had from 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. a-plant; and if any money is laid out on plants during the year, an amateur who is really fond of them would hardly begrudge the few shillings required to lay the foundation of a collection.

As to raising Auriculas from seed, there is nothing in which the celebrated direction of Mrs. Glasse (did she ever give it ?) is more needful-first catch your hare-i.e., first get good seed; for this is well nigh an impossibility, for these reasons: 1, The growers of Auriculas are few. In the county in which I live (Kent) I do not believe there is another grower, and I very rarely in the south of England hear of a collection. 2, Those who grow them either do not grow seed, or, if they do, they keep in their own hands the best hybridised seed for the purpose of raising seedlings. Most growers have the idea that seed ripening weakens the plant; and hence, as soon as the blooming is over it is picked off. I may mention as a proof of this difficulty that I have known £8 an ounce to be offered for it, and yet the owner of the collection was not able to save a scrap of it. And after all, what a very difficult thing it is to raise a good seedling Auricula! Take the case of Mr. George Lightbody, of Falkirk, who for upwards of thirty years was a raiser of seedlings, intelligent, careful, and with the perseverance of his nation strongly developed; and yet on looking at the last list he ever published I do not think that there are above three or four flowers at most that will be remembered a dozen years hence. I should therefore, taking all these things into consideration, advise "J. A." first of all to procure a few plants of such Auriculas as I have named, and then try to save his own seed. He can hybridise them, and so probably obtain a better strain of seed.

And now supposing the seed to be "by hcok or crook" obtained, let us see how to proceed. It is best to sow it in pans, and the soil used should be light and rich-light sandy mould and well-rotted cow dung, with some sharp sand or some similar compost. The pan should be thoroughly well drained, and the compost when placed in it should rise in the middle, gradually sloping towards the side. The seed should be sown not too thickly, covered with finely sifted mould, and then be watered with a very fine rose. This should be done early in the year-February or March; and if there is the convenience of a hotbed or stove it would be well to give them the advantage of it, so as to produce rapid germination. Should moss accumulate, the surface should be lightly stirred; and as soon as the plants are up the pans should be placed either in the open air or in some cool place. The advantage of heat for causing the germination of the seed is obvious, but at the same time it must be remembered that the pans ought not to be exposed to heavy rains. About the month of July, when the plants will have grown sufficiently for the purpose, they should be transplanted into thumb pots, or several may be placed in a pan, in a compost similar to that in which the full-grown plants are kept, and should in all respects be treated as offsets or small plants would be. They will not bloom until the second or third year.

In what I have said I have had in my mind the finer, or skow varieties as they are called. It is much easier to procure seed of Alpine Auriculas, and they are very handsome, but will never in the eye of a true florist compare with the more refined show varieties.-D., Deal.

THE PACKING AND TRANSIT OF PLANTS, &c. THE packing of plants for travel must be regarded as one of the most important departments connected with our now immense and rapidly-increasing commerce in tender plants; and, generally speaking, it is well understood and efficiently performed by those whom it concerns. Often have we admired the laborious care, and firmness and solidity of the manner in which professional packers perform this important part of the plant-merchant's business. This rule, however, as is not to be wondered at, is not without many exceptions. The transit of plants after they are packed, notwithstanding these days of swift travel, is a matter attended with much anxiety to the receiver, and no doubt also to the sender of packages of tender plants. It has become scarcely possible to divine when a pack age that has to pass over several railways by goods trains will come to hand, while to send heavy packages by passenger trains so augments their cost that such a course cannot be adopted. The parcel post and flying trains leave scarcely a desire to be realised in the safe and speedy transit of light packages. It is in the belief that these two sides of the question have become very obvious to many concerned, that

we have selected the subject as one worthy of remark and suggestion.

