THE GARDENING WORLD. 
534 
FLORICULTURE. 
New Auriculas. 
These were present, at the Drill Hall last 
week, in as large a quantity as could reason¬ 
ably have been expected, regard being had to 
the weather and the difficulty of holding the flowers 
over, especially the seifs, which invariably bloom 
earlier than the others. It was from the north the 
new show flowers came, and they were mainly 
present in the twelve set up by the Rev. F. D. 
Horner in Class I., and which was awarded the 
first prize. It may be stated as a point in favour of 
those who hold that it would be well, as equalising 
the conditions of the competition, that only flowers 
actually in commerce should be staged, having 
separate classes for those not in commerce and 
therefore coming under the denomination of seed¬ 
lings—-that only three at most, viz., George Light- 
body, Alexander Meiklejohn, and Heatherbell, per¬ 
haps only the two former, are actually in commerce. 
Among the new green edges, Shirley Hibberd, a 
fine variety which fittingly commemorates the 
memory of our old friend, is remarkable for its dis¬ 
tinctness, its good points, and its almost extra¬ 
ordinary robustness of growth. My description is 
as having large well-formed pips, the edge of green 
deep and strong, body colour black and then forcing 
the best contrast to the edge, the breadth of the 
body colour equal to the other zones, good solid 
pure paste and golden tube. It was impossible not 
to be struck with the fine quality of Mr. Simonite’s 
seedling, and it promises to be as useful as the Rev. 
F. D. Horner for its constitution, constancy, and 
freedom. It was awarded Mr. W. Smith’s Special 
Prize as the best seedling green edge not in com¬ 
merce, which also had to be an improvement on 
existing varieties. In addition Mr. Horner had 
Acnilles, bright green edge, black body colour, good 
white paste and tube; Monarch, as usual, large in 
size, deep green edge, Dlack body colour, fine paste, 
but weak tube, probably owing to the flower being 
shown past it best; and Chloe, bright green edge, 
dark body colour, good tube, but somewhat thin 
narrow paste. Whether Achilles, Monarch, and 
Chloe will ever be distributed remains to be seen, 
but I do not think Monarch will ever take the high 
position which is on all hands awarded to that 
excellent green edge the Rev. F. D. Horner. Mr. 
Patterson, Ashbourne, Sunderland, a grower who is 
a successful cultivator in the north, had green edge 
John Garrett, which has a bright green edge, black 
body colour, good paste and pale tube, it also 
appeared to be a pretty good grower. Anything in 
the way of a useful green is an aquisition—additions 
being badly needed in a class containing but very few 
good flowers. I observe that in one of your con¬ 
temporaries Simonite’s James Hannaford is highly 
spoken of as a green edge—indeed, as a green edged 
George Lightbody. I have a small plant of it, and 
I should think it is a fairly early variety in blooming, 
and to all appearance a good grower. Three plants 
of a new green edge, raised by Mr. Thomas Lans- 
downe, of Swindon, and which he named after him¬ 
self, came into my possession last autumn, two 
plants of which I retained, and one I sent to Sir 
John Llewelyn, Bart. Mr. Lansdowne states that 
it is a seedling from the Rev. F. D. Horner, but an 
improvement upon it, especially in the strength of 
the tube. It has the character of foliage of the 
seed parent, and is an excellent grower. One plant 
sent up a truss of seven pips on a stiff erect foot¬ 
stalk, but they became frosted, in common with 
most of my show varieties, and did not expand. 
Sir J. Llewelyn thinks very highly of it. In the 
class for a specimen green edge Mr. Horner staged 
his Attraction, but it fell behind the Rev. F. D. 
Horner in point of quality. Mr. Thomas Fife, of 
Reading, has two or three promising green edges, 
but he informed me these, too, were frosted at the 
time of my own, the early part of the second week 
in April, and therefore did not show themselves to 
the best advantage. It seems therefore as if the 
green edged class is likely to be considerably aug¬ 
mented during the next few years. I may add that 
no new green edge was shown in the class for 
seedlings. 
