780 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 8, 1891. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Seasonable Notes on some Florists’ Flowers. 
Auriculas. 
The Auricula having reached a stage which may be 
described as intermediate between its two stages of 
growth, though the summer movement generally 
commences early in July, needs to be well looked 
after in reference to two important matters—cleanli¬ 
ness and watering. It is when the plants are practi¬ 
cally dormant during the summer season that they 
appear most liable to attack by green fly. I find the 
new tobacco sheets a good fumigating material, but 
care must be taken they are not too dry or they will 
burst into flame. They can be lighted atone end and 
stood in a flower pot and allowed to burn. I cannot 
too strongly impress upon growers of Auriculas the 
necessity for looking closely after their plants at this 
season of the year ; if neglected, they go back very fast, 
good plants will rapidly fall away into small ones if 
uncared for. A few days since a grower of the Auricula 
complained to me that his plants were looking very 
bad. I asked him if he had repotted them, and he 
said, no, they were placed in a cold frame, and left 
pretty much to themselves, and had rapidly deterio¬ 
rated. Early potting in suitable soil, and careful 
attention during summer, will keep the plants strong 
and healthy. 
Carnations and Picotees. 
These plants are so late in blooming this year that 
much of what is done in July in ordinary seasons has 
to be performed in August. Showers of rain followed 
by bright sunshine have materially helped the 
development of flower. A little weak manure water 
judiciously applied will be found of great advantage. 
As a matter of course, I am treating of plants being 
grown in pots. The buds, just as they are on the point 
of bursting, should have a piece of raffia or matting 
tied round them, and if flowers are required for exhibi¬ 
tion, or a few good blooms for any other purpose, they 
should be protected as soon as they have opened, and 
cards placed against them as soon as the guard petals 
have dropped. Cleanliness is all important, and it can 
be laid down as a golden rule in relation to Carnation 
culture, that the more clean and healthy the plants 
are in a young state, the less thrip is there to contend 
with in the blossoms. Thrip will find their way inside 
the unexpanded buds and do them material injury. 
Carnations in the open ground are nicely in bloom ; 
and as the general character of the plants is towards 
profusion in bloom, it is necessary in order to have 
them large and handsome to thin out some of 
the buds. 
Layering should be proceeded with at once, or as 
soon as the grass is matured. Plants in the open 
ground should be first layered, as they require longer 
time in which to root, and the plants in pots after¬ 
wards. If there are too many shoots to layer make 
pipings of them, and treat them as Pinks. 
Dahlias. 
Like many other things Dahlias are quite late, and 
those who make a point of exhibiting during the 
second and third weeks in August will need to give 
all help possible to the plants, in order to have them 
in bloom by the time. During dry weather sprink¬ 
lings over head are of great advantage, and a good 
watering at the roots when necessary. Mulching with 
partly-decomposed dung is very helpful, keeping the 
soil about the roots cool and moist, as well as acting 
as a fertilizer. Black fly now, and earwigs a little later, 
are often very troublesome. The best thing to do in 
the case of the former is to keep the plant growing 
as fast as possible, and for the latter, trap them 
with inverted flower pots. The grower for exhibition 
should not be in too much of a hurry to thin and 
disbud the shoots, at any rate doing it sparingly at 
first, leaving a considerable number of buds on the 
largest varieties. The side shoots should be tied out 
as soon as they are sufficiently long. 
Hollyhocks 
Will soon be in the full glow of their summer beauty. 
I need scarcely state the spikes of blossom should be 
firmly secured against wind ; and if a few inches of 
the tops of the spike be removed, it will operate to 
throw enlarged size into the blossoms ; water plenti¬ 
fully and mulch well if fine blossoms and spikes are 
required. But the Hollyhock is a past rather than 
a present exhibition flower, and I cannot but help 
regretting that the noble spikes of Hollyhocks 
formerly seen at the late August and early September 
shows are no longer forthcoming. 
Pansies 
In the South have reached a stage when they are 
beginning to feel the eflects of the August summer 
weather, and plants are apt to die off rapidly. Hence 
the importance of taking cuttings of fine varieties as 
early in the season as possible. The plants that are 
still doing well can be preserved in health by looking 
well after them in the matter of water, and by top dress¬ 
ing with fine rich soil ; the latter encourages the putting 
up of young growths that furnishes cuttings, and 
these can be put in any cool shaded spot under a bell 
or hand glass, taking care they are not thrust up out 
of the soil by worms. A little seed should be taken 
from the best varieties for own sowing. Beds of seed¬ 
lings should be gone over, and all inferior varieties 
removed. A good thing in a garden takes no more 
room than a bad one, and it is wise therefore to grow 
something good. Put in cuttings of any promising 
seedlings, and top dress as before recommended. In 
the cooler and moister districts of the North, Pansies 
hold on much longer than in the South, but the 
afore-mentioned directions are as applicable to one 
locality as to the other. Rooted cuttings taken in 
the spring should be planted out in nursery beds, 
doing it during cool showery weather. It is better in 
the South to wait for this than to plant out in hot 
dry weather and run the risk of losses. 