There are descriptions of plants which cannot be tampered with, in order to lessen either the bulk or the weight of the packages which contain them, and that must be sent by slow trains to avoid the enormous expense of the fast trains, even supposing it were practicable to have all these carried by such trains, which it is not; but there are other classes of plants which it is simply ridiculous to pack and send as they are yet far too generally packed and sent. We now refer more especially to the enormous quantities of comparatively hardy softwooded plants that are sent hither and thither on long journeys in the spring and early summer months. We will suppose a quantity of such plants-say Pelargoniums-bought in a nursery in small pots. Now, such plants are generally turned out of their pots and have something wrapped round their balls, and packed on their sides, layer above layer, in square hampers. When pitched into the railway truck they are an enormous weight, chiefly of comparatively useless soil; and by the time they reach their destination, we need not try to describe what the bottom layers of balls and plants are generally found-a mixture of smashed balls of earth, moss, and broken plants. The other method is to moss and tie down the balls in the pots, and often to fix a stake to each plant, and pack at enormous labour on their bottoms in large round flat hampers, or to pack on their sides, as in the case of those turned out of their pots. Those packed on their bottoms travel, as a rule, well, but at what a cost for a given amount of plants! The carpenters' shavings, or stable litter, or straw, hampers, hazel rods, and mats, far outweigh the goods. When placed on their sides in pots, the broken pots are too often added to the mixture of soil, moss, and broken plants.

Now we believe this order of affairs is not solely chargeable to nurserymen, but to the erroneous ideas that the receivers of such "orders" hold as to the safety of the plants. We have to suggest to both parties that if those who order such goods as we are now speaking of-let us take for instance a consignment of Pelargoniums, despatched any time in April-would "order" that all the soil should be shaken from the plants, carefully preserving the roots: pack them top to top and root to root, not mingling roots with tops, in a small light hamper, using nothing but pliable paper round the inside of the hamper (no damp moss nor heavy heating rubbish of that sort), and despatching such by passenger train, they would in most cases reach their destination as soon as the nurseryman's letter of advice. In this case there would scarcely be a bruised leaf, and the roots not so much injured as when the balls get broken on the journey; and, after being potted in fresh soil, they would look better than before they were shaken out. The passenger carriage would not be more than that by goods train, and the time on the journey in the one case a fraction of the time in the other. This is no mere fancy picture; we have tried it over and over again, and it is an advantage to both, for the packer does his work far quicker in the one case, and the pots are saved, for which an allowance is made. The absurd practice in the mode we recommend is the packing of shakenout plants with a layer of damp moss and shavings, which not only necessitates a larger hamper and a heavier package, but it is at the same time a positive evil. Whatever is placed in layers around such goods should be light and perfectly dry, and we think paper the best.

Many such plants are not despatched to the country till they are required for planting; and in the case of Geraniums and many other similar plants we would say, Shake the soil from them, for no one would ever think of planting with ball entire such plants matted in small pots. A partial "shake-out" would of course be best; but of two evils the total shake-out is far less than that of planting with a ball like a bullet, and we have invariably noticed that plants shaken-out grew the most satisfactorily, to say nothing of the lightness of package, and swiftness and certainty of transit.

One of the greatest evils connected with packing for a five or six days' transit is that of packing with damp material; it heats by the way, and even when it does not heat, plants out of perfectly dry, always look and do better at once than those turned out of damp material.

We are very much surprised that paper-shavings-so clean, so light, so springy and elastic, and consequently so warm— have not been more used by plantsmen for packing, particularly moderate packages of tender plants. We once sent a package of plants to France, packed with paper-shavings exclusively in a large but light box, and the receiver was quite

taken with the nice, clean, undamaged state of the plants and the | lightness of the package, and expressed his surprise to us that such material had never been used by nurserymen. No doubt if a demand were to spring up for such, it could be supplied in various qualities even much cheaper than it is now.

The enormous traffic there is in Vines in pots, and the outrageously unnecessary-sized pots in which most purchasers insist on receiving them, is one of the greatest mistakes in the whole round of plant-culture, not looking at the question from the carriage standpoint at all. This is especially applicable to Vines for planting, which are generally sought from 6 to 7 feet long in large pots. The whole thing is a mistake, both for the seller and receiver. Given two Vines, one in an 8 or 10-inch pot, 6 feet long (and setting aside everything but the quality of the Vine), and another in a 6-inch pot, a yard or 4 feet high at the most, stiff, and standing erect without a stake, with its best buds about 24 feet from the bottom, and filled with a mass of fibry roots - we would choose the latter, not only on account of the small package that is required for transit, but because it is the best-ripened and most twiggy-rooted Vine, having the best buds at the part from which the young growths are allowed to spring for furnishing the Vine. A long Vine has its best buds near its top, and the cultivator, after planting, rubs these off and brings away growths from weaker buds at the front light of his vinery. How easy it is to pack 6-inch pot Vines. Turn them out of their pots and wrap a piece of coarse canvas, or even strong paper, round the ball, or rather mass of roots, and the weight of pots is saved, and less space required to pack in, and when received pop them into 6-inch pots. The long Vine in a large pot, when the plant is required to plant out, is a great mistake; what is wanted is a concentrated well-ripened bud and twiggy roots.-(The Gardener.)

CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW.

MAY 9TH.

THIS was held fully a week sooner than usual; and though many of the specimens had not arrived at their full beauty, and there was a falling off-both in quantity and quality in many of the classes, the Exhibition well merited the numerous attendance of visitors which it secured, notwithstanding the coldness of the day.

Among the stove and greenhouse plants a great deficiency was created by the absence of Mr. Baines' grand collections, which have recently been dispersed; but Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., Leyton, who was first for twelve, exhibited large, finely-bloomed specimens of Hedaroma Hookeri and tulipiferum, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea and rosea, Statice profusa, very fine; Azaleas, and Anthurium Scherzerianum with a score of finely-coloured spathes. The remaining prizetakers in this class were Mr. Kemp, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, Albury Park; Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. Tredwell, Lower Norwood; and Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., Regent's Park. In the nurserymen's class Messrs. Jackson & Sons, Kingston, took the lead with excellent specimens of Heaths, Azaleas, Aphelexis macrantha purpurea, and Dracophyllum gracile. Mr. Williams, of Holloway, followed with a magnificent specimen of Anthurium Scherzerianum with some thirty flowers, Acrophyllum venosum, very fine; and other excellent specimens. Mr. Morse, Epsom, was third. In the amateurs' class for nine, Mr. Peed took the lead with a large bush of Tetratheca ericafolia, a very good specimens of Epacris miniata splendens, and other plants shown by him in a similar collection last year. Mr. Donald, gardener to J. G. Barclay, Esq., Leyton; Mr. J. Wheeler, gardener to J. Phillpott, Esq., Stamford Hill; and Mr. D. Bain, gardener to J. Scott, Esq., Bickley Park, secured the other awards. In groups arranged for effect the prizes went to Messrs. Foreman, Feweil, and Peed.

In groups of six fine-foliaged plants we noticed fine specimens of Alocasia metallica, Maranta Veitchii, Crotons, Latania borbonica, and some other Palms. Mr. Fewell, gardener to Mrs. Sargood, Broad Green Lodge, who was first, had a noble example

of Alocasia Lowii. Messrs. Bain and Donald secured the remaining prizes.

Heaths were shown in collections of eight and of six. Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., had large, finelybloomed plants of Ventricosa magnifica and Eximia superba in the latter class, taking the first prize; and other good specimens were shown by Messrs. Peed, Morse, Kemp, and J. Wheeler. Azaleas, with a few exceptions, were not up to the mark; the large plants were deficient in bloom, and many of the smaller ones had a ragged appearance. The chief prizetakers among nurserymen were Messrs. Williams, Turner, and Lane; among amateurs G. Wheeler, J. Wheeler, and G. Roach. In the groups of twenty, grown in 12-inch pots, Mr. Turner, of Slough, and Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, furnished excellent plants con

sisting of varieties different from those represented in the ordinary run of exhibition specimens.

Of Orchids some very good examples were staged. Mr. Ward, who was first in the amateurs' class for fifteen, had excellent specimens of Odontoglossum Phalaenopsis, Pescatorei, Alexandræ, Lycaste Skinneri, &c. Mr. G. Wheeler was second. For six the prizetakers were Mr. Peed and Mr. J. Wheeler; and in the nurserymen's class Mr. Williams, Mr. Morse, and Messrs. Jackson. Mr. Williams had Cypripedium caudatum with eight blooms, C. villosum, Dendrobium infundibulum, Foxbrush Aerides, and two fine plants of Vanda tricolor vars. superba and meleagris, the latter with six spikes. Pelargoniums of the Show kinds were best represented in the nine from Mr. Ward, which were first in the amateurs' class, and which comprised splendid plants of Rob Roy and Rose Celestial. awards fell to Messrs. Dobson, of Isleworth, and Mr. Turner. Mr. James was second; while in the nurserymen's division the

