JANUARY. 15 



Beauty of Woodhouse or Black Diamond, Premier or Perfection, 

 Prince Albert or Princess Alice, Lady Harewood or Lovely Ann, 

 Dido or Duke of Devonshire, Romeo or Rainbow, Juliet or Jessica, 

 King James or Venus, Gem or Queen Victoria, which passes under 

 review, and as each becomes the object of attention, imagination 

 busily speculates upon its origin, and endeavours to suggest some 

 cross which shall surpass their beauty. 



And is this not delightful .'' will Carnation-growers not recognise 

 a pleasure in it } And more, may not others do thus, and, with me, 

 realise the delight their cultivation affords } I anticipate the answer 

 and proceed. A few such evenings, and " lo, the winter is gone," 

 — the time of the Florist is come. 



By the middle of March the weather is usually so open that 

 " potting for bloom" is imperative. The days are not, however (ten 

 hours being subtracted), sufficiently advanced to allow of any con- 

 siderable pcrtion being potted by daylight. Imagine me, therefore, 

 established in some outhouse or inferior apartment, as this operation 

 is necessarily not so cleanly as the preceding, and here, with my com- 

 post at hand, which has been thoroughly sweetened by repeated 

 turning during frosty weather — (a moonlight evening affords an ad- 

 mirable opportunity for such operation) — I commit to their blooming 

 quarters the plants which have been the subject of my care thus far. 

 When the lengthening days and genial weather allow of the neces- 

 sary attention being given out of doors, the bracing air of the morn- 

 ing invites to early rising, and repays me with increased health and 

 strength. 



As the season advances, remembering always the necessity of 

 cleanliness, the syringe is freely used ; and I know of no sight more 

 beautiful to a Florist than their vigour and visibly expressed enjoy- 

 ment, at early dawn, after such application on the prior evening. 

 At length the bloom bursting forth amply repays for every feeling of 

 anxiety, and creates renewed delight. Then is the triumph of the 

 Florist — my triumph — in the wonder and delight and praise of my 

 many visitors. And beyond all this, there is the gratification which 

 successful exhibition produces, the earnest and careful study for 

 new crosses, and the quiet speculation for the future. Oh, could I 

 but describe the delight, could I but paint the pleasure consequent 

 upon the pursuit, how many who now stand afar off would come in 

 to partake of it ! To all such I say, with hearty earnestness, '• Come, 

 the way is very easy, and we have room to spare." 



NOTES FROM THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW, 



AND OF NEW PLANTS FIGURED IN CONTEMPORARY PERIODICALS. 



Pancratium carib(t:um. A bulbous herbaceous stove-plant, attaining the 

 height of about two feet, having large white fragrant flowers, produced in umbels 

 of from ten to fifteen in each, and each individual flower eight or ten inches 

 long, with narrow petals, a cup- shaped centre, and orange-coloured anthers. 

 Numerous plants of this species have been flowering in the Great Palm-house 



