138 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February ic, 1882. 
temperature of G0° or over, plenty of moisture is necessary. I 
would advise that the next bed be spawned with larger pieces, 
say 2 inches square, even if placed farther apart; and if the dust 
is used put it in pinches all together, not spreading it on the sur¬ 
face.—J. F. Barter. 
POMPON DAHLIAS. 
At the National Dahlia Show, which is fixed for the 8th and 9th 
of September next at the Crystal Palace, I am glad to find classes 
are provided in the schedule for both Pompon and single Dahlias, 
as well as the ordinary Show and Fancy varieties usually seen at 
exhibitions. The former are not to be exhibited singly, but in 
bunches of eight or ten trusses, with buds and foliage as cut from 
the plant, and set up in ordinary Bose exhibition boxes on a moss 
ground. When set up in that way they have a most graceful 
effect, which is a pleasing contrast to the necessarily stiff and 
formal appearance of the Show and Fancy varieties. 
It is very necessary for growers, and especially those whose 
space is limited, like my own, to know the best kinds to cultivate ; 
and as I have grown about two dozen varieties of Pompons for 
the past few years, I give a list of those found to give the greatest 
satisfaction. To make a selection from a nurseryman’s catalogue 
often proves disappointing. The flowers of many of the so-called 
Pompons are much too large, and the habit of others is faulty. I 
have on several occasions met with disappointment through rely¬ 
ing on catalogue descriptions. I have found the following varie¬ 
ties well worth growing. Most of them are of good habit, have 
small neat flowers, and are very floriferous :— 
Guiding Star. —This is identical with White Aster, and is de¬ 
cidedly the best white. The flowers are just the right size, globular, 
with beautifully fimbriated petals. 
Little Nigger. —Very deep maroon in colour, approaching black, 
and charmingly small. 
Sensation. —In colour this is primrose yellow ; quilled, of ex¬ 
quisite form, and a remarkably free bloomer. 
Hercules. —Flowers rosy lilac, quilled petals ; of the same size 
and style as the preceding, to which it is an excellent companion. 
Glow-worm. —Florets pale gold, tipped with red ; very free and 
fine, but apt to show a centre. 
Pure Love. —Colour soft pleasing lilac ; free. 
Triumph. —Flowers scarlet; very free and fine, but rather too 
large. 
Duchess.— Violet purple, heads of globular form ; would be 
better if not quite so large. 
Nemesis. —Flowers rich maroon crimson, the centre florets 
tipped white. 
Red Gauntlet.- Dark scarlet; a very good variety, but would 
be better if the flowers were a little smaller. 
Northern Light. —A magnificent variety, in colour bright scarlet, 
but the flowers are much too large. A variety of the same colour 
and about half the size would be a great acquisition. 
Miss Noviltom. — Cream, yellow, and red ; very free, small, and 
exceedingly pretty, nearly every flower being differently marked. 
Little Dear. — Blush white, flushed and tipped with rose ; of ex¬ 
quisite form. This is the acme of a Pompon Dahlia. 
Lady Blanche. —This disappointed me much. It is described 
in the catalogues as a small pmre white flower, resembling a 
Ranunculus ; but my experience is that the flower is by no means 
small, and I have failed to see in it any similarity to a Ranunculus. 
Perhaps some of your correspondents who grow more than 
myself of this charming autumn flower will kindly add to the fore¬ 
going list those varieties they have found to give the greatest 
satisfaction. — J. Henshaw, Harpendcn. 
COCKSCOMB CULTURE. 
The Celosia cristata is a very old favourite annual both with 
the practical gardener and the amateur. In offering a few remarks 
on the culture of these plants let it be understood that the pro¬ 
duction of really good specimens depends more on the care and 
enthusiasm of the cultivator than any instructions he may receive. 
Sow the seed from the 1st of February to the end of March in 
pots, pans, or shallow boxes ; place at the bottom a layer of 
potsherds, and the rougher portion of the compost over the drain¬ 
age, which should consist of equal parts loam and leaf soil with a 
little silver sand. The seed should be sown as evenly as possible, 
but not too thickly, covering it with about one-sixth of an inch 
depth of the same soil finely sifted, plunge them in a hotbed, 
and give a little tepid water ; place a square of glass over the 
pans or pots, and it should not be removed till the young seed¬ 
lings touch it, and at no time allow them to suffer by want of 
water. As soon as they are large enough to handle transfer them 
singly into small pots, employing well-enriched soil—namely, 
light turfy loam, leaf soil, and well-decayed manure in equal parts, 
with sufficient sand to make the whole porous ; and plunge them 
in a hotbed close to the glass, and shade from bright sunshine for 
a few days, at all times choosing a gentle warm day for potting, 
taking care that they do not receive a check from cold. 
