468 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 24, 1894. 
FliOt^ICUliTUl^E. 
Southern Pink Society. 
A NUMBER of admirers of the laced florists’ and 
border Pinks have taken the necessary steps to 
revive the exhibition of these flowers, formerly held 
in London at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster. 
A committee has been formed to carry out the same, 
consisting of Mr. R. Dean, Ealing; Mr. J. Gibson, 
Reading ; Mr. F. Hooper, Bath ; Mr. B. Ladham’s, 
Southampton; Mr. J. Lakin, Temple Cowley; Mr. 
H. Turner, Slough, and Mr. W. Wardill, Luton, 
with power to add to their number. Mr. James 
Thurstan, of Cardiff, has accepted the office of 
President, and Mr. E. Ranger Johnson that of 
Chairman of Committee; and Mr. B. Wynne, 
I, Clement's Inn, Strand, W.C., has undertaken the 
duties of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. 
A subscription list has been opened to provide 
the necessary prizes, which it is proposed should 
not be large in amount, and the Committee will be 
glad to receive any offers of assistance in this 
direction. 
It is proposed to hold the exhibition in the week 
commencing June nth, and it can take place either 
in connection with the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on June 12th, at the Drill 
Hall, or at the Royal Aquarium, on the following 
day, June 13th, as may be determined upon by the 
majority of the Subscribers to the prize fund. 
The Proposed Pink Show. 
I AM much pleased to know that the Pink is being 
taken in hand again, and hope that with a little 
judicious agitation in its favour it may gain a new 
lease of life and be restored to its former popularity. 
Let no one, however, think that the laced Pink, or 
the self-coloured border varieties for that matter, 
will rival the Carnation or the Picotee. There is 
indeed no occasion for any rivalry—there is plenty of 
room for both. The chaste purity and delicate per¬ 
fume of the Pink are suflficient attractions for many, 
but they can never rival the glorious brilliancy of 
colour, the perfection of form, and diversity of 
markings, to be found in the Carnation. Truly, they 
have both their mission and both their admirers, 
and both as well grace a cottar’s plot as a noble’s 
parterre. 
In times past, both were equally favoured by 
" the fancy,” but while the Carnation has gone 
ahead by leaps and bounds, the florists' Pink has 
almost stood still, until now there are thousands 
(especially in the South) who have never seen a per¬ 
fect laced Pink, and who consequently know nothing 
of its exquisite beauty; so that a good sho.w at which 
all our favourites can be seen cannot help but be of 
the greatest educational value, and do much to 
rescue an old favourite from comparative obscurity. 
I have an idea that if the same amount of care was 
bestowed on the Pink, in the way of cross fertilisation, 
as the Carnation is favoured with,as much diversity in 
colour may be introduced into the hardy Pink, and 
that would add enormously to its popularity. 
I anticipate great possibilities for the Dianthus 
family in the near future. Our continental friends 
have given us something in the so-called Marguerite 
Carnation, or annual Pink, that must prove of the 
greatest decorative value; while that diligent and 
enterprising Birmingham florist, Mr. C. H. Herbert, 
has been busy inter-crossing the Marguerite with the 
brilliant scarlet Bizzares, and has secured a charm¬ 
ing strain to be added to our border flowers, as well 
as for culture for conservatory decoration. And 
these can be had in bloom six months after sowing 
the seed. Think of that, and let anyone say where 
we are going to stop. It is too much to hope at 
present for a Dianthus society that will take in the 
whole family, but what could not be done with such 
a family and by such a society ? We have plenty of 
Carnation shows, let us then have a Pink show, and 
a good one, at which as many of the varieties in 
cultivation as possible can be seen, to let us know 
what we have to begin with.— W. Wardill, Luton. 
On Showing Pansies. 
