24 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 14, 1889. 
FLOfUdiiLTUflij. 
The Carnation and Picotee Union. 
Much infirmity, added to the watchful care necessary 
in the garden, whereby I can alone hope to be faithful 
to my fellows and to my flowers, have so engrossed my 
attention that I have been unable, at an earlier date, 
to offer any remark upon your kindly notice of our 
show, and the very interesting communications which 
have resulted therefrom. The “growl’’from Oxford 
had certainly a very ominous sound, but after all it 
was a very innocent one, likely, I feel sure, to eliminate 
points of difference, and to promote harmony rather 
than division or dissension. A spirit of inquiry has 
ever been, in my experience, one of the most potent of 
factors in progress, and I rejoice to find friends, be 
they younger or older, “wanting to know.” 'With 
such a spirit abroad we shall not stray far from the 
straight path, and errors of fact or of opinion are sure 
to he corrected. 
For some of the little evils revealed in the criticisms, 
I would plead misfortune rather than fault. Part may 
fairly be laid to our limited space ; part must go 
against my infirmity. Some of the backwardness of 
the work was due to the fact that the tables had been 
occupied by friends in the preparation of their flowers, 
and thus the work of judging was delayed, and some to 
the gregariousness inherent in man, which seems to 
constrain judges, of single specimens especially, to seek 
association, instead of working singly in sections, and 
thus completing the work in half the time, and 
certainly with equal effect. Then for the crowding 
around the judges—a fact I was ignorant of until the 
work had been well advanced—we must make some 
allowance for the eager interest of aspirants, though 
I hope in future the friends who are not engaged will 
at once withdraw, alike from eye and ear-shot, from the 
judges at their work. 
From the beginning, the purpose of the association 
has been to promote a frank, free, fraternal gathering, 
and this can only be accomplished by a due subjection 
of individual promptings. That mistakes will be made ; 
that little differences will arise, must be expected, 
seeing we are human ; but speaking from my own ex¬ 
perience, I think we were a very happy party, and I 
know I felt, taking them altogether, I had never seen 
flowers in greater glory. My only regret in that 
connection was that despite the length of the prize 
list, so many fine flowers were left without reward. 
Of other criticisms I do not know that I should 
make remark, save that I am sure the awards to the 
Premier Picotee and the Premier yellow ground were 
not made despite the referee's judgment, but I believe 
were made in ignorance of that judgment. Certainly 
I do not think the awards were happy, but I do not 
question they represented the opinion of the gentlemen 
making them. 
Having taken the ground I have, as set forth in the 
chapter on dressing in my little book, I cannot join my 
much-esteemed old friend, “ W. W,” in his expressed 
desire to abolish the practice, or to substitute a 
different mode to that now followed on the exhibition 
table. Dressing flowers—that is to say, the sub¬ 
jecting them to such manipulation, within prescribed 
and well-understood limits, as may develop a beauty 
not otherwise appreciable, rests upon a broad and 
very solid foundation, for upon it are based all the arts 
of life and the benefits of civilization, therefore I must 
join issue with my friend when he denounces the work 
of the tweezers, and suggests another mode for display. 
Unconsciously my good old friend is only denouncing 
a practice he is not proficient in, and has “no mind 
to, ” in favour of one in which he, as an old decorator, 
shines. It is scarcely fair to ask his friends, who by 
patient application and some practice have acquired 
the art, to renounce it in favour of one—necessarily at 
least as artificial, if effective—of which they have no 
knowledge. But if his assertion that in this process of 
dressing the tearing down of the calyx in each of its 
divisions is adopted, I join with him in protesting 
against the practice, and I cannot hesitate to repeat 
what I said in a foot-note on p. 62, that it should be 
stringently repressed. Speaking, of course, for myself 
only, I shall most heartily join in any measure 
necessary to abolish the evil. 
I must, however, frankly say I think my good old 
friend has exaggerated the fact. No flower of mine has 
ever been subjected to such a process ; nor do I believe 
any well-informed and skilful manipulator of the 
Carnation would resort to it. It is distinctly for¬ 
bidden by the rules of the art, and having reference to 
its almost inevitable and invariable effect—its collapsed 
centre—I am quite ready to quote Talleyrand, and say 
of it, “ It is worse than a crime, it is a blunder.” 
