April 27, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
547 
Pansies «& Violas. 
L AST season I was awarded the Gold 
Medals at the International Show and at London, and 
the Trade’s Medals at Glasgow and Shrewsbury for the best 
collections of Pansies and Violas, the highest honours awarded. 
My famous new Fancy Pansies Miss Stirling and Bernard 
Doulton were awarded n Special Prizes for the best Fancy 
Pansies and best new Pansies in the shows, and also led off 
14 Gold and Silver Medal Stands and 51 First Prize Stands at 
London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the International, Shrews¬ 
bury, and other leading shows. A record never equalled. 
The best judges have repeatedly declared these to be the best 
Pansies ever raised. The blooms are ot enormous size and 
perfect. The price should be 5s. each; but, having large 
stocks, I will send the pair for 3s. 6d. 
For 8s I will send this famous pair and ir best 1894 vari¬ 
eties: Marmion, W. H. Clarke. Mrs. Wm Watson, Miss 
Paterson, T. Wagg, Mrs. J. D. Duncan, J. Ford, Col. Coats, 
W. B. Smeilie, I. McFarlane, Mrs. J. Currie. 
For 40s. I will send the best 100 varieties in cultivation, to 
include the above lot and 5 more var. of 1895 an d 36 of 1894. 
A superb Collection, containing the cream of the newest 
varieties. 
For 3s. I will send a splendid 13 var., including H. A. 
Stuait(new), A. Paul, D. Young, andj. Black, 1894 var. 
For 21s. I will send a splendid 100 var., to include 2 var. of 
1895 and 18 of 1894, all good exhibition Forts. 
Show Pansies. 
For 6s. I will send ADnie Muir and J. Woods (1895 var.), G. 
Patterson, Mrs. Wilson, J. Brand, T. Whyte, Penecuik, T. 
Bowling, D. Hope, Miss Fulton, Mrs. Brown, G. Black, and 
J. T. Howard (1894 var.). 
F'or 3s. I will send 5 var. of 1894 and 8 splendid competition 
sorts. 
'Violas. 
The best Viola yet raised is Tara, an immense soft rosy- 
pink flower, which led off the First Prize Stand at Glasgow 
last year. I have secured the entire stock. Price, is. each; 
3 for 2s. 6d. The best 13 Violas are Tara, G. Lord, S. 
Masters, Milkmaid, Purple Empress (1895 var.), Border Witch, 
Flower of the Day, Mary Scotr, Vestal, Cecilia, Iona, 
Luteala (1894 var.), Mrs. C. F. Gordon. 1 plant of each, 5s.; 
3 of each, 12s.; 6 of each, 20s. 
A splendid 13 var., distinct colours, to include 4 of the 
above, for 2s. 6d.; 3 of each, 6s. 6d.; 6 of each, ns.; 12 of 
each, 20s. _ 
Rayless Violas. 
FLORISTS' FLOWERS 
AND 
HARDY BORDER PLANTS. 
-o- 
FORBES’ ILLUSTRATED CATALOCUE 
for 1893 is now ready, and will be posted to all intending 
Purchasers. 
The new Catalogue for 1895 is enlarged to about 150 pages 
and very materially improved, embracing everything new and 
old worth cultivating in the way of Florists’ Flowers and 
Hardy Plants with accurate description and prices, copious 
notes as to their origin, how, and where best to grow, a full 
index of the common or popular names of Hardy Border 
Plants and a vast mass of other valuable information that 
cannot be had elsewhere, which renders this the best, most 
reliable, and complete catalogue ever issued on this popular 
class of plants. 
JOHN FORBES, Nurseryman, Hawick, Scotland. 
JACK FROST 
has caused many losses that can be made good in 
an easy and cheap manner by purchasing the follow¬ 
ing bulbs and plants which I can recommend as being 
first class. 
BEGONIAS, SINGLE. 
20,000 grand bulbs, mixed colours, finest ever offered 
at the price, 3s. per dozen. 
PELARGONIUMS, SHOW AND DECORATIYE. 
Fine plants in best kinds, 6s., 9s., and 12s. per dozen. 
ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 
Best kinds only, 6 for 2s. 6d., 12 for 4s. 