The most striking and successful part of the whole Exhibition was, however, the display of Roses in pots. Those from Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, and Mr. Turner, of Slough, were probably the most superb specimens ever exhibited, and so evenly balanced were the merits of the two collections of ten, that they were awarded equal first prizes. Messrs. Paul & Son had Madame de St. Joseph, Malle. Thérèse Levet, John Hopper, Céline Forestier, Victor Verdier, Horace Vernet, Anna Alexieff, Princess Mary of Cambridge, Charles Lawson, and Dr. Andry. Mr. Turner sent Victor Verdier, Madame de St. Joseph, Souvenir de Malmaison, Juno, Charles Lawson, Paul Perras, Duke of Edinburgh, Anna Alexieff, Beauty of Waltham, and Souvenir d'un Ami. Mr. Turner also contributed the only group of fifteen, and Messrs. Paul of twelve, but in both cases these were admirably grown and bloomed, well deserving the first prizes awarded. Mr. Moorman, gardener to the Misses Christy, Coombe Bank, Kingston, was first in the amateurs' class.

Among miscellaneous subjects were collections of Clematis from Messrs. Jackman, of Woking (to whom a first prize was also given in the class provided for that flower); from Mr. Ley, nurseryman, Croydon; Messrs. Cutbush, Highgate; Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing; Messrs. Rollisson; and Mr. Williams, Holloway. Groups of fine-foliaged and flowering plants, and fine stands of cut Roses from Mr. William Paul, who also contributed a very ornamental collection of Ivies. Messrs. Downie & Co. and Mr. Hooper, of Bath, exhibited several stands of show and fancy Pansies, and the latter Tulips and Ranunculuses as well; Mr. Ware, of Tottenham, bedding and other Pansies; and Messrs. Dobson, Calceolaries. Mr. Croucher, gardener to J. Peacock, Esq., Sudbury House, Hammersmith, exhibited three immense specimens of Echinocactus visnaga, which excited much attention on the part of the visitors. Among new plants, Agave Taylorii, Adiantum gracillimum, Ceterach aureum, and Ficus Parcelii from Mr. Williams, and Betula alba purpurea from Mr. W. Paul, had certificates.

FLORENCE INTERNATIONAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION AND BOTANICAL CONGRESS.

THE opening of the new markets at Florence has furnished the occasion for holding a great International Horticultural Exhibition and Botanical Congress, such as has already taken place at Brussels, Amsterdam, London, St. Petersburg, Paris, and Vienna. Thither are the savants, the connoisseurs, and amateurs of botany and horticulture tending, and during the time from the 12th to the 20th of this month the ancient

capital of Tuscany will hold high holiday. We cannot give any report of these proceedings this week, as at the time of our going to press there is not time to have received any communication which could convey an account of the proceedings, but it is our intention next week to furnish our readers with all the particulars of this effort of Italy to assert a claim to recognition among the horticultural communities of the world. There are few places that could have been better chosen than Florence for such a gathering, with all its historical and high nothing worth calling gardening in southern Europe, where art associations; and even if, as it has been said, there is nature and not art mainly supplies man's wants, there will be much to please and to satisfy the visitor in other branches of knowledge.

So far we have been mainly occupied with our journey, and a few notes hastily thrown together as to our observations on the route may not be uninteresting. Spring frosts, those bêtes noires of British gardeners, have this year extended to France, and on the morning of the 4th telegrams reached the Minister of the Interior in Paris that one of these scourges had passed over the whole surface of the country, causing serious damage to the Vine districts. This we found fully confirmed in travelling down through the Côte d'Or and Burgundy. There the Vines are completely blackened, and young leaves of the

Vegetation to the south of Paris as far as Macon has not advanced much, if any, farther than it had done in England at the time of our departure; and it was curious to observe the difference which altitude made in the foliation of the interminable Poplars which everywhere force themselves on the attention. Between Paris and the Côte d'Or the leaves are almost fully developed; but when the higher ground is reached, and where we found the altitude to be 650 feet above Paris, the buds had hardly burst. But beyond Macon a gradual advance was observable, and on reaching Bourg and Amberien all traces of the frost had gone, and the Vines and Walnuts were rejoicing in their bright new clothing.

At this early season when vegetation is fresh we had an opportunity of observing what we never did before during many visits to the Continent, and that is that among the interminable Poplars there are two species which are easily distinguished at this early period. These are Populus nigra and Populus canadensis, the latter being by far the more prevalent. The distinction is easily seen by the dark green foliage of the former, and the pale yellow-green with russet tinge of the latter. Sometimes where there is a group of canadensis with here and there nigra dotted among them the effect is quite striking; and this hint may benefit those of our readers who are interested in planting trees for colour effects. The same contrast is met with between the Lombardy Poplar, which is a variety of nigra, and canadensis.

