12 fi.ohicultural gleanings. 



Woodhead's Spitfire. 

 Woodhead's Spitfire is a very fine pink and purple bizarre, and 

 gets to a very superior size. It is a very excellent variety indeed, and 

 cpiite distinct from all other varieties that I am acquainted with. The 

 ground colour is a remarkably fine white, the stripes of pink very 

 beautiful, with a good deal of the dark purplish maroon colour, giving 

 the flower altogether rather a darkish appearance. It is a very fine 

 variety for the competing florist, but unfortunately it is very late, and 

 seldom gets into bloom till a fortnight after almost all other varieties 

 are gone. I grew it this season for the first time, and it did not show 

 me its face till it was like 



" The last rose of summer left blooming alone, 

 All its lovely companions were faded and gone." 



This is a great pity, as it is a fine Carnation ; but, I should say, 

 for this reason it will be very seldom exhibited. 



p.S. — As I may not have another opportunity, for some time at 

 least, I beg to make a remark in reply to " Amator Justitiac, of Kelso," 

 respecting my quotation from the " Gardener's Chronicle " of May 8, 

 1841, on the properties of the Polyanthus. I quoted the remarks 

 because I believed them to be correct, and this served my purpose, 

 and is ah I cared about the matter. I have no wish that " Amator 

 Justitise" should bow down " in reverential obedience," either to Dr. 

 Lindley, or any other man living; neither do I know anything of the 

 plagiarisms alluded to, or the charges brought against him in conse- 

 quence. I never enter into squabbles and disputes of this kind, and 

 am always anxious to avoid controversies ; in the floricultural world, 

 in particular, they should never occur, they are so diametrically 

 opposed to that harmony and beauty which the floral world displays, 

 and which all devoted florists admire. 



I have no wish to magnify the reputation of Dr. Lindley, or to 

 quote " his lucubrations as those of an oracle," but I will venture to 

 hazard the opinion that some of the writings of Dr. Lindley will float 

 on the stream of time, and be read with interest when the ephemeral 

 productions from the pen of " Amator Justitia;" and myself shall 

 have sunk into final oblivion. 



Felton Bridge End, Nov. 15, 1842. 