Of new grey edges, Mr. Horner had Grayling, a 
large flowered variety having a broad edge, out of all 
proportion to the narrow zone of body colour, narrow 
dense paste and good tube. I did not observe any¬ 
thing else among the grey edges, and nothing was 
produced in the seedling class. 
Of new white edges—I use the term new in the 
sense of not being, to my knowledge, in 
commerce—the Rev. Mr. Ho"rner had Magpie, 
which when at its best I take to be the best 
white edge yet seen, because all its parts are so 
good and so well proportioned. As it took the 
first and second prizes in the class for a white 
edge, beating Mrs. Dodwell, its position was assured. 
Mr. C. Turner had a useful looking white edge under 
the name of Ganymede. In the class for a seedling, 
white edge, Mr. Horner staged Desdemonia, but 
which not being in good condition was passed over. 
Of new seifs, the Rev. F. D. Horner had Doris, 
plum colour shaded to a paler tint in the margin, 
probably an effect of the weather, somewhat narrow 
scolloped paste and good tube, having a good deal of 
the habit of Mrs. Potts ; Dusk, a very dark, quite 
a black self, good tube and narrow paste ; Charmer, 
a rich reddish self, excellent shape, good tube and 
paste ; and Pink, well-named because having this 
unusual tint of colour, small, but good shape. Mr. 
R. J. Sanders had Engineer, a dark self in the way 
of Black Bess, but distinct, decidedly promising, and 
awarded the first prize in the class for a seedling 
self. 
New Alpines were in strong force, but it is 
necessary to employ the term new with some 
reservation, as new varieties are sometimes put into 
circulation privately, though not offered for sale in 
the ordinary manner. Mr. C. Turner was strong in 
white centred flowers, previously a somewhat 
restricted class, among them Winnifred, of which he 
had a half dozen plants, and it was awarded the first 
prize as a new seedling white centred flower; the 
white centre is good and enduring, and the dark 
purple black ground shades to lilac mauve. Mr. W. 
L. Walker took the second prize with an unnamed 
seedling. Other fine white centred flowers were Mrs. 
H. T. Roland, Patience, very good ; Countess, 
Hubert, Mrs. Lakin, Lady Laura Hampton, the 
plum ground shaded to blue purple, and Mrs. Herold. 
Of gold centres the best new variety was H. M. 
Pollett, shown in fine condition by Mr. C. Turner, 
and F. Knighton Dash, and Evelyn Phillips, awarded 
the second prize as a new seedling, shown by Mr. 
C. Phillips, Reading, who has a number of promising 
seedlings.— R. D. 
National Auricula Society (Northern Section). 
—The above Society held their Annual Exhibition 
in the Town Hall, Manchester, on Tuesday, April 
25th, in conjunction with the Royal Botanical 
Society’s Second Spring Exhibition. The exception¬ 
ally early season had brought the plants on much 
sooner than usual, and consequently the blooms were 
not quite so large, but on the whole the show was a 
very good one and would compare favourably with 
many of its predecessors. The most successful ex¬ 
hibitors were Messrs. Tom Lord, Todmorden ; Irving 
Hind, Halifax ; W. H. Midgley, Halifax ; and Miss 
Woodhead, Halifax, in Auriculas; Messrs. J. 
Beswick, Middleton; F. Clements and J. Stokes, 
Birmingham, in Alpines; Mr. Geo. Thornley, 
Middleton, in Polyanthuses, and Mr. S. Barlow, J.P., 
Castleton, in the fancy classes. 
The premier Auricula in the exhibition was shown 
by Mr. Lord, and was a very excellent specimen of 
that reliable variety Rev. F. D. Horner (green edge). 
Several other good plants of this variety were ex¬ 
hibited in the various classes. In grey edges, Geo. 
Lightbody was, as usual, well to the fore. Mrs. 
