I 
September 9, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 235 
The majority of the varieties are extremely floriferous, and thus 
yield a very important supply of neat flowers of considerable 
usefulness for all purposes of decoration, particularly at a time 
when the general supply of other flowers begins to diminish. Mr. 
Turner has contributed to the improvement of this section, and 
Mr. Cannell has also worked successfully in the same direction, 
but some of the best and most distinct varieties I have yet seen 
are now flowering in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens 
at Chiswick, where a large number of continental forms are being 
grown. These comprise several of exquisite regularity and bright 
colours, the florets in some varieties having the margins recurved 
so as to impart a quilled appearance to the flowers. Perhaps one 
of the best is that which bears the name of the genial Superin¬ 
tendent at Chiswick, but the majority are dignified by names that 
almost defy English utterance. Of the varieties in commerce 
those appended are meritorious :—Louis Rodani, lilac ; North 
Light, rich scarlet; John Sandy, orange shaded with yellow; 
Crimson Beauty, rich crimson maroon ; Amelia Barbier, pale rosy 
pink, darker margin ; Dr. Schwebes, fine scarlet; Fireball, bright 
red ; German Favourite, crimson ; Prince of Liliputians, maroon ; 
White Aster, a good white ; and Lady Blanche, undoubtedly the 
finest white variety, of admirable form and pure in colour. Of 
new varieties Dora, pale primrose ; Hebe, rose tipped ; Toby, 
dark scarlet; and Fair Helen, white tinted with lilac, are the 
best. 
Bedding Varieties.—K list of Dahlias would not be complete 
without including some of those free-growing forms, which, al¬ 
though very bright and effective in beds, do not possess the type 
of flowers that florists regard with especial favour. Good habit 
and floriferousness combined with rich glowing and distinct 
colours are the principal requisites in this section, and a very fine 
display may be produced by the judicious planting of varieties 
possessing those qualities. The following will be found generally 
useful :—Flora Macdonald, primrose ; Mont Blanc, white ; Prince 
Arthur, crimson ; Royal Purple, Cloth of Gold, Drap d’Or, Rising 
Sun, rich scarlet; The Pet, maroon, white tip ; Marguerite 
Bruant, good white ; Faust, fine deep maroon ; Sir James Watts, 
scarlet ; and Dark Model, fine crimson. Those enumerated in the 
above section will form a good representative collection of Dahlias 
at the present time.—D. 
THE LATE MR. JOHN READ. 
By the death of this well-known florist we of the older gene¬ 
ration of florists have to lament the loss of an enthusiastic lover 
of the Auricula, Tulip, See,, and of one of those godly men who 
show that the truest lovers of Nature are those who in simple 
faith look up to their Father as the Creator and Upholder of all 
things ; a Wesleyan, if I recollect right, and a consistent Christian, 
there are few who knew him who will not grieve to think that 
they have lost a friend of no ordinary worth. 
It is now many years since that I paid Mr. Read a visit at 
Market Rasen. I had known him by his contributions to the 
“ Gossip for the Garden,” under the signature of “ Dera,” an 
anagram of his name, and I was very much astonished when I 
saw how small his collection of Auriculas was. His great delight 
was in the raising of seedlings, and in this he displayed no ordi¬ 
nary amount of intelligence and skill, carefully] hybridising and 
keeping a note of all his crosses. He has left behind him two 
flowers which will probably perpetuate his name—Acme and Dr. 
Horner, both of which were sent into commerce by Mr. J. Booth 
of Failsworth, and is another instance of how strong a hold the 
Auricula has on those who cultivate it. Tulips, Ranunculuses, 
and other flowers were given up, but the Auricula remained to 
the last his chosen and favourite flower. He has left behind, too, 
what is far better, an honoured name amongst his relatives and 
friends.—D., Beal. 
THE PARKS OF LONDON.—No. 2. 
FINSBURY PARK. 
As usual this charming little Park is in the most satisfactory 
condition, every portion indicating the care and attention which 
are so necessary to produce the best results. Well-kept turf and 
walks, fast-improving shrubberies, and abundance of flower beds 
serve to render the Park a greatly appreciated resort for the in¬ 
habitants of the contiguous and rapidly advancing districts, and 
it is surprising to observe the great number of people who 
assemble there every Saturday and Sunday if the weather be fine. 
