March 10, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
45 3 
seventeenth century double Hyacinths are mentioned 
or described. I have discussed this question already in 
1871 (see Gardena s' 1 Chronicle, p. 873). Neither is it 
true that in 1842 a yellow Hyacinth was an impossi¬ 
bility. The yellow Hyacinths seem to have been first 
sold between 1762 and 1773 ; at least, in the second 
edition of George Voorhelm’s treatise (1762) there are 
no yellows registered, but in the third edition (1773) 
we find noted four double yellows and six yellowish 
singles. In a list of the successors of this firm 
published in 1788 we find eight double yeliow and 
thirty-eight single yellow varieties, and their number 
was progressive in later times.— J. H. Krclage, Haar¬ 
lem, March 12th, 1889. 
The Florists' Laced Pink. 
I am gratified to see in the last issue of this journal 
that “W. P.,” Birmingham, is an admirer of the 
florists’ laced Pink, and that he is in favour of its being 
brought again before the public at some important 
flower show held in London or Manchester. There 
would, I think, be no difficulty experienced in 
obtaining a few pounds by subscription towards 
furthering the object, and a dozen small prizes would 
give a little more interest and encouragement to 
exhibitors, and to amateurs especially, who, as a rule, 
spare no pains in endeavouring to produce their 
specimens in the highest state of perfection. 
To carry out the wise suggestion of “ W. P.,” it 
would be necessary for a committee to be formed, who 
would be able to arrange for the show, and receive 
subscriptions. Mr. Barlow, Mr. Horner, with our old 
friend “ Ben ” Simonite, Mr. Arthur R. Brown, 
Birmingham, and some gentlemen to represent the 
south, would doubtless undertake this duty. 
July the 20th, the date of the Manchester Rose Show, 
would, I fear, be too late for the midland counties and 
growers nearer south. It would, however, be suitable 
for the northern counties and Scotch growers, so I 
would suggest that efforts be made to hold a Pink 
Show at Birmingham (which is very central), in con¬ 
junction with the Rose Show, which will, I believe, be 
held there about the 10th or 11th July. It might also 
be arranged for a similar show to be held in London, 
in conjunction with one of the principal shows, which 
will be held there, say, about the last week in June. 
That would enable all growers from the south to 
exhibit. If preferred, it would be left to the vote of 
the subscribers to decide at what town or towns it 
would be most advisable for the Pinks to be ex¬ 
hibited. 
I will now take upon myself to invite the names of 
gentlemen, either growers of the Pink, or otherwise, 
who would be pleased to support the suggestion of 
“ W. P.,” Birmingham ; and if they will kindly send 
a line to either of the gentlemen I have mentioned as 
forming the committee, stating the amount they will 
subscribe, practical steps can then be taken in tho 
matter. I should not be a competitor for any prize, 
but I shall be ready to subscribe one guinea towards 
forming the National Pink Show, and I will also give 
the following twelve first-class varieties of show Tulip 
bulbs as a special prize. Talisman (feathered), Adonis 
(feathered and flamed), Sir Joseph Paxton (feathered 
and flamed), Masterpiece (feathered), Heroine 
(feathered), Mrs. Lomax (flamed), Duchess of 
Sutherland (flamed), Modesty (feathered), Kate 
Connor (flamed), and Doctor Hardy (flamed). If 
it be decided to hold shows in London, Manchester, 
and Birmingham, they could be designated as the 
Southern, Northern, and Midland Counties divisions 
of the National Pink Show.— James Thurstan, 
Finsbury House, Richmond Road, Cardiff. [ We have 
permission to say that if such a committee as Mr. 
Thurstan proposes be formed, Mr. Har.y Ti raer ai d 
Mr. E. R. Johnson will be pleased to act for the 
London division. If a few prizes can be offered for 
competition in London the date should be June 25th, 
and the place, the Drill Hall, Westminster, for which 
no doubt permission can be obtained.— Ed.] 
-—♦- 
Gold-laced Polyanthuses. 
