of the Society; and every vacancy in the Council by resignation under this bye-law shall be filled up by the other Members of the Council, if less than half of them resign at any time, and by the Fellows of the Society at a General Meeting, if the Members of the Council resigning are half or more than half of the whole body; and if half or more of the Members of the Council resign at any one time, a General Meeting of the Fellows shall be called so soon as conveniently may be after such resignation, in order to supply the places of the resigning Members of the Council; and until such General Meeting shall have been held, the resigning Members shall continue Members of the Council, and shall be capable to act as such."

Majority for the Bye-law...

93

23 37

The supporters of the bye-law did not use proxies. Sir A. SLADE asked the Chairman to explain the mode of procedure by which they proposed to resign, and how they were to

The amendment having been seconded,

Mr. HAUGHTON said this was a two-edged amendment. Its ostensible object was that the election should work in harmony with the Charter, but in any case it must so work. The real spirit of the amendment, however, was that if any member of the Council resigned, the Fellows must accept the resignation whether they liked it or not.

Mr. HIBBERD asked whether the Council in bringing forward this proposition had had sufficient legal advice.

Sir C. DAUBENEY.-You may depend they had. Sir A. SLADE said if the Chairman thought the additional words were unnecessary, Mr. Hardcastle would withdraw them. The CHAIRMAN did not see the point of them at all.

Mr. HARDCASTLE should like, before he withdrew his amendment, to have some assurance that the Council would follow the way of the Charter, and not adopt any other mode of election.

The CHAIRMAN.-As soon as we leave this room, our resignations being in the hands of the Assistant-Secretary, we cease to be a Council, and only conduct the affairs of the Society until our successors are appointed. It is for you to say what course you will adopt.

Mr. W. MARSHALL (member of Council) said this one point had been overlooked. They stood in the position of tenants to the Commissioners, and the Commissioners were their landlords.

Sir A. SLADE asked, Was it possible they were going into the whole question again?

Mr. MARSHALL said that the Charter said there should for ever be a Council. If the Council resigned in a body there was no Council [cries of no, and question. Was it or was it not so? [A voice, Certainly not]. All he could say was, that Her Majesty's Commissioners were entitled by the Charter to say if there were no Council, "You have broken your lease, and we are entitled to take possession" [oh, oh].

S. A. SLADE.-That is an entire misconception. If the Chairman thought that the bye-law was in harmony with the Charter, Mr. Hardcastle would withdraw his rider.

The CHAIRMAN.-We are indifferent whether the words are inserted or not.

Sir A. SLADE.-Then you accept them.

The CHAIRMAN.-No; I do not mean to say we accept them. Here there were loud cries of "Vote, vote," and general uproar, which lasted several minutes. In the midst Mr. FISH rose to speak, and moved from his seat into the centre passage of the room, where he made vigorous efforts to make himself heard, but in vain. When order was partly restored,

The CHAIRMAN said he had just received the following notice"We the undersigned, being five Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society, object to the voting for three new bye-laws, because by the 16th law of the Charter the voting should be by ballot." [Loud cries of oh! oh!]

Sír A. SLADE said that as regards the first two bye-laws the application was too late, but it was perfectly in order as regards

the third.

The CHAIRMAN said the notice had been signed, G. F. Wilson, G. E. Blenkins, J. R. Furnyhough, J. Cox, and E. J. Beale. Mr. MARSHALL then read the bye-law regulating voting by ballot, by which it appeared that a meeting at which a ballot was demanded should be adjourned for not less than five, and not more than ten days.

Mr. LINDSAY asked why, as the Council were so desirous of resigning, did not Mr. Wilson withdraw his protest? The only effect of it would be to give his (Mr. Lindsay's) friends an enormous majority.

Mr. A. F. GODSON said he had come up from Derbyshire last night to attend the meeting, and he hoped he would not be asked to come up again.

A FELLOW said that Mr. Wilson was putting the Council into a very false position, and he thought the Council also were putting themselves into a very false and disagreeable position, and he ventured to ask the noble Chairman to request Mr. Wilson to withdraw his protest, and let them proceed to vote on the motion.

