MARCH. 59 



the plant, and any thing but desirable in a stand. They are curious, 

 and that is all that can be said in their favour ; 3 feet. 



Of the thirty-two varieties just named, eighteen are of English, 

 and fourteen of foreign origin. Our continental neighbours have 

 hitherto been much more successful in raising Fancy Dahlias than 

 selfs; but of late there has been a great falling off beyond the Channel 

 in both classes. General Faucher, Phaeton, Princess Charlotte, Reine 

 Pomare, and Belle de Pecq, are all we received last season of any 

 note ; and these had to be selected from among about thirty varieties 

 which were received and proved by us. 



PINKS. 



This old but neglected flower deserves a passing notice. Here we 

 are in 1852 with only about six additions in the shape of real im- 

 provements since 1848. The Pink is both " old and slow;" we want 

 to see it merge from the old coach pace ; nothing short of " Express'* 

 will now satisfy us. 



In 1850 four or five new flowers w^ere sent out. One (Sappho) 

 is a very fine one ; the other three could have been dispensed w^ith. 

 The last autumn I have only seen one new variety advertised. Now 

 if this is an improvement, it is certainly an improvement also on 1850, 

 as " all" will be good of the last season. Yet it brings us to this 

 question, Shall we not be without one new flower next autumn to 

 tempt us to part from our cash .'' Will there be nothing warranted 

 " smooth on the edges" and of " good substance .''" I hope there will 

 for novelty sake ; not the novelty of having a flower " warranted first- 

 rate," for there is nothing new" in that, but something dissimilar, with 

 as many additional good points as we can get. I am not without 

 some hopes that an improvement is at hand. In the year 1849 there 

 was an unusually large quantity of good seed secured, which, accord- 

 ing to the treatment usually adopted, would flower last summer (June 

 1851); but we never hear much about them from the seed-beds, even 

 should there be something out of the common way ; but w^e are close 

 upon the time when we shall know if this large batch of seedlings 

 (the produce of 1849) was a blank or not. Next June we shall 

 anxiously look about us for a reply, in the shape of something, not 

 only of average quality, but of a diff'erent shade of colour : we want 

 more variety ; there is too great a sameness in Pinks. 



It has been reported that Dr. Maclean has some good things in 

 store. It is also to be hoped that Mr. Smith is not far behind. We 

 must then look to Messrs. Norman, Bragg, Turner, Costar, Colcutt, 

 Looker, &c., to make up the season. There are plenty of oppor- 

 tunities to exhibit them, and we hope that 1852 will not be alto- 

 gether a blank. 



D. Kent. 



