440 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 15, 1890. 
FROfJldl/hTlff^. 
The Rev. G. Jeans on the Philosophy of 
Florists' Flowers.— VIII. 
“With respect to the case in which more colours than 
one are associated in the same petal or blossom, the 
difference of effect is extreme between a tasteful 
arrangement and the reverse ; and taste in this sense, 
that is as far as it is subject to certain and variable 
rules, comes properly within the scope of this essay. 
These rules, as before observed, may be classed under 
the heads of Combination and Contrast ; for though 
the difference between these two modes of harmony 
may not seem so obvious as is implied in the opposition 
of the words, yet there is a real and essential opposition, 
both in the principle of association and in the effect 
produced on the beholder. In either case there must 
be a mutual adaption between the colours : but in the 
one, it is to form a single compound idea; in the other, 
two separate and rival ones. 
“ Whether for combination or contrast, the colours 
must be in j uxtaposition, but not necessarily in contact. 
Colours that do not readily combine, may be seen to do 
so when there is an interval ; and a contrast is often 
more striking when it is not only between the colours 
themselves, but between them as displayed in opposite 
parts of a flower. It is only requisite that the eye be 
able to take them in together. 
“ 1.—The first mode of combination is that in which 
the two join and yet are completely distinct, as in two 
parallel stripes of the African Marigold ; or in which 
one colour is laid on another, as in the spotted or 
blotched Calceolaria. For the effect of such an 
arrangement to be pleasing, there must be a positive 
agreement or a positive diversity between the colours ; 
if the former, they will combine ; if the latter, they 
will contrast. And the peculiar power of combination 
is seen in this, that whereas the strongest diversity 
produces the most striking contrast, in harmonious 
colours the most striking effect is sometimes when the 
diversity is least. Thus, in a collection of Pelar¬ 
goniums, amongst the strong contrasts afforded by the 
maroon and other dark-coloured spots, a crimson, or 
still more, a scarlet spot on a pink or orange ground, 
in which there is no contrast, and but little diversity, 
will be dhe surest to arrest and retain the eye. Some 
varieties of Iris, Ixia, and Gladiolus are remarkable 
for blending harmonious tints; indeed, the whole 
tribe of Irids and Amaryllids is as rich in every 
example of colour as the Orchids are in form. 
“2.—Another mode of combination is that in which 
they become partially blended, and form a cloudy mass ; 
which, if the constituents harmonise, gives the idea of 
richness, and is usually a mark of high quality. But 
if the cloudiness be only partial, it will run the risk of 
an appearance of mere unevenness of colour, which is a 
great fault; and if the constituents do not harmonise, 
the result will be flat and dull. 
“ 3.— The last form of combination is when they lose 
their separate existence, and produce an uniform new 
tint, in which case what has been said under the article 
of colour in general is applicable. Every existing 
colour may be considered as compound, because every 
known, or indeed, conceivable one, may be made up 
of two others. 
“And it is evident that the number of such must be 
unlimited, so that variety produced by colour must be 
unlimited likewise. And in nature we find it so. The 
various shades of colour in a self-Verbena give it as 
much variety as a party-coloured one has. 
“ It seems hardly determinable with precision before¬ 
hand what colours will combine and what will not, or 
even what will contrast, except that, as might be 
expected, every colour will contrast with white or grey, 
and therefore it may be taken as a rule, that a small 
white or grey interval will reconcile any two colours. 
Their position on the solar spectrum conducts but a 
very little way, and is not to be implicitly trusted even 
so far as that. It is a deficiency, however, of no 
consequence, for even if it were otherwise, our only 
appeal would be to experience, and that is our guide 
now. 
“Yet thus far is plain, that in contrasts the most 
dissimilar elements, as those from opposite ends of the 
spectrum, or dark and light, or any other contraries, 
produce the greater effect. And further, that colours 
which will not combine into one idea, will often readily 
harmonise without an interval, if by their position a 
contrast be excited. Thus the green-edged Auricula is 
considered the most perfect form of the flower, because 
the refractory green is made to contrast with the ring 
of colour by the rings being separated into parts of co¬ 
ordinate value by being concentric. 