The plants will grow freely, and before becoming rootbound 
transfer them into 5-inch pots, employing the %ame compost as 
before, but adding a few finely broken oyster shells. Return 
them again to the hotbed and plunge them near to the glass for 
a time. Shade during the hottest part of the day, and close the 
frame or structure early in the afternoon. Be careful never to 
allow the soil to become too dry or failure will result. It is the 
chief cause of stunted plants and loss of foliage, and nothing 
shows defective cultivation so much as plants with long stems 
devoid of foliage. 
Cockscombs must he encouraged to grow uninterruptedly. Im¬ 
mediately the 5-inch pots are filled with roots shift the plants 
into pots 9 or 10 inches in diameter. Be very careful about the 
drainage, especially with those for late blooming, as in the dull 
days of autumn they are apt to decay at the neck if not well 
drained. Place a thin layer of moss over the drainage, with a 
sprinkling of soot to prevent worms entering the pots. Again 
assign them to the hotbed ; plunge them near the glass, shading 
in sunny weather for an hour or two during the heat of the day, 
for if exposed to a scorching sun immediately after potting the 
plants will lose their lower leaves. 
When the flower-heads are showing liquid manure may be 
supplied. About a handful of guano to a can of four gallons of 
water is an excellent stimulant, but it is not advisable to supply 
it too freely, as the premature decay which is attributed to damp 
is more often the result of overfeeding with liquid manure. When 
fully grown the plants may be gradually hardened off and placed 
in a light well-ventilated structure, as a dry atmosphere is neces¬ 
sary, and syringe occasionally to prevent the attacks of red 
spider. At this stage of their culture the greatest care must be 
taken to guard against excessive watering. If that is kept in 
view they will continue to be attractive for two or three months, 
and there are few brighter plants than well-grown Cockscombs. 
Last season I visited Mr. McLachlan, the leading grower of the 
Cockscomb in the west of Scotland, and gardener to Colin Caird, 
Esq., Dungournay, Greenock, and where I saw some superb speci¬ 
mens. Mr. McLachlan is thoroughly enthusiastic in their culture, 
and hi3 labours are rewarded with success, for a finer collection 
could not be seen. The measurement of most of them over the 
comb was from 2 to 3 feet, and one was no less than 3 feet 2 inches, 
and as dwarf and compact as could be desired. I was informed 
that the same success has been attained for years. It is worth 
going a long distance to see the Cockscombs at Dungournay in their 
season, and the carpet bedding is also carried out with refined 
taste and skill.— Wm. Muir, Bagatelle. 
THE PINK. 
ORIGIN OF THE FLORISTS’ VARIETY, AND PROPAGATION AT 
PAISLEY. 
The first double Pink we have any authentic account of was 
called the Hawkhead Monster (then pronounced Hacket or 
Hawket), and is supposed to have originated at Paisley. The 
late Mr. James Finlayson, florist, Seedhills, Paisley, told mehehad 
often heard his father tell how he and one or two other Paisley 
florists went to see it where it was raised. This was upwards of 
eighty years ago. I recollect this Pink myself when quite a lad 
nearly seventy years since, and it was then considered a fine 
rarity. I consider this was the parent of almost if not all the 
numerous varieties now in cultivation. Old Mr. Finlayson ob¬ 
tained it, and was very successful in growing and propagating it; 
and I think I am not wrong in saying that he was, if not the 
raiser, at least the introducer and distributor to the floral world 
of the first double Pink, the “ Hawkhead Monster.” 
The Paisley Florists’ Society was in full vigour at this time, and 
gave great stimulus to the growth and increase of florists’ flowers. 
The Finlaysons were most enthusiastic florists. Old Mr. Finlay- 
son’s son James devoted his whole life to the cultivation of the 
Auricula, Ranunculus, &c., but particularly to the cultivation and 
improvement of the Pink, till his decease about twenty years ago. 
John Waterston of Tulip fame also, about sixty or sixty-five years 
since, had a fine collection of Pinks. Between forty and fifty 
years back I had a collection of nearly sixty named varieties. 
About forty or fifty years ago a number of persons in Scotland 
were famed for raising new and improved varieties. In Paisley 
we had James Finlayson, John Waterston, John Nisbet, also Mr. 
Cook of Dalserf; Mr. Alston, Larkhall; Mr. Paton, Kilmarnock, 