IYY-LEAF PELARGONIUMS. 
A very choice lot, 6 for 2s. 6d., 12 for 4s. 
DOUBLE PETUNIAS. 
Extra fine new kinds, 6 for 3s. 6d., 12 for 6s. 
Send for Catalogue, Free. 
These are the sweetest and best of all Violas. The best 13 
are Tara, G. Lord, Border Witch, Flower of the Day, Mary 
Scott, Vestal, Mary Stewart, Christiana, Sweet Lavender, 
Cordelia, Primulina, Blush Queen, Blue Gown. 1 plant of 
each. 4s.; 3 of each, 10s.; 6 of each, 18s. 
13 Splendid varieties, named, for 2S. 6d.; 3 of each, 6s. 6d.; 
6 of each, ns.: 12 of each, 20s. 
100 Splendid bedding Violas, in 10 distinct named varieties, 
for 10s. 
Sweet-Scented Violettas. 
12 Varieties, nauied, for 2S. 6d.; 3 of each, 6s. 6d.; 6 of 
each, ns. ; 12 of each, 20s. 
CATALOGUES FREE . 
S. PYE, Catterall, Garstang 1 , Lane. 
FERNS SPECIALITY. 
A MAGNIFICENT STOCK IN IMMENSE VARIETY. 
Catalogue (No. 40) Free on Application. 
W. & J. BIRKENHEAD, F.R.H.S., 
Fern Nurseries, Sale, near Manchester. 
GHEALSM«! 
H. «T. JONES, 
Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, Lewisham. 
For Index to Contents see page 558. 
" Gardening Is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man " —Bacon. 
V/OHLD-WIOE l\EH0WN- STRIKING flOVELTIES 
CATALOGUE POST FREE3^ 
(J. CJualrdcri*, 
DANIELS BROS. 
Town Close Nurseries, 
Into iR/Wicn. 
TUBEROUS - ROOTED BEGONIAS. 
(Carriage free.) 
We have much pleasure in offering fine Flowering Tubers 
from our grand strains, as below:— 
DOUBLE-FLOWERED Per doz. 
Choice-named varieties, including some mag¬ 
nificent flowers.33s., 40s. & 50s. 
Extra choice varieties for Exhibition, carefully 
selected, a grand mixture ..24s. & 30s. 
For Pot Culture, splendid varieties of the most beau¬ 
tiful form and colours.12s. & 18s. 
Mixed Doubles for Bedding, acapital variety of good 
double flowers. Per 100, 40s. 
SINGLE-FLOWERED 
Extra Choice Exhibition varieties, immense blooms 
of the most beautiful colours and perfect form 
For Greenhouse and Conservatory, a very choice 
mixture of carelullv selected flowers .gs. & 12s. 
For Pot culture, beautiful selected varieties. 
Per 100, 40s. 6s. 
Choice mixed Seedlings, all selected and approved 
flowers, splendid for bedding. Per 100, 25s. 3s. 6d. 
From Mr. R. G. MILNE, Gardener to the Eail of Minto. 
Aug. 2nd. 
" 1 am glad to say the BEGONIAS have done splen¬ 
didly; they are by far the best strain we have. They were 
greatly admired by all that saw them ’’ 
From SIR R. DICK CUNYNGHAM, Bart., Cheltenham. 
Oct. 6th. 
On my return home, after a long absence, I am much 
pleased to find the bed of nearly four Hundred BEGONIAS 
still full of flowers. The double ones in the house are a show 
for colour, size and beauty of shape.” 
6 s, 
18 s. 
Edited by BRIAN WYNNE. 
SATURDAY , APRIL 2 yth, 1895. 
NEXT WEEK'S ENGAGEMENTS. 
Monday, April 29th.— Sale of Plants, Bulbs, etc., at Protheroe 
& Morris Rooms. 
Tuesdav, April 301 h.-Trade Sale of Orchids at Protherce 
& Morris’ Rooms. 
Wednesday, May 1st — Sale ot Maples, Bulbs, etc. at 
Protheroe & Morris’ Rooms. 
Friday, May 3rd.—Orchid Sale at Protheroe & Morris' 
Rooms. 