Another object of attraction from Dijon to Bourg, the capital of the old province of Bresse, was the heaps of flat equare crates that were piled up empty at various stations, and these we discovered to be the "returned empties" which had conveyed the noted fowls of Bresse to all parts of France. These fowls take the place of the Sussex and Dorkings with us, and are esteemed as the finest fowls on the Continent. True to its tradition, we found throughout Bresse large quantities of these fowls running in the pastures, and reminding us of the great chicken-fatting districts of Sussex.

As we near the Alps, vegetation, instead of being retarded as we erroneously supposed, is far in advance of the parts through which we had passed. From Amberien, where the grandeur of the Alpine scenery begins, there is great progress made, and the Walnuts, Mulberries, and Limes are almost in full leaf, while at Chambery the fine avenue of Planes leading to the town affords an ample shade from the sun, which has already become so powerful as to remind us that we have left the cold north behind us.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

MAY 13TH.

THE great feature on this occasion was the display of Roses in pots, which was of the highest excellence. It was no mere repetition of that at the Palace on the previous Saturday, except in quality, which was equally good. Orchids, Azaleas, and miscellaneous groups lent their aid, the whole forming an important and effective exhibition, occupying nearly the whole of the two conservatory corridors, while in the conservatory itself was Mr. Noble's show of Clematis.

Of pot Roses the examples shown by Messrs. Paul and Mr. Turner in Class 1 were superb. Several of the plants ranged from 5 to 6 feet in diameter at the base, and he would be a bold man that would hazard a guess at the number of blooms which they bore, and all so exquisitely fresh and beautiful that one would suppose that the art of the cultivator could go no further. The competition between the two redoubtable champions we have named was extremely close, but ended in the Judges deciding in favour of Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, as the winners of the first prize; but the merit of both twelves was so great that we should have been pleased to have seen a first prize given to each. Messrs. Paul had Souvenir d'un Ami, Juno, delicately beautiful, Charles Lawson, a mass of flowers, Madame Victor Verdier, and Céline Forestier claiming especial attention, the last in particular being a variety which it is difficult to show in such fine form. The remainder were John Hopper, President, Vicomte Vigier, Madame Willermoz, Victor Verdier, Camille Bernardin, and Elie Morel. Mr. Turner, of Slough, had grand plants of Juno, Charles Lawson, Paul Perras, La France, with others almost equally fine of Paul Verdier, Souvenir d'un Ami,

In the amateurs' class for six Mr. Ellis, gardener to J. Galsworthy, Esq., and Mr. Moorman, gardener to the Misses Christie, Coombe Bank, Kingston, exhibited plants more than usually good for amateurs. Those from Mr. Ellis were the larger specimens, while Mr. Moorman's La France, Paul Verdier, and Anna Alexieff were exceedingly well bloomed, though smaller plants. Here Mr. Turner took the lead with, among others, beautifully The next class was for twenty distinct kinds in 8-inch pots. grown and flowered plants of Alba Rosea, Lyonnais, Charles Lawson, Edward Morren, La France, and Marie Van Houtte. Messrs. Paul came in second with an excellent group in which François Michelon, Monsieur Noman, Mdlle. Eugénie Verdier, Cheshunt Hybrid, and Céline Forestier were conspicuous; while Messrs. Veitch were third with an even and very well bloomed collection, in which the white Hybrid Perpetual Madame Lacharme was perfection, although Exposition de Brie, Dr. Andry, and La France carried blooms which could hardly be excelled. Paul and Mr. Turner, in the order in which they are named; for For cut blooms the prizes for twenty-four went to Messrs. twelve to Mr. Moorman and Mr. Tranter, Upper Assendon, Henley.

Here

The next class in the schedule was for six Clematis. there was only one collection, that from Messrs. Jackman, of Woking, who well merited the first prize that was awarded. the last meeting, was the finest; but of the single, Vesta, Fair Countess of Lovelace, which received a first-class certificate at Rosamond, The Queen, and Lady Stratford de Redclyffe were specimens as well grown as they were full of bloom.