Dodwell and Acme came up well in the whites; and 
in the seifs, the always reliable and useful Mrs. Potts 
carried off premier honours. Mr. Barlow was 
awarded a First-class Certificate for a seedling Alpine, 
a most pleasing variety, and one likely to be heard 
of again. 
The following were the awards of the judges :— 
Six Dissimilar Auriculas (one at least in each 
oftheclases, Alpines excluded). 1st, Mr. Irving Hind, 
Halifax, with Mrs. Dodwell, Talisman, Mrs. Potts, 
Acme, Lancashire Hero, and Geo. Lightbody; 2nd, 
Mr. Tom Lord, Todmorden, with Rev. F. D. 
Horner, Mrs. Potts, Mrs. Dodwell, Geo. Lightbody, 
Lancashire Hero, and Acme; 3rd, Mr. W. H. 
Midgley, Halifax, with Mrs. Potts, John Simonite, 
Mrs. Dodwell, Rev. F. D. Horner, A. Meiklejohn, and 
Geo. Lightbody ; 4th, Miss Woodhead, Halifax ; 5th, 
Mr. G. Middleton, Prestwick; 6th, Mr. J. Stokes, Bir¬ 
mingham ; and 7th, Mr. J. Clements, Birmingham. 
May 6, 1893 . 
Four Dissimilar Auriculas (one at least in each 
of the classes, Alpines excluded).—1st, Mr. Tom 
Lord, with Mrs. Potts, Rev. F. D. Horner, Mrs, 
Dodwell, and Geo. Lightbody; 2nd, Mr. Irving 
Hind, with Mrs. Potts, Rev. F. D. Horner, Lanca¬ 
shire Hero, and Acme ; 3rd, Mr. W. H. Midgley, 
with Mrs. Potts, Rev. F. D. Homer, Mrs. Dodwell, 
and Geo. Lightbody ; 4th, Miss Woodhead ; 5th, 
Mr. Thos. Buckley, Stalybridge; 6th, Mr. G. 
Middleton ; and 7th, Mr. J. Clements. 
Pair of Auriculas, Dissimilar —1st, Mr. B. 
Simonite, Sheffield, with Ivanhoe and a seedling ; 
2nd, Mr. E. Shaw, Moston, with Mrs. Dodwell and 
Wm. Brockbank; 3rd, Mr. S. Barlow, Castleton, 
with Mrs. Potts and Syke’s Complete ; 4th, Mr. J. 
Dickin, Ashton-under-Lyne; 5th, Mr. J. Stelfox, 
Stalybridge. 
Pair of Auriculas (maiden growers only).— 
1st, Mr. J. Dickin, with Mrs. Potts and Lovely 
Ann. 
Pour Dissimilar Alpine Auriculas (shaded).— 
1st, Mr. J. Beswick, Middleton, with Nellie, John 
Allen, Mrs. Beswick, and Mr. Durnford; 2nd, Mr. J. 
Stokes, with Albion, Edith, Mrs. Ball, and Unique ; 
3rd, Mr. S. Barlow, with Diadem and three seedlings ; 
4th, Mr. H. Geggie, Bury; 5th, Mr. J. Clements; 
6th, Mr. J. Stelfox; 7th, Mr. Geo. Thoraley, 
Middleton. 
Auriculas, Single Plants. —Green-edges ; 1st, 
Mr. B. Simonite, with Dr. Hardy; 2nd, Miss Wood- 
head, with Talisman ; 3rd, Mr. T. Lord, with Rev. 
P'. D. Horner; 4th, Mr. I. Hind, with Prince of 
Greens ; 5th, Mr. B. Simonite, with a seedling ; 6th, 
Mr. J. Stelfox, with a seedling. Grey-edges : 1st, 
Mr. T. Lord, with Geo. Lightbody ; 2nd, Mr. W. H. 