The CHAIRMAN said the Council were willing to facilitate by every way in their power the election of a new Council, but as to the mode of procedure they left that to the meeting. The Assistant-Secretary was instructed to give his best attention to this important point.

The

Sir A. SLADE said, that according to that they were no wiser than they were before. What day would the election take place? The CHAIRMAN said that rested with the meeting. Fellows must hold a meeting. After a short discussion it was agreed that a special meeting be called for Friday, the 4th of April, for the election of a Council. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed a very stormy and excited meeting, which lasted over two hours and a half.

As the Gardeners' Chronicle inserted, on Saturday last, Sir Alfred Slade's incorrect version of my circular to the lady Fellows, and his comments upon it, and as the JOURNAL and Chronicle are seen by my friends all over the world, would you give space to my reply in your next number?

Sir Alfred Slade accuses me of wishing to conceal the fact that I was a member of the last Council, and misrepresents the words I used to prove the truth of his accusation. It is painful to have to make any defence against such an imputation, but as I was in my letter addressing those interested in the objects of the Society, and I had been Chairman of the Fruit Committee as well as member of the Council for the last seven or eight years, it did not occur to me that any doubt could arise as to my personal identity.-GEORGE F. WILSON, Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath, 24th March, 1873.

Subjoined is the circular referred to :

"Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath, "14th March, 1873.

"MADAM,-Many members of the Royal Horticultural Society having complained that the printed circulars do not reach them, or at least, are not read, as an old member, though not on the present Council, and feeling strongly that, whichever of the suggested lines of policy be adopted, the necessary negotiations with the Commissioners will be conducted more successfully by the existing Council than by any new comers, however able, who would have their experience to learn, I beg to call your attention to the statement of the Council now issued, as well as to the notice of an important meeting of the Fellows to be held on the 26th inst.

"The byelaws of the Society permit of your voting by proxy. Should you desire to keep-in the Council, would you sign and return the enclosed? "I have the honour to be, Madam, yours faithfully, "GEORGE F. WILSON."

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S FIRST SPRING SHOW.

THIS was held yesterday, and afforded a highly satisfactory display for this time of year. Hyacinths and other spring-flowering plants were the principal subjects of exhibition, but there were also mixed collections of stove and greenhouse plants and Azaleas. Of Hyacinths, Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, exhibited a splendid group of upwards of 120, besides a magnificent twelve in the nurserymen's class. In this, too, Messrs. Cutbush also staged a very fine group. In the amateurs' class Mr. Douglas, Loxford Hall Gardens, and Mr. Withall, produced admirably grown specimens, and good exhibitions came from several others. Tulips were shown in great perfection by Messrs. Veitch, Cutbush, and Douglas; Cyclamens by Messrs. Little and James, the latter having, besides his group, a fine, broad-petalled, pure white variety called Miss James; and Lily of the Valley by Messrs. Cutbush, Reeves of Acton, James Rowe, and others. Chinese Primulas from Messrs. Little, James, Dobson & Son, were exceedingly good. Deutzias in excellent bloom came from Mr. Reeves and Messrs. Lane; the latter also exhibited a fine collection of Camellias in small pots, likewise Azaleas. Mr. Ward, gardener to F. G. Wilkins, Esq., sent good groups of these and of other stove and greenhouse plauts, as did Mr. Williams, of Holloway, and Mr. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., Regent's Park.

From Mr. William Paul, of Waltham Cross, came a fine group of Camellias, which has been noticed in a previous report, and cut blooms of Roses; and from Mr. C. Noble, of Bagshot, a

splendid collection of Clematises. Messrs. Veitch sent a small collection of new plants, including Dracæna imperialis, one of the finest of the genus; Phormium atropurpureum, a striking dark purple kind; and the beautifully marked Maranta Makoyana. Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting, contributed large bushes of Mignonette, which were examples of successful cultivation; and besides a large collection of plants for spring ornamentation, Mr. Ware, of Tottenham, exhibited a very dark-leaved variety of the Sweet William, which may prove useful for bedding purposes. A new Rose, called Abbé Bramerel, exhibited by Mr. W. Paul, had extremely rich maroon crimson flowers, and appeared to be a very desirable addition.