One feature, too, which this of all the London public parks alone 
possesses is that its elevated position commands some pleasant 
prospects. Beautiful glimpses of Essex and Middlesex are ob¬ 
tained from the northern portion of the Park, where the ground 
slopes down rapidiy. All these advantages render Finsbury Park 
as deservedly popular in the north of the metropolis as Battersea 
Park is in the south. The flower garden is chiefly confined to a 
sheltered position near the lake at the highest portion of the Park, 
but numerous beds are found elsewhere, generally in lines on each 
side of the paths. All the beds are extremely bright, the Pelar¬ 
goniums and other flowering plants being in first-rate condition, 
fresh, vigorous, and flowering profusely ; but objection might be 
taken to the preponderance of scarlet and pink in the arrange¬ 
ments, which in one place is very noticeable. Otherwise the 
designs are tasteful, particularly of a few carpet beds, which 
although not largely represented are remarkably well done. In 
the principal flower garden referred to above, which consists of 
two series of beds cut out in turf separated by a broad path, the 
display is very satisfactory. The beds are in several rows on 
each side of the path. Those at the back on the north side are 
very large, circular in form, and occupied with Cannas in superb 
health, the margin being formed with Ageratums, Pelargonium 
Vesuvius, the pretty and effective lilac-coloured Lobelia Omen, 
and the outermost edge of Echeveria secunda glauca. Some beds 
between these have Centaurea ragusina and Verbena venosa inter¬ 
mixed. In the next row the beds have centres of Pelargoniums, 
comprising Mrs. Turner, a strong free-flowering variety with 
bright pink flowers in very fine trusses, and Rose of Allandale, 
another very good light pink variety. These beds are edged with 
Crystal Palace Gem Pelargonium and Lobelia Lady Macdonald, 
a form of strong habit and bearing pale blue flowers. In front of 
these are smaller beds, some containing centres of Pelargonium 
Theocritus, a very good rich scarlet variety of strong habit, a band 
of Centaurea ragusina, and a margin of Lobelia pumila magnifica, 
the effect being very pleasing. The beds near the path are 
circular and oblong in form, the former containing Alternanthera 
magnifica, paronychyoides major, and the richly coloured A. versi¬ 
color edged with Veronica repens, Herniaria glabra, and Eche¬ 
veria secunda glauca. The others consisted of the beautiful white 
variegated Pelargonium Princess Alexandra, Lady Cullum, and 
Macbeth, edged with Iresine Lindeni kept very dwarf, and 
Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum. Some other beds 
contain Coleus Verschaffelti, very richly coloured, and edged with 
Robert Fish Pelargonium. On the opposite side of the path the 
beds are planted in a similar manner, with the substitution of a 
few different varieties of Pelargoniums. In other parts of the 
Park are some good beds of Dahlias, Palms, &c., all excellent but 
not calling for special mention. Great credit is due to the Super¬ 
intendent, Mr. Cochrane, for the able manner in which the Park 
is conducted. 
REGENT’S PARK. 
We have in this Park an instance of the great difficulties attend¬ 
ing flower gardening in unfavourable localities, even when a con¬ 
siderable amount of skill is brought to bear upon the subject. 
Regent’s Park, or rather that portion of it at the south side which 
is devoted to bedding, is so closely surrounded by trees and houses 
that it is not surprising if plants do not thrive so well or appear so 
fresh as in more open positions. However, though there is a 
slight dullness of colour noticeable, particularly in the Alternan- 
theras, yet everything has been done that is possible under the 
circumstances to render the beds attractive, and in several in¬ 
stances these efforts have been fairly successful. Carpet bedding, 
subtropical bedding, and the ordinary beds of floweriug plants are 
represented, and many tasteful designs, especially of the first men¬ 
tioned, are noteworthy. One in particular, a circular bed east of 
the central path, has a most graceful design composed of a variety 
of curves combined in a highly artistic manner, and principally 
planted with Alternanthera amabilis and magnifica on a ground 
of Mentha Pulegium gibraltarica, and had the colour of the 
former been richer the effect could have scarcely been excelled. 
Another bed opposite that is also pretty, but somewhat formal, as 
the design consists of straight lines and sharp angles. Several 
ribbon borders are bright with lines of Pelargonium Waltham 
Nosegay, Pyrethrum Golden Feather, and Ageratums, while the 
vases are very effective. Some of these contain a great number of 
flowering plants, such as Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Calceolarias, 
&c., the sides being draped with Tropseolums, and the base covered 
with Lysimachia nummularia. Large beds of Castor-oil Plants, 
Cannas, Solanums, and Eucalypti form important features in the 
arrangements, the glaucous colour of the Eucalypti contrasting 
strikingly with the darker plants employed. These few notes 
indicate the chief excellencies of the display, and it only remains 
to state that the general condition of the Park is admirable as 
regards the keeping of the turf, paths, and shrubberies. 
Hybrid Odontoglossum. —Mr. Bardney describes a hybrid 
Odontoglossum (see page 192). Is this only a supposed hybrid, 
or is it proved ? Was it raised in this country ? I understand 
