June 26, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
515 
the storm. Many a grand Rose have I saved by promptly acting upon 
this admonition, and have come indoors with my heart rejoicing under its 
moist merino waistcoat. 
“ Helmet No. 2 resembles No. 1, except that the top is made of glass 
and is flat. This is used to accelerate the opening of Roses, and some¬ 
times with success; but generally I have found that nature will not be 
hurried, and the Rose has been more refractory than the heat. 
“ In using these caps—and their use, he it remembered, is exceptional— 
the amateur must be on his guard against placing them too near the 
Rose, lest, when moved by the wind, the petals should be injured by 
trituration. And not only in this instance, but in all, he must so watch 
his trees as to prevent all risk of that contact and chafing which quickly 
ruins the Rose. Watching the flower as it sways to and fro in the summer 
breeze, he must remove all leaves and shoots which, touching it, would 
mar its beauty. 
“ I strongly advise the amateur who has no such wealth of material, 
and must make the most of his limited means, to cut his Roses whenever 
he has the option—that is, the time—upon the morning of the show. If 
Fig. 120. Fig. 121. 
the weather is broken, and clouds without and barometer within warn you 
of impending rain, then gather ye Roses while ye may, in the afternoon 
and the evening before the show; but if it is 
In the prime of summer-time, 
An evening calm and cool, 
let your Roses rest after the heat of the day, and cut them on the morrow, 
when they awake with the sun refreshed with gracious dews.” 
Those who desire more particulars on growing and showing Roses 
will find them in the “ Book.”] 
Tate, James Gardiner, Mrs. Scott Plummer, William Dean, Mrs. J. W. 
Bennet, William Wondle, Mrs. McComb (extra fine), Peter Nicol, Mrs. 
Jameson, Mrs. Forrester, William Bennet, Perfection, J. Murray, Prince 
Silverwing, Mrs. J. D. Donald, Catherine Agnes, and seedlings. For these 
Messrs. Dickson & Co. were second, and the same firm were first for six seed¬ 
ling Show Pansies—Paragon, a clear yellow self; Archibald Roland, very 
dark yellow self; William Frater, very dark plum self ; and Dr. Hector 
Wilson, a white self, being the best varieties. For twenty-four bedding 
Violas Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons were first; the most striking varieties 
were Columbine, Duchess of Albany, Mrs. Cobham, Skylark, Queen of Crim¬ 
sons, William Palmer, Mrs. J. Cowan, Countess of Kintore, Mrs. Peebles, and 
Owen Cameron. In Messrs. Dickson & Co.’s second-prize stand the most 
noteworthy were Merchiston Castle (very beautiful), The Meams, and Break 
of Day. 
The chief competitions in the gardeners’ classes were those for eighteen 
Show Pansies, Mr. Borrowman, Beeslack, taking the first place ; Mr. R. 
Stewart, Lenzie, the second ; and Mr. R. Miller, Paisley, the third. Mr. 
Cuthbertson, Corstorphine, was first for twelve blooms, and Mr. Borrowman 
second, the same exhibitors occupying the same positions for six blooms. 
In the Fancy classes for eighteen blooms Mr. Borrowman again took premier 
position with a stand of fine blooms, Mr. Stewart running a close second. 
Mr. Robert Smith, Aberdeen, showed twelve fine blooms for the first place 
for these, Mr. Borrowman being a good second ; and for six blooms Mr. 
Cuthbertson had first, and Mr. McComb, Montrose, second. 
In the amateurs’ classes, and for eighteen Show sorts, Mr. Ritchie, Denny, 
was first; Mr. L. T. Fleming, Berwick-on-Tweed, second; and Mr. James 
Skinner, Penicuik, third. For twelve the first prize went to Mr. Stewart, 
Campsie ; the second to Mr. Ritchie, who also had first for six, Mr. Thomson, 
Penicuik, being second. Mr. Storrie, Lenzie, was awarded first for eighteen 
Fancy sorts, and Mr. Stewart second ; and for twelve blooms Mr. Galloway 
had first and M. L. T. Fleming second ; Mr. Black, East Calder, being first for 
six blooms. 
In the classes open to gardeners and amateurs the latter can ied off all the 
prizes, Mr. Galloway being first for six Show and six Fancies ; for eighteen 
Fancies Mr. Storrie ; and for twelve Show and twelve Fancies Mr. L. T. 
Fleming. For four Pansies in pots Mr. Black was awarded the prize, the 
plants being strong and well bloomed. In addition to those already noted 
in the best single-bloom classes Mr. Ritchie showed a seedling for the best 
yellow ground ; Mr. Stewart the best white self with Mrs. Dobbie ; Mr. 
McComb the best mauve; and Mr. Ross the best crimson self respectively. 
The other prize blooms could not be found—indeed the whole arrangements 
from a reporter’s point of view were far from satisfactory. 
First-class certificates were granted to the following, all Fancies :—To 
Mrs. P. Lutz from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay; to Mrs. Greive from Mr. 
Black, East Calder ; to Mrs. Ferguson from Mr. Borrowman, Beeslack; and 
to Mrs. Gladstone from Messrs. Paul & Sons, Paisley. 
The following are the classes devoted to ladies :—“ A table glass arranged 
with bedding Violas,” for which Miss Owen, Knockmillar, was first and 
Mrs. Laird second. “ Most tastefully arranged small glasses of bedding 
Violas,” first Mrs. D. P. Laird, second Miss Greive. “ Basket bedding Violas,” 
first Miss Balfour, second Miss Effie Welsh. “ For the most novel and tasteful 
design in Pansies and Violas,” first Mrs. D. P. Laird, equal second Miss 
Balfour and Miss Owen. 
