1868 . ] 
A PANSY MAN ON PANSIES. 
109 
be observed that where there are Pansies staged, there will be found an 
admiring and criticising throng. 
Mr. Walker’s remarks on the class of Pansies known as dark seifs con¬ 
firm what I have noticed with surprise and regret, and have endeavoured 
to protest against—viz., the feeling that seems to be arising among many 
growers, both in England and Scotland, against the dark seifs. This 
seems to me the only inference to be drawn from the new system advocated 
and to a great extent adopted, of restricting the number of dark flowers in a 
competing stand, without at the same time placing a like restriction on the other 
classes. I have been told by a gentleman who is frequently a judge at the 
Scottish Pansy exhibitions, that dark seifs are now counted nil in judging a 
stand of mixed blooms. Now, I cannot help thinking that this system is 
a great mistake, for it can scarcely be disputed that the dark seifs are as 
yet by far the most perfect, and therefore the finest Pansies we have; and 
on these grounds I demur to their being in a manner thrown aside. It 
cannot be said that there is want of variety in this class—at least I have 
never thought them behind the others in this respect, but rather the con¬ 
trary. I would also hesitate to adopt Mr. Walker’s opinion, that the dark 
shaded flowers should be discarded as defective, on the plea that they are 
not strictly seifs, as I consider that the shading is in many cases really 
beautiful; for instance, the varieties Alex. McNab and Masterpiece are 
shaded seifs, and are two of the finest and most successful competing 
flowers yet raised. Moreover, this same plea might be urged with like 
force for discarding white and yellow seifs until they can be had without 
the dark blotch in the centre. Whether that would be an improvement or 
not, I will not take upon me to say, before I have seen such produced. In 
thus making an appeal in behalf of the dark seifs, or whatever they may 
be called, I do not wish it to be understood that I mean thereby to under¬ 
value the other classes of Pansies ; what I would like to see is equal justice 
accorded to all classes in judging, leaving it to the discretion of the exhi¬ 
bitor to stage what he may consider his best blooms irrespective of colours. 
All other points being equal, the better variety of colours would have the 
preference. 
I have also strongly advocated the cause of the new Fancy class of 
Pansies, the “Circus Horses,” as our Manchester friends are pleased to call 
them, which from their first appearance I have taken into favour; and 
although many florists have turned up their noses at them, I have always 
been of opinion that they will soon become as great favourites as, if they do 
not altogether supersede, the old-fashioned Pansies. I think that time is 
not far distant, taking into consideration the rapid improvement that the 
fancies have made during the very short time since they have been intro¬ 
duced. Their form at the time of their first appearance may well have 
gained for them the name of “ Butterfly Pansies but in this respect they 
