812 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 22, 1891. 
FLiOf?ICULTUf?E. 
Seasonable Notes on some Florists’ Flowers. 
One of our poets writes:—"August hail! fruitful, 
serene and calm.” Let us hope it will be so, and 
some hot dry summer weather reward the florist for 
all the anxiety and labour he has experienced and 
undergone during one of the most untoward seasons 
upon record. 
Auriculas. 
These are now putting on their autumn growth, and 
young stock that have become pot-bound should be 
shifted into larger pots, simply removing the drain¬ 
age and any of the loose surface soil, but not 
reducing the ball. Repot with a good soil, and do 
not allow the plants to suffer from want of moisture, 
and do not let any grower neglect in any way his old 
plants, for they need as close attention now as at any 
period of the year. It appears like repeating an old 
formula, but it is important to the well-being of the 
plants at this season of the year that they be kept 
scrupuously clean, free from dead foliage, insects, 
and on no account suffer for want of water. Young 
plants in store pots may now be potted off singly into 
small pots to grow into size to flower in spring. 
Calceolarias. 
Those who sow early, say in the month of May, 
should now have nice young plants in small pots, and 
by the end of September they can be in large 6o’s. 
Some growers push on their plants in heat, but I 
cannot think it a good practice as they cannot be 
grown too cool and sturdy at this season of the year. 
They do best in a frame on a cinder-ash bottom; 
they should be as near the glass as possible, but kept 
shaded from the sun, be well looked after in the 
matter of water, and kept free from green fly. Give 
plenty of air, and so long as a temperature of from 
45° t0 55° can be maintained, by all means dispense 
with fire heat. 
Carnations and Picotees. 
Refer to the article headed “Carnation Layering" 
in the Gardening World of last week. Layers 
already put down in pots should be sprinkled as 
required as the surface becomes dry. Now that fine, 
drying weather appears probable, layering both in 
pots and the open should be proceeded with without 
delay. I am afraid the seed time will be a very poor 
one, as so little ripened pollen has been seen 
Cinerareas. 
Seedling plants of these from early sowings and 
well-established in pots may be placed in the open 
for a time, as it causes them to become sturdy and 
robust by autumn. Mildew is a common occurrence 
at this season of the year, and appears to be caused 
by insufficient ventilation, or when the plants have 
been left too long in one place or too near each 
other. All these result in a certain amount of 
weakness, and weakness seems to. invite attacks. 
On the first appearance of mildew the foliage and 
surface of the soil should be dusted with sulphur and 
great care be taken that the plants be not sprinkled 
overhead so long as the mildew exists. Green fly is 
frequently troublesome at this season of the year, 
but can be got rid of by fumigating ; it is, however, 
a process requiring to be done with great care, as 
the leaves are liable to be scorched. 
Dahlias. 
The Dahlias are now throwing fine blooms and our 
old friend Mr. Thomas Hobbs, of Bristol, was in 
good form in the amateurs and open classes, at the 
shows held last week at Cardiff and Taunton. I 
need not scarcely state that if good exhibition flow¬ 
ers are required, all mis-shapen buds should be 
removed ; selecting only the best formed buds to pro¬ 
duce blooms. But whether the plants be required for 
exhibition or decorative purposes merely the branches 
should be kept well tied out to admit of air and light 
circulating among them, and in reference to exhibi¬ 
tion blooms be shaded some days before they are 
required, and hard shading is frequently required in 
the case of light ground tipped varieites, as when 
exposed to sun and air the colour is often heavy and 
ill-defined. Thrip is often troublesome, infesting and 
damaging the buds : to prevent this nuisance, bags 
should be placed over them until they show colour, 
and be taken off again three or four days before the 
show is held. If dry weather sets in the plants 
should not be allowed to suffer for want of water. 
Pansies. 
Pansies are fast giving out, but every encourage¬ 
ment should be given to plants of good varieties to 
throw up growths from the centre, out of which to 
make cuttings. They can be put in a bed of light 
sandy soil under an ordinary hand light, or in small 
patches under bell glasses, as a rule the small thin 
growths make the best cuttings, the shoots of strong 
growth are often hollow in the wood, and do not 
strike readily. Late sown seedlings can be 
planted out in beds to flower in autumn and again in 
spring, and rooted cuttings may be planted out in 
the early part of September, or when showery 
weather prevails. 
