196 ON SHOWING CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES ON CARDS. 
bearing eight to ten deep citron-coloured flowers. Each blossom is 
about two inches across, (Figured in Bot, Mag. 4454.) 
EPIMEDIUM PINNATUM—PINNATE-LEAVED: 
Berberidea. Tetrandria Monogynia. 
A native of Persia, and is a most lovely hardy herbaceous perennial 
plant, the flower-stems rising about eight inches high. The blossoms 
are of a bright yellow, with a small dark spot at the base of each 
division. A single flower is about three-quarters of an inch across. 
(Figured in Bot. Mag. 4456.) 
Miztonra Karwinski1—Count Karowinsk’s MItTontiA. 
A very beautiful orchidee, brought from Mexico, and has bloomed 
in the collection at the Horticultural Gardens. The scape is three 
feet high, erect, many-flowered, each blossom two inches across. 
Sepals and petals bright yellow, barred and spotted with rich brown ; 
labellum pure white end, middle rose-coloured, and base deep velvet. 
(Figured in Pax. Mag. of Gardening.) 
ON THE IMPROPRIETY OF SHOWING CARNATIONS 
AND PICOTEES ON CARDS. 
BY MR, SLATER, OF CHEETHAM HILL, NEAR MANCHESTER, 
I HAVE read with much surprise and regret, the announcement made 
by the Committee of the Derby Carnation Meeting, that all Carnations 
and Picotees must be shown on cards. 
This appears to me rather too much, and reminds me of an anecdote 
of a traveller, of bygone days, who, on his return from his London 
journey, assumed so many of the peculiarities of the Londoners to his 
master, that he at last exclaimed, ‘‘ None of your London tricks, 
John.” 
Why depart from the good old custom of disqualifying every bloom 
that has either tie or card upon it? This way of showing is not caleu- 
lated to discover the imperfections of the flowers, as there are many 
varieties whose petals stand loose in the pod, and others which will 
not remain in form, whilst a card will keep them in proper position. 
As well might a number of men be placed behind a screen, reaching 
up to the knees, and then judges appointed to report which were the 
most perfectly made. Some might be lame, others deformed, &e., and 
all these defects would be hidden by the screen, so that the scrutiny of 
the judges could not descend below the knee, and those only with 
handsome features would be preferred, whilst probably below they 
would be either lame or deformed. 
Another leading feature is, that nearly all are to be staged in pans. 
Pan showing is not a proper criterion as to the merits of a flower, as 
many a pan may have four good blooms and two very bad ones, and 
yet obtain a prize, in consequence of having a majority. Class show- 
ne is the proper and only true way of ascertaining the merits of a 
ower, 
ee ——  t.~_  ~ 
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