18 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 12, 1891. 
FLiORlCUliTURE. 
The National Pink Society 
The numerous admirers and supporters of that grand 
old sweetly-scented flower, the “ Florists' Laced 
Pink,” cannot but congratulate themselves that their 
many years, continual perseverance in the hope of 
resuscitating it as an exhibition flower have at last 
been rewarded, and with a success which the most 
sanguine could scarcely have anticipated. The 
establishment of a National Pink Society, in three 
sections, viz., the Southern, Midland and Northern, 
drove in the ” wedge of success ” perfectly straight, 
and the only course now required to ensure its 
future prosperity, and to turn a little society into a 
big one, is for the respective committees of each 
section to work amicably together, under precisely 
the same rules and regulations as each other, in 
every respect, so that if any grower should have the 
opportunity of exhibiting his flowers at more than 
one of the Societies’ sections, or at all of them, he 
will find that the same rules as to entering his exhi¬ 
bits, staging them and judging them will apply. 
The two seasons the Society has passed through 
have been anything but genial, and disappointment 
has resulted to many, especially in the North and 
South, through the flowers not being sufficiently 
matured on the dates of exhibition. The Pink Shows 
announced in London for June last, the dates of 
which in ordinary seasons would have been suitable, 
turned out at least a week too early for the blooms ; 
and at Manchester it was somewhat similar, the 
flowers of Mr. Barlow and his friends not being any¬ 
where near read) - , and what blooms they managed to 
exhibit were consequently placed in an inferior posi¬ 
tion to their usual standing. This happened remark¬ 
ably unfortunate for my friend Mr. Barlow, who I 
understand had an unusually fine bed of well-grown 
plants. The growers of the Midlands were more 
fortunate, but even the 14th of July was too early for 
them, but some of them helped Manchester on the 
18th by carrying away their principal prizes. 
The exhibitors at Wolverhampton and Manchester 
were numerous, and there were many flowers staged 
possessing great merit in natural quality and skill in 
cultivation. On the other hand there were flowers 
exhibited and awarded prizes with very rough or 
serrated petals, and coarse unrefined lacing, and 
some at Manchester containing only twelve and 
fifteen petals. 
Now after so much has been said and written 
about large coarse flowers, and those containing 
only twelve, fifteen, and seventeen petals, and what 
should constitute a good exhibition Laced Pink of 
the present day, it seems surprising to me that the 
keen eyes of the judges were not more closely fixed 
upon the points approaching perfection. 
It will be quite clear to any Pink growers of the 
present period that a flower with only twelve petals 
in it is not worthy of a prize ; and yet it would be 
only natural for someone to say that such a flower 
with twelve good well-laced petals is as much 
entitled to an ordinary class prize as a flower with 
only seventeen petals is entitled to the "premier” 
prize of the whole exhibition, as in the case of 
Empress of India this year at Wolverhampton and 
Manchester, and with Modesty at Manchester last 
year, and Empress of India at London. 
Now I will ask what constitutes a "premier”? 
It certainly cannot be a flower with only seventeen 
petals in it, and because they happen to be broad 
ones, and the lacing bright -in colour, xvhich is the 
case with Empress ; and in regard to Modesty it 
could not be in consequence of its being extra 
refined in the lacing, neither could it be on account 
of its petals being free from serration on the edges, 
for Modesty never possessed these qualities nor 
ever will. 
A "premier” should be the best "all-round” 
flower, taking all the good points, and bad ones too, 
into consideration, and I know that had these con¬ 
ditions been considered neither Empress of India 
nor Modesty would have been placed in such 
positions. 
Supposing a person anxious to make a start in the 
cultivation of " Show ” Laced Pinks, takes up the 
report of these winning varieties in the hope of 
selecting a good collection, including those varieties 
awarded by the judges the principal prizes; and 
83?!!mi n fi that sue* varieties are unknown to bin). 
and that he has been previously informed by a 
reliable Pink grower that a flower approaching per¬ 
fection should contain from thirty to forty petals, 
free from serrated edges, and refined in lacing. Just 
imagine his disappointment after ordering these 
varieties, believing them to be the." best of the best,” 
and discovering them when they bloom to be nearly 
singles, and such as I have intimated, " only second 
class varieties," and not approaching the standard 
of perfection ! 