Rouble Flowers.— Several reasons may 
be assigned for the prevalent desire 
for double flowers amongst a large section of 
the community. They are looked upon as 
novelties, notwithstanding their being only 
monstrosities from nature’s point of view, 
and really very monstrous in appearance 
and a burlesque upon the grace, the beauty 
and the simplicity of the single forms. 
They generally last longer than the single 
ones of the same kind, and are sought after 
for cut flowers accordingly, and in certain 
cases they are really beautiful, and com¬ 
mend themselves to people of taste. 
Artists, as a rule, cry out against them, 
because they do not lend themselves to 
artistic effect; and the more formal, regular 
and beautiful from the florist’s point of 
view the more displeased is the artist. 
But we do not consider this as a standard 
by which double flowers should be judged. 
The interests of the artist and florist are 
frequently antagonistic. A massive and 
formal flower may really be beautiful, and 
yet be unsuitable for transferring to canvas 
because its parts do not offer sufficient 
contrasting and relieving lines and projec¬ 
tions ; consequently it appears as a mere 
daub of paint more or less confused. On 
the contrary an artist will fix upon some 
ragged looking flower for his subject, and 
usually magnifies its deformities than 
otherwise from the florist’s standpoint. 
Putting all the views together, it is 
evident that beauty and utility should be 
the leading commendations of a double 
flower to popular favour. Many double 
flowers, like many of the variegated trees 
and shrubs in cultivation, are inferior to the 
wild originals in point of beauty, and 
should be discarded to make room for 
something better. Amongst Monocotyle¬ 
dons there are very few double flowers that 
are really beautiful. For instance, what is 
more wretched and unattractive than Lilium 
candidum monstrosum ? Several others 
such as L. tigrinum present a huddled 
mass that is anything but graceful. The 
semi-double L. auratum that turned up on 
the Continent some months ago is a strik¬ 
ing exception. Here the three outer stamens 
have been changed into segments or petals 
as the gardener would term them, and, 
being precisely like the others in colour 
and form, they add to the fulness and beauty 
of the whole, without any twisting, dis¬ 
placement or distortion. A double Snow¬ 
drop loses all the grace and elegance of its 
drooping bell-shaped flowers, its later 
flowering being its only recommendation. 
Amongst the Daffodils there are many 
double kinds, and the larger the flowers the 
more unsightly they become. There are a 
few.exceptions, it is true, such as the Gar¬ 
denia-like forms of the Poet’s Narcissus, 
which have delicious fragrance and late 
flowering properties to recommend them 
for cutting purposes. But in spite of the 
numerous double forms it is gratifying to 
notice the predilection for single varieties 
for spring bedding. They really “take 
the winds of March with beauty,” and 
those of April too. Double Colchicums 
may be an advantage in the stormy months 
of autumn to help strengthen the fragile 
and easily torn segments. 
In the other great class of flowering 
plants, namely the Dicotyledons, we have 
many really beautiful double flowers. It 
may be that this class is more favourable 
to beauty of form in the double state, but 
it is dependent also upon the particular 
method of doubling. A great number of 
them owe their characteristics to a greater 
or less number of the stamens becoming 
petaloid, that is, assuming the form and 
colour of petals. Hybrid perpetual and 
Tea Roses offer an instance of this, and 
few there are that can find fault with them. 
The double forms of Paeonies, raised from 
the Siberian P. albiflora, and those of 
Tuberous Begonias, are familiar examples 
of double flowers that have gone through 
various stages of development towards an 
ideal standard of perfection. The early 
forms in both cases, but more particularly 
those of Begonias, were rough, ragged and 
irregular. The long brush of stamens of 
B. boliviensis developed very irregularly, 
but the florists considered that a great 
point had been gained, and persevered so 
that the originals eventually disappeared 
from cultivation. In proportion, as the 
flowers of both Paeonies and Begonias 
develop broad and regularly arranged 
petals, so are they the more highly 
esteemed, provided the colours are also 
beautiful and distinct. Hollyhocks may 
be mentioned as a similar case. There 
are several fairly beautiful types of double 
Poppies, but their value is not always 
apparent owing to the hiding of their 
beautiful blotches and markings ; nor do 
they last much longer than the single 
varieties to which there has been a great 
reversion of public favour for some years 
past. 