With reference to the paragraph in your last issue 
(p. 432), in which the question is asked—“Can any 
raiser or grower of these fine old florists’ flowers do for 
them what the Rev. F. D. Horner has done for the 
Auricula ? ”—I at once reply, yes ! It only requires a 
person possessing the same leisure time, the same 
ga-dening facilities, with the same love and perseverance 
for his pets as Mr. Horner has, to enable the object to be 
achieved. The writer of the paragraph must, I fear, 
have been very unfortunate in his attempts to raise seed¬ 
ling [gold-laced] Polyanthuses, or his efforts to succeed 
may have lacked the patience and determination of a 
“Horner.” He says : “So far, we never find in seed¬ 
lings a flower larger than the best of the old sorts which 
has any claim to merit. ” What does he want them 
larger than the “old sorts” for? I have grown 
George IV., which is decidedly the best all-round 
Polyanthus in cultivation, 1£ in. in diameter—the 
diameter of a half-a-crown piece !—Prince Regent and 
Lancer each 1 in., and Cheshire Favourite in., the 
pips being as perfect as they usually corne. Poly¬ 
anthus seed is very easily produced, and crossing or 
fertilising the flowers is one of the mo3t simple and 
interesting processes imaginable. Our friend should 
adopt the “Horner” patience and perseverance, and 
cross George IV. with Cheshire Favourite, Cox’s Prince 
Regent and Lancer, and vice versd, as many times as 
his s f ock of plants will admit ; and if he is anxious to 
introduce a little extra refinement into his breed he 
should try hard to obtain a plant of Barlow’s Sunrise, 
and cross it with the others mentioned. By these 
means, and by the exercise of care in germinating the 
seeds, he will be able to raise hundreds upon hundreds 
of seedlings, and out of the first batch he will be 
certain to have some varieties of robust habit, with 
various shades of ground colour, heavy and light lacing, 
and circular and polygon eyes. One may be beautifully 
laced, and have a badly-shaped eye ; another may have 
a grand bright circular yellow eye, but be deficient in 
lacing ; and supposing the pips of one or the other to 
be a fair size, then I should cross them together in the 
hope of obtaining in the end a flower possessing both 
properties—viz., a circular bright yellow eye, with 
refined lacing. By following up this system a large 
and fine collection of show varieties could in a few 
years be ensured. Fifty years ago catalogues could be 
seen containing from fifty to a hundred different ex¬ 
hibition kinds.— James Thurstan, Finsbury House, 
Richmond Road, Cardiff. 
-- 
PRIMULA FLORIBUNDA. 
There can be no question as to beauty of a well- 
flowered batch of this Primula during the winter and 
early spring months. The flowers are of a clear 
brilliant yellow, and produced in tiers or whorls, one 
above the other, on stalks rising to the height of from 
4 ins. to 8 ins., and which are produced from crowns 
or rosettes of shortly-stalked, coarsely-toothed leaves. 
The species is a native of the Western Himalayas, but 
is not so hardy as most of the other kinds from that 
pait of the world. Some cultivators succeed more or 
less in preserving it during the winter in the open 
border, or on rockwork, by means of a sheet of glass or 
some other protecting material ; but it never gives the 
same satisfaction as when grown in a greenhouse, with 
a moderately warm or intermediate temperature. It 
should also be raised annually from seeds to get the 
best results. The mere possibility of preserving it 
alive in the open air can never reward the cultivator in 
the same way as a batch grown under glass, such as we 
saw the other day in Mr. B. S. Williams’ Victoria 
and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway. We give an 
illustration of this beautiful yellow Primula. 
-->Z<-- 
GARDENERS IN AMERICA. 
In answer to the query of “ J. S.” in your issue of 
February 15th, as to the wages that gardeners receive 
in America, I would like to say for the benefit of such 
gardeners as are inclined to try their fortunes in this 
country, that it all depends upon the gardener. At 
present, situations are not very plentiful, many good 
gardeners are out of place, and many that have good 
situations would lose them if the employer could find 
better men to succeed them. Now what I mean by 
good men is men that will not own the place they are 
hired to manage. It is a notorious fact, that as soon 
as a gardener from Europe gets a situation in this 
country, the owner must stand aside, must not cut a 
flower, nor pick any fruit or vegetable without the gar¬ 
dener’s consent. Now that may do in many countries, 
but not in this. Here the owner of a place delights to 
show it to his friends, and also delights to cut a 
bouquet for his visitors. To this the gardener usually 
objects, and in such a manner that he not only disgusts 
his employer, but loses all chance of advancement, or 
even respect, and in a very short time his situation 
too. 
Very many gardeners coming to this country bring 
their social customs with them, and indulge more freely 
here than at home. This they cannot do, from the fact 
that in this rare atmosphere stimulants have a very 
different effect on a man from what they have in other 
countries. The result is that before a man is aware of 
it he has created an appetite beyond his control. We 
PRIMULA FLORIBUNDA. 
