328 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 24, 1891. 
S^OSJldUWS}!*. 
Pansies and Pinks. 
Under this heading, Mr. Ranger Johnson in last week’s 
Gardening World discourses pleasantly, hut not too 
wisely, in reference to Pansies. With regard to Pinks, 
an opportunity will be afforded the Midlanders of 
seeing what is being done by Pink-growers at the next 
Great Summer Show at Wolverhampton, when a goodly 
amount of prizes will be offered specially for Pinks, and 
may I be there to see ! With regard to Pansies, Mr. 
Johnson remarks that it is long years since he con¬ 
trasted English with Scotch Pansies at South Kensing¬ 
ton, and he can only recollect one instance of the 
northerners beating the southerners for fancy Pansies. 
That may be so, for until very lately, I think, the 
Scotch growers did not take such long journeys with 
their flowers. An excellent opportunity will be 
offered to the southern raisers, at the great meeting of 
the Midland Pansy Society at Birmingham in June 
next, of bringing their best kinds, and letting us mid¬ 
landers and northerners see what is being done ; per 
contra, the southern men will have ample opportunity 
of seeing what the crack flowers of the northern men 
are, for the flowers will be there in great numbers 
both from midland growers and the Scotch growers 
also. 
Now, Mr. Johnson is going a little too far in assert¬ 
ing that “yet for variety, size, form, and colour too, 
when in their prime, I hold they put all the Scots 
(varieties) in the shade.” Well, the proof of the 
pudding is in the eating. I boldly assert that the 
northerners will hold their own, but all the talking 
and writing we can accomplish will, not settle this 
debatable question. Let us have friendly rivalry at 
Birmingham, and then honourably give the praise to 
the victor. 
Mr. Johnson seems to hit the nail on the head in 
saying that “ Of late years I have had few opportunities 
of seeing any Scottish Pansies, and that I tried to grow 
a few last year.” As this statement seems to account 
for his opinions, I hope Mr. Johnson will pay our Pansy 
show a visit, as he will be welcomed, and then I think 
he will admit that the northern-raised flowers of the 
past three or four years are, many of them, wonderfully 
fine in every way, and I am sure he will be greatly 
pleased ; I also sincerely hope that he will induce Mr. 
Hooper and any other southern raisers to send their 
newer varieties. 
Mr. Johnson also says : “ My own experience agrees 
with that of others as to the deterioration of the Scotch 
Pansy when it comes south.” Well, there is a right 
time and a wrong time to buy plants. They should 
always be procured from a distance in October or 
November, or in February or March, and planted out 
in a cool frame near the glass, firmly in good soil, and 
given plenty of air generally. This treatment suits 
the young plants, which for cheapness of transit are 
sent by post without any soil to them, and oftentimes 
are planted out into beds and borders at once, and then 
they have a battle to fight. 
Pansy plants should be placed in their blooming 
quarters in March if possible, but they are too often 
purchased in May and June, when they cannot be 
expected to do well, especially in the south, where 
under any circumstances they should be planted in 
the spring, in as cool and shaded a place as possible, 
mulching the beds with well-rotted manure when hot 
weather sets in, to prevent evaporation and to keep the 
roots as cool as possible. There is a very deadly 
enemy to the Pansy that wants careful watching for—- 
namely, the brown aphis, which does great injury 
before it may be noticed by inexperienced growers, and 
then good-bye to the plants. I have no idea of giving 
here cultural hints and cures, but only to allude to 
the probable causes of Mr. Johnson’s failures, and I 
certainly cannot agree with him in the broad assertion 
that “ If we are to revive an interest in the Heartease 
in our southern counties we must look to the Flemish 
or French sources for a good strain.” Now it is not 
from Flemish or French, but from German sources that 
a great supply of Pansy seed reaches England, and 
•especially America. I freely admit that as border 
flowers many of them are very beautiful in colour, and 
to use Mr. Johnson’s words, “We may lose in sub¬ 
stance of petal, but shall gain in size of flower, 
eccentricity of marking and brilliancy of colour. ” No, 
my friend, we do not gain in size, but in size, form, 
substance and beauty of markings the northern 
flowers will hold their own, and a packet of good seed 
rom a reliable grower will give as fine plants, and as 
easily grown, as seed from any foreign source, if sown 
at the right time and properly tended.— TV. Bean. 