“To conclude, then, if it be asked which is the 
higher origin of beauty, I would say, contrast possesses 
the far greater range of effects, and has all the boldness, 
energy, and pungency on its side, but combination 
presents all the smoothness, elegance and high-toned 
richness of colouring, and as far as I can analyse my 
own perceptions, excites the livelier emotions of pleasure. 
Contrast makes far more out of unpromising materials, 
and brings out their hidden and unsuspected powers, 
like putting them in a contest of skill ; to combination 
appertains refinement, and the grace peculiar to high 
breeding. Contrast, in short (touse a quaint similitude), 
has the virtues of democracy; combination, those which 
may be called aristocratic. 
“It is by contrast that the margin of a large- 
blotched Pelargonium becomes so striking and effective, 
even when the beauty is enhanced—as it often is—by 
its being between colours that combine. There should 
therefore be no pencilling, nor any processes of the 
blotch breaking into it to mar its distinctness. It is 
by contrast that the white eye of others adds so much 
to their beauty. Neither of these properties has any 
positive value; it is relative, and depends on the 
contrast; and that in the throat is often formed 
entirely by the abruptness with which the colour 
terminates. Hence it is that a feather in the eye, 
however small, gives an appearance of poverty, because 
it detracts from the purity of the white, and by con¬ 
sequence from the contrast in which the effectiveness 
resides. Finally, it is to contrast, in a great measure, 
that the gorgeous splendour of the Tulip is owing, for 
its bold and bright colours being laid on the purest 
white or yellow, the extreme purity of the ground 
brings out with perfect effect the strokes of the 
pencilling. 
v “When combination and contrast unite in the same 
flower, which is far from rare, the order of excellence is 
such as to admit of the highest effect colours are capable 
of giving. 
“The boundaries of science being now established, 
the province of taste may be inferred, as including all 
not restricted by the former. When the rules of science 
have defined what is invariable and necessary, a large 
field will still remain open for individual taste to 
luxuriate in without reproach ; limited, indeed, on all 
sides from transgressing its proper bounds, but within 
its ample space unfettered. This is the region of taste, 
to which belongs whatever is not claimed by the 
more rigid exactness of scientific rule. It is the 
residuary legatee when all specified claimants are 
satisfied. 
“But beyond its legitimate sphere it can have no 
jurisdiction. Whatever nature (which is the law of our 
Maker) requires, taste cannot dispense with as out of 
fashion ; whatever it rejects, taste cannot patronise 
into a beauty. It may prefer colour to colour at its 
pleasure, and dispute over the rival claims of its several 
favourites, which have naturally an equal claim to 
admiration, but it is out of place when it demands 
precedence for an angular over a flowing outline, or for 
a disproportionate or an unmeaning shape over one of 
which every part has reference to the whole ; nor 
ought it be allowed to stamp a conventional value upon 
an incongruous assemblage of colours. 
“ A cultivated taste does not often err thus. And by 
a cultivated taste, I mean simply one that is conversant 
with a flower in its varieties, and takes an interest in 
their observation. It is curious to observe the tact a 
person rapidly acquires in discerning anything that is 
really a natural defect, or the parent of a natural 
advantage, merely by frequent, unconscious com¬ 
parison. And this is the origin of the agree¬ 
ment there is between florists in the ‘ points ’ of 
flowers. And the reason it is not more perfect is 
because the faculty is not equally cultivated in all, nor 
is it perfect in any. Mere observation has not the 
means of training the eye to completeness, for per¬ 
fection has never hitherto been reached in the objects 
of its study. It is also partly owing to an erroneous as 
well as a defective standard. For in forming a standard 
of excellence of any particular florists’ flower, the 
legitimate preferences of varying taste have generally 
been allowed a voice, which is a mistake. 
“Reasoning, however, will help to supply the 
deficiency. Discussions on the subject, such as are 
constantly appearing in the pages of periodicals like 
the Florist, will always tend to promote such agree¬ 
ment, because there is a solid foundation at bottom, 
and therefore a true appeal to nature. There are in 
nature certain fixed laws applicable (and in practice 
already, to a great extent, applied) to the estimate of 
any flower. And the readers of such discussions, 
whether they agree to or dissent from what they read, 
so they but exercise thought upon it, are gradually 
acquiring for themselves the faculty of correctly judging 
whether those laws are infringed or not, Nor can 
anyone have perused these papers without making an 
advance in a knowledge, of which, perhaps, at first he 
was inclined to dispute the existence.” 
