Vintage Botanical Prints – 53 in a series – Pelargoniums from The Biodiversity Heritage Library (1861)

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Plate 56.

SHOW PELARGONIUMS— COUNTESS AND DUCHESS.

If we may judge from the number of certificates which have been awarded to varieties of the Show Pelargonium during the past season, it must have been an exceptionally good one, for we find that no fewer than thirty were so honoured ; and although the name of Mr. Hoyle no longer appears as a raiser, it is evident that the improvement which has taken place in Mr. Foster’s strain will quite compensate for the loss sustained through Mr. Hoyle’s death, for all the varieties which have been awarded certificates came from Clewer Manor.

Of those now figured. Countess (fig. 1), is somewhat distinct in colour ; the pale pink of the lower petals being unusual ; the top is maroon, shaded off to deep orange rose, the edge pale lilac, and with a clear white eye, the whole appearance of the flower is remarkably bold. Duchess (fig. 2), affords a good contrast to the preceding, being a rich dark flower, lower petals crimson veined with a darker shade, the top petals intense deep maroon, almost black, with a narrow edge of bright crimson and clear white eye. Both have been awarded first-class certificates.

Mr. Turner of Slough has as usual the distribution of the Clewer seedlings ; and besides those figured there are. Brilliant, Blue Bell, Chieftain, Conquest, Druid, Emperor William, Flora, Great Mogul, Hero, Highland Lassie, Jubilee, King Charles, Lord Byron, Mabel, Monarch, Othello, Purple Gem, Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, Buth, Bobin Hood, Superb, Syren, Scottish Chieftain, Victory, Charles Dickens, and Prince Bismarck, and certainly never in any one season has so promising a set been offered to the cultivator

Pelargoniums from The Biodiversity Heritage Library (1861)