The Midland Carnation Society. 
The formation of this society is now an accomplished 
fact, and a provisional schedule of prizes has been issued 
for approval. It follows pretty much upon the lines of 
the schedule of the Oxford Carnation Union—a few 
classes and a goodly number of prizes in each. This is 
as it should be, but the rapidly increasing and popular 
yellow grounds, seifs and fancies might, I think, if 
funds admit of it, be more extensively encouraged. 
There is one class for a stand of twelve blooms, viz., 
six Carnations and six Picotees, for those who have 
never won a prize ; and for the sake of the maiden 
growers, it would be well if a class could be added for 
six blooms also, or for six seifs and fancies, or both. 
A great deal of money appears to be wasted over 
single blooms. There are seventeen classes for these, 
including four for premier flowers—premier Carnation, 
Picotee, self and yellow ground. Now, the present 
method of exhibiting single blooms adds nothing to 
the attractiveness of an exhibition, and very little to 
its interest. Practically the prizes offered in these 
classes are so much stray spoil for the growers of the 
largest collections of flowers. As in Auricula, so in 
Carnation exhibitions : the best flowers are selected to 
make up the “ pans ” or stands, and the remainder go 
into the classes for single blooms. If exhibitors are 
permitted to stage unlimited numbers, there may be 
from 40 and 50 to 100 staged in each class, and five 
blooms are selected for prizes in each. The monotony 
of judging such classes is something appalling, and it 
is not to be wondered at that the decisions of the j udges 
are frequently warmly criticised. The rejected flowers 
are huddled up together in an unlovely mass, and the 
favoured ones arranged in a line in front of them. 
The general public, who should be interested in 
Carnations, can understand something at least of the 
awards made in the classes for pans of flowers, but the 
single bloom classes bewilder and confuse them. There 
are sixty-nine prizes for single blooms in the schedule 
of the Midland Society. I would retain those for 
premiers, and sweep away the rest, offering the money 
for bunches of cut flowers of Carnations, &e., or col¬ 
lections of different types of the same. Surely the 
wisdom of the half-dczen or so gentlemen who have 
devised the schedule and the address which accompanies 
it can evolve a few new and novel features at their 
projected Midland show, to take the place of the some¬ 
what antiquated single classes.— R. D. 
National Pink Society. 
Mr. E. R. Johnson has sent me the schedule of 
prizes of this society, the competition for which is to 
take place at the Royal Aquarium in connection with 
one of the series of flower shows to be held there during 
the coming season—that on June 24th and 25th. The 
schedule stands much as it did last year, with the 
exception that the class for twenty-four blooms is 
struck out, and in all the classes the term “ Florists’ ” 
where it precedes laced Pinks. The number of prizes 
offered in each class is somewhat reduced. The class 
for three blooms of any seedling laced Pink not in com¬ 
merce, given by the secretary in memory of the late 
Mr. Henry Hooper, is continued. Mr. Johnson states 
that the full schedule will be issued in May of the 
present year. So far, those of us who subscribed to the 
funds of the National Pink Society in 1890 are without 
any report or cash statement as to the action of the 
society during that year ; but surely it is time 
it was forthcoming. Prizes will also be offered in cer¬ 
tain classes for Pinks at the Wolverhampton Floral 
Fete on July 14th ; so the interest in the laced and 
border Pinks should be considerably increased during 
1891. How are plants in the open ground faring 
during this long spell of frost ? — R. D. 
- ->X<- - 
TEA DEARER THAN CHAMPAGNE 
An interesting “ deal ” in Tea has just taken place in 
Mincing Lane, London. A firm of importers purchased 
the complete produce of the gardens of the Gallahodno 
estate, the terms of sale fixing the price at no less a 
sum than 87s. per lb. The price is accounted for 
in the quality of the leaf, which is described as a “ very 
choice golden Pekoe variety,” and was also pronounced 
by the oldest broker on the market to be the finest he 
had ever seen. Although the price is the highest ever 
paid in England for Tea, the purchasers were in the 
afternoon offered and accepted £5 10 s. per lb. for 
the complete sample, which, by-the-by, bears a curious 
resemblance to Carraway seeds. The price represents a 
cost to the consumer of about Is. Id. per cup. A 
sample grown upon the Heathersett estate and sold 
some time ago at 30s. 6 d., was up to that day the 
highest price on record. 
