(janiiell & Complete t^eecl Ginitle. 
The “ County Gentleman,” 14th February, 1891, says our Primulas, shown 
at a Meeting of Royal Horticultural Society, were so luxurious in their growth 
and blooming that it was difficult to believe they had relationship with those 
we are so accustomed to see. They received the highest award. 
In the group we showed a dozen plants of each of the new ones called Kentish Fire and 
}£yvs/or<I Purple. (To he sent out next year. 1 The first is a scarlet and the latter a purple, totally 
seititig aside all others of their class. Both of them \ ere awarded a Certificate of Merit by the greatest 
experts in the world. Now. please remember, a l’rimnla must he good indeed to command this award ; 
also it is interesting to state that beneath the staging — Mr. -I. Douglas and others will bear witness 
we had other varieties still further in advance (these are not yet named); and what was much more 
extraordinary, we brought out another kind still further in advance, both in size and colouring, being 
almost ns brilliant and dazzling as a /.oral. From being a member, and inconstant attendance, of 
the Floral Committee ever since its commencement, and otherwise acquainted with the greatest 
crosses of the last thirty years, 1 have great pleasure ill stating this to ho a fact. This shows the 
extraordinary position we hold above all other c rowers. It will he seen we could have carried off six 
awards on that occasion had it been wise to have brought them out. {Fee. page 133.) 
OUR ASTER FIELD. 
m () give an idea of the extent of our seed growing— particularly Asters — which do so 
wonderfully well, yielding seed equal to what is usually supplied from the Continent, and 
which we guarantee to give more than satisfaction. We have hundreds of testimonials praising 
our Asters The last three years all, or nearly all. the seeds are of our own growing. This is the 
first occasion of our saying so. The following report will go far to prove our assertions \is being 
correct: — hi : 
Reprinted from the GARDENERS’ CHRONICLE. 
OUJi SEED FAE.il. 
AZING with a somewhat dreamy air at a few Asters in pots, sent up from Chiswick to the 
James Street Drill Hall the other day, Mr. II. Cannell sententiously remarked that he had 
a grand lot just then in bloom at Evnsford, and invited me to go and see them. The 
invitation was tot) tempting to he declined, ami accordingly a few days later I found myself with 
my energetic host standing out on the side of the hill which slopes southwards to the Eynsford 
valley, looking upon what can be truly described as one of the finest shows of Asters I have seen. 
Asunder the force of the prevalent strong wind, the rich masses of coloured flowers surged to and 
fro, sometimes in broad sunlight, sometimes in shade, it was not possible to refuse a warm tribute 
of admiration for a most beautiful as well as brilliant floral spectacle. There are large breadths of 
Quilled, of Victoria, of Pee.onu-Jlowered. of Pompon, of Emperor , and other sections, in mixed colours, 
and very beautiful they are, because of the bizarre colouring found in some twelve or fifteen diverse forms 
or markings thus interspersed ; still further, the mixtures are of special interest, because these include 
some lines or markings not found in the selected colours, and thusfurmsh the ground-work of further 
selections of special merit. Still, the best effects are found in the big blocks or masses of colour, 
which hundreds of plants, all of one hue. produce. Because rather the earliest perhaps, the Pa?onv, 
or incurved-Howered, seemed, at the time of my inspection, 10 he the most brilliant, because the 
most fully in bloom ; and some of the colours were indeed glorious under the sunlight — so telling, 
in fact, as to almost beggar description. Although growing, us it were, under field culture, and out 
on the exposed, breezy hillside, yet the flowers are in all cases of splendid quality. I have never seen 
better under ordinary culture, or plants more profusely blooming. 
Mr. Cannell is growing these Asters for seed production, and without .-doubt' he starts in the. 
production of home-raised seed with very fine strains, the flowers being as perfectly double as well 
as they can be. As evidence of the variety, it may be mentioned of the Paiony flowers: Blue and 
( ir ) 
