FLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 55 



formed pod ; its only fault that I have seen being a little deficiency 

 of the white, which seemed to be rather overrun by the crimson and 

 maroon colours. This, however, probably only arose from the rich- 

 ness of the soil in which the flowers that I saw had been cultivated ; 

 or it is possible that this may be its usual habit, and that it derived its 

 name from this, its fiery appearance. I cannot judge of this till I 

 have a longer acquaintance with it, but another year will probably 

 determine it. If it can be grown a little purer, it is well worthy of 

 general cultivation on account of its good form and great size. 



Ely's Bright Venus. 

 This is another of Ely's raising, and is a very brilliant scarlet flake 

 upon a very clear white ground. It possesses a very fine long pod, 

 but is rather a thin flower, being deficient in those central petals 

 which are essentially necessary to give a carnation that hemispherical 

 form which all competitors wish to see in a carnation, and which is 

 absolutely necessary to constitute a first-rate flower. As I have seen 

 this variety grown very strong, I conceive that I am doing it no 

 injustice by the above remark, although I have seen reports of some 

 of the south-country shows where it has been prominent among the 

 prize flowers. 



Pope's- Queen, 

 or Pope's London Queen, is a very good dark purple flake, not at 

 all inferior to Leighton's Bellerophon. It possesses a good long pod, 

 well formed petals, and the flakes of a very dark purple, much darker 

 than Bellerophon. If, therefore, Bellerophon be one of the best six 

 in cultivation, Pope's Queen, although an old variety, is still well 

 worthy of preservation by the competing florist. 



Harvey's Lord Ravensworth. 

 This is another oldish variety, and has long been a favourite in the 

 north, although it must now give way before many of the newer 

 varieties that have been imported into this neighbourhood within the 

 last three or four years. It is a scarlet flake that gets to rather a 

 superior size, and has a fine long pod, but unfortunately the white is 

 almost always freckled over with the colouring, which casts it com- 

 pletely into the back ground when exhibited against such beautiful 

 scarlet flakes as Hogg's Fox-hunter, Ely's Captain Ross, Jonathan 

 Martin, and others that might be named. 



