33'J 



according lo \Iariyn: " The stem should be strong, upright, and oi' 

 such a height as that the umbel of flowers may be above the foliage 

 of the plant: the peduncles or foot-stalks of the flowers shoidd also 

 be strong, and of a length proportional to the size and quantity of 

 the flowers; which should not be less than seven in nundjer, that 

 the umbel may be regular and close: the tube, eye, and border 

 should be well proportioned; which they will be, if the diameter of 

 the first be one part, of the eye three, and the whole border six parts 

 or thereabouts: the circumference of the border should be round or 

 nearly so, or at least not what is called starry: the anthers ought to 

 be large, bold, and fill the tube well; and the tube should terminate 

 rather above the eye, which should be very white, smooth and round, 

 without cracks, and distinct from the ground-colour: the giound- 

 colour should be bold and rich, and regular, whether it be in one 

 uniform circle or in bright, patches: it should be distinct at the 

 eye, and only broken at the outer part into the edging: a fine black, 

 purple, or bright coffee-colour, contrast best with the while eye: a 

 rich blue, or bright pink is pleasing, but a glowing scarlet or deep 

 crimson would be most desirable, if well edged with a bright green; 

 this, however, can seldom be expected: the green edge is the princi- 

 pal cause of the variegated appearance in this flower, and it should 

 be in pro[)ortion to the ground-colour, that is, about one-half of 

 each: the darker grounds are generally covered with a white pow- 

 der, which seem necessary, as well as the white eye, to guard the 

 flower from the scorching heat of the sun's rays/' 



It is observed, that all flowers that want any of the above pro- 

 perties are turned out into the borders of the garden or rejected 

 wholly by every good florist; for as there are varieties every year 

 from seeds, the bad ones must make room for their betters: but in 

 some the passion for new flowers so much prevails, tiiat supposing 

 the old flower to be gieatly preferable to a new one, the latter must 

 take place, because it is of their own raising. 



Culture. — These beautiful plants are raised without much diffi- 

 culty, by proper care and attention in their management with re- 