Azaleas were neither of large size nor remarkable on the whole for excellence. Mr. Turner, of Slough, had a very good nine in 12-inch pots, taking the first position for that number; Messrs. Ivery & Son came second, also with well-grown plants, not, however, fully out; Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, were third. In the amateurs' class for six, Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., was the only exhibitor, and secured a first prize. In the open class for the same number, Mr. Turner Hooibrenkii, and others. was first with very good dwarf standards of Duc de Nassau,

For Calceolarias Messrs. Dobson & Son, and Messrs. James, of Isleworth, were respectively first and second with richlycoloured, large-flowered varieties obtained from their excellent strains. A third prize was awarded to Mr. Rapley, gardener to R. Hudson, Esq., Clapham Common.

For twelve Hardy Perennials in 12 inch pots Mr. R. Parker, Exotic Nursery, Tooting, took the highest position with a fine pot of Iris germanica spectabilis, Iberis corifolia, Saxifraga granulata flore-pleno, Dielytra spectabilis, and a fine goldenEaling, was second with nice healthy Daisies, Violas, &c. yellow bush of Alyssum orientale. Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh Road,

Of twelve bunches of cut flowers of hardy herbaceous plants Mr. Parker was the only exhibitor, but he had some fine flowers, and a first prize was awarded to them.

The class for twelve plants suitable for the dinner-table brought out collections of valuable and suitable plants. Mr. J. W. Wimsett, nurseryman, Chelsea, received the first prize. The most effective plants in his collection were Aralia Veitchii-its finelydivided leaves are very graceful; Cocos Weddeliana, one of the best Palms for this purpose; and Pandanus Veitchii. Mr. W. Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, was second; his plants were also very fine. Aralia leptophylla, Cocos Weddeliana, and Dæmonorops plumosus were the best. Mr. J. Hudson, Champion Hill,

was third.

Auriculas were poorly shown; it is now too late for them. Mr. C. Turner was first both for Show and Alpine varieties. The Rev. H. H. Dombrain was second in the former class, and amongst others he had an excellent truss of Fletcher's Ne Plus Ultra. Mr. R. Dean was second in Alpines, and Mr. James, of Isleworth, third.

bronze medals were awarded, were mixed groups of plants from Among miscellaneous subjects, for which several silver and Mr. Williams, Holloway; Messrs. Rollisson, Tooting; Messrs. Veitch; Mr. Aldous, Gloucester Road, South Kensington; Mr. G. Wheeler; and Messrs. Standish. In Messrs. Veitch's group were several fine Orchids, and of these plants alone Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Londesborough, sent remarkably fine examples lilacina, Odontoglossums, Leptotes bicolor, Chysis Limminghii, of Epidendrum ibaguense with thirteen spikes; Schomburgkia Cattleya Mossin, and Lælia majalis. Messrs. Dobson sent a collection of Calceolarias; Messrs. F. & A. Smith one of Azaleas, and Mr. Condy, gardener to T. Blackwell, Esq., Harrow Weald, a fine plant of Medinilla magnifica.

FRUIT COMMITTEE.-G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. From Mr. Miller, The Gardens, Clumber, came some fair examples of a Cucumber called Clumber Prolific, which was passed as of no particular merit. Mr. Hepper, gardener, The Elms, Acton, sent a box of Hepper's Goliath Tomato, to which a cultural commendation was awarded. The same exhibitor sent

a fine box of Mushrooms, which also received a cultural commendation. From Mr. Hooley came specimens of Ribbon-leaf Broccoli, which were passed by the Committee. Mr. Allan, gardener, Gunton Park, Norwich, exhibited a bundle of Asparagus, which was also passed. Mr. Dean, Bedfont Nursery, sent a sample of Curled Parsley, which was of no high merit. Mr. Miller, Clumber, exhibited a box of British Queen Strawberry; and Messrs. Monro & Wilkinson, Potter's Bar, sent a fine box of Sir C. Napier Strawberry, to which a cultural commendation was awarded. A basket of very fine fruit of Sir J. Paxton and President Strawberries came from Mr. Bennett, of Hatfield. These also received a cultural commendation. Two White-fleshed Melons named The Czar, came from Mr. Ward, gardener to T. N. Miller, Esq., Bishop Stortford, which the Committee thought were very good, but requested specimens to be submitted to them again later in the season. From Messrs. Sherratt & Co., nurserymen, Knypersley Gardens, Congleton, came a dish of the Kumquat, Citrus japonica, for the ornamental fruit of which a cultural commendation was given.

