120 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 26, 1889. 
Proposed Testimonial to an Old Florist. 
"We learn from Birmingham that the horticultural 
friends of Mr. "William Dean, late of the Mill Lane 
Nurseries, Solihull, who, we regret to hear, is in 
declining health, being desirous of recognising in some 
tangible form the valuable services he has rendered to 
floriculture during a period of fifty years, have 
formed a committee with a view to carrying 
the project into effect. The committee state 
that among the notable services rendered by 
Mr. Dean was the founding of the National Flori- 
cultural Society, which for a time did much valuable 
w r ork amongst florists’ and other flowers, and was 
ultimately merged into the Floral Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society. He was one of the 110 
judges at the Great International Horticultural Exhi¬ 
bition held in London in 1866, in addition to which 
he has for many years acted as judge at flower shows 
at York, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Neweastle-on- 
Tyne, Shrewsbury, and many other places. He was 
the first to introduce the lovely fancy Pansy to this 
country, which is now one of the most popular flowers 
of our gardens, and was at one time the joint editor of 
Gossip of the Garden and editor of The Florists’ Guide, 
in addition to which he has been a frequent contributor 
to gardening periodicals for more than thirty years. 
"We may add that contributions in aid of the fund 
proposed to be raised will be received and duly acknow¬ 
ledged by Mr. W. B. Latham, Curator, Botanical 
Gardens, Edgbaston, Birmingham: Mr. Walter Jones, 
Stephenson Chambers, New Street, Birmingham ; Mr. 
W. Spinks, The Nurseries, Solihull, Birmingham ; 
Mr. R. Johnson, Springfield, Drury Lane, Solihull, 
Birmingham ; Mr. James Bubb, High Street, Solihull; 
and Mr. J. Hughes, Northwood Villas, Metchley Lane, 
Harborne, Birmingham, secretary, pro tern. Con¬ 
tributions will be received up to November 1st, when 
the list will be closed and the amount duly announced. 
Dressing Carnations. 
"Will you allow me a few words in reply to friend 
“B.” (p. 72) as to what I mean by “artistic skill” 
and “monstrous exaggeration”? It is a monstrous 
exaggeration to spread and twist Germanica or Agnes 
Chambers until they take the proportions of a full- 
grown Hollyhock bloom. It is an exaggeration—and 
monstrous, too—to pull and smooth down the petals 
of that crisp little beauty, Nellie, and to turn up 
the petals of Lady Louise or Edith D’Omhrain. Each 
of these has its own peculiar beauty of form and of 
habit, and diversity of shape forms a very distinct 
feature in the wondrous and diversified arrangements of 
nature ; hence he who by such careful manipulation 
can make them so nearly approach each other in the 
show box when spread on the card, must be an adept in 
artificiality, and I for one can but admire his skill. 
Again, if “B.” had been at Oxford, and seen the 
exhibition of single blooms, he would, perhaps, have 
been of my opinion. I had always thought that the 
class of single blooms was reserved for those who could 
not exhibit in the collections, but who might have a 
few good blooms which were worthy of recognition, in¬ 
stead of which the ground appeared to be occupied by 
the more portentous exhibitors, to the almost entire 
exclusion of their more humble friends and brethren. 
Then, as to the complaint that “ W. "W.’s” name has 
not figured amongst the Royals or the Nationals. 
"Well, be it known to “B.” and to all men that I am 
one of the sons of toil, who has spent a very long life 
in active laborious business, relieved alone by the 
delights of my garden ; that except the annual pil¬ 
grimages to the shrine of Flora at Oxford, I have but 
little leisure for holiday-making ; and as dressing is not 
one of the articles of my faith, 1 am not very likely to 
be found amongst the Belgravian worshippers, seeing 
that I have other and personally more important 
duties; but if “B.” or any of the lovers of the 
Dianthus will favour me with a visit during the next 
season, they will meet with a hearty welcome to a floral 
feast of Carnations in almost every variety of colour and 
form. Although the collection contains a large pro¬ 
portion of the popular varieties, and a good collection 
of the Continental sorts, particularly of the fancy and 
the yellow grounds, yet it must be confessed that the 
seedlings in the open ground are and ever have been the 
most delightful to their owner. I am not a trader in 
the Carnation, nor an exhibitor for prizes ; but if “B.” 
