This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
The notice of two monthly meetings in one number, leaves little room to say much of the last one, - pronounced to be the best July exhibition ever held here. The Fuohsias especially were "extra" fine, showing a vast improvement in their culture over former years. Some of them were ten feet high, clothed with flowers and foliage to the base, - perfect pyramids. They mostly averaged six feet, and one and a half to two feet diameter at the base. There seemed to be little improvement in the quality of the varieties. Prince Arthur still leads the light colored class, and Alpha stands "first1' amongst the reds. A new light one exhibited separately, however, in the way of Prince Arthur, called Duchesse of Lancaster, is a decided improvement. The old Fuchsia arborea made its appearance in very good condition. It will be long before it is entirely discarded. Amongst the numberless varieties of Gloxinias exhibited, there were few remarkable for distinctive characters. " Mrs. Grif. fith," a purple variety with the lobes of the corolla, having a white blotch; and Godfrey of Bouillon, another purple, were well marked and distinct.
Our old friend, G. Fyfiana, was still conspicuous amongst all others.
Of the new plants for the first time seen on our tables, a Chirita, named "Achimenea Chirita," was very ornamental; Whitlavia grandiflora, with its beautiful blue flowers, and conspicuous white anthers, showed to poor advantage by gas light; three varieties of Lilies had upright flowers, striped in various ways like Tulips, and with the foliage of the Tiger Lily, which also they resembled in the color of the flowers; three Gladiolus, very good, one of them " Queen Victoria," largest, of a cherry color; another, "General Cavaignac," crimson, "very good;" a green edged Petunia, raised by A, C. Prachts, Baltimore, best of its class.
Of rare plants, Medinilla magnicfica, a stove plant, was highly attractive; Cryplolepis longiflora, a stove shrub, with white jessamine-like flowers, a first rate "thing;" Kalo-santhes, (orassula) var "Phoenix," about two feet high, and fifty heads of flowers, beautiful ; Tropoeolum, "Lillie Schmidt," appears to be a variety between Lobbianum and the common kind; Cattleya massive, an orchid, with fourteen flowers or unexpanded buds thereon; and several other orchids of less note.
A collection of seven kinds of striped Roses, and twenty, very distinct, of Moss Roses attracted much attention. A stray Dahlia, having mistaken our recent rains for autumnal showers, was beautiful even in its loneliness.
The Strawberries were in much greater profusion than usual at this season. Hovey's Seedling, very fine berries, were ths largest in size exhibited. Black Prince next, and with its rich color seemed hardly to deserve its black reputation. Pennsylvania, amongst the newer ones, had a showy appearance, though said to be deficient in flavor this season, as indeed are most others.
Bunches of Grapes from pot-culture were finer even than usual, and Peaches, Nectarines, &., ripe from the forcing-houses, gave us a foretaste of the " good time coming." Eliza and David Hill, two of the kinds exhibited, are very good Peaches for forcing. In the classes of Cherries, Gooseberries, Currants, etc., though the exhibition was very fine, we saw nothing new to note.
Amongst the Vegetables, the Pea called "Tom Thumb" was exhibited - Peas, plant and all. It is of the same class as Bishop's Dwarf, but said to be very early, and well adapted for forcing, or where early crops are desired in small spaces. Some Cauliflowers over eighteen inches in diameter, and very hard and solid, were on the tables, and many other fine and well cultivated vegetables.
 
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