affairs in those days, and whose works have left an 
indelible impression upon gardening literature, even at the 
present time. 
Fellows of the society were supplied with one ticket at a 
guinea each, and Fellows wlm were 1 also subscribers were sup¬ 
plied with two tickets at the same price. Other tickets had 
to be obtained from the lady patronesses. The gardens were 
to be opened on the day of the breakfast at twelve o’clock, and 
it was intimated that it was desirable the gardens should be 
cleared before dark. So the attraction of the gardens must 
have been considerable, when difficulty was experienced in clear¬ 
ing them of visitors before darkness set in. We believe, how¬ 
ever, that evening fetes were held on several occasions, when 
the grounds of the Arboretum were illuminated, and the people 
enjoyed this till a late hour. In those days the places of 
amusement were no doubt fewer and less well supplied, and 
Chiswick must indeed have been a boon to the Fellows. 
We have no desire, however, to see these fetes, breakfasts and 
illuminations renewed, but there are other features of the 
gardens under the aegis of the Royal Horticultural Society 
which would be more becoming to its station and bounden duty 
to pursue in the event of its becoming possessed of a. new 
garden. Concerning the latter, we may have something to say 
on a future occasion, but in. the meantime we desire to make a 
few remarks concerning the utility and interest of the gardens 
in more recent times. 
The old gardens at South Kensington had not yet been given 
up, but the work being carried on there was evidently not in 
accordance with the times, and the society was becoming pain¬ 
fully aware of the fact, and began casting about for a better 
means whereby the legitimate aims and work of horticulture 
might be properly served. 
Slightly over twenty years ago important alterations -were 
accomplished in the gardens, and, indeed, we believe they con¬ 
stituted the last great changes that have taken place in the 
grounds there. A collection of Plums was partly destroyed, 
and the rest planted elsewhere, in order to' make a flower- 
garden through the middle of the place, leading from the big 
vinery to Sutton Court Road. The: then trial garden was 
destroyed in order to make a piece of turf by the Council 
Chamber, where it has been possible to locate the big tent in 
which the Fellows have assembled on numerous occasions for the 
purpose of holding congresses, conferences, and other useful 
functions. Since that plan was inaugurated much has been 
done in the interests of Plums, Pears, Apples, Conifers, 
Daffodils, Roses, vegetables. Begonias, Ferns, and various other 
important garden subjects. The resuscitated “Journal of the 
Society ” bears ample evidence of the important work that has 
been carried out at Chiswick during the past twenty years or 
more, 
Plants Recently Certificated 
By the Royal Horticultural Society. 
February IOth. 
ORCHID COMMITTEE. 
Odontoglossum crispum Cooksoniae. 
T!he flowers of this magnificent variety have so decidedly over¬ 
lapping segments that they appear pentangular ; that is, they 
have five points radiating equally in every direction. The sepals 
are ovate, slightly fimbriated and white, with a few large con¬ 
glomerate purple-brown blotches. The petals are triangular, 
lacerated and white, with a huge blotch in the centre and a few- 
smaller ones round the outside of it. The heart-shaped lip has 
a large distinct blotch in front of the crest, and a few smaller 
ones round the sides. (Gold Medal and First-class Certificate.) 
N. C. Cookson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. J. Chapman), Oakwood, 
Wylam-on-Tyne. 
Dendvobium Wiganiae xanthochilum. 
The flowers of this beautiful variety are of a clear yellow, with 
a rich brown blotch on the front of the lip. It is' a distinct 
advance upon the forms of Wiganiae hitherto appearing, being 
distinctively yellow. A small plant exhibited bv Sir”Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart, (gardener, Mr. W. H. White), Burford, Dorking, 
consisted of three stems, the two older of which carried in the 
aggregate thirty-three flowers, giving the plant a floriferous 
appearance. (First-class Certificate.) 
Laeliocattleya wellsiana magnifica. 
The sepals of this bold and handsome variety are pink. The 
petals are folded along the middle similar to the sepals, except 
towards the apex, which deepens to a rich rose-purple. The lip 
has a pale yellow tube, but the finest feature of the whole flower 
consists in the intense crimson-purple lamina ; the clearly- 
defined yellow throat gives place to a crimson shade at the very 
base of the tube only. (Award of Merit.) F. Wellesley, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. J. Gilbert), Westfield Common, near Woking. 
Odontoglossum wilckeanum Rex. 
The sepals of this showy variety are creamy yellow, and 
blotched all oveT with deep cinnamon-brown. The petals are 
triangular, fringed, and marked with cinnamon-brown blotches 
on a creamy yellow ground. The lip is clear yellow at the base, 
with a reddish glittering blotch in front of the crest, and fringed 
at the tip, which is white. A well-grown spike carried sixteen 
flowers. (Award of Merit.) Messrs. F. Sander and Sons, St. 
Albans. 
Odontoglossum loochristiense Lord Howick. 
The parentage of this beautiful hybrid was 0. crispum x 
triumphans. The colour of the flowers is a clear bright yellow, 
the sepals have two or three brown blotches, and the petals have 
sometimes one blotch, but are usually without markings. The 
petals have one large glittering chestnut-red blotch in front of 
the crest. Needless to say, the variety is a very handsome one. 
(Award of Merit.) Captain Holford, C.I.E., Westonbirt, Tet- 
bury, Gloucestershire. 
Cypripedium Minos Young’s Variety. 
The parentage of the hybrid was C. spicerianum x arthurianum. 
The leaves are wholly green. The dorsal sepal is transversely 
oval, large, and white, spotted with rose except towards the base, 
which is green. The declining petals are wavy on their upper 
edges, and of a bright shining brown. The lip is similarly 
glossy and dark brown. (Award of Merit.) R. Briggs-Bury, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Wilkinson), Bank House, Accrington. 
FLORAL COMMITTEE. 
Saxifraga Griesbachi. 
Ihe leaves of this crustaceous Saxifraga are spathulate, and 
produced in dense rosettes. The flower stems are red, hirsute, 
and furnished on the upper portion with leaves that are also 
bright red except at the tips. The flowers are small, red, but 
become conspicuous on account of their dense arrangement and 
the red bracts with which they are surrounded. Previous to 
expansion they form nodding globular heads. At first sight this 
new species bears a considerable resemblance to S. calyciflora, but 
it flowers earlier, and by Christmas the centre of the plant is 
all a bright red owing to the presence of the inflorescence, which 
is just commencing to push up. The rosettes of leaves on full- 
grown plants are as large as those of S. longifolia ; and in these 
particulars lie t!he distinctions of what is considered a new 
species from Albania, where it was collected two years ago. 
(First-class Certificate.) Mr. G. Reuthe, Wensleydale, Han- 
worth Road, Feltham ; and Messrs. R. Veitch and Son, Exeter. 