Midgley, with A. Meiklejohn ; 3rd, Mr. I. Hind, with 
Lancashire Hero; 4th, Mr. T. Lord, with Richard 
Headly; 5th, Miss Woodhead, with Rachel ; 6th, 
Mr. B. Simonite, with a seedling; 7th, Mr. S. 
Barlow, with Syke’s Complete; 8th, Mr. T. Lord, 
with Geo. Rudd. White-edges : 1st, Sir. W. H. 
Midgley, with Traill’s Beauty ; 2nd, Mr. I. Hind, 
with Mrs. Dodwell; 3rd,=Mr. W. H. Midgley, with 
Acme; 4th, Mr. T. Lord, with Smiling Beauty ; 5th, 
Mr. J. Stelfox, with Heatherbell; 6th, Mr. B. 
Simonite, with Magpie ; 7th and 8th, Mr. J. Stokes, 
with Rachel. Selfs: 1st, Mr. I Hind, with Mrs. 
Potts; 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th, Mr. B. 
Simonite,with Raven,Miriam,Meloney,Dazzle,Viola, 
and a seedling ; 8th, Mr. S. Barlow, with a seedling. 
Alpines Shaded, Single Plants. — Yellow 
centres : 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, Mr. J. Beswick, with 
John Allen, a seedling, and Durnford; 4th, Mr. J. 
Clements, with Cognomen; 5th, Mr. J. Beswick, 
with Forest Queen. White centres : 1st, Mr. J. 
Clements, with Exonia ; 2nd and 3rd, Mr. J. Bes¬ 
wick, with Mrs. Beswick and The Bride; 4th and 
5th, Mr. H. Geggie, with seedlings. 
Polyanthuses, Black Grounds, Three Dis¬ 
similar. —1st, Mr. Geo. Thornley, with Mrs. 
Holden, Mrs. Brownhill, and a seedling ; 2nd, Mr. 
J. Beswick, with Lancashire Hero, Exile, and Mrs. 
Brownhill; 3rd, Mr. S. Barlow, with Exile, Middle- 
ton Favourite, and John Bright ; 4th, Mr. J. Stokes. 
Polyanthuses, Red Ground, Three Dissimilar. 
—1st, Mr. Geo. Thornley, with Lancer, George IV., 
and Middleton Favourite ; 2nd, Mr. J. Beswick, with 
William IV., Exile, and Middleton Favourite; 3rd, 
Mr. S. Barlow, with Prince Regent, Sir Sydney 
Smith, and George IV. 
Polyanthuses, Single Plants. —Red grounds : 
1st and 2nd, Mr. Geo. Thornley, with Middleton 
Favourite and Lancer ; 3rd, Mr. S. Barlow, with 
Prince Regent ; 4th, Mr. J. Beswdck, with William 
IV.; 5th, Mr. S. Barlow, with George IV.; 6th and 
7th, Mr. Geo. Thornley, with Sir Sydney Smith and 
Prince of Wales. Black grounds: 1st and 2nd, 
Mr. Geo. Thornley, with Mrs. Brownhill and a 
seedling; 3rd, Mr. J. Beswick, with Exile; 4th, Mr. 
Geo. Thornley, with Cheshire Favourite; 5th, Mr. 
J. Beswick, with Lancashire Hero; 6th, Mr. S. 
Barlow, with John Bright; 7th, Mr. Geo. Thornley, 
with Mr. Holden. 
Twelve Dissimilar Fancy Auriculas. — 1st, Mr. 
S. Barlow. 
Twelve Dissimilar Fancy Polyanthuses. —1st, 
Mr. S. Barlow; 2nd, Miss Hopkins, Mere, Knuts- 
ford. 
Twelve Dissimilar Primroses. — 1st, Mr. S. 
Barlow. 
The judges were Messrs. E. Shaw, E. Pohlmann, 
F. Simonite, R. Gorton, W. Prescott, H. Geggie, T. 
Buckley, and T. Lancashire. 
