TREATMENT OF THE PINK. 185 



"Early in May, I commence watering with liquid manure." 



The following standard of form for the pink was forwarded to us 

 by Florista, as being that agreed upon by southern florists : — " That 

 the flower should be circular, and rise like half a ball ; the petals 

 should be thick, broad, smooth at the edges without notch or serra- 

 ture; they should be regularly disposed, and each row be smaller 

 than that next under it ; the ground should he pure white. The 

 colour, whatever it may be, should reach from the inside of the petal, 

 far enough outwards to show in front beyond the petal above it, and 

 form a rich eye ; and a narrow even lacing or stripe of the colour 

 should appear inside the white edge, which should be just the same 

 width outside the lacing as the lacing is, and as even. There should 

 be no break or vacancy in the lacing, and the colour inside of the 

 petal, as well as the lacing, ought to be well defined, forming a cir- 

 cular coloured eye or centre to each row of petals." Our respected 

 friend Florista, who is an amateur grower, resident in a midland 

 countj', observes, — " The northern florists do not accede to this 

 standard, as they consider all pinks not thoroughly laced to the edge 

 of each petal useless, and such are invariably discarded from their 

 shows, as possessing a fatal defect, termed feather-edged. I must 

 candidly admit, that several of the northern varieties have pre-emi- 

 nence in shape of petal, and regularity and boldness of lacing, over 

 the southern ones, being large, fine, and well-shaped, with edges free 

 from notch or scrrature, and regularly laced, and had besides beautiful 

 centres or eyes." 



I do not wish to be understood that I am commending the northern 

 flowers beyond their merits ; yet I cannot bring myself to confess 

 that two or three tiers of petals constitute a double flower ; but I must 

 admit, that if they were possessed of more petals, they would be all a 

 florist could desire a pink to be. 



We applied to Messrs. Ward and Normans, of Woolwich, for the 

 blooms they exhibited this season at the London shows ; all their 

 flowers were double, and though fully so, the greater part of them 

 had centres free from any confusion, and arranged with regularity. 

 These stands comprised both southern and northern varieties. 



