Plate 215. 



AURICULA— "ALEXANDER MEIKLEJOHN " (KAY). 



This is quite a new flower, having been introduced to the public in 1874, through Mr. 

 Meiklejohn, of The Raploch, Stirling, and when at its best it is quite unsurpassed as a grey- 

 edged variety. It won the premium in its class at Manchester in 1875, and was also 

 awarded the prize given for the best Auricula in the show, beating Geo. Lightbody, Geo. 

 Levick, Chas. E. Brown, and all the old-established sorts. It was raised by the late Mr. 

 Kay, of Shipshaugh, near Stirling, a most exemplary man, and an ardent florist. Besides 

 Auriculas, he grew, in a quiet way, Pinks, Polyanthuses, and Pansies ; he took many prizes for 

 Auriculas and Pinks, and up till his death, which occurred about twelve years ago, he still 

 had the same passion for flowers. Topsy, a fine dark-purple self, was also raised by him, 

 but he did not know the parentage of either. The Rev. F. D. Horner, who is well known 

 as a most zealous amateur florist, gives the following description of this choice variety in the 

 " Journal of Horticulture " : — "It is indeed a gem, something like George Lightbody and 

 Conqueror of Europe combined in one grand flower. There is the dash and nearly the size 

 of Conqueror without its coarseness, and the fine form and substance of Geo. Lightbody 

 without its frequent want of life in the body-colour, and decision on the broad edge. Plant 

 takes after Conqueror — healthy, but not large ; foliage long, narrow, thick, much veined and 

 serrated." 



Our illustration was made from a plant grown by Mr. J. Douglas, and to which a first- 

 class certificate was awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society on April 5th of the present 

 year, and we are also indebted to Mr. Douglas for the above notes on this distinct and 

 effective show variety. 



Plate 216. 



HYBRID PERPETUAL ROSE— "DUKE OF CONN AUGHT." 



The beautiful new Rose of which the accompanying is an illustration is an English seedling, 

 raised in the almost classical old nurseries at Cheshunt, and exhibited last summer for the 

 first time, when it received much attention from Rosarians on account of its full form and 

 brilliant colour. It is a seedling from Madame Victor Yerdier, and somewhat resembles that 

 well-known variety in foliage and general habit ; its colour, however, is the nearest approach 

 to scarlet of any variety yet raised. This season its raisers, Messrs. Paul and Son, have 

 exhibited plants in flower, and also cut blooms, both at the Regent's Park and South 

 Kensington Exhibitions, and on both occasions it was deservedly awarded a first-class 

 certificate as a most desirable new Rose. It is very gratifying to find that Messrs. Paul and 

 Son have been most successful in raising new Roses in their grounds at Cheshunt ; and 

 among others which have been selected from their seed-beds and added to the lists of 

 standard varieties, we may mention Duke of Edinburgh, raised in 1865, of which some 

 thousands were distributed in 1868. During the hot summer of 1870 the last-named 

 variety ripened its seed freely, and from several large beds of it, sown in the spring of 1871, 

 have been selected Reynolds Hole, Sultan of Zanzibar, Dr. Hooker, and several others, all 

 excellent dark varieties of robust habit. 



