1868 . ] 
AURICULA COLONEL CHAMPNEYS. 
97 
AURICULA COLONEL CHAMPNEYS. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
'HIS remarkably fine Auricula was raised from the variety called 
Chapman’s Sophia, fertilised with the pollen of Lightbody’s Richard 
Headly. It belongs to the grey-edged class, and is remarkable 
for its large showy pips, the ground colour of which is a bright 
violet, partaking of the shade of colour met with in Sophia, while 
the eye and paste are very round. The truss of flowers is large, bold, 
and attractive, indicating a free habit of growth and a robust constitution. 
We learn, moreover, that it is a variety which increases freely. There 
can be no doubt that this will become a standard variety, for it is not 
only very distinct, but it is also one of the most attractive flowers in the 
Slough collection. 
We are indebted to Mr. Turner for the opportunity of presenting to our 
readers the accompanying portrait of this fine novelty, our sketch of which 
was prepared last year, when an award of a first-class certificate was made 
to it at one of the spring shows of the Royal Botanic Society. It has been 
shown again this season, on two occasions in great beauty, on one of which 
a further award was made to it. M. 
THE ROSES AT SOUTH KENSINGTON, APRIL 18th. 
Y far the most beautiful, interesting, and extensive spring show ever 
witnessed was that of the Royal Horticultural Society, held at 
South Kensington on the 18th of last month. It was indeed a high 
festival of the Queen of Flowers. All the doughty champions of 
the Rose were there. Three tiers of plants, forming a bank several 
yards in length in the western arcade, produced a brilliant and imposing 
effect, and the spot was densely packed throughout the later hours of the 
afternoon by a crowd of distinguished and admiring visitors. And well 
it might be so, for they who missed seeing these Roses missed one of 
the grandest and most interesting of recent Rose shows. The plants 
were for the most part well grown—with the exception of Bouton d’Or, 
Napoleon III., and one or two others, admirably grown. The flowers 
were of large size and finely formed, and they retained their freshness 
till the last hour. To my fancy, exhibited Roses at the end of June and 
beginning of July seldom bear comparison with these children of spring, 
which are moved and placed under the manifest advantages of a cooler 
atmosphere. 
The new Roses were naturally most closely scrutinised by those who 
take an interest in the progress of this flower. Of the twenty-four new 
varieties recommended by me in the Florist (p. 4, 5), twenty were exlii* 
3rd Ser. — 1 . F 
