268 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
‘ To come now to tlie arrangement of the flowers for effect. It may be safely 
predicted that that mode will be the best which, with a uniform appearance, 
shall most largely develop the beauties of contrast or combination in colours. 
Contrast in the individual flower forms one of the most important of its elements 
of beauty, and it is of equal value in a collection. Indeed, we may say it is of 
greater importance, as, dealing with larger quantity, its effects may be made so 
instantly apparent. Thus the boldness and effect of a broad-edged Pico bee may 
be enhanced by judiciously placing it by the side of a flower lightly edged, and 
the brilliancy of a bright scarlet flake Carnation is increased when seen 
immediately in the neighbourhood of a soft purple flake. Uniformity will be 
secured by choosing flowers even in size, and by so arranging the blooms that 
the colour shall be fairly balanced on every side. Colour will be imparted to the 
collection by the use of scarlet bizarres or dark crimson bizarres, brilliancy by 
bright scarlet flakes, and softness by clear purple flakes, rose flakes, or light pink 
bizarres. In all cases care should be taken that the corner flowers be distinct 
and decided in their character, and the fuller and deeper they are, consistent 
with distinctness, the better. In Picotees, heavy-edged flowers have a far better 
effect at the corners than flowers of a lighter character. In these, as with the 
Carnation, and every other flower, the colour should be nicely balanced, so that 
the eye may be carried easily over the whole.’ 
I hope, Mr. Editor, you will not think these extracts too long. They 
so meet the case, that after reading them several times over, I find myself 
unable to restate them more effectually, and as the best return I can make to my 
old and valued friends for the warmth and kindliness of the welcome they gave 
me at the show, I am anxious to aid them according to my small ability, in every 
matter open, as I think, to improvement. 
The Society is most fortunate in the service as honorary secretary of the Rev. 
F. D. Horner, a son of the late Dr. Horner, of Hull, so widely known to and 
esteemed by the readers of the early issues of your work; and is supported by 
many influential, and if I may presume so to say, intellectual florists of the North. 
I hope that year by year there may be an exhibition in the beautiful house of the 
Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society’s Gardens. But I hope even yet 
more, that with the revival of the Society, it will recur to its original programme, 
and change its meetings from year to year from locality to locality, for I can 
conceive no way more potent to draw attention to the singular beauty of these 
beautiful flowers, no way so sure of extending the enthusiasm almost all feel when 
brought in contact with them fairly displayed. 
The exhibition, as I have already recorded, was rich in new and good varieties. 
Mr. Simonite’s stand, though low down in the prize list, from the fact that the 
flowers -were far past their prime, was almost unique, in that it contained twenty- 
two out of twenty-four flowers—ten Carnations and twelve Picotees—of his own 
raising. Several of these were of this year’s bloom, and will require to be seen 
again before an opinion can be given; but unless I am greatly mistaken, he had 
