The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-05 00:00:00

.ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY.

In the large nursery establishments in the neigh-
bourhood of London and elsewhere, many new and
valuable plants are cultivated, and come into
bloom during the months of March and April, too
early in the season for exhibition at the ordinary
metropolitan flower shows. In order to supply an
opportunity for displaying to advantage flowers of
this description the managers of the Royal Botanic
Society have instituted early spring fetes or flower-
shows. The present is the third of these exhibi-
tions, and has proved them to fulfil in a high de-
gree the purposes for which they were undertaken.
One of these fetes took place on Wednesday, and
the day being fine a large and fashionable com-
pany was present. Not only have the prizes
offered for these early flowers induced the gar-
deners to find out some method of coaxing plants
to flower early, even without any sunshine, but
they have stimulated them to raise new varieties.
This was shown by the great variety of hyacinths
exhibited, the distinct kinds now numbering some
hundreds, instead of some dozens, as was the case a
few years back. This result is fully borne out by
the following list of price.? awarded. _

NEW PaNTS.—Small silver medal to Mr. F.
Fodman, gardener to R. Hudson, Esq., Clapham-
common, for azalea—Flag of Truce. Bronze medal
to Mr. W. Bull, nurseryman, King's-road, Chelsea,
for citheroxylon nivium. Bronze medal to Messrs.
Parker and Williams, nurserymen, Holloway, for
statice propinquer. Certificate to Mr. W. Bull,
nurseryman, for amaryllis vittata fol. striata.
First-class certificate of merit to Mr. F. Fodman for
azalea—Lord Elgin; 2d ditto to Mr. W. Bull, for
primula sinensis fimbriata nivea planer • 3d ditto to
Mr. W. Bull, for primula sinensis rubella plener.
SIX. STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS.-ISt
prize to Messrs. J. and J. Fraser, nurserymen, Ley-
ton, Essex ; 2d ditto to Mr. W. Young, gardener to
Capt. R. Barclay, West Hill House, Highgate.
Six FOLIAGE PLANTS —lst prize to Messrs. J.
and J. Fraser, nurserymen ; 2d to Messrs W. Cut-
hush and Son, nurserymen, Highgate; 3d to Mr.
W. Young, gardener to Captain Barclay.
TWELVE HYACINTHS.--lst prize to Messrs W.
Cutbush and Sou ; 2d to Mr. W. Paul, nursery-
man, Walthani Cross; 3d to Mr. -C. Turner, nur-
seryman, Slough, Bucks.
Six CINERARIAS —lst prize to Messrs. J. Dob-
son and Son, nurserymen, Isleworth.

.
SIX AURIWLAS.-Ist prize to Mr. C. Turner,
Slough; 2d to Mr. J. James, gardener to F. Wat-
son, Esq., Isleworth.

SIX ROSES.-Ist prize to Mr. Turner, Slough.
MISCELLANEOUS.—SmaII silver medal to Messrs.
W. Cutbush and Son, for 50 hyacinths; ditto to
Mr. W. Paul, Waltham Cross, for two boxes of
roses; ditto to Messrs Parker and Williams, for
imatophillium miniatum ; bronze medal to Mr. W.
Paul, for collection of hyacinths; ditto to Messrs.
Paul and Son, nurserymen, Cheshu:it, for one box
of roses ; certificate to Mr. J. James, gardener, for
six pansies in pots ; ditto to ditto, for 24 cut pan-
sies ; ditto to Mr. Davidson, gardener to G. Bishop,
Esq , for six gloriniers. First-class certificate of
merit to Mr. C. Turner, for cineraria prairie birch;
ditto to ditto, for cineraria, James Andrews ; ditto
to ditto, for auricula, Rifleman ; ditto to Messrs. F.
and A. Smith, nurserymen, Dulwich, for cineraria,
Queen of Spring. Second class certificate of merit
to ditto for cineraria Antagonist; ditto to ditto, for
Louise ; ditto to ditto, for Rosy Morn ; ditto to Mr.
James, for cineraria, Duchess of Hamilton.

THE BUILDERS' STRIKE.—No definite arrange-
ment has yet been come to relative to the terms offered by
Messrs. Kelk and Lucas. Tho feeling of a great number
of the men is against accepting the proposition.
INTERNATIONAL COURTESY. Italy invites
France to take French leave of Rome.—Punch.
THE REVIEW. ON EASTER MONDAY.—The 18th
Middlesex, under the command of Captain Templar, joined
at the Marble -arch at 10.30 a.m., and were battalionized
with the Victories in the Ist brigade under Major White-
head, taking part in all the proceedings at Wimbledon for
the remainder of the day, and this corps marched on that
day fully 20 miles ; they fell in at half-past 8 o'clock, a.m.,
and were dismissed at half•past 10 p.m., having been 14
hours on their legs.
WELLS CATHEDRAL.—The Wiltshire _Mirror
says :—Only one marriage has been performed in the
Cathedral fer more than 100 years, in consequence of some
ecclesiastical law making it illegal to perform the marriage
ceremony in the Cathedral for this long period. This dis-
ability has been removed within the last few days, under
the provisions of a recent Act of ParliamPllt) which has
extended to bishops the power to license places for the
celebration of marriages,