In your issue of last week, " M. G.” says, in reference 
to my letter of the 3rd inst., that he is astonished at 
some of my suggestions on this subject, but the only 
thing that he objects to is the fixing of a standard 
size for trays and paper collars when allowed for 
showing Pansies on. As usage has already in a 
measure fixed the size of trays and collars at the 
dimensions given by “ M. G ,” viz., trays 3 in. from 
centre to centre of hole, and i J in. from centre of 
hole to edge of tray, and collars for fancies zf in., 
and for shows 2J in., surely there is nothing very 
astounding in the suggestion that societies should 
adopt these as the smallest sizes that will be allowed 
to compete. It would certainly be more in the line 
of progress to make competitors try to grow their 
blooms up to a size that would look well on such 
trays and collars, than to allow them to make their 
trays and collars to suit small-sized, badly-grown 
blooms. My object in writing was not to hinder 
progress, but to prevent retrogression, which the 
practices alluded to in my former letter have a 
tendency to do.— C. K. 
The Carnation and Picotee Union. 
It being the wish of many of the members that the 
Society originated by the late Mr. E. S. Dodwell to 
encourage the cultivation and development of the 
Carnation and Picotee should continue its good work, 
the committee have decided to give effect thereto, 
and have appointed to the post held by Mr. Dodwell, 
his son-in-law, Mr. Arthur Medhurst, who has been 
closely associated with him in the work of the 
Union for some years past. The committee 
earnestly solicit the continuance of the support and 
influence of the members on behalf of the Society, 
the interests of which the late Mr. Dodwell had so 
much at heart. 
It is proposed to hold the annual exhibition in the 
Gardens at Stanley Road, Oxford, as formerly, and 
schedule of prizes and notice of date will be issued 
in due course. All communications relating to the 
business of the Union should now be addressed to 
the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Med¬ 
hurst, The Cottage, Stanley Road, Oxford. 
PLANTS RECfflTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The undermentioned subjects were exhibited at the 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
13th inst., and received awards according to merit. 
For description of Orchids certificated at the same 
time see " Orchid Notes and Gleanings.” 
Loropetalon chinense.— Most of the hardy 
species belonging to the Witch Hazel family lose 
their leaves in winter, so that this is an exception. 
It is a native of the Khasir Mountains and China, 
and has twiggy branches bearing elliptic, dark green 
leaves, unequal at the base, glaucous beneath, and 
persisting throughout the year. The flowers are 
borne in clusters of six to eight, terminating the 
numerous slender twigs, so that they are very 
abundant; the four long linear petals are almost 
pure white. The bush flowers freely from the time 
it is only a foot high, and ultimately attains a height 
of 4 ft. First-class Certificate. Exhibited by 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Rhododendron Ne Plus Ultra.— The name 
would indicate that the variety cannot be excelled, 
and it is indeed both brilliant and handsome. The 
flowers are funnel-shaped, with spreading, imbricate 
segments of a brilliant scarlet, and borne in large 
clusters terminating the branches. The filaments 
and style are red, while the anthers are maroon. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons. 
Rhododendron Niobe.— The flowers of this 
hybrid greenhouse Rhododendron are much larger 
than those of Ne Plus Ultra, with broad, imbricate, 
slightly wavy segments of a bright yellow. They 
are borne in clusters of three to six, and have a very 
telling effect, especially when the plant has attained 
some size and well furnished with flowers. Award 
of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Vriesia Rex. —The seed parent of this hybrid 
was V. Morrenio-Barilleti crossed with V. Cardinalis, 
The result is a plant of great beauty, particularly 
the boat-shaped, brilliant crimson-red bracts which 
are densely imbricated in a two-ranked spike cover¬ 
ing the upper part of the flower scape. The 
flowers themselves are yellow, and produced a few 
at a time from the axils of the bracts, but they are 
of short duration compared with the latter. The 
ligulate, entire leaves are smooth, shining and 
arranged in a dwarf vasiform tuft. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by M. L. Duval, 8, Rue de I’Ermitage, 
Versailles. 