It may not be generally known that the genus 
Camellia, according to the authority of some modern 
botanists, includes the Tea Tree, though found under 
the head of Thea. It is said that the leaves of several 
varieties of the Camellia are sometimes mixed with 
Tea. In this country, the first mention made of Tea 
is in an Act of Parliament passed in 1660, by which it 
appears to have been charged with a duty of eighteen- 
pence per gallon, when drunk in public-houses. In 
September of the following year, Pepys states that he 
11 sent for a cup of Chinese drink, of which I had never 
drank before.” In the year 1664, the East India 
Company sent as a present, 2 lbs. 2 ozs. to Charles II. 
The price at this time was about two guineas per lb., 
and the Tea would appear to have been procured from 
the Continent, as the first importation by the 
Company was made in 1669, when two canisters were 
received containing 150 lbs. Even at this period it 
does not seem to have been regarded as an article of 
commerce, the first order for Tea having been sent to 
Madras. 
The following singular terms in which this order 
was couched, show the estimation in which Tea was 
then held. “In regard, Tea is grown to be a commodity 
here, and we have occasion to make presents thereof to 
our great friends at court; we would have you yearly 
send us five or six cannisters of the very best and 
freshest, that which colours the water in which it is 
infused, most of a greenish complexion is best esteemed.” 
In the year 1678, nearly 5,000 lbs. were imported, and 
this quantity, which would now be sold at one shop in 
London, appears to have overstocked the country, for 
we find only 140 lbs. imported altogether during the 
six following years. From that time the importation 
gradually increased as Tea became a national beverage, 
I can remember when the commonest Tea was 5s. per lb. 
and when the only taste of Tea many poor persons got 
was by means of the Tea-leaves they used to beg of 
their better-to-do neighbours.— R. B. 
-- 
LAYERING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
When penning my few remarks upon this subject in 
a former issue I omitted to describe our 'modus 
operandi, because the process of layering is a simple one 
and, as I thought, familiar to the majority of your readers. 
It seems, however, that there are some who, like 
“ L. H.,” wish to hear more about it, and in deference 
to them, I gladly avail myself of your pages to describe 
the method pursued here, which, I think, may have 
some advantages over other plans, owing to the facili¬ 
ties it presents for the gradual severance of the layer 
from the parent plant. Having pots filled moderately 
firm with soil, stout wooden pegs, stakes and wedges 
in readiness, the first thing to do is to decide at what 
point of the stem the plant shall be layered ; this point 
settled, insert a sharp, thin-bladed knife in the centre 
of the stem, split it through for about 3 ins., bring 
it down to the pot, and make it steady by temporarily 
pegging it. Then insert in the slit a wooden wedge from 
4 in. to f in. in breadth, and about J in. in thickness. 
This is done to keep the slit open. When done, peg 
tightly down into the soil, and secure the upper part of 
the layer to a stake inserted in the soil. In some 
instances either a strong peg or short stake between the 
parent plant and the pot in which the layer is placed 
will be necessary. A slight mulching of German moss 
litter, coco-nut fibre, or decayed leaf-soil on the pots 
serves to keep the soil moist, and hastens the formation 
of roots. 
The soil used by us was of the poorest description, being 
old potting-bench refuse without any enrichment. Till 
well rooted no more water should be given than just 
enough to keep the soil in the pots fairly moist, the 
layers till then deriving their sustenance from the 
parent stool, which should be watered at all times 
when requisite ; but in order to reduce the labour of 
watering to a minimum, the old stools should be 
mulched. In severing the layers from the parent 
stools some caution and forethought is required. It 
should be a very gradual process. We commenced on 
one half of the stem, cutting a notch at the end of the 
slit nearest the stool, and gradually enlarging it till one 
half was cut through. This accomplished, and the plants 
having given evidence of their capability to endure the 
continuance of the process from the opposite side of the 
stem, this was begun, but with slower and more 
