July 1?, 1686. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
731 
Borne of the best kinds are to bo found in the follow'" 
ing:—In Californie, Gloire de Nancy, Carnival, and 
Reve d’Or we have all golden seifs, very bright and 
effective ; in Hamlet, Belzebuth, Louis Van Houtte, 
Touissant Louverture, and Star of the North we have 
flowers of a deep velvety crimson hue; the remainder are 
combinations of scarlet, orange and gold, while in some 
the marblings are very remarkable. For instance, Wm. 
Rollisson has mahogany-coloured blossoms suffused 
with orange, Mars is a reddish chestnut, Jupiter glow¬ 
ing crimson, Dr. Andre gold suffused with vermilion, 
Jane Salter orange and scarlet, Victor Lemoine bright 
vermilion, Madame Rouillard rich scarlet amber shaded, 
and so on, while Versicolor as a flaked variety stands 
out alone. The varieties at present are anything but 
numerous, for the simple reason that improvements 
upon existing kinds among seedlings are rare, and one 
might raise hundreds without producing anything 
superior—at least, such is my experience. Still, the 
desire for improvement is great, and as it cannot be 
had without a deal of patience and work, we cannot do 
better than work and -wait.— J. 
-- 
“DISTINCTNESS.” 
The difficulties presented to judges at flower shows 
too often arise from the haziness -which encircles the 
terms “kind” and “variety.” Most certainly these 
should not be regarded as identical in meaning, and 
before schedules are framed, the real meaning of each 
term should be thoroughly understood and made clear. 
Now “kind” signifies family or species, which is, per¬ 
haps, more restricted. As, for instance, all Peas may 
be of one family, but everlasting, sweet, and edible 
Peas, are of distinct species ; and here we are led to the 
subject of distinction in vegetables for instance. 
Thus of Peas or Potatos we are satisfied if the schedules 
asked for so many dishes of either, “ distinct,” because 
no two dishes must be of the same variety, and the 
addition of the'term “varieties” seems superfluous, 
although still correct. But -when we come to a col¬ 
lection of vegetables, “distinct kinds,” or, perhaps, 
worded “twelve kinds of vegetables,” we know at once 
that it signifies actual distinctness of kind, and not of 
variety, so that no two dishes of any one kind, whether 
Peas, Potatos, Cucumbers, Cabbages, &e., are ad- 
missable. 
We find the same simplicity may be found in the case 
of fruits, by the interposition of the descriptive term 
where needed. Thus a collection of “twelve kinds of 
fruits” could not include two dishes of Grapes or Melons, 
or indeed of anything else. On the other hand, if 
simply put twelve dishes of fruits, distinct, the fullest 
liberty is given to the exhibitor, because diverse varieties 
even of the same kind are held to be distinct. In 
Grapes, for instance, there is a sort of captious ad¬ 
mission that -white and black Grapes are distinct, though 
really diverse coloured varieties of one kind of fruit, and 
yet there is otherwise, perhaps, less difference between a 
Black Hamburgh, and a Foster’s Seedling, than there is 
between the former and Madresfield Court, or between 
Foster’s Seedling and Muscat of Alexandria. In asking 
for collections of fruit, therefore, it is as unfair to ad¬ 
mit white and blade Grapes into it as distinct, as to 
admit white and purple Potatos into a collection of 
vegetables, unless such admissions are specially stipu¬ 
lated for. Wherever collections of twelve dishes of 
vegetables or fruits are invited, and it is felt that ab¬ 
solutely distinct kinds cannot be furnished, then it 
should be stipulated that not less than eight distinct 
kinds should be exhibited, and that would prevent 
much duplication of kinds. 
In the case of cut flowers, it should always be easy to 
understand what “kinds” mean, and that varieties of 
the same kind are excluded. As, for instance, two 
varieties of Roses, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums (the zonal 
and show varieties being held as distinct kinds), Alla- 
mandas, Ixoras, &c., should not be admissable. The 
class for “twelve bunches of cut flowers” may give 
trouble to judges, simply because the wording of the 
class is indefinite. If the wording ran “twelve kinds 
of cut flowers in bunches,” there could be no doubt as 
to the meaning, even if the word distinct be not added, 
because when twelve kinds are specified, distinctness is 
obvious. “ B. L. ’s” representation as to what he would 
do with cut Roses amongst stove and greenhouse 
flowers, seems hardly fair, as the flowers may have been 
gathered in a Rose house. Would he apply such a law 
to Clematises for instance, which are hardy plants, 
and yet very commonly grown as greenhouse plants 
also % I feel that every difficulty arising at shows in the 
matter of descriptions, might be surmounted if com¬ 
mittees would adopt some simple and common sense 
wording, and carefully draw their classes, so that ab¬ 
solutely what was desired should be secured.— A. D. 
