NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
Our Premiums. —The premium seeds have been for¬ 
warded to all who have requested them, and the premium 
bulbs to all except those resident in the most Northerly 
States and Territories. To the latter we shall mail bulbs 
as soon as the weather will permit. 
To correct misapprehension regarding our offer of the 
Floral Kingdotn for clubs of four new subscribers at 
$1.25 each, we would say that the time is unlimited in 
which such clubs may be formed. 
* 
* ± 
Society of American Florists. —A meeting of the Ex¬ 
ecutive Committee of this society was held at Pittsburgh, 
February 17, 1885, to make arrangements for the first 
regular exhibition, to be held at Cincinnati, August 19 
to 21, inclusive. The report of the committee must be 
very satisfactory to the members, as a lively interest in 
the welfare of the society, together with a determination 
to make it a success, by making it useful, is manifest 
in every part of the country. The following programme 
is arranged for the August meeting : 
1st, an exhibition of plants, novelties and standard sorts. 
2d, “ “ “ cut-flowers. 
3d, “ “ “ florists’ supplies. 
4th, “ “ “ greenhouse structures, heating ap¬ 
paratus and appliances. 
5th, an exhibition of any appliances applicable to the 
florists’ trade. 
Each day is to be divided into three sessions, at which 
one or more practical papers will be read and discussed, 
provision having been made to insure discussion. The 
papers selected are from the best sources of information 
on the object treated. Programmes will be ready for 
distribution soon, and will be sent to all persons in¬ 
terested, by the secretary, E. G. Hill, Esq., Richmond, 
Ind. * 
* * 
The New York Horticultural Society. —The March 
meeting stands out prominently as one of the very 
best, and as for the exhibits, they have never been 
equaled. Without giving undue prominence to any 
contributor, we may say there was a general attack of 
spring fever. Our hopes are that this pleasant and very 
recently awakened interest may continue. To show how 
much could be done if this interest was continued, we 
need only say that the March meeting has been the talk 
of the town. The press has always something to say for 
the society, and, with such an excellent exhibition as the 
last one proved to be, good words regarding it will be 
merited. When the general display of orchids had been 
examined, admired and commented on, we felt that there 
had been something to live for during this winter of ice, 
snow and storm. We have always hoped to see this 
multiplication of exhibitors, but was not prepared to see 
as many as half a dozen orchid growers represented at 
this early season. There were grand plants of fine cattle- 
yas, especially C. Triakea , C. Percivaliana and C. labiata. 
The variety among this class is widely different. Then the 
lovely dendrobiums, D.Pierardi , D. Wardianum. D. De- 
'vonianwn, D. Crassinode, D. macrophyllum and D. no- 
bile. Several plants, each of lycastes, with much variation 
in markings ; oncidiums in variety ; odontoglossums, espe¬ 
cially a glorious specimen of the variety, O. Alexandra ;; 
phaelenopsis, saccolabiums, and two plants of the brilliant 
scarlet Saphronitesgrandiflora. Of cut-flowers of orchids 
from the garden of W. B. Dinsmore, Esq., came a group 
of Phalcenopsis Schilleriana, unsurpassed for effect; 
there were not less than fifteen spikes, some of which 
were three feet long with laterals spreading twenty 
inches, and with more than seventy flowers. P. Ama- 
bilis, P. grandiflora, P. rosea, P. Stuartiana, P. Liid- 
demanniana, were represented in fine condition, as were 
finely marked forms of Caltleya triance, dendrobiums and 
oncidiums. The bletias were equally well shown. Alto¬ 
gether, this was a chaste, elegant and beautiful display. 
Among other orchids in the cut-flower class, many season¬ 
able species were to be seen, proving that their cultivation 
is being extended, a sure indication of a development in 
the popular" taste. 
Choice specimens of rare flowers were to be seen in the 
lapagerias, Big 7 ionia venusta, clerodendrons, anthuriums, 
many old camellias, azalias, finely formed and in the 
most chaste and delicate colors. The roses, which are 
usually the most prominent feature of the exhibition, were 
superb in size, fragrance, color and freshness, and, as far 
as we have been educated, we may say they were perfec¬ 
tion. We may note particularly among the hardy or 
hybrid section Jacqueminot, Camille de Rohan, Diesbach, 
Paul Neyron, Magna Charta, Countess of Oxford and 
Duchess de Vallambrosa in quantities. Then, in the ten¬ 
der classes, there were hosts of Mermets, Perles, Bon 
Silenes, Cooks, Niphetos, Sunsets, and that lovely, queenly 
La France—what a pronounced piece of inspired coloring 
it had ! The Marie Henrietta, with a wealth of blue- 
green foliage and rich long, deep carmine-red flowers, had 
many admirers. The two new comers, American Beauty 
and William Francis Bennett, had the greatest share of 
the criticism. The American Beauty is from Washing¬ 
ton, D. C., and without a pedigree, but from general 
appearances, we should call it a hybrid Noisette, of per¬ 
petual flowering habit. We have representations of this 
class in “ Coquette des Alps,” “ Perle des Blanches ” and 
“Boule de Neige.” Its perfume is decidedly Noisette in 
flavor; the spines have the same family impress. The 
color is a very distinct lake, a rarity in this class, and on 
that account is an acquisition. 
The judges compared the color to H. P. Countess of 
Oxford, which is light crimson, shaded to rosy pink, with 
darker tints. The color to us seemed rather a dull shade 
of red, with that unfortunate flatness so often found in 
several other red-tinted roses after being cut a short time. 
The size of the flower is quite large, and if (as we have 
been informed) the color is brighter on plants not sub- 