GLADIOLUS, GLADIOLUS, OR GLADIOLUS? THE pronunciation of Gladiolus and similar Latin words is not a mere question of analogy, as "P. D." would suggest, but of rules recognised by all classical authors; and by these rules Mr. Dombrain's pronunciation is the only correct one, for the following reasons-" Where two vowels meet, the first is always short," with a few well-known exceptions, but of which Gladiolus is not one. This disposes of the letter i, which must therefore be shortened. As to the letter o, there is also a more positive rule-namely, "The penultimate syllable of diminutives is short;" and Gladiolus is a diminutive of gladius, a sword, and therefore signifies "a little sword;" and these two rules decide the disputed question in favour of Mr. Dombrain's decision.

Of course "P. D." may not like to depart from established usage, however corrupt it be; but as there are three distinct usages in this case it is desirable to reduce them to uniformity, and in doing so to establish that which is correct; and as the word under consideration is a purely Latin word we should be guided in the decision, not by rules of taste, fancy, or analogy, but by those of the prosody of the language to which it belongs, and by which alone it should be determined.-A. M.

THE analogy by which "P. D." wishes to show from baliolus, filiolus, unciola, and alveolus that the i in Gladiolus is long, and that the accent should accordingly fall upon it, tends to the very opposite he wishes to establish; thus filiolus is a diminutive of filius, in which the first i is long and the second short. Derivatives as a rule retain the same principal vowel accents as their primaries: hence filiolus, similarly unciola is a diminutive of uncia, alveolus of alveus, and Gladiolus of gladius. If the prosody of baliolus requires the i long in the single instance in which it occurs in Plautus, yet eminent scholars have expressed their opinion that the word itself is doubtful. Mr. Dombrain has, therefore, manifestly strong grounds for believing Gladiolus to be the correct pronunciation, in which I fully concur.-A. H. K.

MESSRS. DOWNIE, LAIRD, & LAING'S SHOW

OF SPRING-FLOWERING PLANTS. AT the Crystal Palace on Saturday last Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing, of the Stanstead Park Nurseries, Forest Hill, and of Edinburgh, opened an attractive exhibition of spring flowering plants, which is to close on the 5th of April. It is comprised in a double row of tabling occupying 136 feet run. Palms, Dracenas, and other graceful-leaved plants are ranged along the centre between the two rows, backed-up on each side | with Epacrises, Cytisuses, Spiræ japonica, Lily of the Valley, and other plants; then come two rows of Hyacinths, and in

front a row of Tulips, Chinese Primroses, and Cyclamens. An effective centre to the whole is formed round a large standard Bay by means of Camellias, Cinerarias, Prunus triloba, and plants of Chamærops humilis, surrounded with a ring of Lily of the Valley. Hyacinths in particular are numerously exhibited, but as we have lately devoted so much space to that deservedly popular flower, we will not enter into details of varieties; suffice it to say that the best kinds are well represented. Year by year they are becoming more popular, year by year the specimens produced improve; and they are, besides, an unselfish flower, for both from necessity in their culture and a not unpardonable pride in the amateur owner, they belong as much to the public by "right of eye as to him by right of possession. We hope that such exhibitions as that which Messrs. Downie and Co. have opened will become more general, for many an amateur will thus be enabled to select for himself plants which suit his means and tastes.

THE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL INSECTS OF OUR GARDENS.-No. 2.

