The summer of 1870 must have tried the patience of many a Pansy-grower, for such hot dry weather is terribly against this flower, and drives colour, marking, and form, into all kinds of fantastic shapes. Many a flower has this season been condemned as worthless on this account; and I caution all young beginners to suspend judgment until the autumn can give blooms from young plants, or wait until the spring for flowers.

Messrs Downie, Laird, & Laing are now monarchs amongst Pansy-growers, and to that firm we are indebted for a great many grand kinds. My old friend Mr Downie sent me early in the summer a box of Pansy blooms which gave me intense pleasure, they were so very fine. I fear I cannot do them justice, but I give you a copy of my notes taken at the time. Many of them are quite new, some not sent out yet, but all may be relied on as A 1 exhibition flowers, and their catalogue will indicate prices. They were enough to again rouse a florist's smouldering love, and I hope very soon once more to be a Pansy-grower. May I be able to raise a flower that cannot easily be beaten ! and when I do, I shall name it John Downie !

Fancy Varieties

Sunrise, William Dean, Pandora

Three very bright flowers, in which scarlet and yellow are particularly bright and striking. The two latter are evidently seedlings from the former, the colour of all having a resemblance only varying in the markings, with immense bright orange-brown markings. Sunrise has a broad margin of solferino. Pandora has a rich chocolate-brown shade in it. W. Dean has the best form. All three are grand flowers.

Princess is a superb flower; the top petals purple, with an immense blue-violet blotch, bordered with greyish white and violet.

William Forbes

The top petals light violet, shaded with darker violet and white, with an immense well-defined regular deep-violet blotch, and well-defined creamy-white margin in the lower petals. This is a very refined and superb flower.

Miss Baillie

Nankeen and canary colour, with large shaded violet and maroon blotch; a very distinct and fine flower.

Fritz Senary

Top petals pale peach, flushed with white, the lower petals having a superb well-defined solid deep-violet blotch, and distinct well-defined peach and cream-coloured margin. A grand flower of very superior refinement. A 1.

Avoca

Top petals white bordered with violet, very large shaded violet blotch, having a margin of Petunia colour and white. Quite distinct, but the under petal is too small.

Gliffe

Top petals creamy blush veined with violet, and having an immense solid shaded violet and maroon blotch in lower petals, and distinct margin of creamy white, also a bright yellow eye. Distinct from Fritz Benary, though similar in colours, and even superior in form. A very superb flower.

David Thomson

Rich dark yellow, with an immense well-defined rich brown maroon blotch, fine form, top petals veined with violet. A superb flower.

George Vair

The top petals light violet, with a wire margin of white, and an immense rich dark-brownish maroon and violet blotch rayed into a pale- cream margin. Very fine form and a grand flower.

David Syme

A Sunrise style of flower, but distinct. The top petals are of an orange crimson and peach colour, margined with pale yellow. An intense rich-coloured blotch margined with yellow. Extra fine.

Miss C. Arbuthnot

The top petals white veined with rich blue violet, having an immense blotch of rich blue and violet, and even narrow margin of white. A very rich and distinct flower of great beauty.

Show Varieties

Selfs. Snowdrop

A white self of great substance and fine form, with well-defined blotch. A decided acquisition.

George Keith

A rich purple self with a bluish centre. Very fine form and substance.

Cherub

A splendid yellow of superb form, with a well-defined solid blotch. First class.

Mrs Forbes

A superb rich dark purple self, with violet-shaded centre; very stout, smooth, and fine form.

White-Ground Flowers

Bonnie Jean

Creamy white ground, with rich purple belting, which meets well, forming a fine shield; shoulders high and close, and of good substance. Blotch a trifle too much rayed, but a superb flower.

Lavinia

Large white shield, with medium belting of pale violet purple; shoulders well, fine form, and smooth. Blotch too small, and not dense enough. Still a very useful old show flower.

Ladyburn Rival

Rich dark-violet purple belting, and clear white ground; medium-sized dark blotch, smooth, stout, and shoulders well. First-class.

Princess Of Wales

A charming white-ground flower, with medium rich purple belting, which meets so as to form a perfectly-defined shield; a fine solid well-cut blotch, stout, smooth, shoulders high and close, and of first-class form.

Mrs Thornton

Creamy white ground, with broad margin of rich velvety-purple, the blotch dense and well defined in each petal. The belting of the lower petals meeting that of the side petals. Stout and very smooth; a very highly finished and superb flower.

Yellow-Ground Flowers

Adonis

An exceedingly rich flower of great beauty; deep golden yellow, with rich shaded violet and maroon belting; stout, smooth, shoulders close, and fine form. A 1.

John Downie

Light-yellow ground with medium light-purple belting, which meets so as to form a bold well-defined shield. Fine solid well-cut blotch, stout, shoulders high and close, and fine form. A first-class flower.

J. C. Champion

Almost first-rate; deep yellow, with purple and maroon belting. A large bold smooth flower, but the belting of the under petal has a bronzy colour in it; very fine blotch. A useful variety, but a trifle too small.

Robert Burns

A beautiful flower; deep yellow, with margin of rich violet-purple, and superb large well-cut blotch; smooth, stout, and shoulders high and close. Fine form.

George Muirhead

Almost perfection; rich yellow, with beautifully-shaded violet and purple margin, and such a blotch; fine form, stout and smooth. A great acquisition; the blotch as perfect as can well be desired.

William Dean.