Streptocarpus Wendlandi. —This produces a 
solitary, very large leaf, deep green above and 
purple beneath. The flowers are borne in cymes 
on scapes i8in. to 2ft. high, and are so different from 
those of other w'ell-known species that a large group of 
plants exhibited by Messrs. Sutton & Sons created 
a considerable amount of interest. The flowers 
have a short tube with a widely expanded, oblique, 
deep blue lamina, with a large white patch on the 
base of the three lower segments. The throat is of 
a deeper blue. First-class Certificate. 
Coleus Mrs. F. Sander.— The large ovate leaves 
of this variety are flat, creamy yellow in the centre, 
irregularly blotched with reddish purple, and having 
a moderately broad green margin, more or less 
blotched with velvety maroon. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans. 
CuviA MiNiATA, Hillingdon var.— The broad, 
shortly funnel-shaped flowers are of great size 
individually and borne in huge trusses. The 
segments are imbricate, deep orange and pale yellow 
at the base. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Mr. 
W. Whitely, The Nurseries, Hillingdon. 
Azalea Albicans.— The flowers of this variety 
are conspicbus and pretty, being of a pure white 
with exception of a flush of yellow at the base of the 
upper segments. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
the Duke of Northumberland (gardener, Mr. W. 
C. Leach) Albury Park, Guildford. 
Iris alata alba.— The typical form of this is a 
beautiful and interesting Iris of the bulbous type. 
There are many varieties of it in cultivation, 
differing chiefly in colour and size. That under 
notice is pure white with exception of a yellow line 
arising at the base of the falls and extending within 
one-fourth of the apex. It lacks the charming colour 
of several other kinds, but acquires considerable 
value and interest when contrasted with the rest. 
The flowers are also fragrant. A Botanical Certifi¬ 
cate was awarded it when exhibited by Mr. T. S. 
Ware, Tottenham, at the spring show of the Royal 
Botanic Society on the 14th inst. 
Hyacinth Lord Balfour.— This variety is of 
strong growth, producing large cylindrical spikes of 
bloom of an unusual colour. The flowers are pale 
purple with a violet tint along the centre of each 
segment, fading to white at the edges. A Flori- 
cultural Certificate was awarded it when exhibited 
at the spring show of the Royal Botanic Society on 
the 14th inst. by Messrs. H. Williams & Sons, Fortis 
Green, East Finchley. 
. --- 
THE PEAR BLOOM. 
Whatever may be the crop result next autumn, at 
least it must be admitted that rarely have there been 
seen on Pear trees such a grand promise of bloom as 
is just now presented. If we may indulge in a 
pessimistic observation in relation to this fact, and 
there are plenty of Pear growers who understand 
its significance, it is that we would rather have seen 
less of bud promise, because a very severe strain 
must be put on the trees through such exceeding 
florescence to produce a good set. On the other 
hand we have to set against that two undoubted 
facts. First, that the heat of last summer and 
autumn suited Pears wonderfully well; indeed, the 
trees like warmth even more than Apples without 
doubt, hence we have not only wood splendidly 
matured, but also spurs and buds that are full of 
vigour and of vitality. 
Then the second fact is the most abundant rain¬ 
falls of the winter, which have done so much to 
furnish the roots with ample supplies of moisture 
and of food. Whilst the great drought of last year 
left much of the fertile properties of the soil inopera¬ 
tive, yet was there abundance to generate stout 
ripened wood, and what w'as unused will be of 
special service this spring in helping to feed the 
flowers and sustain them during the process of 
pollenisation. Altogether it is doubtful, apart from 
the exceeding abundance of buds, whether we ever 
had a better prospect of a fine Pear crop. Our one 
great concern now is as to the weather. 
A very wet time is not good for the bloom, neither 
is one of sharp white frosts, or of heavy cloud and 
gloom with a very low temperature. These troubles 
we may, however, escape, and recent w'eather 
furnishes abundant cause for hope. It must indeed 
be a disastrous bloom time if we do not have a grand 
Pear crop, and with such prospect we earnestly hope 
that ample facilities will be afforded to growers to 
show off their best samples at public exhibitions in 
the autumn, in competition or otherwise.-•A'". 