OWING to the singular transformations which take place in the insect world, we are apt to overlook some of the most beautiful objects (in futuro) just because we happen only to see them in some preparatory stage, when they are unattractive or seem even repulsive. Thus in the chrysalis or pupa state it is almost needless to say that in nine cases out of ten neither butterflies nor moths show any elegance of form or richness of colour, and the temporary vesture of the enclosed insect gives no sign of the winged being shortly to emerge. Of course the gardener, pursuing his routine of work in the early months of the year, cannot fail to turn up many pupa as he digs the ground, some of these receiving fatal injuries from the implement employed. I know it is the practice with some is supposed to be an insect, and destroy it; and I have seen persons to pick-out from the earth thrown up everything that tentionally, a good part of which were probably quite innocuon gravel walks numerous pupa which had been crushed inous to the garden. Amongst the beautiful insects which thus occasionally come to a sudden yet painless end is the Lime

Hawk Moth (Smeirinthus Tilia), the caterpillar feeding not infrequently on that tree growing in gardens, though also occurring upon the Elm. I must acknowledge, however, that the first specimens of this caterpillar I ever saw were procured for me by a worthy old gardener at Norwood, who had watched their growth amongst the leaves of a tree, and obtained them with some trouble by mounting for them. Rarely, if ever, are these caterpillars sufficiently abundant in one spot to do any injury, and therefore we may seriously plead that either in the larval or pupal state the insect should be spared, and suffered to come forth as a handsome and strong-winged moth to career about the garden and roadside in the dusk of evening. As do others of its relatives, it prefers the "gloaming," being popularly classed amongst those called in some country places "Owl Moths." Sometimes these Hawk Moths are mistaken for bats.

During the day this moth, in its position of repose, offers a striking instance of Nature's mimicry. An individual will suspend itself from a twig or branch, with the wings so folded

that the brighter hues are not observed, and, keeping perfectly motionless, it may easily be mistaken for a withered leaf. Some naturalists think that insects when in such positions are actually in a state of sleep, though how far this is correct is questionable. Many moths, if we touch them while they are in their sluggish state, at once fly off, others withdraw their

Larva of the Lime Hawk Moth (Smeirinthus Tilia).

legs from the object they are resting on, and feign death; the Lime Hawk, however, and its congeners strike out with the front pair of legs, as if annoyed.

Of the three Smeirinthi known in Britain, S. Tiliæ, though the least in size, is deemed by certain connoisseurs to be the handsomest, on account of the richness of the colouring, shades of olive brown and green being set off by a few lighter markings. For my own part, however, I must confess to an admiration for the Eyed Hawk, in which both the upper and lower wings please the eye. This species has, it may be remarked, been already named among "predatory insects," being at times found feeding freely on the Apple.

The Lime Hawk has nothing hawk-like in its disposition, being one of the most pacific of insects, only taking excursions in pursuit of honey, which it eagerly imbibes through the proboscis, and this is rather slender and short as compared with that such moths as the Death's Head and the Privet Hawk are furnished with. The name of Hawk is only applic, able to these insects as possessing strength of wing and celerity, though I am inclined to think that these moths do not travel long distances, and career across the country for several miles, as various butterflies are known to do. The life of the insect in the imago state is but short, however, the moth being seen in June or July, the period varying with the temperature.

The eggs of S. Tilia are not very frequently detected by those who look for such insect curiosities, they being generally

Larva of the Poplar Hawk Moth (Smeirinthus Populi). deposited on the branches of the Lime and Elm at some distance from the ground. By a little management the moth has been

induced to deposit eggs in confinement, and the larvæ have been reared from the earliest period to maturity. Like others of the tribe, they hold on to the leaves or twigs when not in motion with so much pertinacity, that if a sudden attempt is made to remove one with the fingers, the body will very likely be torn away, while the claspers are still attached to the object on which the larva was resting. If crawling, they are more easily dislodged, and a high wind in the autumn will bring some to the ground from a height of many feet, no perceptible injury being usually sustained by them if they fall on low plants or amongst grass, though they are not so fortunate as a well-known quadruped, which generally contrives to descend upon its legs. A ludicrous circumstance in the history of these caterpillars is, that after one of their moults or changes of skin they usually devour the exuvia, with the exception of the head-too tough and horny a morsel even for their powerful jaws. Should one of them be annoyed by the near approach of another, he will turn rather fiercely upon the intruder.

