580 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 13, 1893. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Should Yellow Grounds be shown with Self 
and Fancy Carnations ? 
Among many items of information of a practical 
character which find a place in the annual report of 
the Oxford Carnation and Picotee Union, there is a 
protest by Mr. Martin Rowan against the yellow 
ground flowers being shown with the seifs and 
fancies. The point Mr. Rowan puts forward with 
much force is that some growers of seifs and fancies 
may not be also cultivators of yellow grounds, and 
therefore, under present regulations, growers of 
yellow grounds are enabled to put some of the latter 
into their stands of seifs and fancies, and "by the 
greater variety thus imported, and the force of 
contrast gained, stands so constituted are apt to 
obtain an ascendency which is not legitimately 
theirs." That this is so there can be, I think, no 
doubt. Mr. Rowan points out that when the class 
for self and fancy flowers was established by the 
National Carnation and Picotee Society some years 
ago, the yellow grounds were but little grown, and 
being so few they were included with the seifs and 
fancies. Since then the yellow grounds have rapidly 
multiplied, and they have so increased in number 
and size, compared with what existed fifty years ago, 
that they have come to assume an importance not 
legitimately theirs, and thus, as Mr. Rowan con¬ 
tends, their presence in a stand with seifs and fancies 
places a stand competing with it, composed wholly 
of the latter, at a great disadvantage. Now that the 
yellow grounds have become so numerous, and have 
special classes in which they alone can be exhibited, 
Mr. Rowan thinks, having a " local habitation ” of 
their own, they should no longer be permitted entry 
to the seifs and fancies. 
This contention leads to another. Are the seifs 
and fancies strong enough to stand without the 
assistance of the yellow grounds ? It cannot be a 
matter of doubt that they are quite numerous enough 
and fine enough to stand alone, and that any intro¬ 
duction of the yellow ground would be simply as an 
example of decorative or picturesque display, though 
were they absent a stand might suffer in the latter 
respect. But as Mr. Rowan points out " picturesque 
effect is not the immediate object with which 
our flowers are staged, the aim being simply 
comparison and the testing of individual merits of 
the flowers themselves. For this reason we are 
careful to compare like with like, keeping the various 
classes to themselves, so that the fullest justice may 
be done.’’ Mr. Rowan's conclusion is " the contrary 
practice in the case of the yellow ground is an 
anomaly as it stands. Having become important 
enough to be established in a home of their own, 
they should now keep to it, and cease to covet the 
privilege, belonging only to Sir Boyle Roche's bird, 
of being in two places at once. On the other hand, 
the seifs and fancies will be found quite able in 
power of numbers, variety, and character to main¬ 
tain to the full the interest felt in them without any 
external aid.” 
To Mr. Rowan's contention Mr. E. S. Dodwell 
takes objection, and he admits at the outset that all 
the utterances of Mr. Rowan are pertinent upon 
floral points, and that " he brings to the consideration 
of the subject a mind relatively so free from habit 
and practice " as to command attention. But Mr. 
Dodwell’s “ sense of the evils of eliminating class 
and class in the degree which has obtained in the 
past, giving power to the most ignorant and least 
worthy of our fellows to enforce exclusion on the 
ground that no class exists in which some new 
flower may be shown, because novel to them. My 
sense of these evils is so keen, and my longing to 
find my fellows appreciating the higher element, the 
picturesque, so great, I cannot sympathise with this 
proposal to eliminate the yellows from collections of 
selfsand fancies." And he adds, " Nor can I think 
that practically any hardship is inflicted upon any 
exhibitor by allowing yellow grounds to appear in 
collections from the beginning invited with the 
broad designation, " miscellaneous seifs, fancies, or 
yellow grounds." Further, Mr. Dodwell contends 
that if the presence of the yellow grounds “ create 
more of the picturesque," and by doing so confer an 
advantage, why should the florist be debarred from 
their use? And, as he states, they are accessible 
enough now,' there is no monopoly of their possession, 
and as time rolls on they are likely to be more 
accessible rather than less. This is undoubtedly a 
cogent argument for the retention of the yellow 
grounds; but when Mr. Dodwell goes on to say that if 
seifs are to be shown separately (which Mr. Rowan 
does not require) then we have the necessity for fancies 
also, and possibly, if not probably, the separation of 
the fancies into divisions and sub-divisions, with the 
endless contention such division and sub-division 
will inevitably bring. But is not this somewhat un¬ 
necessarily drawing upon the future ? I nowhere 
read that Mr. Rowan desires to separate the seifs 
from the fancies ; when he takes that line it will be 
soon enough to discuss its bearings. At present Mr. 