Show and Fancy Pelargoniums. 
This is the season of the year when in nurseries the 
work of propagation is proceeding apace ; indeed the 
plants that bloomed in May were cut down and 
cuttings made early in July. It is good practice to 
place the pots out of doors as soon as the bloom is 
over for the purpose of ripening the wood, as better 
cuttings are thereby obtained. The earliest cut- 
down plants are those that should be grown on for 
early flowering next season. The usual rule is to cut 
them down, and, as soon as they show signs of 
putting forth fresh shoots, to shake all the soil from 
the roots, repot in a fresh compost, and then place 
them in a frame near the glass, keeping them close 
for a time and shading from the sun. Cuttings strike 
readily in a light sandy compost, and they do best 
put in pots and then stood in a frame or under a 
hand light. When sufficiently rooted, pot oft singly 
into small pots, and grow on as fast as possible. 
Pinks. 
All piping should be finished without delay ; indeed 
in an ordinary season the early days of August 
should see the pipings rooted and almost ready to 
plant out in the open. A late bloom means late 
piping, but no further delay should take place in 
getting the cuttings inserted. I have placed mine in 
large well-drained pots, covered them with bell 
glasses, and placed them in a shady place. A bed 
should be prepared for planting out the pipings when 
ready for removal. Advantage should be taken of a 
fine day following rain to do this, as the young plants 
do not like being saturated with wet immediately 
after being planted. 
Zinnias. 
If any flower may be said to have raised itself dur¬ 
ing the past few years into the dignity of a florists’ 
flower, it is the Zinnia. In many parts of the 
country they are finely grown and bloomed for 
exhibition, and they are most effective when showm 
with about six inches of stem and leaves. To 
have fine Zinnias the plants should be mulched and 
watered, and the buds thinned out somewhat. Large 
in size, handsome in shape, varied and brilliant in 
colour, the Zinnia is a fine subject well worthy the 
best attention.— R.D. 
Oxford Union Carnation and Picotee Show. 
The sixth annual gathering of florists interested in 
the cultivation of the Carnation and Picotee, and 
supporters of the Oxford Union, which took place in 
Mr. Dodwell’s most interesting garden on Tuesday, 
attracted a greater number of visitors than ever, 
notwithstanding the variable character of the 
weather, which was exceedingly wet in the morning, 
showery in the evening, and cool all day—so unlike 
the brilliant summer weather usually enjoyed at this 
pleasant annual gathering. The exhibition was a 
singularly good one, in fact, a surprise to all, con¬ 
sidering the limited number of growers who were 
in the fortunate position of having open blooms to 
cut. It was a southern and south midland growers' 
day, but very few blooms coming from the Birming¬ 
ham district, none from Lancashire, and perhaps 
not a dozen all told from Yorkshire. Mr. Dodwell's 
gardener was fortunate in hitting the day exactly 
and in having a grand lot of blooms to stage, so that 
closely as he was run by Mr. M. Rowan, of Clapham, he 
secured most of the leading awards in the classes for 
other than single blooms. Rare quality distinguished 
the Show throughout, and especially in the Picotee 
classes; and Mr. Turner sent two boxes of novelties 
which were a prime attraction, and several of which 
were awarded Certificates. The Show was also grace! 
by the presence of a beautiful collection of Violas, 
and Show and Fancy Pansies from the Nursery of 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay. In the after¬ 
noon a large company sat down to the usual luncheon 
—such a pleasant social feature of the day’s pro¬ 
ceedings—Mr. Dodwell presiding in the absence of 
the President, Mr. Barlow. After the usual loyal 
toast, Mr. Ranger Johnson proposed “ The Judges," 
which was acknowledged by Mr. W. M. Hewitt, of 
Chesterfield ; Mr. W. Dean gave “ The Exhibitors," 
which was responded to by Mr. Dodwell; Mr. 
Thomas, M.A., proposed "The Horticultural and 
Local Press,” to which Mr. George Gordon and Mr. 
