FEBRUARY. 51 



undergone a probation of two seasons, and is therefore pretty generally 

 known. It presents a well formed petal and a most perfect outlme, 

 but these same good qualities are unfortunately conducive to a centre 

 somewhat depressed, the only exception which can be taken to this 

 exquisite sort : size about medium. 



6. Raby Queen. (Keynes.) A very brilliant medium sized flower, of 

 the colour indicated by its name : it possesses many excellent points, 

 but a httle more depth is required to render it quite perfect : the shape 

 of its petal is unexceptionable, in this respect it is almost unique. It 

 has been extensively and successfully shown, and will in no way detract 

 from the well earned reputation of its raiser. 



7. Bessy (Sainsbury) is from a source which has already supplied us 

 with not a few celebrities. Colour very bright yellow ; petal, outline, 

 and centre good, with moderate depth. It may be a question, and it is 

 one which Time alone can solve, how far the purity of its colour, so 

 remarkable in some of the specimens exhibited, may be dependent on 

 close shading. 



8. IVie Nigger (Fellowes), if not quite black, is sufficiently dusky to 

 j ustify its name. Essex Triumph has long maintained a sort of prescriptive 

 right to the leadership of the dark class. Shall it henceforward resign 

 its pretensions to this son of Canaan ? It is difficult to say. The battle 

 yet remains to be fought which shall decide the question. Let the old 

 monarch still retain our allegiance, until the new aspirant shall have 

 given proof of superior claims on our allegiance. 



9. Cossack (Fellowes), bright red, a large and deep variety, which 

 will; probably be extremely useful for the back row ; very splendid as 

 seen in the stand of 24 which gained the silver cup at Brighton : if 

 often to be had in that state, it would be entitled to assume the highest 

 rank. It is, perhaps, safer to assign it that moderate position to which 

 its general good qualities, on all occasions, fairly entitle it. 



10. Empress (Prockter) is pretty and delicate : colour very like that 

 of Annie Salter, which variety it also resembles in other particulars. 

 It will doubtless be a favourite with many, but it scarcely exhibits 

 sufficient novelty, either of form or colour, to render its possession abso- 

 lutely indispensable. 



11. Dr. Reed. (Rawlings.) Purple crimson, of good form and centre, 

 much after the model of Standard of Perfection, and perhaps no 

 great improvement on that favourite old flower : it is, however, a useful 

 variety, and we may yet see it produced in better condition. 



12. Omar Pasha. Large and rather coarse, presenting altogether 

 too flat a surface. Its colour, rich crimson scarlet, very bright and 

 attractive, will, doubtless, ensure for it a certain amount of admiration : 

 but on the whole it can scarcely be deemed equal to the requirements 

 of the present time. 



Three other varieties, Agincourt (Fellowes) purple ; Beauty of Bath 

 (Bush), yellow, and Lady Fo^kstone (Keynes), buff tipped with crimson, 

 should have a place among the foregoing. I have omitted these promising 

 sorts only because I have not seen enough of them to enable me to 

 determine their respective positions with satisfaction to myself 



The expectant fancy Dahlias are few in number, and demand no 



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