The caterpillar of S. Tilia is in one particular quite unique amongst British caterpillars. It has immediately behind the

Convolvulus Sphinx (Sphinx Convolvuli).

anal horn a flate plate or ridge, which is of a purple colour, bordered with yellow, and the use of which, if use it has, is unknown. In most particulars, this excepted, the larva of S. Tiliæ resembles its congeners S. ocellatus and Populi, having the surface of the body roughened, and yellow dots on the green ground colour, while along the sides are the seven stripes so common amongst the larva belonging to the larger Sphingidæ. The anal horn is blue and yellow. This stage of the existence of the insect lasts from six to eight weeks, and during September, or earlier, we may see them crawling towards the earth with the intent to undergo pupation. The chrysalis is not usually closed in a regular cocoon, but the caterpillar seeks out, if possible, some sheltered angle formed by the roots of a tree, and drawing some particles together in a careless way with threads of silk, it becomes a chrysalis. This torpid condition lasts from eight to nine months if the chrysalis be left undisturbed by the gardener's spade or the entomologist's trowel.

A larger moth than the one just described is that commonly known as the Poplar Hawk (S. Populi), though in reality, as we find to be the case with other names taken from the foodplant, it might quite as correctly take its name from the Willow, on which it often feeds, and on various species of which I have frequently taken it along the Thames and Lea. The caterpillar also feeds sometimes on the Birch. Laurel and Laurustinus have also been noticed as occasionally yielding it a supply of food in gardens; some instances of this were observed in 1872, though the latter seem unlikely plants for it to resort to. The moth is fond of sitting upon palings near gardens, even if

it has not been bred in such a locality, having doubtless resorted thither at evening's dusk, attracted by the odour of the summer flowers; and then thereafter, having satisfied its appetite, sought a convenient spot to promote its digestion by taking rest-a wise precaution which is not instinctive, unfortunately, in living creatures of a nobler type. The fore wings with their delicate marblings of dark brown harmonise very nearly with the tint of many palings which are innocent of the tar-brush, and even the white dots might pass for tiny bits of Lichen; the reddish base of the hind wings is mostly concealed from view. I have taken a female moth hanging by one leg from the bar of an iron railing in a garden, seemingly in just the position to furnish a choice morsel to some bird. She was not incubating, No! but preparing to lay eggs; and in the course of an hour after she deposited about 150. These are largish, and it is noticeable that through the membrane, before hatching, one can perceive the young larva coiled up, head to tail. The full-grown caterpillar is of goodly size, and striped as in S. Tiliæ, which in colour it also resembles. The anal horn, however, is without any blue. A singular variety of this larva turns up now and then, and is suffused with rosy tints; the moth therefrom is not dissimilar from the ordinary type. Kept in breeding jars or cages, the larva of S. Populi have a peculiar habit of attacking each other's extremities, and the result is that their anal horns as they grow large appear more or less disfigured.

A moth of right noble proportions is the Unicorn or Convolvulus Hawk (Sphinx Convolvuli), figured on page 261, rather a rare visitant to the garden, but more partial thereto than are many others, being fully sensible to the attractions of the flower beds. Single specimens are picked up in all parts of England, and even near London, more usually in the eastern districts. That it occurs also in the western suburbs I have had proof, since in the autumn of 1871, when passing through a market garden near Putney, I came upon a patch of Convolvulus which had escaped cultivation, and I at once perceived traces of the jaw-work of some large caterpillar, the bitten leaves affording one proof, and another also still more unmistakeable being given by the large pellets of "frass," as the Germans say, which could only have been left by some large Sphinx. The only species likely to feed upon the plant in question was that before us; but as, unfortunately for the observer, the caterpillar is apt to hide itself in the day, I instituted a search for it in vain. According to the statements of some it descends to the earth, or even enters it; this at least is certain, that the insect is rarely detected in the larval stages.

