56 ± 
THE HARDENING WORLD 
May 4, 1889. 
s^ofiidiJXWf^. 
The Northern Auricula Show at Manchester. 
This took place at the Town Hall on the 30th ult., and 
was a great improvement upon that held in London a 
week ago. The flowers were numerous and decidedly 
better in point of quality, while many of the leading 
grey edges, which scarcely put in an appearance in 
London, were in their best dress. The flowers, though 
lacking smoothness, were yet in much more refined 
character than when seen in London, though not a few 
would be better still a week hence. There was a good 
representation of northern growers, and while no one 
from the north competed in London, so no one from 
the south entered the lists at Manchester. 
The largest class at Manchester is for six varieties, 
and out of ten competitors, the Rev. F. D. Horner, 
Kirby Lonsdale, was placed first with green-edged 
Rev. F. D. Horner, Attraction and Plover. Grey edge: 
George Lightbody. White edge : Mrs. Dodwell ; and 
self: Mrs. Potts, in fine form. Second, Mr. Kyrke- 
Penson, Ludlow, with green edge : Rev. F. D. Horner. 
Grey edge : George Lightbody. White edge : Heather 
Bell, Conservative and John Simonite. Self: Sapphire. 
Third, W. Brockbank, Esq., Didsbury. Mr. Tom 
Lord, Todmorden, had the best four plants out of ten 
competitors, having a very fine Prince of Greens, 
superbly finished. Grey edge : George Lightbody. 
White edge: Acme, and self: Mrs. Potts. Second, 
Miss Woodhead, Lightcliffe, with green edge : Prince 
of Greens. Grey edge: George Lightbody. White 
edge: Conservative, and self: Black Bess. Third, 
Mr. H. Wilson, Halifax. 
In the class for two plants of show varieties there 
were thirteen competitors, Mr. E. Shaw, Mostyn 
near Middleton, being first with grey edge : George 
Lightbody, and white edge : Acme. Second, an 
exhibitor whose name did not transpire, but who had 
grey edge: Lancashire Hero, and white edge : Acme. 
Third, Mr. J. Beswick, Middleton. There was also a 
class in which “maiden” growers showed two plants, 
which is very wisely provided for the encouragement of 
those growers who have not as yet won the amount of 
their subscription at the society’s show. Mr. G. 
Middleton was first with self: Lord of Lome, and 
white edge : Trails’ Beauty. Second, Mr. E. Walker, 
with green edge : Rev. F. D. Horner. The trustees of 
the Turner Memorial Fund offered prizes for four show 
Auriculas, seven competitors entering the lists. The 
Rev. F. D. Horner, w'as placed first with green edge : 
Rev. F. D. Horner. Grey edge: George Lightbody. 
White edge: Magpie, and dark self: Dimple. Second, 
Miss Woodhead with green edge: Prince of Greens. 
Grey edge : George Rudd. White edge : Acme, and 
self: Black Bess. Third, Mr. B. Simonite, Rough 
Bank, Sheffield. 
Of single specimen Auriculas there were a large 
number. The premier green edge was Orion, from the 
Rev. F. D. Horner ; Mr. S. Barlow, Stakehill, coming 
second with President Royds, a large and striking 
variety of excellent promise ; third, Mr. W. Taylor, 
with Mayflower; fourth, the Rev. F. D. Horner with 
Green Globe ; fifth, Mr. W. Taylor with Talisman. 
The premier grey edge was George Lightbody, from 
Mr. Penson ; Mr. J. Woodhead coming next with 
George Rudd; the Rev. F. D. Horner next with 
Rachael, and fourth with George Lightbody. The 
premier white edge was Miranda, from the Rev. F. D. 
Horner ; Mr. Penson coming second with John 
Simonite, Conservative, Acme, and Beauty, following 
in the order of merit. The premier self was Heroine, 
from Mr. G. Clements ; the Rev. F. D. Horner follow¬ 
ing with Dulcie ; Mr. W. Brockbank coming next 
with a dark seedling ; and Mr. H. Wilson with Black 
Bess. 
The premier Auricula was Mr. Tom Lord’s fine 
Prince of Greens in his winning stand of four plants. 
Alpine Auriculas were also in strong force. The Turner 
Memorial Prizes were offered also for four Alpines. 
Mr. J. Beswick, Middleton, was first with Diadem, 
Racer, Queen Yictoria, and a seedling ; Mr. S. Barlow 
coming second with Charles Needham, Vesuvius, a 
seedling, and Mr. Dodwell; Mr. W. Brockbank was 
third. 
In the society’s class for four varieties Mr. T. 