I have no doubt that some Pink growers will at 
once condemn me as presumptuous for expressing my 
views in such a peremptory manner; and I hope they 
will, as it may lead to a little friendly controversy, 
and be the means of some definite understanding 
being arrived at as to what a good laced Pink should 
be, and what the "points” should be (which is 
really more important than anything) which the 
judges.should adopt as the basis of their discussion. 
The question is one that ought to be at once thrashed 
out, so that before new beginners or amateurs send 
out their orders intended for next year's bloom they 
may know what kind of flowers approach nearest 
to the present standard of perfection. 
Perhaps Mr. Barlow, the Rev. Mr. Horner, Mr. 
Ranger Johnson, Mr. Turner, Mr. Wardill, Mr. 
Lakin, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Brown, or any other person 
interested in the subject will kindly give their views. 
—James Thurstan, Finsbury House, Richmond Road, 
Cardiff. 
Seasonable Notes on Some Florists' Flowers. 
Auriculas. 
All growers of this lovely and fascinating flower are 
found bearing testimony to the fine growth they have 
made during the summer. The plants are vigorous, 
clean, and very promising — all unite in saying this. 
Mine are all potted, and the plants are now putting 
on the growth they make at this.time of the year — 
the second period of activity during the year. What 
the plants now require is abundance of light and air, 
water being applied as required and according to the 
weather. The cultivator should guard against the 
ravages of a little green grub, that works silently 
eating its w - ay into the hearts of the plants, and doing 
incalculable mischief if not discovered. As soon as 
there are indications that a group is perforating the 
leaves or eating the sides let there’be no rest until the 
marauder is discovered and summarily executed. 
Let the plants be kept free from green fly. Some 
are putting up autumn trusses ; it is a habit of the 
Primulas, and cannot be prevented. Whether the 
season be hot and dry or cold and wet, whether re¬ 
potted early or late, the appearance of autumn 
trusses may be anticipated. 
Polyanthus, Gold-laced. 
W T hat few plants I held over from the spring have 
done well. The cool, moist summer has suited 
them ; they are all repotted and making excellent 
headway. Seedlings from seed sown last autumn 
are strong, and, being of good blood, I am hopeful of 
something good, but I have but a very few plants. 
As there, is plenty of room for some good named 
varieties of Gold-laced Polyanthus, attempts should 
be made to raise seedlings. When at Cardiff the 
other day, I found that our friend Mr. Thurstan has 
a batch of very promising seedlings, raised from 
George IV., Cheshire Favourite, &c., all produced 
from fertilized blooms, and, if the adage be true that 
the further we go west the more certain we are that 
the wise men came from the east, we may yet hope 
of hearing that something good in the way of Gold- 
laced Polyanthuses of rare quality has come out of 
Cardiff. Plants that are in pots should be placed so 
that the worms cannot get into the pots. They 
should be kept cool, and on no account allowed to 
suffer for want of water. Any plants requiring re¬ 
potting should be attended to at once. 
Double Primroses. 
I have several times endeavoured to induce the 
Committee of the National Auricula Society to 
encourage the growth of the pretty double Primroses 
in pots by offering prizes for them at their April 
show. Instead of taking a step that might induce 
amateurs to attempt their cultivation, they encourage 
the nurserymen who grow double Primroses largely 
to lift plants from the open, place them in pans, and 
sho\y them in a way in which they are never seen to 
advantage ; and yst I cannot see why they should 
not treat them as they do the Gold-laced polyan¬ 
thus, and require them to be grown in pots. Now - is 
a good time to procure varieties and pot them up, 
placing them in a cold frame or in the open air, and 
keeping them cool and moist. Such varieties as the 
Old Velvet Crimson, Purple, Crimson Purple, Lilac, 
Giant Yellow, White, Croussii, Platypetala’plena, 
Blush, and Early Sulphur are beautiful when well 
grown in pots. Unfortunately our springs are now 
late and inclement, and if the double Primroses 
bloom in the open they become disfigured by 
weather and are rarely seen to the best advantage. 
