FLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 227 



that a few impartial remarks will not be misplaced, at this season of 

 the year, in the pages of the Floricultural Cabinet. 



I shall begin with Picotees, and in the first place I beg to introduce 

 to the notice of the readers of the Cabinet, 



Ely's Mrs. Hemmingway. 



This is one of the many good new varieties sent out by those most 

 fortunate raisers, Messrs. Ely and Son, of Rothwell Haigh, near 

 Leeds. It is one of the two heavy purple-edged seedlings which they 

 sent out for the first time last autumn, and does them great credit. 

 It obtained me the Premier prize here this season, and I am very glad 

 to find that she made her debut in Northumberland under such 

 favourable auspices. The flower is of the middle size, the edging a 

 most beautiful rosy-purple, and the ground colour such as would 

 please the most critical and fastidious. The petals, too, are strong 

 and substantial, and of a beautiful round form. Its only fault, if 

 fault it be, is that the edging has a tendency to extend a little down 

 the centre of the petals ; but as many other varieties do the same, and 

 to a far greater extent, especially the heavy-edged ones, I am aware 

 that many amateurs consider this no blemish at all. The flower re- 

 quires little dressing from the exhibitor, and, from the strength of its 

 petals, it stands beautifully after the artificial support is withdrawn 

 from its guard- leaves. I beg, therefore, to recommend it to the com- 

 peting amateur as a variety which he may cultivate with the greatest 

 confidence. Its growth is strong and vigorous, and its layers seem to 

 strike readily, which is another very important consideration. I have 

 not yet had the pleasure of seeing her twin-sister, Ely's Grace Dar- 

 ling, but I trust that she will turn out worthy the high and pure name 

 of our brave, humane, and intrepid Northumbrian Heroine. 



Willmer's Alcides. 



This is a very good Picotee, the ground colour being a very good 

 and clear white, and heavily edged with a darkish blood-red colour. 

 The leaves are of an excellent round form, but unfortunately the 

 middle of each petal is so heavily blotched with the extension of the edg- 

 ing as to go almost completely down ihc flattened part of each petal. 

 It seems as if the brush of nature's artist had been too deeply dipped, 

 and too much saturated with the colouring in the finishing of this 