Tree or Perpetual Carnations. 
No better time than the present will be found suitable 
to put in a batch of cuttings of these useful plants. 
Grown for affording cut bloom they are ever welcome. 
Select small side shoots, and place them round the edge 
of 4-in pots, in a mixture of loam and sand, afterwards 
placing them in a temperature of 65’, when they will 
soon root. As soon as they are rooted they should be 
potted off and gradually hardened till they can be 
removed to a cool structure, where they should remain 
till the end of April. They may be potted on into 
5-inch pots in a compost of good yellow loam three 
parts, and one part of cow-dung, with enough of sand 
to keep the whole porous. The best place for them at 
this stage will be a cold frame, and attention will have 
to be given to stopping the top and guarding against 
green-fly by giving them a slight dusting with tobacco 
powder. When once they start to grow freely, a pinch 
of artificial manure may be given once a week, and 
about the middle of September they may be taken 
indoors, giving plenty of air on favourable occasions. 
By maintaining a night temperature of 50° through the 
winter and spring months abundance of bloom will be 
cut, well repaying the cultivator what little care he has 
bestowed on them. A few good sorts are Alegatiere, 
Andalusia, Bell Rose, Miss Joliffe, Madams Carl, and 
Prince of Orange. — IV. Angus, Dumfriesshire. 
-- 
AMARYLLIS, THE CHAMPION. 
This belongs to the newer improved forms, having a 
very large expanded flower, and an extremely short tube 
compared with the species and varieties of the so-called 
Amaryllis generally, and which are really Hippeastrums. 
The flower is a brilliant crimson-scarlet, with a greenish 
star in the centre. All the segments are very broad 
and much imbricated, but the outer three segments -are 
much the broadest. It was shown by Messrs. J. 
Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, at the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, on Tuesday last, and received a 
First Class Certificate. 
We give an illustration of Amaryllis Conqueror, so 
that the peculiarity of the type to which The Champion 
belongs may be seen at a glance. Both are seedings of 
the same parentage, and show a remarkable improve¬ 
ment upon the old-fashioned long-tubed-flowers of this 
class. Conqueror flowered with the Messrs. Veiteh for 
the first time in 18SS. The colour is a brilliant scarlet, 
with a short and broad-rayed greenish white star. 
-- >x< -- 
PREPARING THE SOIL. 
That the above has a very significant meaning every 
gardener will readily admit ; indeed, it is an inexhaust¬ 
ible subject. For every seed sown, or plant planted, a 
certain preparation of the soil is necessary ; and yet 
we sometimes meet with those who practically ignore, 
and would almost ridicule the soundness or advisability 
of making any preparation in any particular form for 
the various seeds and plants they have to grow, con¬ 
tenting themselves with an ordinary digging at what 
they are pleased to call digging time, and nothing 
further. No doubt a certain amount of success 
will accrue from this, or indeed any practice ; but 
to be a successful grower, one must needs be a 
careful observer of the condition, qualification, and 
general nature of the soil he intends certain seeds or 
plants to grow upon. As we are on the eve of seed¬ 
time, a few remarks on this subject may not be in¬ 
opportune, and I will confine them to ordinary cropping 
ground. 
Respecting the preparation of the soil for all sorts of 
vegetables, as well as other things, I need hardly say 
it is most important in ^all stages of its preparation 
that it be dry, or at least partly so. A gross mistake 
is often committed in trenching, some imagining from 
the fact that if the surface soil is to be, well, at least 
two spades depth—quite far enough away from the 
roots in their earlier stages of growth—they can easily, 
and even with propriety, trench, although the surface 
soil is saturated with water, provided the subsoil is dry. 
Nothing could be more absurd, as thus the saturated 
soil is turned to the bottom, away from the drying 
action of air and sunshine, and there left to become 
