3?6 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 14, 1891. 
^ofUdiJFFiff^. 
The Gold-Laced Polyanthus. 
The severity of the frost during the past two months 
will have proved injurious to many varieties of florists’ 
flowers which were penned up in cold frames, and the 
old favourite Gold-Laced Polyanthus will doubtless not 
altogether have escaped injury, although it can stand 
much more hard weather than many persons are 
inclined to believe. 
All plants in pots should, as soon as possible, be 
carefully examined, and all decayed foliage be removed. 
About £ in. of soil should be removed from the top of 
each pot, care being taken not to disturb any portion 
of the root or fibre of the plants, and a top-dressing 
should be given, consisting of one-third of good strong 
loam, and two-thirds of old decayed cow manure, and 
the same should he pressed tightly round each plant. 
Plants in the open ground should be also top-dressed 
with a similar mixture ; nothing further will require to 
be done until the bloom appears, with the exception of 
the plants being regularly watered. If the plants are 
required for exhibition, the bloom may be improved 
both in size and brilliancy by the occasional application 
of weak liquid manure. 
It is to be regretted that the National Auricula 
Society should have curtailed the prizes for such a 
“captivating variety” of florists’ flower as your 
correspondent “ Ravenholme ” (p. 232) signifies ; 
aud equally so that other correspondents should write 
so disparagingly as to its being successfully cultivated 
in the neighbourhood of London. Forty years ago, the 
London florists could produce pots of the finest exhibi¬ 
tion varieties at that time in cultivation, with foliage 
as strong as that of the wild Primrose. 
I recollect seeing twelve plants in pots exhibited in 
Birmingham about 1850, in the most healthy con¬ 
dition, and with trusses of bloom upon them in the 
highest state of perfection. These plants were, I 
know, purchased from a London florist only a few days 
before the Birmingham exhibition took place, and 
they carried off the highest awards for the alasses in 
which they appeared. This does not say much for the 
honesty of exhibitors in the Birmingham district 
during those days, in regard to showing flowers only 
cultivated by themselves. It, however, proves that 
there was little difficulty in growing the Polyanthus 
in the neighbourhood of London forty' or fifty years 
ago. 
To make the cultivation of the Polyanthus a success, 
the plants should never be allowed to have the sun on 
them after twelve o’clock noon, and if this be strictly 
attended to I feel satisfied they can be successfully 
grown in the neighbourhood nf London, provided they 
are grown in good strong soil, and that they receive 
ordinary attention in other respects. If the plants 
during dry weather be watered two days together, and 
neglected the third day, then there will be no hope of 
success. 
Any one who possesses Polyanthus seed should lose 
no time in sowing it; the open border is my favourite 
place, for a good crop, a spot of course where the sun 
will not appear after twelve o’clock noon being 
selected.— James Thurstan, Finsbury Rouse, Richmond 
Road, Cardiff. 
The Origin of the Fancy Pansy. 
Mr. Simkins’ excellent book on the Pansy gives in 
an introductory article of a particularly interesting 
character, and which is also a valuable historical 
record, the origin, as far as can be traced, of the fancy, 
or as it was originally known, the Belgian Pansy. 
The late Mr. John Salter, of Chrysanthemum renown, 
in his younger days was a devoted amateur florist, 
residing at Shepherd’s Bush, and being] very fond of 
Pansies, used to grow them. He was induced to go to 
Versailles, in France, where he established himself in 
business, and he took with him the best of the Pansies 
he had grown in England ; but the hot summers and 
cold winters did not suit them. He continued, however, 
to grow many seedlings, amongst them some curiously 
striped and blotched colours. The French Revolution 
of 1848 caused Mr. John Salter to return to England, 
and he established himself at the Versailles nursery at 
Hammersmith, now built upon, and having brought 
some seeds of Pansies from France, they were sown, 
and the seedlings attracted a good deal of attention at 
the time, though the admirers of the show Pansies 
contemptuously termed them French rubbish. 
“In 1S51 ” (I am quoting from some particulars 
supplied by Mr. Alfred Salter) “three varieties were 
offered for sale, and the stock of these soon sold out.” 