would think it worth his while to come and look at my 
little back garden, I will promise him that he shall not 
he sent empty away. If I am spared to see another 
summer, I anticipate such a galaxy of colours from 
seedlings, both of home and Continental strains, as I 
have never had before. As a lover of the flora, I would 
not dare to boast of what I possess. Still, if I could so 
encourage as to induce a few of the sons of labour to 
cultivate these hardy florists’ flowers in any form I 
should be highly delighted. As my scribbling is 
usually done after the labours of the day, when others 
are at rest, you may excuse a garrulous old man.— 
TV. W. 
V 
Pinks. 
Will my old friend, Mr. James Thurstan, ever see the 
realisation of one of his most ardent desires — the 
establishment of a Pink exhibition ? I thought a short 
time ago that there was a fair chance of his enjoying 
this realisation, but still the project seems to hang fire. 
Still, whatever may be in store for the Pink, I hope 
to witness a revival of the cultivation of this beautiful 
flower. It is the most delightfully fragrant of the 
whole tribe of Dianthus—and for that reason alone 
it deserves to be cultivated—and while it is not too 
late to plant, it should be done without delay. The 
usual practice in planting a bed of Pinks is to allow 
from 8 ins. to 10 ins. between each plant, and the same 
distance between the rows when planted singly ; but 
some make a point of placing three plants together, in 
the form of a triangle, and by doing this one shade 
would cover the flowers required for exhibition 
purposes. 
A Pink bed should be prepared some days before¬ 
hand, digging the soil deeply, and mixing with it some 
good decayed horse-manure. It is as well for this to be 
done early in August, so that the soil can be turned over 
several times before the plants are placed in the bed. The 
Pink is a thoroughly hardy plant, and requires but 
little, if any, protection during the winter, so that need 
not trouble the grower. In planting, the plants should 
be placed deep in the soil, but not deep enough to bury 
any of the leaves ; and the soil pressed firmly about 
them. If there are any shoots long enough to be in 
danger of being blown about by the wind, they should 
be pegged to the soil to prevent this. If there is at 
any time danger of injury from cold winds, a few 
sprays of Fir of any kind, or, indeed, of any evergreen, 
will be found a useful protection. Some plants may be 
of more slender character than others, and such can be 
protected by placing an inverted flower pot over them 
for a time. 
When a rapid thaw follows upon severe frost, 
especially if it has been at all prolonged, the plants 
are lifted up out of the soil—rather, this is done 
through the expansion caused by frost; but the con¬ 
traction which follows with the fall, leaves the plants 
raised up somewhat, and as soon as this happens, 
opportunity should be taken during the first spell of 
suitable weather to press them back firmly into the 
soil once more, taking care not to break them off at 
the neck in doing so. 
No time should be lost in securing a supply for planting 
out. It is useless to think of getting good blooms 
from plants placed out in March, and yet I have 
known them ordered at that season of the year, when 
they have begun to put forth their blooming shoots. 
Good laced and full flowers can be had only when 
planted as early in autumn as convenient. 
A good top-dressing of manure is given in spring. 
In March, when the weather is drying and the soil 
workable, the surface soil should be cleaned over 
and stirred, all weeds and decaying foliage of the 
plants being removed. Some well-decomposed horse 
manure is the best for the purpose, and it should be 
placed over the beds to the depth of an inch or so. It 
is always well to grow a few spare plants, either in 
pots or in the open, to fill up vacancies should any 
occur during the winter. 
I must leave to experts like Mr. Thurstan to name 
and recommend varieties. If he will kindly supple¬ 
ment the directions I have given with any hints or 
suggestions likely to be of service to cultivators, I am 
sure they will prove very acceptable to not a few readers 
of The Gardening World interested in the Pink.— 
R. D. 
Gold-laced Polyanthuses. 