Rowan advises the withdrawal of the yellow grounds 
from the seifs and fancies, and I think he makes out 
a fair case for consideration. I have noticed that 
when yellow grounds are shown with seifs and 
fancies, they do, by reason of their size and force— 
added to the higher value apt to be put upon them— 
overpower flowers otherwise as beautiful and 
attractive, but lacking their size. I think we are apt 
to underrate the beauty of many of the seifs ; they 
add a brilliancy, power and distinctness to stands of 
flowers, while the fancies add so much in the direction 
of novelty and unusual combination of colours, that 
they are in danger of being overshadowed by the 
yellow grounds. Because of this and other con¬ 
siderations, I am in this interesting controversy on 
the side of Mr. Rowan.— R. D. 
THE FLORIST'S TULIP. 
For many years past the florist’s Tulip has been 
limited to one or two collections in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London, but there seems no reason why its 
cultivation should not be extended indefinitely in the 
more suitable and open spaces in the suburbs and in 
almost any garden in the country districts. Where 
the natural soil is unsuitable, beds would of course 
have to be excavated and filled with a suitably light 
compost after making sure of the drainage. It is 
with the intention of popularising these showy, old- 
fashioned flowers that Messrs. Barr & Son, Long 
Ditton, Surrey, have been getting together a collec¬ 
tion of the real old English types during the last 
three years. They were at their best about the end 
of April and the first week in May, being, like every¬ 
thing else, about a month earlier than in average 
seasons. They are dwarfer than usual, but have 
nevertheless flowered admirably, and will undoubt¬ 
edly ripen their bulbs well, ensuring fine blooms 
next year. 
Independently of the laudable pleasure in growing 
these beautiful flowers for the sake of their beauty in 
the "broken ” or variegated state, the interest in 
watching them develop into their various colours is 
very great. When seedlings first flower they are 
usually self-coloured, and some of them may break 
at the second time of flowering ; while the majority 
of them take four to seven years, some as many as 
fifteen, and others never " break ” at all. They are 
divided into three classes, namely, Roses, Bizarres, 
and Bybloemens. Self-colouted flowers are termed 
breeders. 
Roses. 
In the breeder stage these are some shade of rose or 
red with a white base or bottom. After they break 
the marginal flakes and lines are termed the feather, 
and the central band the flame. The varieties are 
named in the breeder stage, so that after they 
“ break ’’ they may be feathered and flamed, or 
either feather or flame may exist alone in the same 
flower. Blooms that are both feathered and flamed 
are spoken of simply as flamed, because being the 
last stage of development, it is assumed that the 
feather already exists. The inner face of the seg¬ 
ments is always the richest in colour, and the beauty 
of the flowers is best seen when fully expanded 
under the influence of the sun. 
Aglaia is an excellent flower, either in the feathered 
or flamed state, and the flame has blood red or 
crimson forks or tongues. Annie McGregor is one 
of the best of its class as a flamed rose, but is very 
variable in different years in being feathered or 
flamed. Another variety is named Heroine in the 
feathered state, and Triomphe Royal in the flamed 
state. That is unusual, as a variety usually retains 
the same name whether self, feathered, or flamed. 
Another beautiful feathered variety is Mrs. Lee, 
having a deep red feather and the white ground 
colour of the flower occupying all the centre of each 
segment. It is a tall grower Alice is a good 
feathered rose but of little value when flamed, as the 
white bottom is then spoiled by the flame extending 
down into it. Anastacia is flamed, but not a select 
flower. The broad scarlet flame of Industry is very- 
heavy, often occupying the half of the segments. 