Some plants were supplied to Messrs. Downie & Laird, 
florists, of Edinburgh, and one named Dandie Dinmont 
was introduced by them—probably obtained as a 
seedling from the plants supplied by Mr. Salter. “We 
continued to cultivate these Pansies extensively at 
Hammersmith until 1859 or 1860, when we gave them 
up, or rather they gave us up, as we found they would 
not grow near London. They were called Belgian 
Pansies in my father’s time.” In 1851 Mr. Salter 
offered for sale three varieties—viz., Cserulea striata, 
Mars, and Novelty. In 1852, sixteen new varieties 
were sent out; in 1853, twelve ; in 1854, several. In 
his catalogue of that year Mr. Salter claimed to have 
first brought these Pansies into notice in 1850. In 
1855-56 new varieties were offered by both French and 
English growers. “In our catalogues for 1857 and 
1858 a long list is given, and includes Magpie, 
giving as synonyms of this variety, Mazeppa, Paul 
Pry, Wonderful, and La Pie.” 
In or about 1858 a new chapter in the development 
of the fancy Pansy opened. My brother William was 
then in business at Shipley, Yorkshire ; and Mr. 
Andrew Henderson, then of the Wellington Road 
Nursery, St. John’s Wood, wrote to him to say that 
while on a visit to France he had met with some new 
forms of blotched Pansies, but as he could not grow 
them in London, he asked my brother if he would 
undertake to grow them for him in the moister and 
cooler district of Yorkshire. My brother undertook to 
do so, and among the varieties sent him were Prince 
Imperial, Ali Bey, Parpaillot, Miracle, Agnes Sorrel, 
Napoleon III., and Masaniello ; all of Continental 
origin. In 1860 others came, such as Bflle Esquer- 
moise, Louise Miellez, Distinction, &c. I was at 
Shipley at the time, and saw and admired these 
interesting strangers. In 1861 came Octavie Demay 
and Noemie Demay, and with these the French pro¬ 
ductions exhausted themselves. 
My brother, quick to perceive that there was a future 
in store for these Pansies, invented for them the term 
of fancy, by which they have continued to be known 
to this day, and he set to work to raise seedlings. He 
commenced with Princess Alice, Donald Beaton, Etoile 
du Nord, Tiger and others, and followed these with 
many others. The Scotch florists took them up and 
raised seedlings. The marked improvement in these 
fancy Pansies made in this country quickly attracted 
attention, and they became very popular, and have 
maintained it to our time. In Mr. Simlcins’ book will 
be found some coloured illustrations of the earlier 
seedlings raised by my brother, aud they form a very 
interesting study. 
The readers of The Gardening World thus have 
had placed before them the history and gradual develop¬ 
ment of these two types of Pansy. The information 
is given for the purpose of calling attention to some 
of the most charming garden flowers. Pansy shows, at 
oue time somewhat common around London, have now 
died out; who knows but what thoy may be revived 
at no distant date ?— R. I). 
'The Midland Carnation and Picotee Society. 
This is now an accomplished fact, and thanks to the 
energy and pertinacity of Mr. R. Sydenham, not only 
has a society with the elements of permanency in it 
been formed, but a schedule of prizes issued, and 
subject to any change of date which the incidence of 
the season may make necessary, the exhibition will take 
place in the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 
on Saturday, August 8th. With the exception of the 
classes for single blooms, there are not many others, 
but numerous good prizes are given in each, so that 
there is a goad chance of a prize for aspiring exhibitors 
commencing to compete. There are classes for twelve 
and six Carnations, and twelve and six Picotees ; 
and for twelve and six yellow ground or Fancy 
Carnations and Picotees, from which white ground 
flowers and seifs are excluded. These should prove 
very interesting classes, but it appears to be intended 
that the ground colour in the fancy flowers must be of some 
shade of yellow. There is also a class for six seifs, 
which should bring out the best flowers in the section. 