FLORAL COMMITTEE.-W. B. Kellock, Esq., in the chair. Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son had a first-class certificate for Hemanthus Cooperi, with large, showy, reddish-orange flowerheads. The same firm also sent Hydrangea japonica speciosa, with a broad, irregular white stripe in the centre of the leaf, and which appears likely to be useful as a variegated plant; also a collection of their strain of Mimulus, for which a cultural commendation was awarded. Mr. Williams, Holloway, took firstclass certificates for Gymnogramma triangularis, a very neat little species with pale sulphury-powdered fronds, and a similar distinction was awarded him for the elegant Adiantum gracillimum. Messrs. Veitch sent Azalea Mrs. Scorer, a very pleasing and effective bright rose-coloured variety, and very free-flowering, though not perfect in outline, and Tea Rose Duchess of Edinburgh, which had been before exhibited and reported on, and

which now received a first-class certificate. Similar awards were made to Mr. Braid, nurseryman, Winchmore Hill, for largeflowered Pelargonium Duchess of Edinburgh, which as a market kind of compact habit and remarkable freedom of flowering, will take a high place; to Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, for bedding Pansy White Swan; to Messrs. Jackman for Clematis Robert Hanbury; and to Messrs. Lane for Azalea mollis Alphonse Lavallée with reddish-orange flowers. Several other varieties of other colours were also exhibited along with it, and had a very showy effect. As a proof of the hardiness of this breed of Azaleas, G. F. Wilson, Esq., sent cut flowers from plants which had been exposed to the late frosts, and which were hardly perceptibly affected by them. First-class certificates were also granted to Mr. Croucher, gardener to J. Peacock, Esq., Hammersmith, for Agave micrantha picta with leaves striped with greenish white, Mamillaria longispina with long paper-white spines, very ornamental, and Agave filifera superba; to Messrs. Rollisson, Tooting, for Hypolepis Bergiana; and to Mr. Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, for Aquilegia leptocera lutea, a very ornamental variety with large, yellow, long-spurred flowers. Mr. Fairbairn, gardener to W. Terry, Esq., Peterborough House, Fulham, had a cultural commenda tion for one of the finest specimens of Medinilla magnifica ever seen, having, it was stated, no less than eighty panicles of its rose-coloured flowers.

EUCALYPTI AND OTHER AUSTRALIAN PLANTS. A GREAT many questions have of late been asked and answered about the Eucalypti, and probably there will be in this country many too sanguine planters of the different varieties of that tree. The south of France and Algeria, where they have been largely planted, are localities in which we should expect success in the cultivation of Australian plants; but in England, although there are undoubtedly many instances of species of the Eucalypti surviving our ordinary winters, the result can hardly be called encouraging; and those who think with me that it is ever preferable to have a flourishing rather than a mere existing tree or shrub, will do well to pause before they trust to plants whose habitat is found in a climate so essentially unlike our own.

On the Scilly Islands I have seen E. globulus (the Blue Gum tree) and E. obliquus (the Stringy Bark tree) with an undamaged growth of many years, but owing to their wind-swept position theirs was the character of large shrubs rather than of trees. In those islands, however, the winter temperature ranges so high that the year passes without more than 1° or 2° of frost. On the adjoining mainland of West Cornwall around Mount's Bay from 4° to 5° may be taken as an average, though in 1873 and 1874 not 2° seem to have been registered. Through this E globulus and E. amygdifolius passed undamaged even in their tender autumnal shoots. And here it seems to me it is that the great difficulty in the cultivation of these trees will be expe

rienced. Like other natives of the antipodes their seasons of growth are the contrary to our English ones, so that in late autumn we find shoots that require a summer's ripening. instead of which they are at once exposed to autumnal frosts, In some measure, no doubt, acclimatisation would gradually obviate this natural tendency; but such an annual nipping will not only injure the growth and consequent appearance of the tree, but will also eventually impair its vitality. But even supposing that E. globulus, of which such great sanitary properties are reported, would stand our English climate, I much doubt whether our landscape scenery would be benefited by its introduction. The dull blue tint of its foliage, described as so monotonous in its native habitat, might indeed here and there serve as a foil to our own light shades of green, but certainly it would be no desirable general feature; and further, at its best the tree has, I am told, a ragged untaking appearance.