The moth has rather a grey and shaggy appearance, the body being well clothed with down; the abdomen has a broad grey stripe down the centre, and pink and black bands on each side. The delicate markings on the fore wings soon disappear after S. Convolvuli has been a short time on the wing. A friend of ours once received a specimen from Devonshire that had been picked up on a gravel walk, and ere it came into his hands it had been thoroughly washed to remove the dirt, which was effectually got rid of-and also all the scales of the wings!-J. R. S. C.

[For the illustrations from Figuier's "Insect World" given with this paper we are indebted to the courtesy of Messrs. Cassell, Petter, & Galpin, of Ludgate Hill, who liberally placed them at our disposal.-EDS.]

CREOSOTING WOODWORK.

I HAVE read "OBSERVER'S" communication in your issue of the 6th inst. with great interest. I have just ordered the woodwork of a new greenhouse, and I find that I can get the same creosoted, at a place where such work is done as a matter of business, at about the cost of two coats of paint. There is no doubt as to the advantages that creosote would be on the outside, but I always have had an idea that tar and tar spirits exercised a very injurious action on plants. I should feel obliged if your correspondent would say whether he has found any injurious effects upon climbers touching the creosoted wood, and whether any drop that may fall off the wood on a plant burns the leaves in any way.-D.

["OBSERVER" replies as follows:-The creosote, labour, fire, &c., ought to cost about one-third that of a coat of paint. The wood should only remain in the creosote two hours; if much longer the creosote runs out of the wood again. For a house of 52 feet by 15 the whole expense was 12s. I had a

trough and small boiler close by. Everyone knows that if creosote drips on the leaves it will kill them. I have used it for many years without any drawback. After six months, plants may come in contact with the creosoted wood without injury.]

PEAT FUEL FOR GARDENING PURPOSES.

AN answer to a correspondent relative to this subject will be found in another column, and as it is a subject deservedly obtaining much attention now that coals are so enhanced in It will be seen from this that in Bavaria peat is used for heatprice, we copy the following from the Irish Farmers' Gazette. ing the boilers of railway engines, and as it is efficient for that there can be no reason for its not being efficient for the gardener's hot-water boilers.

At a meeting of the members of the Royal Dublin Society the first communication was by Mr. Alexander MacDonnell, the subject being "Notes on Peat." The paper dealt with the different descriptions of peat made in Belgium, of which he found the density to correspond substantially with that found in the bogs of Ireland. One cubic foot of peat was found to be equal to 8.7 lbs. of German peat, and varied from 6 to 12 lbs. per cubic foot. Peat in some parts of Germany was dried in sheds, a process which he believed to be very expensive. He explained at length the most approved methods for the production of compressed peat, and expressed his belief that a satisfactory solution of the question of compression would be the making of a great part of the west of Ireland. He observed that nearly all the machines which were used in the peat factories of Holland and the same principle-of first disintegrating and almost destroyBelgium for condensing purposes were constructed upon almost ing the fibre, and then forcing the pulp, by screw pressure, through a groove, after which it was cut to the required size. The specific gravity of peat manufactured was greater than that of water, and as a rule exceeded the density to which Irish manufactured peat was hitherto reduced. By a machine which he had used hitherto for reducing the raw part of peat to a pulp, the continental principle of cutting the fibre was to some extent resorted to; but by a new machine which he intended to bring shortly into operation the fibre would not be thoroughly disorganised and cut up, but rather reduced by a series of blows to a homogeneous consistency; the machine employed being a slightly modified concrete mixer, in which the blades were set at a slight inclination, so as to produce a sort of screw motion, urging the peat forward to the moulds after it was properly macerated.

A discussion followed, and a member remarked that beyond all doubt in remote districts peat could be utilised to a very great extent, and he hoped it would be; but, at the same time, he personally did not think that they had facts to justify them large commercial operations, to be carried to any very great in coming to the conclusion that it could be made the subject of

extent.

The Chairman said that both peat and coal were used on the Bavarian railways in proportion as facility for procuring either offered. The Chairman asked if the principle of drying peat by heating the sheds had been tried.