FRUITS, FLO WERS & V EGETABLES. 
Exhibiting Pansies.— An original subscriber to 
your journal, and an admirer of the sound sense of your 
articles, I am anxious to enlist your assistance in a 
matter of small importance to most of your readers, but 
still of sufficient interest to a few. To make a long 
story short, I want to secure your services in bringing 
the public, and more especially judges at provincial 
shows, to see that the manipulation of flowers by ex¬ 
hibitors, detracts rather than adds to their beauty ; and, 
if possible, to get these latter to discountenance such 
manipulations. I have in my mind’s eye, more es¬ 
pecially, the torture to which the fancy Pansy is 
subjected. The Pansy has been called the poor man’s 
flower, not because of its meekness when subjected to 
cruelty, but because of its price being within the range of 
the poorest, and for this very reason I should like to see 
it shown in its native simplicity and beauty. Whether 
in the garden of the rich or poor, the Pansy offers an 
example of the combination of colours in nature, which 
must always be interesting to the aesthetic eye. Now 
sir ! to see this beautiful flower in its natural state, 
growing as nature intended, and to see it in the show 
stand in its stiff and formal starch, is, indeed, a down- 
come to be compared to nothing but the difference 
between natural and artificial flowers. The florist may 
be right, and I believe he is right in striving to attain 
an ideal in the shape and colouring of his flower, but 
surely a judge should discriminate between rvhat is 
natural and what is artificial, and should not adjudicate 
when obviously the merit lay not in the flower, but in 
the manual dexterity shown by the exhibitor. I do not 
refer to the arrangement of the flowers in the stand, as 
to colour, but to the screwing, twisting, and pinning, 
to which the petals are subjected. A Pansy in its 
natural condition rarely has the under petal recurved, 
but, still, look as you may in a show and you will fail 
to discern it otherwise, and so with the other petals, all 
are turned back, turned in, or trimmed and made to 
look as artificial as possible. To add to the absurdity, 
circular pieces of white paper, plain in edge or scalloped, 
according to the fancy of the exhibitor, are placed under 
the blooms by way of a set off. Fancy a Rose with a 
paper collar on !— Wm. Hy. Murray. [Our sympathies 
are entirely with our correspondent, but we know from 
experience that constant protesting against established 
customs, however objectionable they may be, is very 
thankless work. However, we shall continue to direct 
attention to such matters as opportunity offers.— Ed.] 
Own Root Roses. —- Your correspondent 
“Scolytus,” page 711, very properly observes, “Now' 
is the time to go among Roses and observe results.” I 
never lose an opportunity of doing so, both among my 
own and in neighbouring gardens. One of the things 
to compare is Roses, say, on briars and on their own 
roots. In so far as my experience goes, and it is pretty 
wide, Roses on their own roots w T ill be in great demand 
in the future. In size, vigour, and quantity, not to 
mention durability, they are much the best. I am 
constantly asked what do I think prevents a standard 
from flowering freely, or why is it sickly-looking, or 
why is it dying ? A look shows that the stock had 
probably seen twenty summers before the bud w r as in¬ 
serted, and if you pull it up you find hardly a root. 
This I have noticed repeatedly. I hope before October 
to tell you fully how I succeed in propagating cuttings 
in the open air w’ithout difficulty. — TV. J. Murphy, 
Clonmel. 
Pabiana imbricata.— We usually associate this 
charming plant with the conservatory, where it is oc¬ 
casionally seen growing. It, however, has been our 
good fortune to see it flowering m profusion on a south 
wall in Messrs. "W. P. Laird & Sinclair’s nursery at 
Monifieth, where it had been planted out about ten 
years, fully exposed to the blast from the German 
Ocean, quite unprotected and uninjured. It now covers 
a space of 6 ft. by 4 ft., and is absolutely clothed with 
spikes of pure white flow'ers, 18 ins. in length, like 
sprays of Cape Heath. We should think this planted 
alternately with Ceanothus in a more favourable situ¬ 
ation would give a most chaste effect. It is a plant 
that cannot be too highly recommended, and a nook 
should be found for it in every garden.— G. 