SCOTTISH PANSY SOCIETY. 
As certainly as the third Friday in June comes round, so surely do we 
find the Pansy holding high court in the beautiful metropolitan city of 
Scotland. For the past forty years the florists have worshipped the flower of 
their choice, and, if we may judge from appearances at the past Show on 
Friday last, that flower has never had so many patient wooers for her favour. 
We may occasionally be amused at the peculiarities of ardent florists, but to 
them we are indebted, and solely indebted, for one of the most beautiful of 
hardy flowers, and flowers, moreover, that are within the reach of everybody 
who has a few yards of garden ground. To the uninitiated in the nice points 
of judging the Show and Fancy varieties there would appear to be slight 
improvement on these during the past few years ; but there is an improve¬ 
ment nevertheless. However, in tbe case of the Violas the most startling 
improvements are apparent. In ordinary garden decoration these newer 
forms, “fancy” in their colouring, have a great future before them, and 
gardeners wishful of keeping abreast of the times should secure a selection 
of the best novelties—not for bidding, but for dotting about on borders, and 
above all for filling small glasses. The one feature of the Show that was 
displeasing was the exhibits in the classes devoted to ladies for decorating 
epergnes, baskets, glasses, &c. Pansies and Violas were the only flowers 
allowed, and well these are fitted for the purpose, but in no case did we find 
a single shoot or leaf of a Pansy employed as a setting. There was Maiden¬ 
hair in superabundance, common Ferns, Myrsiphyllutn, Myrtle, and many 
other kinds of foliage, but there was not one naturally arranged. 
The prize list is such a long one, and the number of competitors so large, 
that we cannot do more than note some of the more generally interesting 
classes. Of these the few devoted to nurserymen are most noteworthy on 
account of the excellence of the blooms staged, and also because the best 
varieties were therein found. For eighteen Show sorts Mr. Sutherland, 
Lenzie, took the premier position with clean, even, and beautiful blooms. 
The names of these were James Edgar, D. L. Whitton, David Malcolm, 
Archie Ormiston, Peter Lyle, dark seifs ; Mrs. Dobbie and Mrs. Turnbull, 
white seifs; Gomar and Geo. McMillan, yellow seifs, the latter also taking 
the prize for the best yellow self; Jessie Foote (the best white ground), Mrs. 
J. Millar, Mr3. D. Wallace, N. D. Pownall, and Mrs. Ewart, white grounds ; 
David Dalgleish, William Dickson, Sir W. Collins, and Dr. D. P. Stewart, 
yellow grounds ; Miss Bowie, a primrose self, and an unnamed seedling. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Paisley were second, and Messrs. Ormiston & Co., An- 
crnm, third. In the latter stand to Archie Ormiston was awarded the prize 
for the best dark self, and in Messrs. Dickson & Co.’s stand J. Balfour Mel¬ 
ville was chosen as the best Pansy in the Show. 
In the corresponding class of eighteen Fancy varieties Messrs. R. B. 
Laird & Sons, Edinburgh, were placed first with a stand of beautiful blooms. 
The sorts were Evelyn Bruce, Miss Bliss, Hecla, Countess of Home, May 
AURICULAS IN IRELAND. 
My acquaintance with these dates back just about half a century. 
Those were the days when Dr. Plant reigned supreme, occupying in 
Ireland much the same position as Mr. Horner does in this country, but 
they were days before many of our best varieties were invented. There 
were no George Lightbodys or Lancashire Heroes, no Smiling Beauty or 
Acmes, no Pizarros or Heroines ; but they were none the less days when 
the Auricula was understood and well cultivated, when varieties which 
we rarely see were grown in great perfection, unless indeed youthful 
reminiscences are, as they often are, coloured largely with rosy tints. 
Have I not seen in the doctor’s collection row after row of Booth’s 
Freedom and Page’s Champion ? And then what Colonel Taylors he used 
to exhibit! what grand Glorys ! and unless my recollection betrays me, 
Hey’s Apollo was a beat on many of the blue seifs we now have. But 
those days are long past, and many of the flowers then exhibited would not 
be tolerated now. Then, again, some twenty years ago I knew how well 
Auriculas were grown, how excellent Mr. Tandy used to grow and show 
his plants, how select was his collection ; here, indeed, all the crack 
varieties were to be found in quantities, and Lightbodys and Heroes 
which would delight the most critical northern taste were in abundance, 
for he had no sympathy with the coarse overgrown flowers which too 
often find favour with the southerners in England, and his success at the 
spring shows of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland bore witness 
to the excellence of his culture ; but removal led him to abandon their 
culture, although hislovefor them has no way diminished. 
In my recent visit I was informed that the same decadence in the 
culture of florists’ flowers which we have lamented in the south of England 
has prevailed in and about the Irish metropolis. I heard of one or two 
growers besides those I visited, but as a fact Auriculas do not hold the 
position there they once did. The two collections I did see were those of 
my excellent friend and thorough florist, the Rev. F. Tymons of Baden 
Hill and Mr. Edward Kavanagh, nurseryman, of Ballybrack, and a few 
notes on these may may not be unacceptable to the lovers of the flower. 
Mr. Tymons’ garden, a delightful old-fashioned one full to overflowing 
of grand herbaceous and alpine plants, is situated near Portmarnoek, on 
the north side of the city, a place dear to the entomologist, and where in 
my early days I made many an excursion in quest of Lepidoptera and their 
larvae ; and there is a delightful view of Howth and Ireland’s Eye from 
the front of his snug little bungalow. His collection of Auriculas is 
not ’arge, but then it is very select. By degrees he has rooted out al . 
the inferior varieties, and is confining himself to the really standar 