Some time hence I may be able to say more about these trees, for I have planted out several varieties, including E. globulus, E. obliquus, E. armigerus, E. viminialis, and E. Riseloni (?), so at least was the seed named from which the last-named plants were raised, but I have not been able to certify the correctness of this name, so some better-informed person may, perhaps, be able to set me right about it. I am experimenting upon many Australian and Tasmanian plants-Acacias, Hakeas, Melaleuca, Kennedyas, and others. All these have stood uninjured through the past winter, but that was far too exceptional to warrant any general conclusion. Acacia dealbata, however, I have seen near Penzance 20 feet in height, and of beautiful form, and its end came through wind, not frost.-W., South Cornwall.

NOTES AND GLEANINGS.

THE fine Bhotan RHODODENDRON NUTTALLII is now flowering in the collection of C. M. Major, Esq., Cromwell House, Croydon. The truss of bloom, which consists of seven flowers, measures upwards of a foot across; the flowers are funnel-shaped and pure white within, saving a tinge of gold colour in the throat; the outside, however, is suffused with a delicate shade of light

rose.

AT THE WIMBLEDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION on June 10th and 11th, there are seven classes, open to all comers, nurserymen excepted, to which we would call the attention of amateurs round London-viz., for nine miscellaneous Foliage or Flowering Plants, first 80s., second, 608., third 40s.; six Tricolor Geraniums, 30s., 20s., 10s. ; six Fuchsias, 40s., 30s., 20s.; six Exotic Ferns, 40s., 30s., 20s.; collection of Fruits, six sorts, 40s., 30s., 20s.; collection of Vegetables, twelve varieties, 40s., 30s., 20s.; twenty-four Roses in pots (not exceeding 8 inches in diameter), a silver medal.

Ar the banquet given by the First Lord of the Admiralty and Mrs. Ward Hunt to the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, at the Admiralty, the entire floral decorations, bouquets, &c., were supplied by the Pine-Apple Nursery Company. They were profuse in number and of the choicest description. Among them were exquisite Orchids, fine specimens of Anthurium Scherzerianum, Curculigo recurvata variegata, Cocos Weddeliana, the new Dracenas Baptistii, D. Shepherdit, D. imperialis, and D. Fraseri, also Pandanus Veitchii, and Adiantum farleyense.

THE decorations of the premises of Messrs. J. Weeks and Co. on the occasion of the opening of the Chelsea Thames Embankment were very effective. Draped archways, trophies, and flags were well arranged, but the plants and floral decorations, as was to be expected, were especially excellent and admired. Azaleas, Clematises, Roses, and other popular plants were there in profusion, and among the more rare were splendid specimens of Dracena terminalis, Dracaena australis, Yuccas, &c., forming a display seldom seen in out-door decoration.

ARISTOLOCHIAS.

PLINY, about 1800 years ago, wrote of these, "They are in the number of the most celebrated plants." He referred to their reputed medicinal qualities, but his character of the genus is now applicable if we only consider the beauty, extraordinary form, and size of the flowers of the stove species. We refer to our notes at random, and the first we have there is Aristolochia gigas, which flowered in Europe for the first time at Chiswick in 1841. Hartweg sent it from Guatemala, and its flowers astonished everyone, for they are the largest of

erect throat.

I repeated this experiment many times, and always with the same result. In the horizontal position of the flower the flies came out instantly, in the erect position they were imprisoned. I could not discover, even with the microscope, any cause for this, and am forced to suppose that there may be a particular condition of the surface in the upper part of the tube, from secretion or other cause, which prevents the adhesion of the feet of the insects, though they are able to walk along it when horizontal.

"It is supposed that the confinement of insects in flowers is to effect their impregnation, and it has been thought that the decay of their bodies in other parts, as in Dionæa, Nepenthes, and Sarracenia, tends to the nourishment of the plant. The first I believe is sometimes true; and though I discredit the second theory, I have not in every supposed in

stance the means of disproving it. In the case under consideration, and I believe in others, the object seems altogether different. Years ago, I observed a living worm on several of the decayed leaves of Dionea muscipula, and was induced in consequence to suspect that the capture of certain insects by this plant was not for their destruction, but to provide a proper nidus for their eggs; and I more confidently believe this to be the case with Aristolochia saccata; for in all the flowers of this plant which I opened, I found many perfect eggs and many living maggots."

Aristolochia Thwaitesii.-Sir W. Hooker says, "It flowered in the stove of the Royal Gardens early in March, 1856. It is the handsomest of all the East Indian Aristolochiæ, and remarkable as well for the peculiar form of the perianth as for the long narrow leaves. The flowers emit a fragrant smell, a