PANSIES AND VIOLAS. 



315 



PANSIES AND VIOLAS. 

 By William Cuthbertson, J. P., F.E.H.S. 

 [Read Jun© 21, 1910.] 



When I was honoured last summer by being asked to lecture on 

 " Pansies " I at once thought it would add interest to duch a lecture 

 if I could get associated with me Mr. James Grieve. Mr. Grieve 

 readily consented, and his interesting contribution precedes this. My 

 only regret is that you are not able to hear him deliver it himself, as 

 you Would greatly enjoy his virile personality. It would come like a 

 breeze from his native hills. 



It is now over thirty years since I joined the firm of Dobbie & Co. 

 Mr. James Dobbie was then in full vigour, and was noted, among other 

 things, for Pansies. I remember several times trying to induce him to 

 grow Violas, but he would have none of them. They are only " bad 

 Pansies ' ' was his oft-repeated remark ; ' ' leave them to Grieve and 

 Baxter." In th^t you see the old florists' condition of mind. To them 

 form or outline and clear, distinct markings were everything. I know 

 it has become the fashion to despise the doings of the old florists and 

 even to cast ridicule on them ; but to those who, like myself, were trained 

 in their school, and who knew them personally, the only feelings we 

 shall ever cherish towards them will be those of admiration and respect. 

 Let me give one example : You must all have heard of the devotion 

 of the old Scotch hand-loom weavers to- their flowers. In the Paisley 

 and Kilbarchan districts such weaver-florists were legion, and one of 

 their first favourites was the laced Pink. I can remember one of the 

 best among them — John Love — old John Love, as we used to call him 

 — telling me he wanted nothing to make him happy if he could only 

 have a few square yards of ground on which to grow his loved Pinks 

 to the end — " till the call came," as he himself phrased it. We do not 

 often see devotion like that now to the simpler flow^ers such as Pinks, 

 Pansies, and Sweet Williams, but such men did their share of the 

 world's floral work, and did it well. 



From 1860 to 1880 the old English or Show Pansy (fig. Ill) was 

 gradually being perfected, and the fine varieties then in existence have 

 not since been surpassed. I can remember the best among dark selfs in 

 1880 were * Beacon,' ' Eobert Black,' ' The Shah.' The finest among 

 yeUow selfs, * Captain Hayter,' ' Golden Lion,' Yellow King.' The 

 finest white selfs, 'Alpha,' 'Mrs. Dobbie,' ' Janey Anderson.' The 

 finest yellow grounds, * David Christie,' 'Defoe,' 'Eobert Burns.' 

 T-he finest white grounds, ' Blue Gown, ' * Jane Grieve, ' ' Village Maid. ' 

 Fortunately, we are able to see representatives of these classes at the 

 present time, as they are still grown. 



