416 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



PANSIES. 



The summer of 1870 must have tried the patience of many a Pansy- 

 grower, for such hot dry weather is terribly against this flower, and 

 drives colour, marking, and form, into all kinds of fantastic shapes. 

 Many a flower has this season been condemned as worthless on this 

 account ; and I caution all young beginners to suspend judgment 

 until the autumn can give blooms from young plants, or wait until 

 the spring for flowers. 



Messrs Downie, Laird, & Laing are now monarchs amongst Pansy- 

 growers, and to that firm we are indebted for a great many grand kinds. 

 My old friend Mr Downie sent me early in the summer a box of Pansy 

 blooms which gave me intense pleasure, they were so very fine. I 

 fear I cannot do them justice, but I give you a copy of my notes taken 

 at the time. Many of them are quite new, some not sent out yet, but 

 all may be relied on as A 1 exhibition flowers, and their catalogue 

 will indicate prices. They were enough to again rouse a florist's 

 smouldering love, and I hope very soon once more to be a Pansy- 

 grower. May I be able to raise a flower that cannot easily be beaten ! 

 and when I do, I shall name it John Downie ! 



FANCY VARIETIES. 



Sunrise, William Dean, Pandora. — Three very bright flowers, in which scarlet 

 and yellow are particularly bright and striking. The two latter are evidently 

 seedlings from the former, the colour of all having a resemblance only vai'ying in 

 the markings, with immense bright orange-brown markings. Sunrise has a broad 

 margin of solferino. Pandora has a rich chocolate-brown shade in it. W. Dean 

 has the best form. All three are grand flowers. 



Princess is a superb flower ; the top petals purple, with an immense blue-violet 

 blotch, bordered with greyish white and violet. 



William Forbes. — The top petals light violet, shaded with darker violet and 

 white, with an immense well-defined regular deep-violet blotch, and well-defined 

 creamy-white margin in the lower petals. This is a very refined and superb flower. 



Miss Baillie. — Nankeen and canary colour, with large shaded violet and maroon 

 blotch ; a very distinct and fine flower. 



Fritz Penary. — Top petals pale peach, flushed with white, the lower petals hav- 

 ing a superb well-defined solid deep- violet blotch, and distinct well-defined peach 

 and cream-coloured margin. A grand flower of very superior refinement. A 1. 



Avoca. — Top petals white bordered with violet, very large shaded violet blotch, 

 having a margin of Petunia colour and white. Quite distinct, but the under 

 petal is too small. 



Gliffe. — Top petals creamy blush veined with violet, and having an immense 

 solid shaded violet and maroon blotch in lower petals, and distinct margin of 

 creamy white, also a bright yellow eye. Distinct from Fritz Benary, though 

 similar in colours, and even superior in form. A very superb floiver. 



David Thomson. — Rich dark yellow, with an immense well-defined rich brown 

 maroon blotch, fine form, top petals veined with violet. A superb flower. 



George Voir. — The top petals light violet, with a wire margin of white, and an 