Pelargoniums. 
Old speciman plants that bloomed early—say in 
May and June, and which have stood out in the open 
to ripen their wood, may now be cut back, and the 
wood made into cuttings. The plants should be placed 
in a dry airy part of the greenhouse, allowing them 
but a scanty supply of water until they have broken 
into growth ; and then all the soil should be shaken 
from the roots, the latter trimmed and then repotted 
in as small pots as possible, placing them where they 
can be kept close for a few days ; and when they 
show signs of growth have more air given them. 
Pinks. 
Rooted pipings can now be planted out in well- 
prepared nursery beds in order to grow into size, any 
remaining grass required for stock had better be 
layered ; it is an operation requiring to be done with 
great care as the wood is too small and thin, and the 
cut should be made with the greatest care. If late 
pipings are taken, they should have a little bottom 
heat to assist in the formation of roots. 
Polyanthuses. 
Plants of the named gold-laced varieties that were 
divided in May, and planted out on a shady border 
have done well as I have seen in several instances ; 
the cool moist summer has greatly helped them. If 
hot dry sunny weather should set in, red spider is 
likely to attack them, and they should be well looked 
after in the matter of water and top dressing so as to 
encourage them to make a free growth, and so be 
strong and well-furnished, with leaves for potting up 
at the end of September or early in October. 
Seedlings can be planted out for flowering in the 
spring. 
Zinnias. 
The ,double varieties of these have been so improved 
of late years in the matter of size, colour, and form 
that they are well worthy the attention of the florists. 
At almost every flower show held at the end of 
August or early in September Zinnias find a place in 
almost every schedule of prizes, and very fine 
blooms are shown. To have fine blooms it is neces¬ 
sary the plants be in good soil and well cultivated, 
and the flower buds thinned out a bit. As the stems 
are stout and strong the flowers do not require sup¬ 
porting as in the case of other flowers with weak 
stems ; and I prefer to see Zinnias shown on ordinary 
show boards with something like from four to six 
inches of leaves. They are much more effective 
than when placed low down on the show boards like 
Dahlias.— R. D, 
The Manchester Carnation and Picotee 
Exhibition. 
The Annual Exhibition of the northern section of 
the National Society took place on Saturday, the 
15th inst., in the Botanic Garden, Old Trafford, and 
there was a better display of blooms than last year, 
and of better quality. The Lancashire and York¬ 
shire growers were not at their best evidently, whilst 
the southern growers were past their best. In the 
class for twelve Carnations, dissimilar ; Mr. T. Lord, 
Todmorden, was first, with an excellent stand of 
flowers, consisting of Master Fred, Sarah Payne, 
Gordon Lewis, J. D. Hextall, Master Stanley, \Vm. 
Skirving, Sybil, Robert Houlgrave, Richard Beeley, 
Admiral Curzon, Mayor of Nottingham, and Henry 
Canned. Second, Messrs Thomson & Co., Birming¬ 
ham ; third, Mr. H. Geggie ; fourth, Mr. J. Lakin. 
For twelve Picotees, dissimilar ; Messrs. Thomson 
& Co., came in first with John Smith, Becky Sharp. 
Gertrude, Little Phil, Zerlina, Thomas William, 
Mrs. Sharp, Favourite, Companion, Seedling, Mrs. 
Payne, and Brunette, a very fine stand of blooms. 
Second, Mr. T. Lord : third, Mr. Joseph Lakin. In 
the class for twelve Carnations not less than nine 
varieties ; Mr. George Chaundy, Oxford, was first, 
with Seedlings; second, lV£r. J. Whitham, Hebden 
Bridge ; third, Mr. A. R. Brown, Birmingham; 
fourth, Mr. Samuel Barlow, Stake Hill. 
In the class for twelve Picotees, not less than nine 
varieties; Mr. A. R. Brown took first honours with 
Becky Sharp, Lady Holmsdale, Clara Penson, 
Constance Heron, Campanini, Brunette (2 blooms), 
Norman Carr, Favorite, Thomas William, and Mr. 