But when they have the shelter of a cold frame the 
flowers come large, clean, bright, and pure, and well 
worth the trouble of cultivating. What can be 
more beautiful than the Old Crimson Velvet ? but it 
is only in very favourable positions that it will do 
well in the open, and in nine cases out of ten should 
be cultivated in pots to have it in perfection.— R. D. 
GODETIAS. 
The above name is the best known appellation of a 
number of species now included amongst the CEno- 
theras or Evening Primroses. They are annuals of 
relatively dwarf habit, and the large, showy flowers 
obtained from CEnothera Whitneyi, CE. amoena, and 
CE. a. rubicunda and some of the others belonging to 
the section Godetia, are occasionally cultivated. 
They are characterised and distinguished from 
CEnothera proper by a shortly four-lobed stigma, 
a short calyx tube and a slight wing to the seeds. 
There are about a hundred species of CEnothera 
altogether, but relatively few of them belong to the 
section Godetia. The most popular garden varieties 
of the latter have been derived from the two species 
and the variety above named, which are natives of 
California and North-West America. They are very 
hardy, and if sown in thin, well-drained soil during 
August or September, they will survive the winter 
and flower in spring. They may again be sown in 
March, April, or May, for a succession during the 
summer months. 
A collection of the leading and most popular kinds 
may be seen in the gaidens of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society at Chiswick, where they have been 
flowering for many weeks past. CE. Whitneyi is a 
species and one of the finest, with large bright 
carmine-rose flowers, deepening to crimson in the 
centre of the petals, and fading to blush at the 
margins. In rich soil the plant grows to the height 
of 18 in., the principal axis being much taller than 
the side branches. Lady Albemarle is one of the 
finest garden forms, and is likely to hold a place in 
gardens for many years to come. The large flowers 
are brilliant carmine fading to rose at the margin, 
and blush or pink at the base. About 12 in. to 15 in. 
is its usual height in rich soil, but it is dwarfer and 
makes a greater display in poor or sandy soil. Here, 
however, it soon runs to seed, while it continues to 
flower for a longer period in good garden soil. The 
Duchess of Albany is another favourite about the 
same height, with purple flowers giving place to rose 
at the edge, and rose or lilac at the base. The 
Duchess of Fife is a newer variety, not exceeding 
12 in. in height, even in good soil, and has white 
flowers with a carmine blotch in the centre of each 
petal. Similarly dwarf is the Duke of Fife, but the 
flowers are carmine, deepening to crimson on the 
centre of the petals and rose at the base. 
The Bride is popular with many growers on 
account of its pleasing colour and continuous flower¬ 
ing habit. This latter character, however, is 
dependent upon its habit, for it ranges from iSin. to 
24 in. in good soil, and favoured by a wet summer 
such as the past has been. The flowers are only of 
medium size when compared with such as Lady 
Albemarle and Duchess of Albany, but white with a 
red zone at the base. The branching stem assumes 
a pyramidal habit, whereas the dwarf varieties are 
flat topped or nearly so. Of a dwarfer habit is 
Princess of Wales, another old favourite, varying 
from 12 in. to 18 in. high, with large flowers of a 
deep rose or ruby-crimson, fading towards the mar¬ 
gin, and somewhat flaked with pink at the base. 
Lady Satin Rose is similar to Lady Albemarle in 
habit, but is even slightly dwarfer. The plants in a 
row form a close mass about 12 in. high, with large 
flowers having a large rosy-carmine blotch in the 
centre, fading to rose at the margin and pink at the 
base. It is probably as much a favourite amongst 
gardeners as Lady Albemarle. The dwarf habit has 
been secured by the selection of seedlings presenting 
that peculiarity. The result is a finer display just 
when the plants get into full bloom, but js at thg 
expense of continuoii§ blooming. 
