232 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
the flower which shall be placed first at two of the three shows. 
It was decided in this instance in favour of Wildman’s Bianca, 
it being affirmed by three out of five judges that Antagonist was 
“ cross-eyed.” We saw the flowers ; and though we do not deny 
the justice of the decision, must say, that but for this accidental 
defect Antagonist is every way the best flower. There was an 
abundance of Dahlias staged, though but few of them in first-rate 
order ; with five or six seedlings — the prize in this class was 
awarded to Mr. Cousins for a tolerably good but very small flower, 
colour crimson lilac. Among the others we noticed a fine white 
from Mr. Gaines, called Princess Alice, a dark red from Mr. 
Smith, and a similar flower from Mr. Dodds. The display of 
Plants was as good as we could expect from the advanced state of ' 
the season. Mr. Bruce had a fine collection, containing Curcuma 
Roscoeana, Crinum amabile, Achimenes longifloraand coccinea. 
Pancratium fragrans, Siphocampylos betulaefolius, iEschynan- 
thus grandiflorus, Crowea saligna, Polygala grandiflora, Manettia 
cordata, Erica Aitoni, &c. Mr. Atlee, who was placed second, 
had large plants of Erica Bowiei, E. intermedia, E. Aitoni, 
E. vestita, coccinea, and some others, with however but very 
little bloom upon them. The third collection (Mr. Hamps) 
though composed of smaller plants, had a far larger proportion 
of flowers ; in it were, besides many others, a good plant of 
Convolvulus pentanthus, Ceropegia elegans, Sinningia guttata; 
several Gloxinias, Achimenes grandiflora, A. coccinea, &c. For 
the Amateurs’ class only one prize was awarded, for a collection 
from Mr. Cox, containing Oncidium Suttonii, O.ornithorhyncum, 
O. papilio; two Gongoras, Pancratium speciosum, Begonia 
tuberosum, &c. Among the single specimens were several fine 
plants in excellent order, though we are decidedly at issue 
with the censors, the judgment here being little short of vile, 
What could possess any persons at all acquainted with plants to 
cause them to pass over such things as Aphelandra cristata, or 
Gesneria zebrina, or such Ericas as were exhibited, in favour of 
Sollya neterophylla, Musa Cavendishii, without flowers or fruit, 
and Calathea zebrina? the difference in the general appear¬ 
ance of the plants being as great as is that of the kinds ; the re¬ 
jected being superior in every point. We are not aware who 
filled the office of judges on this occasion, but it reflects but 
little to their credit; and the Society will do well to use more 
discretion in their next nomination. We could say something 
about the cut flowers, the Dahlias, and the Amateurs’ collection, 
but we leave the unpleasant subject for the present. 
Mr. Cuthill exhibited a collection of Lisianthus Russelianus 
in splendid bloom. Fuchsias were shown by Mr. Gaines and 
Mr. Pawsey. 
( The List of Prizes next Month .) 