Mr. MacDonnell said no attempt had been made at artificial drying that he could discover. If peat was dried too quickly it would crack. It would be well to make some experiments upon the partial drying of peat for the first couple of days. Extravagant statements had been made in reference to the cost of peat. The fact was that there was no machine-made peat, and they had no idea whether machine-made turf was going to cost 58. or 108. a-ton. Both figures were stated, and he thought one had as good a right to say 5s. as 10s. a-ton.

[Peat is, perhaps, nearer to us in London than we have hithering to Mr. J. R. Scott, the Registrar of the London coal market, to believed, for in The English Mechanic we read that "Accordan immense deposit of peat lies within seven miles of the Royal Exchange, and within 10 feet of the surface, extending from Bow Creek, Blackwall, along both shores of the Thames to the This only requires to be dug, dried, and scientifically treated to add a valuable fuel fit for all and every purpose for which coal is now used. This is good news; but who will 'dig, dry, and scientifically treat' this fuel, and sell it, cheap ?"]

sea.

the sudden death of Mr. Jabez J. Chater, of the Gonville NurDEATH OF Mr. JABEZ J. CHATER.-We regret to have to record series, Cambridge, on March 19th, from heart disease. The deceased was the fifth son of Mr. W. Chater, the celebrated raiser of prize Hollyhocks, and it is not too much to say that to him may be attributed a good deal of his father's success with that flower. For the last ten years Mr. Jabez J. Chater has been at the Gonville Nurseries, Cambridge, where he has been the

THE HYACINTH SHOW AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. As the readers of this Journal are aware from the report given last week, this was characterised by great excellence. Tulips were very gay in their gaudy colours, and were probably finer than usual. Crocus and Polyanthus Narcissus helped to give interest to the meeting; but the great centre of attraction was the Hyacinths. The spikes were, I think, the finest ever seen at any exhibition, they certainly gave evidence of superior skill in culture; but, on the other hand, the new varieties, which are now becoming more common, are a great advance on those which used to be staged some ten or fifteen years ago, and help very materially to improve the collections in which they are placed. The Hyacinth is one of the oldest of florists' flowers, and has been undergoing improvement before the very oldest grower or his father saw the light, so that any improvement must be slow, and to the ordinary observer imperceptible, but that there has been improvement during the last decade no one can doubt who has been at all observant.

Only three new varieties obtained certificates on the 19th. All of them were single blues of different shades. Mazzini, from Messrs. Veitch, has bells of immense size, of a porcelain blue; the spike moderate. Lord Melville, from Messrs. Cutbush, dark blue and clear white eye, is a very distinct sort. Prince of Wales, which I exhibited, is also a very distinct sort, very dark blue, with well-shaped bells and compact spike. The bells of this sort are sometimes striped red. If we go back to 1863-4, when that grand sort King of the Blues was introduced, in the intervening years a marked improvement will be noticed both in the size of the spikes and in new colours, although, however distinct and pretty a variety possessing a new shade of colour may be, it will not do for exhibition if it do not also possess length and breadth of spike. Sir Henry Havelock has a good spike, and the colour is purplish crimson, it may be taken as the greatest advance in colour. Vuurbaak, brilliant crimson, has a grand spike; and no white is at all equal to La Grandesse when it is at its best. I might name others, but these all show recent progress.

