498 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 2, 1880. 
the general public but with real old Pansy growers.” The sche¬ 
dule of the Society’s Show in June last fully bears out this view, 
advanced as it may appear, when not fewer than thirty prizes 
were offered wholly or in part for Fancies. And this revolution 
having taken place “ o’er the border,” where Pansies are more 
highly esteemed and more extensively raised and grown than 
anywhere else in the kingdom, it is not surprising that the ad¬ 
vanced party has adherents everywhere where the 'flower has 
admirers. Given, then, that Fancy Pansies have with surprising 
rapidity come to the front, I may with grace say more concerning 
their merits and demerits. 
The wealth of favouritism now accorded to them has produced 
the customary evil—too many new varieties are sent out, many 
of which either so closely resemble some already in cultivation 
as to seriously lack distinctiveness, or are deficient in that all- 
important quality, harmony of colour. It is veiy annoying when 
one has paid about 5s. for a new variety to discover that the 
illustrious stranger is so nearly like an old one that the two 
blooms have to be minutely examined to discover the difference, 
and when discovered to be obliged to conclude that the difference 
is in favour of the old one, or is so trifling that the two cannot be 
staged together. Upon this point I cannot too strongly insist, 
not only to prevent disappointment to the purchaser, but for the 
sake of the reputation of the raiser. In writing upon this subject 
in your columns in February, 1877, I said, “I would rather send 
out one really good flower in five years than annually put upon 
the market a dozen or two of mediocre merit, to the injury of my 
own reputation and the discouragement of those desirous of 
keeping pace with the times.” Since that time I have not found 
any reason to alter the opinion ; on the contrary, it has been 
strengthened with the blooming of every batch of new flowers. 
Indeed I have come to the conclusion that it would be well for all 
new Pansies to pass an examination for a certificate before they 
are recognised as qualified to rank as additions to the already too 
numerous Pansy family. Surely there are enough lovers of the 
flower to start an English Pansy Society, and the formulation of 
rules and the fixing of a standard are matters of detail in which 
our Scotch friends would gladly render valuable assistance. That 
the conditions are ripe for the formation of such an association 
cannot be contested ; the flower is popular and the number of 
growers daily increasing ; new varieties are being raised in pro¬ 
fusion and are eagerly bought. Under the protection of such a 
society no schedule would be long without a Pansy class, and 
then what an honourable rivalry for its certificates and medals ! 
I can imagine a great international show, England v. Scotland, 
and the former defeated, but I can also imagine our canny 
neighbours teaching us how to defeat them. May I live long 
enough to see these imaginings become solid facts. 
Returning to the point where this digression began, it may be 
asked what amateurs are to do if they may not depend upon the 
new varieties being distinct and improvements upon the old. I 
can only tell them the method I have found to answer best. 
Write out a list of those you have, and decide how much you will 
spend ; then place yourself in the hands of a florist who has made 
Pansies a speciality for years, and ask him to send as many dis¬ 
tinct and really good varieties as he can afford for the money. 
Depend upon it you will be well treated. Specialists have a 
healthy sympathy with those who show an inclination to favour 
their hobby, and the catalogue price is no criterion of the ex 
change you will receive for your money. I am bound to add here 
that this opinion has been formed chiefly from transactions with 
the great northern growers, notably Messrs. Dicksons & Co., and 
Downie & Laird, Edinburgh ; W. Paul, Paisley ; and Cocker & Sons, 
Aberdeen ; though I have had nothing to complain of as regards 
quantity from midland and southern raisers. 
Thus far I have (to my own satisfaction, at any rate) proved 
that Fancy Pansies are in increasing favour, shown that their 
popularity is attended by an evil that is to a great extent reme¬ 
diable, suggested a national recognition of their merits in the 
remedy, and given a recipe by which that evil may be largely 
avoided. Be it mine, then, in a third communication to enumerate 
the varieties of this charming family that attain most nearly the 
standard of excellence.— M. H. Miller, Lech. 
VEGETABLE BOOTS FOR FORCING. 
We cut our first forced Asparagus a fortnight ago ; Rhubarb 
and Seakale will soon be ready ; but I do not suppose many of 
your readers begin operations of this kind quite so early, so that 
a few notes on the subject will still be in time to be useful. 
Strong well-matured roots are the only kind worth attention at 
this season, and unless these can be had the crop will hardly pay for 
the labour, and little else than disappointment need be expected. 
