98 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [MAY, 



and sweet-scented. Fig. 2 shows the variety called Bessie Holdaway, a lovely 

 flower, sweet as violets, but scarcely so large as the foregoing, the flowers being 

 about an inch and three-quarters broad, and of a clear, lively rose-colour, the 

 upper segment being freely spotted with bright orange. Many other equally 

 beautiful forms have been obtained, and as the process is still going on, we may 

 expect in the future to see the Hardy Azalea again occupying a very conspicuous 

 place in our American gardens. M. 



BOUGAINVILLEA SPECIOS'A. 



Off HIS plant is certainly, when properly treated, one of the most lovely of all 

 ^\2s/ stove climbers. A few days since I visited Sandbeck Hall, the seat of the 



fEarl of Scarborough, and I then had the pleasure of seeing this Bougain- 

 villea in the highest state of perfection. The plant was growing in a 

 15-in. pot, and was trained along the back and side of the stove, covering a space 

 of 40 ft. by 10 ft., and it was loaded with its festoons of bracts, some of them four 

 feet in length, — indeed, it was a perfect mass of flowers, and the bunches of buds 

 could be counted by the thousand. Mr. Hall states that he finds no difficulty in 

 flowering it, providing the wood of last year's growth is thoroughly ripened, and 

 that the plant receives absolute winter rest by withholding water, and is then 

 gradually started into growth, and sparingly watered until the bracts appear, 

 when it is necessary that it should have a plentiful supply. 



Osberton. E. Bennett. 



FLORICULTURAL MILLINERY. 



pLORICULTUEAL MILLINERY ! We can find no better term to express 

 our idea of a practice very commonly followed with regard to plants and 

 flowers grown for exhibition, and on which we invite discussion. It is 

 well known to practical horticulturists that most of the plants and 

 flowers seen at our flower shows, are more or less " dressed." Is this legitimate 

 or not ? and if legitimate, is it desirable ? Legitimate we think it is, to a 

 certain extent, although, perhaps, no two individuals would draw the line precisely 

 in the same place. It is not, that we are aware of, absolutely forbidden by any 

 Society, and precedent and usage may be urged in its justification. Desirable 

 we think it is not, and that for various reasons which we shall state hereafter. 



Every cultivator who has grown plants and flowers for exhibition knows well 

 that success depends chiefly on two fundamental points. — (1) Skill in production, 

 which premises knowledge and judgment in the choice and growth of individual 

 plants and flowers ; and (2) Taste and lightness of finger in the arrangement and 

 dressing, much the same sort of skill as is required in tricking out a cap or a 

 bonnet, and hence the term we have chosen to express it — Floricultural Millinery. 

 Now, these two points, which are essentially distinct, are not in our judgment of 