I AM sorry to learn from Mr. Samuel Barlow that his 
fine red-ground Sunrise is, he fears, quite lost to cultiva¬ 
tion. More’s the pity, because it was a variety possessing 
many points of high quality, and it was curious to note 
that although at the meetings of the Northern Section 
of the National Auricula Society, at Manchester, new 
varieties of gold-laced Polyanthuses are produced, and 
occasionally certificated, they do not, somehow, find 
their way into cultivation, or, at any rate, they are not 
seen at exhibitions. The old favourites, George IV., 
Exile, Prince Regent, Lancer, Cheshire Favourite, 
William IV., and others still hold their own. A black- 
ground flower, named Lord Beaconsfield, is still now 
to be had, but report speaks of it as coarse, and un¬ 
reliable as an exhibition variety. Unnamed seedlings 
are occasionally shown in London, but they do not seem 
to be propagated. It is a fact that a promising seedling 
at the first time of blooming does not always maintain 
its character, but seems to go back, and this is true of 
the Auricula also. 
Such young sturdy plants as can he obtained should 
be potted up without delay. I have just obtained 
plants of the varieties named above, young sturdy stuff, 
well-rooted, and vigorous. These are placed in quite 
small pots, so as to get them established with all speed. 
They are in a cold frame, which is thrown open on all 
favourable occasions, but the lights are put on when 
drenching rains threaten. If a plant of a gold-laced 
Polyanthus, just potted, and therefore inactive, becomes 
drenched with rain, it is in great danger of rotting. I 
never water newly-potted plants of Auriculas and 
Polyanthuses for a week, but then I take care to use 
the soil moist enough to induce root action. As soon 
as the roots become active, then water can be given as 
required. A happy medium is necessary during the 
winter. The plants should be kept just moist enough 
to keep them healthy, and the foliage erect. If they 
become too dry about the roots, a dry rot will some¬ 
times set in, which is decidedly hurtful to the plants. 
One thing should be especially guarded against—that 
is, the plants becoming frozen soon after they have 
been watered. This is a very likely cause of death to 
the more delicate, named varieties, and it is an evil to 
be guarded against. I like to have my plants well 
established in small pots by the end of November. 
They are wintered in these, and at the end of January 
they are shifted into 4-in. pots to flower, using a rich 
soil. The roots soon begin to work in this, and good 
nutriment is thus afforded to assist in the production 
of fine pips in April.— R. D. 
-—>X-<-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM, AMY FURZE 
When the blooms of this first expand, the florets are 
arranged in a broad, spreading and regularly recurved 
head ; and this is the stage represented by our illus¬ 
tration. The outer florets then recurve beautifully, 
while those of the centre are slightly twisted as if 
they came out in a spiral fashion. At this time 
the bulk of the florets are of a soft pink flushed 
rose, especially below the middle, and of a deeper rosy 
purple tint on the reverse, while the half-expanded 
central florets are tinted with golden yellow. At this 
stage it might be classed amongst the reflexed varieties ; 
but as time goes on and the central florets attain their 
full growth, the flower head becomes almost globular, 
the central florets being erect or nearly so, while 
between them and the outer ones we find all inter¬ 
mediate grades as to direction. In the early stages 
the head is flat and not very deep, but ultimately it 
acquires considerable depth. The latter form of it 
was shown by Messrs. Cannell & Sons, at the Drill 
Hall, on the 22nd inst. His plant must have been 
unusually early, as on former occasions we have seen it 
in its ultimate form towards the end of November. 
There was originally some dispute as to where it should 
be classed, bur it is now included amongst the Japanese 
reflexed. For decorative purposes it will prove highly 
suitable. It was only raised as a seedling about six 
years ago. 
- ->$«• - 
THE FRUIT QUESTION.* 
When requested to lend a helping hand in the 
promotion of any worthy object in the world of 
horticulture I am not able to give a refusal, but must 
try and do a little good in my day and generation. In 
these days of world-wide competition there is great 
need for mutual help and friendly co-operation for the 
attainment of a common object of national imnortance 
—improving the food resources of the kingdom in the in¬ 
terests of every class in it—viz., the owners of land that 
has been falling in value of late ; tillers of the ground 
who have had such slight returns for their labour, and 
consumers of the produce of the soil in placing before 
them better samples for their sustenance and enjoy¬ 
ment. That is the triune object in which many can 
aid, and by each doing a little it will be attained. 
But in the name of common sense let all petty jealousies 
be abandoned, and let us take a lesson from our rivals 
* A paper read by Mr. J. Wright at the Crystal Palace on 
October 10th. 