Lord Derby often goes to the opposite extreme with 
a small scarlet flame and the white ground colour 
occupying the greater part of the flower; but 
although variable the average flower is fine in the 
flamed stage. Madame de St. Arnaud is flamed 
with rich red, but the flower is rather long. Lucretia 
may be considered a fine strain of the last, with a 
heavier flame and more telling. A well-formed 
flower is Lady Sefton, flamed and likewise feathered 
with crimson. A rather tall sort is Henrietta, also 
flamed. Sarah Headly is a dark flamed Rose, but 
sometimes shows a deal of the white ground colour. 
Quite a pigmy is Dr. Vernon, both in stature and 
size of bloom. In some of its conditions Mabel is 
feathered lightly and very distinct, but when flamed 
it is much darker, with great part of the inner face 
of a rich rosy carmine and handsome. Occasionally 
it becomes almost a Byblcemen with a purple flame. 
Bizarres. 
When the bottom of the flower is some shade of 
yellow in the breeder stage, the flowers are termed 
"Bizarres" when they break. They may be 
feathered or flamed as in the case of the “ Roses.” 
When feathered only the yellow ground colour runs 
almost or quite to the apex of the segments. 
Birtwistle’s Sulphur has an intense chocolate flame 
and is very handsome. The breeder stage is a 
curious looking dull buff or dusky brown flower, 
with a sulphur bottom. Caliph is an old variety not 
much valued, but is flamed with blackish maroon. 
The flame of Colbert is a heavy chocolate with a 
bright yellow bottom. Good either in the feathered 
or flamed state is Commander, with a dark chocolate 
or almost black flame. Charles X. when flamed 
spoils the bottom, but when feathered is very- 
attractive, showing a considerable amount of yellow 
with a dark crimson feather, and in this stage is 
named Royal Sovereign. Duke of Devonshire is a 
good old variety, whether feathered or flamed, the 
markings being nearly black. A remarkably fine 
bizarre is Dr. Hardy, flamed with brilliant crimson- 
scarlet and dark maroon-crimson towards the edge. 
The truest type is more distinctly broken, with the 
markings or forks of the flame narrower and better 
defined. It is one of the finest of the bizarres. It 
has superseded Everhard, fine as that is. Excelsior 
is flamed with bronze and dull crimson. A large 
flower is Geo. Hayward, good in feathered state, and 
when flamed of a brilliant red. Lord Milford may 
be flamed or feathered only with crimson, and is best 
in the latter stage. In the same way Masterpiece is 
finer and cleaner in the feathered stage. A charming 
flower is Sir Joseph Paxton, of medium size, and 
deep dull purple in the breeder stage, but when 
broken is flamed with deep blood-red or crimson, 
showing a considerable amount of the yellow ground 
colour between the forks. This and Dr. Hardy are 
two of the finest varieties in this class. 
Byblcemens. 
This class has the white bottom of the "Roses," 
but in the breeder stage the rest of the segments is 
of some shade of purple, violet or black but never 
rose nor red. One of this type is Lord Denman, 
flamed purple and maroon, but the bottom is rather 
small. Agnes is best in the feathered state, but is 
also flamed with rich dark purple and crimson. The 
breeder stage is a rich dark purple On the contrary, 
although Adonis exists both in the flamed and 
feathered stages it is best in the former. A wide- 
cupped flower is Bessie, flamed with dark purple and 
almost black at the margins. Chancellor is also 
flamed, showing a considerable amount of the white 
ground colour, but the shape is bad. Southport is a 
dark purple-flamed flower and maroon-crimson 
towards the edges. A rich dark-flamed flower is the 
Duchess of Sutherland and clear pearly white at the 
bottom. Very variable is Friar Tuck, either heavily 
flamed and tall, or dwarf and flamed, or feathered 
with crimson red only, the last stage being the finest. 
Mrs. Pickerill is flamed with heavy dark purple with 
a broad dark margin ; but is of no use in the north 
where the white bottom gives place to yellow. 
Maid of Orleans is synonymous with Princess 
Royal, flamed with deep purple, and feathered with 
a hue that is almost black, and intermingled with 
white patches. In the feathered state only, it is fine, 
but rarely seen. A heavily-flamed flower is Talis¬ 
man, almost black at the edges, but the bottom is 