In the fifteen classes for single blooms, no exhibitor 
can stage more than two blooms in each ; but it is to 
be hoped some provision will be made by which those 
whose duty it is to judge and report can distinguish 
whose flowers they are if necessary. This is generally 
a weak point in the single classes. There is a class for 
six Carnations and Picotees, fancies and seifs admissible, 
for those who have never won a prize, and there are 
classes for twelve and six bunches of border Carnations, 
to be shown as cut from plants grown in the open, 
with their buds and foliage; no dressing being allowed 
Mr. Joseph Lakin offers special prizes lor the best 
bloom of either of his white seifs, Emma or Annie 
Lakin, and special certificates will be awarded to six 
premier flowers—-bizarre, flake, and self Carnations, 
and heavy edge, light edge, and yellow-ground Picotees. 
The promoters frankly state that many of the fore¬ 
going classes are simply trial ones, but on the show 
day it is their intention to take counsel with the 
exhibitors and subscribers as to the expediency of 
modifying any of the foregoing classes. If this 
practice were followed at all special shows, it would 
frequently lead to better understandings and desirable 
results. 
The judges are required by rule 6 to adhere to the 
old lines in judging, and they are instructed not to 
award a first, second, or third prize to any exhibit 
having flowers with split pods, nor to any Carnations 
in the classes for twelve Carnations and sLx Carnations 
with self petals, or petals with less than three colours 
to the bizarres. We can truly say that in our shows in 
the south there has been a good deal of looseness of 
practice in regard to disqualifications of this character. 
Mr. Dodwell, in his book on the Carnation—which 
seems in its copiousness of detail to deal with every 
subject of value and interest to the cultivator—gives a 
list of the disqualifications in the case of bizarre aud 
flaked Carnations, and they are:—1st, the presence 
of any petal without any white ; 2nd, the presence of 
any petal without any colour; 3rd, in the case M 
bizarred flowers, the presence of any petal in which 
there shall not be two colours in addition to white ; 
4tb, the splitting of the calyx or pod so low as to 
touch the sub-calyx. 
Under the head of quality, Mr. Dodwell sets forth 
the existence of a rich texture, lustrous colours, pure 
white grounds, and smoothness both of the surface aud 
edge of the petals. 
Well done, Birmingham ! It has made a good 
beginning, and the announcement of the intended 
exhibition is all the more welcome because there will 
be no Carnation show at the Royal Aquarium in July 
next. 
New Chinese Primulas. 
Kentish Fire.— The flowers of this variety are of 
large size, nearly fiat, of a fiery or intense red, with a 
yellow angular eye, slightly tinted with crimson. The 
leaves are of the ordinary type as to shape, aud more 
or less tinted with red, particularly the petioles. 
Kentish Purple.— The whole bearing and comport 
of this variety is similar to the last, but the flowers are 
of a different hue. Around the angled eye is a broad 
belt of purple, and as this nears the margins it 
intensifies to a brilliant deep red or carmine. The 
leaves are oblong-cordate, lobed, and tinted with ted, 
especially the petioles. Both were shown by Messrs. 
H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, at the Drill Hall 
last Tuesday, when each received an Award of Merit. 
-- 
THE YOUNG MEN. 
My sincere thanks are due to “ Father Christmas ” for 
his kind criticism of my few remarks on the above 
subject. I feel sure that “ Father Christmas ” is one 
who has the interest of young gardeners thoroughly at 
heart, and I therefore trust that many of my young 
brothers in trade have read his words of advice with as 
much interest as I. 
“Father Christmas” does well to condemn the 
practice of an “innocent game at cards,” for I am 
afraid more money changes hands in this way of an 
evening, than would be sufficient to pay for The 
Gardening World for a year. Many considerate 
employers are kind enough to. have their bothies 
supplied with the leading gardening papers every week. 
Could this practice become more general, the young 
men would be led, by the weekly perusal of such 
literature, to take a greater interest in their work, and 
idle amusements would be less sought after. 
I always look forward with pleasure to Saturday, 
when the gardening papers regularly appear, and 
should be intensely disappointed if by any chance they 
did not arrive.— Ardnahn. 
--- 
ASPEN HOUSE, STREATHAM 
HILL. 
Orchids constitute the most attractive feature at 
present in the garden of W. Y. Baker, Esq., Aspen 
House, Streatham Hill. Later on, however, the variety 
and number of plants in bloom will be much greater. 
The collection of Orchids was only started about five 
