THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



coral-red berries. Mr. Williams has named this 

 variety Empress. Mr. H. Cannell, Swanley, Kent, had 

 cut flowers of his white and salmon sports from Zonal 

 Pelargonium Vesuvius ; both of which are likely to 

 prove as useful to growers of cut flowers for market 

 as the scarlet parent. 



A set of four boxes of cut Camellias sent by 

 Messrs. W. Paul and Son, nurserymen, Waltham 

 Cross, illustrated in a forcible manner the best 

 varities in cultivation. One of the most pleasing 

 varieties was the old double white Fimbriata, with the 

 delicate fringe to the petals. Avenir, Mba plena, and 

 Fentonia were very pretty also. It will thus be seen 

 that objects of more than ordinary interest were 

 present in force, and indeed these ordinary meetings 

 of the Society contain far more of instructive matters 

 than a large exhibition. 



THE PELARGONIUM SOCIETY. 



The Annual Report and Balance Sheet for the past 

 year, and the Schedule of Prizes for the coming year, 

 has just been published. The balance sheet shows a 

 satisfactory state of things from a financial point of 

 view, yet there is urgent need for more subscriptions 

 to enable the Committee to give second and third 

 prizes in classes where they now can offer but one 

 only. The schedule of prizes for the exhibition to 

 take place in the Gardens of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, South Kensington, on June 18th, is a very 

 comprehensive one, and appears to take cognisance, 

 more or less, of all the types of Pelargoniums in 

 cultivation. In a letter just received from Dr. Denny, 

 the Hon. Treasurer of the Society, he remarks, " If 

 you will go carefully through the Schedule, I think 

 you will find we have included every class of the 

 Pelargonium ; and all that we want to make it per- 

 fect is more income, so as to offer second and third 

 prizes. Our conditions are pretty clear, too, I 

 think. There is one special feature to which I 

 would call your notice — the number of classes for 

 new varieties ' not in commerce/ both for large 

 and small raisers. I note this because I consider 

 the true object of special societies ought to be 

 to stimulate the production of new varieties. If it 

 could be done, I would prefer to leave out all the 

 classes for specimen plants, etc., but we are obliged 

 to try to make a show, for the public as well as 

 those who care only for the advancement of the 



flower." The Secretary of the Society is Mr. 

 Thomas Moore, Botanic Garden, Chelsea, S.W., from 

 whom Schedules of Prizes and all necessary informa- 

 tion can be obtained. 



THE LATE MR. JOHN KEYNES. 



We regret to have to announce the death of this 

 father of the present generation of florists, which 

 occurred at Salisbury on the 1 7th of February, at the 

 age of seventy-two years. What a lengthened career 

 Mr. Keynes had as a cultivator and exhibitor is shown 

 by the fact that in 1872 he was entertained at a com- 

 plimentary dinner by the Horticultural Club in celebra- 

 tion of his having attained the 50th year of his 

 career as an exhibitor ! 



Originally employed in the brush trade in his native 

 town of Salisbury, he, quite early in life, manifested a 

 great love for florists' flowers, and especially the 

 Pinks (perhaps the earliest object of his affections), 

 and he was wont to relate how he pawned his watch 

 when little more than a lad, in order to have the 

 means of purchasing a fine new variety. Eventually 

 he went into business as a florist, and made a great 

 reputation, growing Carnations and Picotees, Pinks, 

 Dahlias, Roses, etc., with great success. It is with 

 the production of new Dahlias in particular that his 

 name stands forth so prominently as a florist ; and the 

 many new varieties he was able to exhibit in 1878 

 represented, to use his own words, " the finest lot of 

 Dahlias he had ever raised." V Henry Bond, Louisa 

 Neate (figured in the Floral Magazine, January, 

 1878), Bessie Ford, Charles Wyatt, Marion, and 

 Eclipse, will, we think, be grown for Exhibition purposes 

 for a few years to come.^' On November 9th, 1876, Mr. 

 Keynes was elected Mayor of Salisbury, and served 

 his native town with credit and fidelity during his 

 year of office. When he laid down his municipal 

 honours in the month of November, failing health had 

 begun to manifest itself, and three months after he 

 passed away peacefully to his rest. 



" How well he fell asleep ! 

 Like some great river winding to the Sea. 



Calmly and grandly, silently and deep, 

 Life joined Eternity." 