Rudd; second, Mr. George Chaundy; third, Mr. J. 
Whitham; fourth, Mr. E. Shaw; fifth, Mr. W. 
Bacon, Derby. For six Picotees, dissimilar ; First, 
Mr. A. W. Jones, with excellent blooms of Brunette, 
Mrs. Payne, Muriel, Thomas William, Edith 
Dombrain, and Zerlina ; second, Mr. J. Edwards ; 
third, Mr. J. Blackley; fourth, Mr. J. P. Sharp, 
Birmingham; fifth, Mr. J. Beswick. In the class 
for twelve seifs, not more than two blooms of any 
one variety; Mr. G. Chaundy was first with 
Germania and Seedlings ; second, Mr. R. Sydenham, 
Birmingham; third, Mr. J. Edwards; fourth, Mr. 
A. R. Brown. For six Selfs; First, Mr. A. W. 
Jones; second, Messrs. Thomson & Co. For 
twelve Carnations, florists’ varieties and seifs ex¬ 
cluded ; Messrs. Thomson & Co. came in first with a 
very fine lot of blooms of fancy varieties, viz : A. W. 
Jones (2), Schleiben, Dodwells 167, Esmarch, 
Stadrath Bail, very fine ; Terra Cotta, Dodwell's 
166, Von Helonholtz, Agnes Chambers, Lady 
Edwards, and a fine seedling yellow ground; second, 
Mr. G. Chaundy; third, Mr. S. Barlow. For six 
fancy Carnations; First, Mr. A. W. Jones; second, 
Mr. J. Lakin; third, Mr. S. Barlow; fourth, Mr. 
A. R. Brown. 
In the six classes for Single Blooms Mr. Lord was 
first in each of thefour classes, S.B., C.B., P. & P.B., 
and S.F., and Messrs. Thomson first in Rose Flakes, 
with their fine new seedling, Robert Thomson ; and 
Mr. George Chaundy, first in Purple Flakes, with 
Young Meynell. The six classes for Picotees, single 
blooms, were also well filled, with Messrs. Thomson 
first in one class; Mr. A. W. Jones, first in three 
classes ; and Mr. Lord first in two classes. The 
premiers were :—Carnation : Master Fred, shown 
by Mr. Lord ; and Picotee : Mrs. Payne, exhibited 
by Mr. A. W. Jones. Certificates were awarded to 
Mr. Charles Turner, for new fancy Picotees, Countess 
of Jersey, Romulas, Victory, Mrs. Henwood, and 
Mrs. Walford; to self Carnations, Salamander, and 
King of Scarlets; to Carnation, R. F. Lady Mary 
Currie; and Picotee, Mrs. Harford; to Messrs. 
Thomson & Co., Birmingham, for their new fancy 
Picotee, A. W. Jones ; self Carnation, Blushing 
Bride, and Robert Thomson, R.F. : to Mr. J. P. 
Sharpe, Birmingham, for seedling Picotees, Edith, 
a very fine light purple edge; and Heroine, heavy 
rose edge. 
VIOLAS IN TOWN 
GARDENS. 
As a regular subscriber to The Gardening World I 
have read with much interest the several papers on 
the Viola from various cultivators, as this plant is an 
especial favourite of mine and I have quite 300 plants 
in bloom in my little garden, which is the envy of 
many of my friends and neighbours. Mine is 
thoroughly a town garden, for it is situated at the 
back of my residence within a mile of the Birming¬ 
ham Market Hall, and close by the Camp Hill 
Station of the Midland Railway. I am in the midst 
of a closely populated district, and my garden is 
about 20 yds. long, and 6 yds. wide, so that I have 
not much room for growing aught but Violas and a 
few other plants; but I depend very much upon 
Violas for my early display, and with such a season 
as this they are still in full bloom. 
A centre bed about 5 ft. wide runs nearly the length 
of the garden, and is margined with Countess i 
Hopetoun, White, and True Blue, planted alterna¬ 
tively, both of dwarf growth. Then I have other 
sorts in masses of colour, Ardwell Gem, pale yellow ; 
and Bullion, and Yellow Boy, both deeper-colourecj 
yellows. The Mearns, rich rosy-purple, with lighp 
