824 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 20, 1894. 
FLtOl^lCLlIiTOt^E. 
The Florist's Laced Pink. 
In the appeal I made last August to the Pink 
growers and its supporters (see Gardening World, 
p, 804) I did hope that some response, or what is 
wanted, " assistance, ’ would have been volunteered 
by the friends whose names I referred to as having 
done much in the past, in favour of their old 
favourite flower, but “ hope " is not always realised, 
and this is my reward up to the present; but 1 am 
not going to lack efforts through a little disappoint¬ 
ment, and therefore again ask my friends and other 
Pink growers to kindly write something in favour of 
the Florists’ Laced and Garden Border Pinks, so as to 
encourage others to come forward with a helping 
hand in the shape of exhibiting, and membership ! 
As I have stated in previous issues of this paper, 
the Midland Counties and Northern sections of the 
National Pink Society have met with very fair 
response to their calls, from both exhibitors and non¬ 
exhibitors, and my appeal more especi¬ 
ally refers to the Southern section of 
the Society, because from the superior 
facilities which the Southern atmosphere 
favours florists over those of the North, 
and many parts of the Midlands, there 
are more inducements for Southern 
amateurs to take tip the delightful 
hobby of a florist and cultivator of the 
Pink. 
"R. D.” has again kindly expressed 
his views upon the subject in last week’s 
issue, and ventures to support what I 
was bold enough to suggest that the 
Florists’ Laced Pink has its time before 
it, and with perseverance and careful 
fertilisation, will become a standard of 
perfection, and will be looked upon and 
established in the eyes of the florist as 
pre-eminent to the Carnation and 
Picotee ! I have no desire to be thought 
presumptuous in regard to the views I 
express in favour of the Pink, but at the 
same time I do not wish it to be believed 
that I would give such imperative ex¬ 
pression to those views without fair 
consideration; I speak from a long 
experience, and very careful study of 
the merits and cultivation of the Carna¬ 
tion, Picotee, and Pink. For a great 
number of years I have fertilised Pinks, 
and produced numerous seedlings, and 
although I possess at the present time 
thirty to forty varieties of the latter, 
containing qualities of undoubted excel¬ 
lence, I don’t make a practice of " writ¬ 
ing them up,” as I occasionally notice 
other Pinks written up as being the "best 
collection, or the best Pink in the king¬ 
dom,’’ and as there has not for many 
years been any Pink shows in the South 
at which I could exhibit, most of my 
varieties have had to rest in their glory, 
confined to my own personal comments 
and admiration. 
As, however, so much has been said in regard to 
the qualities and properties of other Pinks, it may 
not be out of place for me to furnish some 
particulars for the benefit of young growers and 
those inclined to go in for raising seedlings, of my 
own method of raising seedlings and the result of 
my efforts. In the first place it has always been my 
practice in fertilising to work with such varieties as 
would be likely to produce a good shaped bold petal, 
with plenty of substance in it, and a refinement in 
the lacing, and for the latter to resemble, as near as 
possible, what is known as a "wire-edge” lacing, 
to be free from juttings of colour from the lacing 
into the white ground, and vict versa, and which 
detriment is always conspicuous in the much, " but 
improperly,” praised up Empress of India, Modesty, 
and many other similar varieties in commerce. The 
edges of the petals should be as free from notches or 
serration as possible, and these advantages I have 
to a considerable extent secured, and which are 
very visible in my seedlings which are in commerce, 
viz., James Thurstan, George Hodgkinson, and Mrs. 
Thurstan, and in many others which the public 
have not at present had the opportunity of seeing. 
I have varieties now possessing large, thick, well¬ 
shaped petals, equal in refinement, size, and sub¬ 
stance to any Picotee, with perfection in lacing and 
containing petals in number from twenty and 
upwards, the blooms of some measuring in diameter 
zj to 3 in. 
As " R. D.” justly says, the fragrance of the Pink 
and its general hardiness are acquisitions which 
neither the Carnation nor Picotee can always rely 
upon. Under any circumstances I am satisfied that 
no person who once commences the cultivation of 
the Florists’ Laced Pink will ever discard it from 
amongst his floral pets ! Can the editor say whether 
or not the southern section of the National Pink 
Society exists at this period ? With reference to 
the remarks which have recently appeared in regard 
to the method of increasing stocks by layering and 
piping, the former is no doubt the safest method, 
but the latter is the most simple and expeditious, 
and if persons will take the trouble of pricking out 
the pipings immediately they are rooted, fine strong 
plants would always be ready to send out early in 
October, and would invariably give the purchaser 
Begonia Miss Jennie Fell. 
satisfaction. It is to be regretted that nurserymen 
and others who sell plants should send out such 
which they must know from experience will never 
be appreciated by the purchaser—such as " An Old 
Grower,” vide Gardening World, p. 309. —James 
Thurstan, RiJtmond Road, Cardiff, January 
iZth , 1894. 