Butterworth, Middleton, was first with Unique, Mr. 
Dodwell, John Leech, and Mr. Ball, a very fine lot; 
Mr. J. Beswick was second with Diadem, Emir, and 
seedlings ; third, Mr. W. E. Brockbank. In the class 
for the best yellow-centred Alpine, Gorton’s Diadem 
was first, second, and third, Messrs. Brockbank, 
Clements, and S. Barlow taking the prizes in order of 
their names. The best white-centred Alpine was Queen 
Victoria from Mr. Beswick, and he was second and 
third with seedlings ; Diadem and Queen Victoria were 
very finely shown indeed. 
Gold-laced Polyanthuses were in good character. 
The best three black grounds were Cheshire Favourite, 
Exile, and George IV., from Mr. T. Butterworth ; Mr. 
J. Beswick coming second, with Cheshire Favourite, 
Exile, and a seedling; Mr. Brockbank was third, 
with Black Knight, Jubilee, and Cheshire Favourite. 
The best three red grounds were George IV., Prince 
Regent, and Lancer, shown by Mr. T. Butterworth ; 
second, Mr. George Thornley, with Prince Regent, 
Sidney Smith, and George IV. ; third, Mr. G. Middleton, 
with Lancer, President, and Prince Regent. The 
premier red ground was Ensign, shown by Mr. W. 
Brockbank; Mr. S. Barlow coming second, with 
William IV ; Mr. Brockbank being third, with 
Regina. Sidney Smith, and Prince Regent in its red 
form was also shown. Cheshire Favourite won first 
and second in the black ground class, Messrs. Beswick 
and Butterworth being the exhibitors, the former 
coming third with Exile. Black Knight and Black¬ 
bird were also showD. 
Mr. S. Barlow was first with twelve fancy Auriculas, 
and also with twelve fancy Polyanthuses and twelve 
Primroses, among the latter being the old Crimson 
Velvet. Mr. W. Brockbank was second in both the 
latter classes. 
First Class Certificates of Merit were awarded to the 
following new Auriculas : —Orion, from the Rev. F. D. 
Horner ; and President Royds, from Mr. S. Barlow. 
Alpine Auriculas. 
When looking over the leading collections of Alpine 
Auriculas shown at the Drill Hall on the 23rd ult., one 
could not help being struck with the dimensions of the 
trusses and the size of the individual pips ; but the 
impression was present in the mind of the observer— 
are we not sacrificing refinement in the attainment of 
mere size, and in doing so introducing the quality of 
coarseness ? The two collections of twelve Alpines 
shown by Messrs. Henwood and Turner were marvels 
of successful cultivation, but they seemed to lack the 
brilliancy and symmetry that used to characterise the 
varieties of this section of Auriculas. When an in¬ 
spection was made of Mr. Turner’s new variety John 
Bright, with its large and striking pip and noble truss, 
it seemed as though the maximum of size, had been 
reached, and any further attempts in this direction 
must inevitably tend to a rank coarseness. More’s the 
pity, for nothing can be more attractive than a collec¬ 
tion of refined Alpine Auriculas, in which brilliancy, 
harmony of colours and freshness are found combined. 
How cold and dead-looking some of the new white- 
centred flowers are ! It is very difficult indeed to get 
a good white-centred Alpine Auricula ; those that 
have the whitest grounds soon put on a death-like 
pallor that imparts to the flower a lifeless appearance, 
and when this is in combination with heavy dull purple 
shades all cheerfulness seems to have departed from 
the flower. If we are to have good white centres, 
the latter must be of such a character as to main¬ 
tain a life-like and lasting appearance. I am not 
at all satisfied with the white-centred Alpines of late 
years, and I think Turner’s George Lightbody, when at 
its prime, is yet the best of all. I have it now in 
charming character, with its bright violet-blue shading 
to a dark velvety ground. This, with Beatrice and old 
Conspicua, can still hold their own when well grown 
and presented in their best character. White-centred 
flowers, to be effective, require marginal shadings that 
will neutralise any coldness in the centre, and they 
should be mauve, blue, rose, pink, or any attractive 
and bright-looking tints. 
In crossing Alpine Auriculas, Mr. James Thurstau 
used Beatrice as one of the parents. Out of the batch 
of seedlings he so kindly gave me I have one that I 
venture to think is an improved George Lightbody. It 
was always a plant that lagged behind the others, but 
it has flowered this season. The centre opens white, 
not like Beatrice and George Lightbody, with a tint of 
sulphur or cream. The centre and marginal colours 
correspond in dimensions, and the shaded margin is 
brighter and more enduring than the last named. 