Assuredly, if my voice may prevail, it shall never be 
accepted whilst J have association with the Union.-— 
E. S. Dodwell, The Cottage, Stanley Road, Oxford, 
September 3rd. 
Layering Carnations. 
When visiting Mr. Joseph Lakin, of Temple Cowley, 
a few days ago, I noticed that many of his layers of 
this season were already rooted and growing into fine 
bushy, stocky plants. Here was seen one of the 
advantages of early layering. Mr. Lakin also practises 
early potting, and as a consequence the spell of fine 
dry weather helped to mature and ripen the grass, and 
thus prepare it for early layering. Mr. Lakin stated 
that he had finished layering this season just about 
the time he commenced last year ; thus showing the 
marked differences in the two seasons. Our springs 
are now almost invariably of a retarding character, and, 
therefore, it is of supreme importance to have layers 
well rooted, potted, and established in small pots by 
the autumn. Layers that are put down late can 
scarcely be depended upon to make good rooted plants ; 
frequently they do not root at all until spring, and 
when they are potted they spindle instead of making 
grass, and any chance of increase is lost. 
On calling at Stanley Hoad, I found all the layering 
of pot plants completed. Both at Mr. Dodwell’s and 
at Temple Cowley the average of layers is low, and 
there will be a probable scarcity of propagated plants 
by the spring. Seedlings in the open ground in the 
Stanley Road are in course of layering, and they are 
lifted in the balls of soil and planted in pots for the 
purpose. I was glad to find Mr. Dodwell as well as 
could be expected, full of zeal and enthusiasm, and 
confident of the increased success of the Carnation and 
Picotee Union. He is the grand old man of the flori- 
cultural world, and it is devoutly to be hoped he will 
yet be spared for years to come to lead the Carnation 
growers on to yet greater victories.— R. D. 
The Growl from Oxford. 
I think if the “natural” ideas of “ W. W.” are 
adopted, we shall be taking a great step backwards. 
When a Carnation is dressed, it is exhibited in its 
most perfect form ; all the weak parts being removed, 
the good ones only remain, consequently the flower 
must be far better than it was before. There is nothing 
added to it, and its most beautiful features must have 
lain hidden in the flower, or they could not be brought 
out. I cannot, therefore, see why “ W. W.” should 
call it artificial. If the judgment were left to the 
public, we should soon see the “natural” Carnations 
sent to the rightabout. I have in my mind a country 
show, on the committee of which there were some men 
who would not strive to raise themselves or their 
flowers to the level of other growers, but wanted the 
other growers brought down to their standard, and 
they passed a rule that the Carnations and Picotees at 
their show should not be dressed. When the show 
took place, a stand of flowers properly dressed was put 
up not for competition, and if “ W. W.” had heard, as 
I did, the remarks of the visitors on the different 
collections, he would have soon seen in what estimation 
the general visitors would hold his “natural” flowers, 
when compared with properly set up and dressed ones. 
“W. W.” should try to improve his own flowers, 
instead of deprecating those of his fellow growers.— 
Arthur R. Brown, Handsworth, Birmingham. 
China Asters. 
I could not help noticing, when looking over the 
Asters shown as cut flowers at the Crystal Palace on 
the 5th and 6th inst., that whilst all the awards in 
the flat-petalled class went to Yictorias, these plants 
showed no advance on what was seen ten years ago. 
In the same way the quilled Asters were this year really 
less meritorious than they have been found in previous 
years. The fact cannot be disputed that so far as these 
varieties of Asters, with the French incurved forms, 
are concerned, and these sections comprise all that 
usually furnish flowers for exhibition, there has been 
advance neither in size, quality, nor variety for several 
years, and that the best, so far as they are affected, 
seems to have been reached. 
I do not wish to see good Aster blooms withdrawn 
from competitions, but having regard to the wondrous 
wealth of diverse, and especially of dwarf, varieties in 
cultivation, I should like to see established generally 
classes for twenty-four, eighteen or twelve plants, to be 
shown as pulled, with the roots washed, and then stood 
in small vases or jars on the exhibition table. "We 
could in this case introduce tall and dwarf varieties, 
also diverse sections, and great variety—indeed, variety 
should be made a prominent feature in judging the 
classes, so as to check the awards going to one section 
only, because the largest-flowered. 
