OCTOBER. 311 



fruit): 1st, Mr. Gadd, Castle Goring; 2nd, Mr. D. McEwen ; 3rd, 

 Mr. Holman. Greengages (12 fruit) : 1st, Mr. Nichols ; 2nd, Mr. 

 D. I\IcEwen ; 3rd, ]\[r. Fowler, gardener to Mrs. Wood, Henfield. The 

 fruit, generally, was very fine. 



We cannot close our report \\athout complimenting INIessrs. Spary, 

 Carpenter, and Stocken, and the committee, on the completeness of 

 their arrangements respecting the exhibition. The judges were, for 

 plants and flowers, Mr. J. Ivison, of Sion House, and Mr. J. A. Watson, 

 Ealing. Fruit, Mr. R. Thompson, Chiswick, Mr. J. Keynes, Sahsbury, 

 and ]\Ir. Thompson, Ealing. For amateurs' Dahlias, Mr. C. Turner, 

 Mr. C. P. Lochner, Paddington, and Mr. IMitchell, Piltdo^\Ti. 



THE PANSY. 



If I was asked which of the florists' flowers I considered the most 

 popular, I would answer, the Pansy. It may be found in the parterre 

 of the nobleman, or the small flower plot of the cottager — in all parts of 

 the empire, in the north as well as in the south. There is, perhaps, no 

 other flower which has so repaid the labour of the florist. A few years 

 ago it was a mere weed : now it is one of the most beautiful flowers we 

 possess. If we compare the drawings of those which four or five years 

 ago we considered gems with some we now have, we immediately see 

 the immense improvements that have been made ; so much so, that when 

 flowers such as these old gems appear now in our seedling beds they 

 are tossed aside as useless. For some time I have paid great attention 

 to its culture, and have been pretty successful in competition ; and if my 

 method of cultivation should be of ser^^ce to any of the readers of 

 the Florist, and induce them to try it, I hope they will derive as much 

 pleasure from so doing as I myself have done. 



The Pansy, I consider, is at its best during the last two weeks of 

 May and the first two weeks of June. It is for this reason that the 

 principal Pansy shows are held during that period. The great object 

 of the cultivator is to have his flowers hi the highest state of perfection 

 possible that can be had most easily and best at that period when the 

 flower is naturally at its best. No doubt good blooms of Pansies may 

 be had at almost any period from April to October, but there are many 

 fine sorts, particularly belted ones, which during the height of summer 

 entirely lose their true character, which scarcely any amount of cultivation 

 can avoid : instance that iine old variety the Duke of Norfolk. As my 

 principal object is to have my Pansies in condition during JMay and 

 June, I will first detail my method of doing so as minutely and as 

 plainly as I can. 



During July and August I take my cuttings, selecting young side 

 shoots 1| to 2 inches long. These I find always root soonest, and make 

 the best plants. In many cases they can be got almost ready rooted, 

 when they proceed from the parent stem at a little below the surface of 

 the soil. It is a good plan, when many cuttings are wanted, to earth the 

 main plants well up, thereby causing many of the side shoots to become 

 ready rooted, or if not so they will very soon root after being put out. 