As a rule when roots are lifted for forcing they are not intended 
to be used again, or at least no crop in the ordinary course is 
expected from them until a year or two afterwards; and this 
evidently leads many to think, especially when the roots are 
intended to be thrown away after forcing, that it does not 
matter how they are taken up and cut so long as the crowns are 
only left to sprout. But it does matter, and that considerably. 
Let the roots be all alike good ; cut and break one half of them, 
and be particular to keep the other half whole and uninjured, 
then place them all in to force together, and it will soon be seen 
which plan gives the best results. Those lifted carefully will 
afford produce some days or weeks before the other section, 
and both quality and quantity will be more superior in the one 
case than the other. This is particularly the case with Asparagus 
and Rhubarb ; and the not unusual way of halving the roots of 
the latter, taking one part in to force and leaving the other to 
form a crop in the ground, is a mistake. Two or three good roots 
of anything will give more satisfaction than a crowd of ends 
and parings. Seakale bears ill treatment better, but it, too, should 
be handled carefully. 
It is not necessary to enter fully into the particulars of forcing 
these roots, as good and practical details are often given respect¬ 
ing them in the w eekly calendar of garden work; but I may 
remark that with a little beat and moisture, in either glass house 
or shed, anyone may easily have a supply of such vegetables as 
those named, and with a little care the produce will stand a good 
chance of coming early, excellent, and plentiful.—J. MuiR. 
NEW FRENCH ROSES. 
The first instalment of announcements of new Roses has reached 
us, but it does not excite the flutter of excitement amongst us on 
this side of the Channel that it did some twenty or thirty years 
ago. We have learned to distrust the magnificent descriptions 
with which they are heralded. We have discounted the terms 
“ magnifique,” “ superbe,” “hors ligne,” and such other high- 
sounding adjectives. We do not particularly care to know how 
many leaves there are on a branch, or whether the wood is spiny ; 
and although we do have a grand fish now and then, the quantity 
of useless ones we have to throw away far outnumbers them. If 
out of some sixty or seventy varieties we can manage to find three 
or four good ones we are happy. Besides, we are getting such 
good Roses from our English raisers, and we have so many good 
opportunities of seeing them before they are let out, that we prefer 
waiting a bit until the French Roses are a little more known before 
acceding to the flattering accounts given of them by their fond 
parents, who are too often blind to the defects of their offspring. 
The nomenclature is more absurd than ever. We have had 
heaps of Souvenirs, and if the Rose is good we have no objection 
to remember the persons whom they commemorate ; but we have 
now got a step further. Hold your breath, ye Rose-growers of 
England, while I announce to you a new Rose with the following 
sweet little name—“ Fian$ailles de la Princesse Stephanie et de 
l’Archduc Rudolf 1” Has so old a grower as Mons. Levet no 
more idea of the sense of propriety and the fitness of things than to 
give a Rose such a name ? How very much wiser was my good old 
friend the late Mons. Souchet in naming his Gladioli ! Pygmalion, 
Hecla, Le Vesuve, Norma, and such-like names are surely more 
fitting than these Madames, and Comtes, and Princesses with 
their long high-sounding names, some of which will be found in 
the following list. 
I will take first as of the most general interest the class of Hybrid 
Perpetuals, of which we have the following already advertised— 
GuiUaume Guillemot (Schwartz).—Carmined Rose, with pale 
reflex ; large, full, and globular. Growth vigorous. A seedling 
from Madame Charles Wood. 
Emperevr de Bresil (Soupert et Notting).— Red shaded with 
blackish violet; very full. Growth very vigorous. 
Covitesse Nathalie de Klcist. —Coppered red ; reverse of the 
petals carmined. A new colour. Large, full, and cupped. 
Madame Alfred Leveau (Yigneron).—Bright carmined rose ; 
large, full, fine form. Growth vigorous. 
Mons. Thouvenel (Yigneron).—Velvety red ; large, full. Growth 
very vigorous. 
Basieristc Jacobs (Madame Ducher).—Fine velvety red shaded 
with black ; large, full, well-formed, globular. Growth vigorous. 
Francois Levet (Levet).—Chinese Rose, of medium size. Growth 
vigorous. 
Comtesse de Camondo (Leveque et fils). — Fine bright rose 
shaded with violet; large, full, imbricated form. Growth vigorous. 
Comte Frederic de Thun Ilohcnstein (Leveque et fils).—Deep 
crimson shaded with carmine ; large, full, fine form. Growth 
very vigorous. 