Double varieties are not being improved in the same ratio as the single, and they seem to be displaced at the exhibitions by the single varieties. I admit the single sorts have the most symmetrical spikes, but the double are very beautiful. They deserve and ought to have a class to themselves. Some very fine sorts that are not now seen would be shown. I should not like to see any of the classes in the present schedule of the Royal Horticultural Society omitted, and if the Society did not see fit to introduce a class for doubles, why could we not do it ourselves? Funds might very soon be forthcoming to make a class both for the trade and amateurs. I would willingly subscribe for such a purpose; but I would only do so on condition that the rules for exhibitors were made more stringent then those contained in the schedule of the Society. I think it highly desirable that gardeners should purchase the bulbs in the autumn, pot them, and grow them up to a flowering state under their own or their subordinates' care. At present this is not at all an essential point. A gentleman or his gardener may go to any of the large growers in the trade, purchase his plants a week or a day before the exhibition, and carry off the first prize-certainly not first honours-they belong undoubtedly to the gardener who exhibits the best plants of his own growing; and there are some to whom "a good name is better than great riches, and loving favour rather to be preferred than silver and gold." In fact, I am in a position to say that the amateur grower who carried off the first prizes at South Kensington obtained his plants from one of the large trade exhibitors after the bulbs had been potted and cultivated to a certain extent by their grower, and he might have had them two months or only two days before the Show, yet he was, according to the present regulations, entitled to the award. In a case like the above there cannot even be a division of honour. An exhibitor should and would be proud to take an opponent by the hand and congratulate him on his success if honourably beaten by him. When there is room

[This is not the first time we have received information relative to persons (we will not prostitute the word by calling them gentlemen), who have bought flowers from florists, and a few days subsequently have exhibited them for prizes. We have the name of the person who is referred to by Mr. Douglas, and unless we have satisfactory information we will publish his name and where and when he bought the Hyacinths.— EDS.]

MR. LITTLE'S CYCLAMENS.

THE same day that I visited Lord Londesborough's new garden at Coombe I took the opportunity of calling at Mr. Little's at Cambridge Villa, Twickenham, in the hope of finding him at home and having a chat with him about his wonderful Cyclamens. In this I was disappointed, as he was not at home; but I found Mr. Goddard, and was enabled to see his house filled from one end to the other with these lovely spring flowers; and as I walked through what is simply a little villa garden, I could not help observing that it is so often in small and not in large gardens that the lover of flowers finds his pets so well taken care of. One goes through a large place, the garden comprising many acres ; houses upon houses are filled with plants, fruits, &c.; and while everything is well done-the plants well grown, the Vines filled with a good crop, the various quarters of vegetables well arranged-there is nothing that stands out especially good-there is, in fact, no spécialité. But you go into a small garden. The owner has a hobby, and away he goes at it full speed. His energies, instead of being expended on many things, are concentrated on one object, and he therefore excels in it; or it may be he takes up two or three flowers, which in succession claim his attention, and if you want to see these different plants you must go where they are grown.

No one who has attended the spring shows of the Royal Horticultural Society need be told that the specimens of Cyclamens exhibited by Mr. Little take the very foremost rank; and those who were at the exhibition on March 5th will not easily forget the splendid bank of plants of varied hues which were displayed in the entrance-hall. These all came from a spanroofed house about 30 feet in length, which on the day of my visit was filled from one end to the other with a glorious collection of plants, in colour pure white, rich purple, dark crimson, white with crimson base, pale blush, &c., of immense size and substance such as a few years ago would have been considered impossible. Indeed, we recollect the time when it was exceedingly difficult to procure the corms, and when all sorts of "dodges" were recommended for the purpose of increasing the stock; and now in less than ten months plants are obtained from seed which will carry forty or fifty blooms. The manner in which this result is obtained is now well known. The plants are kept continually going, grown in tolerably rich compost, kept near the glass, green fly narrowly watched for, and, in fact, everything done to insure rapid and continuous growth. Mr. Little is exceedingly careful as to hybridising; and as he names his best flowers, he is able to trace the pedigree of those which he is raising from year to year, and thus to insure an advance as far as it can be done. This is much better than the plan ordinarily pursued of gathering seed indiscriminately from the whole collection; and if those who save seed for sale were to adopt the same plan there would be finer flowers in general cultivation than are now

seen.

It has been stated by some writers on the Cyclamen that the plants are comparatively useless after the second or third year, and I asked Mr. Goddard his opinion on this subject. He replied by showing me some plants which were eight years old. The corms were enormous, nearly filling the pots, and the flowers produced in great profusion, thus clearly establish