Table Decorations.—I see you give an article 
on “ Table Decorations ” in your last number. It may 
be of interest to some of your readers in connection 
with said article, and with that on “short stems” to 
know that a Very effective way of dealing with short¬ 
stemmed flowers is to make use of a common soup 
plate with a small upright specimen glass in the middle 
of the same. With a foundation of Ferns or Tansy 
leaves to cover the edges of the plate, and to hold 
up the flowers, a very handsome show can be made.—= 
Puzzled. 
New Peas.—In the vegetable section of the show 
held at South Kensington, on Tuesday, Messrs. James 
Carter & Co. exhibited samples of no less than eighty 
varieties of Peas, and though of necessity some of them 
were approaching the ripening stage, and others had 
but comparatively recently “started,” the collection 
created a considerable amount of interest among those 
desirous of making comparisons. Among the varieties 
thus exhibited were two unnamed seedlings, which 
seem to us to be most desirable acquisitions, and which 
anyone can see growing at the Forest Hill Nursery. 
The first belongs to the same type as Telegraph and 
Telephone, but in the colour of the foliage and the 
Peas is of a darker hue, while the pods are fuller and 
the flavour better, which is saying a good deal, for 
Telephone especially is very hard to treat. But an 
even milder and more delicious variety than either of 
the above is a seedling from Best of All and Telephone, 
which, in appearance, comes nearest to Fillbasket, but 
is of a different colour and sweeter. It grows about 
4 ft. high, crops right up the haulm, and the pods are 
a little scimitar shaped. This may not be sent out for 
a year or two, but it will be worth bearing in mind. 
Pansies.—Ophelia told us that Pansies “ are for 
thoughts. ” The lovely flowers have served for thoughts 
in many ways. Yery pretty thoughts are expressed in 
the following lines, sent with a basket of these flowers 
to Frederick Fraley, one of Philadelphia’s honored 
citizens, on entering his eighty-second birthday, by the 
Rev. Jessy Y. Burk : 
“Pansies to 82 1 
A tribute strange— 
But stranger still, such opportunity. 
Of most of human kind the heart is dust, 
Its tumult stilled, its passions all at rest, 
Long ere such venerable years are gained. 
Some linger on a vegetative life, 
In circles ever wider from the heart, 
That slowly dies to all the outer world 
And finds inglorious ease in selfishness. 
But thou, 0 friend, in whom the living heart 
Is most alive—to thee Heartsease I bring—- 
A fitting tribute to the peace it holds, 
Heartsease in retrospect—these purple hues 
A token of the toils ands orrows past 
That only chastened—did not spoil the life ; 
These sky-like blues, ail emblem of to day, 
Serene and calm, when all is well with thee, 
And life is fragrant with the autumn fruits 
Now ripened to the full ; these golden tints 
A symbol of the light in that fair land 
Not far off now, where fuller heart’s ease blooms. 
And so I bring 
Pansies to 82 ! ” 
— Gardeners' Monthly. 
The Late Me. Sargeson, whose demise was noted 
in your last, was born at Coniston, Windermere, in the 
early part of this century, and his father was steward 
and bailiff for over forty years to Lord Wrottesley, near 
Wolverhampton. Where Mr. Sargeson served his time 
I do not know, but he was for some time in the nur¬ 
series of the late Mr. Knight, at Chelsea (now Messrs. 
Yeitch’s), and from there he went to Newland Park, 
Normanton, Yorkshire, where he lived for twelve years, 
and on the death of Sir Steward Dodsworth he entered 
the service of Sir Thomas De Trafford as gardener at 
Trafford Park, where, after forty-four years service, he 
died, aged eighty years. So highly was he esteemed by the 
De Trafford family, that he was provided in his old age 
with every comfort, and two men were always at hand 
to wheel him about the park and through the gardens 
he loved so -well. Before interment, the coffin was 
placed upon a bier in the entrance hall of Trafford Hall, 
and Lady Annette De Trafford herself placed the first 
of many beautiful wreaths upon it. Sir Humphrey 
Francis De Trafford, Bart., followed the faithful servant 
to his grave, and the churchyard at Barton was filled 
with sorrowing friends.— N. J. D. 
Peofitable Gardening.—I have a heated span- 
roofed house, 60 ft. long and 11 ft. wide, and am 
located fifty miles from London and eight miles from 
a railway station. What can I plant it with that 
would be easy of culture and yield the best return ?— 
E. TV., Essex. 
