78 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



will apply to Tansies grown for exhibition ; but when the latter is the 

 aim of the grower, he must keep up a succession of young plants, as 

 they invariably produce liner blooms, both in point of colour, size, and 

 shape, than older plants. Thin the flowers on weak-growing kinds, 

 and during a fortnight previous to the show, shade from bright sun- 

 shine and protect from heavy rains, as the least spot of dirt, blotch, 

 or blemish on any of the flowers will tell against a stand when placed 

 on the exhibition table. For effect in the flower-garden, the self- 

 coloured Pansies are best ; the yellows, whites, dark-purples, and 

 blues are as effective when used in masses as most of our half-hardy 

 bedding plants, and when treated as directed above seldom fail to give 

 satisfaction. J- H. 



[Those of our readers who dwell in the south of England, and who cultivate 

 Pansies in the open ground for exhibition, should plant their beds much 

 earlier than the time named by our correspondent. It should be done in 

 October and November, or else in February or March. Generally, in the drier 

 districts of the south, they are cultivated in pots, a practice rendered almost if 

 not absolutely necessary by the frequent prevalence of dry hot weather at 

 the end of the spring or early part of the summer. Very shortly we hope to 

 give an outline of the cultural process of one of the most successful amateur 

 cultivators and exhibitors in the south of England. — Eds.] 



A CHAPTER ON AMATEURS FOR AMATEURS. 



Your true amateur, in things horticultural, is the representative of a 

 class of persons to whom the pages of the ' Gardener ' ought to become 

 subjects of deep interest, and full of matter of the most useful charac- 

 ter. Perhaps too much of the matter in its columns has hitherto been 

 devoted to the teaching of that portion of its readers w 7 ho least require 

 it — I mean, the professional gardeners, many of whom are, perhaps, as 

 well able to treat of things horticultural as are their teachers. I have 

 sometimes noticed a tendency, on the part of many writers in garden- 

 ing papers, to forget that the gardeners of the nation whom they are 

 addressing are in many cases as well informed as themselves, and gen- 

 erally disposed to somewhat resent the almost dictatorial style in which 

 professional articles are frequently indited. Men who have grown grey 

 in the service of horticulture do not relish information, however valu- 

 able, if so conveyed ; and are far more likely to appreciate that spirit 

 in the teacher which seems to say, "Come now, and let us reason 

 together," rather than that which jumps too quickly at conclusions, 

 and sets up in spirit infallible dogmas of horticultural faith in regard 

 to matters about which their readers may widely differ. 



But our amateur is a totally different person. He places emphatic 



