154 JLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 



a noble flower ; its only fault, that I can see, being the appearance 

 of the pips when they first come out being rather of a pentangular 

 shape, each side of the pentagon being made up of two of the " heart- 

 shaped segments " of the corolla, but this appearance gradually goes 

 off after the pips stand for some time, and they then assume a more 

 circular appearance. This variety ought to be in the collection of 

 every competing amateur. 



Fletcher's Defiance. 

 This is another very excellent Polyanthus, and is all but a stranger 

 in the north of England. It will, however, in future, I think, obtain 

 a place among the very best in cultivation here. The pips are beauti- 

 fully circular, the divisions in the corolla between the segments being 

 not so deep as in many other varieties, and for perfect flatness of the 

 pips I think it superior to any variety that I have as yet met with. 

 The tube is very beautifully elevated above the level of the eye ; the 

 eye itself is perfectly free from all tinge of orange, and the ground 

 colour a dark brown, but a little inclined to bronze next the eye ; the 

 lace is quite regular and meets the eye perfectly in the middle of each 

 division of the corolla. On comparing it with the far-famed Pear- 

 son's Alexander, (of which I shall speak presently,) I think it is not 

 such a showy and taking flower for the eye of a judge, but it is cer- 

 tainly a much better one, and possessing far finer properties. 



Pearson's Alexander. 

 This has long been the leading favourite in the north of England, 

 but I think it will now have great difficulty in always carrying off the 

 first prize as it has hitherto done. It is certainly a beautiful flower, 

 but far from faultless. I have just now a truss of five fine large pips 

 standing before me, and I must say that it is difficult to conceive that 

 anything can be produced more beautiful by the magic wand of 

 nature. The eye is a beautiful yellow, the ground colour exceedingly 

 dark, and the lacing perfectly regular and correct, which, from the 

 fine contrast in the colours, produce a very showy and attractive ap- 

 pearance. On looking at it closely, however, its warmest admirers 

 must admit that the divisions in the corolla extend half way down 

 through the eye, which makes the outsides of the heart-shaped seg- 

 ments very apt to droop, and thus spoil the flatness of the pips ; and 

 that pretty elevation of the mouth of the tube, which is so great a de- 



