1875. ] 
ALPINE AURICULAS. 
181 
incorrectly stated that yellow-centred Alpines, when exhibited, must have shaded, 
and white-centred flowers unshaded margins. This was an error of my own, 
which I take this opportunity of rectifying. All Alpines must have shaded 
margins, to entitle them to a place on the Exhibition-table. 
Another point with Auricula fanciers is, that the most valuable centre for an 
Alpine is a clear golden one, and that the nearer they approach the white centre 
so does their value decrease. Bear in mind, I am treating now of the Alpine 
Auricula as represented on the Exhibition-table. Some of Mr. Turner’s finest 
seedlings have golden centres, and margins destitute of shade; and while John 
Hepworth and Ben Simonite would pass them by, as lacking certain requisite 
qualities, they will always have a high-class decorative value, and be in constant 
demand. Mr. Turner has deservedly received several First-class Certificates at 
the London Exhibitions for Alpine Auriculas, but some of these fine old Northern 
growers would turn from them with a gesture of contempt, because they failed 
to answer to their estimate of properties. Let us, who take wider views of floral 
beauty, bear with them. We owe much to these stern, unbending floral Con¬ 
servatives. Their code, hard and fast as some of its lines appear to be, preserves 
to us types of sweet and exalted beauty, in which form and symmetry and a 
due correspondence of parts are clearly discernible, as well as the true artistic 
excellence which constitutes high-class quality. 
From this stand-point, if a flower have an unshaded petal, it ought to have 
a densely-mealed centre, and be a Self ; if it have a shaded petal, it ought to have 
a mealless yellow or white centre, and be an Alpine. Therefore, from a strict 
florist’s point of view, a flower is a veritable nondescript, or what some have 
termed a hybrid, which is not true in fact, if it have an unshaded petal with an 
alpine centre, mealless yellow or white, or a shaded or alpine petal, with the white 
mealed paste of the Self Auricula proper. The Bev. F. D. Horner, the high 
priest of the laws and ceremonies of Northern floriculture, puts the case strongly, 
but yet truthfully, from his point of view when he states : “ A few grains of 
meal even on an Alpine flower are so much against it. Some of Turner’s fine 
yellow centres are all but self-coloured on the petals, and therefore make but 
weak Alpines.” 
Of the Alpine Auriculas shown at the National Auricula Exhibition at 
Manchester, the premier flower in the yellow-centred class was Turner’s Bessie 
Bay, a beautiful new variety, the shaded maroon body-colour being margined 
with very bright pale orange-red, which was well displayed, the pip flat, 
rounded, and of great substance. Then in the order of quality came Turner’s 
Nimrod ; Turner's Ovid, Alice, Diadem, Dolly Varden ; Turner’s Bronze Queen, 
Turner’s John Leech, and Turner’s Evening Star. Of the white-centred 
flowers, the best was Mauve Queen, with a broad pale mauve margin, paling 
off to a charming delicate lilac edge; George Lightbody, velvet, shading off 
to red; Miss Bead, Beatrice, Constance, Purple Emperor, and Consolation.— 
B. Dean, Ealing. 
