216 THE FLORIST. 



Cyrus, which won the prize for the best yellow ground in 1855, 

 was, it will be seen, again successful this season ; the same also was the 

 case with Royal Standard among the light grounds ; establishing these 

 two at the head of their respective classes. With respect to the above 

 there seemed to be no doubt as to which was the best variety in its 

 class ; the only difficulty was which bloom to select of each. The 

 bloom of Jeannie which won the prize for the best self, and also that 

 for the best flower in the room, was an exceedingly fine one, far 

 superior to any other of the same variety which was exhibited on the 

 occasion, most of which were deficient in smoothness. 



Many seedlings were sent in competition for the prizes offered. No 

 award, however, was made, as none of them came up to the require- 

 ment " that they must be superior to varieties already known in their 

 class." 



The Scottish Pansy Society has now been in operation for twelve years, 

 during which period it has effected much improvement in the flower 

 which it so liberally encourages — many are the sterhng good varieties 

 which it has been the means of calling into existence. The interest 

 shown in the Society seems to be on the increase ; for at the general 

 meeting held after the exhibition, the contributions towards the prize 

 fund for 1857 were considerably larger than has been the case on any 

 previous occasion. 



GRASS? OR MOSS? ON LAWNS. 

 Fond as I am of every part of my garden, and of every one of its 

 inmates, I think its lawn ranks highest with me ; perhaps because its 

 velvet surface is the best platform from whence to see the serpentine 

 belt of minature fruit trees and flowers, and flowering shrubs, by which 

 it is engirdled ; perhaps because it has cost me some time, trouble, and 

 expence to bring it to its present smoothness. But, that human 

 pleasure in things mundane may not be unalloyed, I was troubled last 

 year, as the whale is said to be, by a peculiar insect, from which it 

 cannot shake itself free, by a fear that the moss which I saw in patches 

 over the whole of it, might in time supersede the grass and leave my 

 beautiful carpet threadbare and unsightly. After the first mowing 

 this spring I carefully examined it, and discovered, or thought I 

 discovered, to my horror that the enemy was gaining upon me. Just 

 at this time the Gardeners Chronicle came to my rescue, and in an 

 answer to some correspondent who was" suffering from the same disease, 

 said, " Water your lawn with gas- water. The moss will die and the 

 grass flourish." With a proud consciousness of certain victory I went 

 immediately to the gas-works, hired a water-cart and two men, and 

 in spite of the exclamations of my family, who afl declared they 

 should be poisoned (in fact there izas some danger of the younger 

 children being stifled by the fumes of highly creosoted ammonia and 

 hydrosulphuric acid) in the course of the day 150 gallons of gas-water, 

 diluted with 300 gallons from the pond, were distributed over the 

 lawn, with effects that are worth recording. 