The Pink. 
" An Old Grower ” does well to give the movement 
in favour of an enlarged culture of the Pink, and 
the restoration of the Pink show in London, a good 
kick which sends it a little farther onward. More 
power to his toe, and the hand which guides his 
pen. What does our old friend Mr. James Thurstan 
say for the most dearly-loved member of his floral 
family. He has made the Pink his own by raising 
a number of fine varieties, of which James Thurstan 
stands as the foremost representative ; and any move¬ 
ment forward must have his aid as a propeller. Mr. 
Thurstan is, I fear, in danger of regarding himself 
as one crying in the wilderness with no response but 
the echo of his own voice coming back to him ; but 
he must not suppose his efforts are so utterly fruit¬ 
less. What he writes respecting the Pink is read 
by many, and he is rewarded with a response, 
though it may not reach his ears. Come forth from 
the silence of your Cardiff home, ye enthusiast over 
Dianthus plumarius, and breathe your vigorous 
prose upon the dry bones of the fleshless skeleton of 
the Southern Pink Society, and they shall live again' 
in action, and add materially to the popularity of 
this delightful flower ! 
" An Old Grower ” is not far from the mark when 
he states that one reason for the falling off in 
popular favour of the Pink was the difficulty in 
obtaining strong plants. For years past we have 
turned our eyes to the Royal Nursery, Slough, as 
peculiarly the southern home of the Pink, and I am 
bound to say that generally good strong plants have 
been sent out from thence ; and, as far as my 
individual experience goes, I can say the same of 
those sent out by F'red Hooper, of Bath ; and I 
presume in each case the plants were obtained from 
pipings. But he is quite correct when he states 
that unless pipings are put in in early summer, 
only weak plants result. There is a great 
advantage in the case of layers 
that they make roots quickly, 
and grow into good size before the 
necessity arises for taking them from 
the parent plant. My experience of the 
difficulty of striking pipings during last 
summer, and the rapid headway made 
by layers, has confirmed me in my pre¬ 
ference for the latter method of propaga¬ 
tion. The Birmingham men are already 
to the fore in the matter of layering. 
As the Pink blooms earlier than the 
Carnation, the act of layering can be 
performed sooner, which is a decided 
advantage. All my layered plants, 
despite the hot dry character of the 
summer, are extra strong, and if only 
the winter and early spring be merciful, 
they will be fine tufts by May. And 
what response will Mr. Secretary John¬ 
son give to the appeal for a revival of the 
Pink Society ? It could not be re-estab¬ 
lished under more favourable circum¬ 
stances. We have it on the authority 
of “ An Old Grower ” that others are 
taking up the Pinks, and in a year or 
two Pinks will be much more cultivated. 
I believe he is right, and everyone who 
can, lend a hand in making the Pink 
more popular, and in reviving the 
London Pink Exhibition ! There are 
sympathizing friends, and enthusiastic 
growers willing to help, but action 
should be taken at once, if a successful 
exhibition is to come off in June next.— 
DOUBLE BEGONIAS. 
Double Begonias of the tuberous 
type, and which were regarded as 
great acquisitions ten years ago, 
would find little favour anywhere at 
the present day, and none at all 
with those who keep themselves well 
in advance of the times in Begonia culture. The 
hard and confused mass of petals which passed for 
meritorious double flowers have long ago been con¬ 
signed to the rubbish heap, and their places have 
been taken by a large number of perfectly distinct 
forms and colours, all duly refined as to shape, and 
intensified in colour, or on the other hand, equally re¬ 
nowned for their delicacy. The prevailing taste at 
present gives great encouragement to flowers of 
refined form, many of which bear an apt resemblance 
to a Rose-bud when in the half-expanded or bud stage; 
while they are equally comparable to a Rose or 
Camellia, more especially the latter, when fully de¬ 
veloped. Contemporaneously with these types are 
others, with larger and looser petals, undulated or 
crimped in a most interesting way, and resembling a 
double Holyhock of almost exhibition form. Some 
of these have their petals more or less distinctly 
arranged round several centre.', and the crowding of 
the relatively broad petals causes them to be 
crumpled and wavy, as there is no space for them to 
lie flat. Being few in number and broad, they are 
not crowded, however, so that they present a natural 
appearance, and are highly appreciated by many 
even of refined taste. 