It is obvious that, assuming the show committees or 
authorities, as at the Crystal Palace for instance, would 
furnish the needful vases, exhibitors would not find a 
couple of dozen plants or less, free from soil, a very 
onerous burthen to carry. They would form a very 
distinctive feature, and in time become very popular. 
Being stood in vases, the judges could examine every 
plant if needful, and in judging should take into con¬ 
sideration freshness, variety, quality of flowers, quantity, 
excellence of habit, and general good effect as a show 
class. In that way encouragement would be given to 
the growth of more forms of Asters in gardens than is 
now the case. — A. D. 
The Ranunculus. 
With the autumn near at hand we are thinking of our 
bulbs for the winter and spring bloom, and it may not 
be amiss to discuss the merits of the Ranunculus and 
of the glorious gems of the spring and early summer. 
As this is the day for the resurrection of the hardy florists’ 
flowers, we cannot do better than endeavour to find (if 
they are still in existence) those perfect marvels of form 
and colour, so dear to the true amateur florist of times 
gone by. The Auricula is now at the height of 
popularity ; the Carnation, too, may be said to be 
universally adopted as the flower of the day ; the Laced 
Pink, although still in leading strings, will soon, 
doubtless, be able to run alone ; the old florists’ Tulip 
has again taken its stand as a favourite amongst men 
and maidens ; and may we not hope that some of our 
old enthusiasts may still possess some of the ex¬ 
quisitely beautiful varieties of the Ranunculus, which 
were annually cultivated by such men as the late Mr. 
Richard Headly, Mr. Cary Tyso, and others of their day ? 
I think I remember Mr. Barlow saying that he bought 
the remaining stock of Mr. Tyso when the latter gave 
up their cultivation. Now if a few others could be 
found who were so fortunate as to have a few in their 
possession, it would be a great boon if they could be 
brought together that seed might be obtained, and 
efforts be made to bring it again to the fore. I know 
that Ranunculuses are to be had in abundance and at a 
cheap rate, and they are very showy and beautiful, but 
to those who may remember the perfection and form, 
the refinement in texture and delicacy of maiking 
which characterised the old show Ranunculus, those of 
the present day are but sad substitutes. How and 
where are the good ones to be found ?— IV. IV. 
-- 
NEPENTHES DICKSONIANA. 
This handsome Pitcher Plant was exhibited for the 
first time on the 9th of October, 1888, when it had 
no difficulty in obtaining a First Class Certificate 
from the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society. The pitchers measured some 10 ins. in 
length, and, together with the foliage, exhibited the 
characters of the two parents, N. Rafllesiana and N. 
Veitchii, the former being the seed parent. The hybrid 
was raised in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, by Mr. 
Lindsay, the curator, and the name given to it com¬ 
memorates the late Professor of Botany, Professor 
Dickson of that [city. The cylindrical form of the 
pitcher most resembles that of N. Yeitchii, but in size 
and colour the seed parent is largely concerned. The 
ground colour is of a light dusky green, heavily blotched 
and spotted all over with crimson ; even the fringes of 
the wings are of the same bright colour. The opercu¬ 
lum or lid is of a greenish yellow, speckled with reddish 
crimson, and is well thrown up so as to expose the 
annulus or collar of the pitcher, which is one of its 
most conspicuous features. This is corrugated or 
ridged and furrowed transversely, the hollows being 
yellow and the ridges crimson, while there are also 
reddish purple bands across it at intervals. In a newer 
variety, named N. D. superba, the annulus is of much 
greater breadth, and is decidedly the boldest feature of 
the pitcher. In both cases, however, the annulus 
doubtless owes its origin to N. Yeitchii, the pollen 
parent. The habit of the plant is dwarf, and pitchers 
are produced by every leaf, even from the young and 
seedling stage onwards. The plant above-mentioned 
was grown in a basket, and bore a goodly number of 
pitchers of handsome dimensions. The leathery, bright 
green leaves are of moderate size, arching, smooth above, 
and dotted with red hairs so characteristic of N. Yeitchii. 
It is sure to become a favourite with those who take 