Such are my impressions of the flower from the two 
pips which have expanded, but another year’s culture 
is necessary to confirm or disappoint my present good 
opinion. I shall be glad to learn what other lovers of 
the Alpine Auricula have to say in reference to the 
white-centred flowers.— R. D. 
LARGE-FLOWERING PELAR¬ 
GONIUMS. 
Not infrequently a gardener may be heard to say, “I 
have given up the cultivation of these ; somehow they 
are not satisfactory, the plants become drawn and 
covered with green-fly, and the flowers do not come up 
to the sizes and quantity of those seen on plants grown 
for exhibition.” This is not to be wondered at. 
Pelargoniums are seldom satisfactory when mixed up 
with other plants thickly on an ordinary sloping plant 
stage. To do Pelargoniums justice, they should either 
have a house to themselves, which is what very few 
gardeners indeed can give them, or they should have 
one side of a house to themselves. Those who have 
seen Pelargonium houses—structures in which specimen 
plants are grown for exhibition purposes, will know 
that the stages are high and pretty near the glass, so 
that the plants can have the full benefit of the light, 
while they have plenty of room given them to allow 
the specimens to be turned round and flowered equally 
on all sides. It is only in this way perfect specimen 
plants can be secured. Tying out is also of the first 
importance, so as to get a shapely specimen, and a 
good deal of judgment is necessary. I remember, many 
years ago, Mr. Turner exhibiting from the Slough 
collection a plant of Mocharia, then a popular ex¬ 
hibition variety that measured over 5 ft. in diameter 
when it was tied out, and this process occupied a man 
nearly three days. But those were the days of very sharp 
competition, and when Pelargoniums were largely and 
finely exhibited. 
Plants that are intended for early flowering should 
now be expanding their blossoms. Unless, however, it 
is a question of time —as, for instance, getting them 
ready for exhibition by a certain date—the plants are 
best when not hurried into flower, as time is necessary 
to permit the pips to expand thoroughly, and to attain 
a necessary size. If good symmetrical specimens be 
wanted, the matter of tying out is a continuous one. 
A plant cannot be got into a good shape by one attempt; 
it is necessary to untie and re-tie a shoot, which must 
be done carefully, a little at a time, as the shoots 
lengthen. 
As the sun has now gained some power, shading is 
necessary at mid-day. The rays falling directly upon 
the flowers through the glass, will sometimes burn and 
otherwise disfigure them. The pots should be carefully 
examined twice a day in drying weather, to see that 
the plants are not suffering from want of water. When 
the branches of a specimen cover the pot, it is difficult 
to bring the eyesight to bear upon the soil; but a rap 
on the pot with the knuckles will soon demonstrate if 
the plant needs water. A clear hollow sound denotes 
that the soil is dry, a dull heavy one that it is moist. 
In bright weather it is an advantage to keep the floor 
of the house moistened with water. 
One thing should be borne in mind, that too much 
shade will lessen the brilliancy of colour in the flowers. 
This is a matter of the first importance in the case of 
plants required for exhibition purposes. Therefore the 
shading should not be put on until absolutely required, 
and be removed as soon as the purpose for which it 
w'as placed on is answered.— 11. D. 
-->££<-- 
HARDY PLANTS IN FLOWER. 
Bank Holiday is not one of the best days of the year 
for a gardener to visit Kew, as his attention must 
naturally be very much distracted from those objects of 
interest which he meets with at every step owing to 
the vast crowds of people who flock to this place of 
popular resort on those days ; yet it is very pleasant to 
see the numbers of happy-looking faces bent upon such 
innocent and healthy amusement, roaming about the 
various glass structures, the museums, and the spacious 
grounds. Easter Monday was no exception to the 
general rule, as notwithstanding the heavy showers of 
rain and hail which occurred at intervals during the 
day, vast numbers of people found their way there. 
Not many of the herbaceous plants are in flower, as 
it is early yet, but we came across a few, amongst which 
are several old favourites, such as Arabis alpina, the 
Dog’s-tooth Violet (Erythronium dens canis), varieties 
of Corydalis, Dentaria digitata and pinnata, Anemone 
blanda, and the lovely blue A. apennina. Primula 
rosea is a gem. Several of the Saxifrages are in flower, 
amongst which are S. Rocheliana var. coryphylla, 
S. lactea, S. Liudleyana, S. Camposii, and S. Milei. A 
group of Doronicums catches the eye at once upon 
entering the herbaceous grounds. The most showy are 
D. Pardalianches, with varieties grandiflora and minor, 
D. excelsum, and D. caucasicum. A variety of D. 