Rippon responded; other toasts followed, including 
“ The Carnation and Picotee Union," proposed by 
Mr. R. Dean; and “The Chairman,” which was 
enthusiastically received, Mr. Dodwell being heartily 
congratulated on his fairly good health, considering 
his many bodily infirmities. We append the prize 
list :— 
Twelve Carnations, dissimilar : first, Mr. W. Reed, 
gardener to Mr. Dodwell, withJW. Bacon, Sybil, Dr. 
Symonds, Squire Potts, Gordon Lewis, Master Fred, 
George Melville, Mrs. May, Thalia, Squire 
Whitbourn, Mrs. Bacon, and a seedling ; second, Mr. 
M. Rowan: third, Mr. C. Phillips, Reading; fourth, 
Mr. I. Lakin, Temple Cowley; fifth, Mr. R. Syden¬ 
ham, Birmingham ; sixth, Mr. G. Chaundy, Oxford ; 
seventh, Mr. J. Walker, Thame; eighth, Mr. R. Vesey, 
Clapham. Six Carnations, dissimilar: first, Mr. T. 
J. Keen, with William Skirving, Matador, James 
Douglas, Rifleman, Robert Houlgrave, and Lovely 
Mary; second, Mr. F. Nutt; third, Mr. W. L. Walker, 
Reading; fourth, Messrs. Thomson & Co., Birming¬ 
ham ; fifth, Mr. T. Anstiss, Brill ; sixth, Mr. W. 
Bacon, Derby ; seventh, Mr. F. Hooper, Bath. 
Twelve Picotees, dissimilar : first, Mr. Reed, with 
Norman Carr, heavy red, Favourite, Gertrude, 
Amelia, Chaundy's 271, Novelty, Imogene, Mrs. 
Payne, Little Phil, John Smith, Mrs. Coldridge, and 
Mrs. Sharp; second, Mr. M. Rowan; third, Mr. J. 
Lakin; fourth, Mr. J. Walker; fifth, Mr. G. 
Chaundy; sixth, Mr. C. Phillips; seventh, Mr, T. 
Anstiss. Six Picotees, dissimilar: first, Messrs, 
Thomson & Co. ; second, Mr. W. Bacon ; third, Mr, 
W. L. Walker ; fourth, Mr. T. J. Keen ; fifth, Mr, F. 
Hooper; sixth, Mr. Nutt; seventh, Mr. J. Rubbeck; 
eighth, Mr. John Payne. 
Twelve seifs, Francies or Yellow Grounds: first, 
Mr. M. Rowan, with Purple Emperor, Germania, 
Lady Agnes, Maestro, Gladys. Janira, Joe Willett, 
Emmie, Lady Vernon Harcourt, and three seedlings; 
second, Mr. W. Reed; third, Mr. G. Chaundy; 
fourth, Mr. T. Walker ; fifth, Mr. T. Anstiss ; sixth, 
Mr. C. Phillips; seventh, Mr. R. Vesey. Six 
blooms, distinct: first, Mr. F. Nutt, with Germania, 
Gladys, Rob Roy, Annie Lakin, Theodor (Benary), 
and Joe Willett; second, Mr. W. L. Walker ; third 
Messrs. Thomson & Co.; fourth, Mr. J. Rebbeck; 
fifth, Mr. J. J. Keen; sixth, Mr. A. R. Brown, 
Birmingham ; seventh, Mr. W. Bacon. 
Yellow grounds: six Kilmurray seedlings : first, 
Mr. Reed, with Tournament, Alfred Gray, Nancy, 
Gyle’s No. 4, Rachel, and Nora ; second, Mr. G. 
Chaundy ; third, Mr. Nutt; fourth, Mr. W. Bacon ; 
fifth, Mr. T. Anstiss. Six blooms, any raisers: 
first, Mr. W. Reed, with Tournament, Alfred Gray, 
Stradrath Bail (Benary), Patricia, and a seedling ; 
second, Mr. Chaundy; third, Mr. Keen; fourth, 
Mr. Nutt ; fifth, Mr. Hooper ; sixth, Mr. Phillips ; 
seventh, Mr. T. Anstiss. 
The Premier blooms were:—Bizarre or Flake 
Carnation, George Melville (Mr. Rowan); Picotee, 
Mrs. Payne (Mr. Reed); Fancy Carnation, Dodwell’s 
Seedling 896 (Mr. Reed). Pressure on our space 
compels us to omit the awards in the Single Classes, 
and notes on the certificated blooms, until next week,' 
