THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



there will naturally exist a wide dif- 

 ference of opinion, but Mr. Kelwey's 

 view is as follows : — " The ground color 

 should be pure, but if containing two 

 or more tints, the flakes should be 

 of a deeper shade and the lines in the 

 centre of the petals should be clearly 

 defined." 



Grand Rouge, the variety figured 

 above, in almost all respects conforms 

 to Mr. Kevley's standard, while it sur- 

 passes it in others. The petals are not 

 as broad toward the tips as in some 

 of the later varieties. Otherwise Grand 

 Rouge represents the best types of G. 

 gandavensis. The flower is a clear 

 bright scarlet, with small violet blotches 

 in the throat. It is an old variety, 

 but one of the very best, and can be 

 bought for a few cents per bulb. 



Fifi. 1339.— 



G. nanceianus, 

 Simon Lorenz. 



G. Leinoinei, G. Childsi, 

 Incendiary. Henry Gillman. 



In France a different type is ad- 

 mired, and two other forms widely 

 different from the first, and from each 

 other, have become very popular. They 

 are known as G. Lemoinei and G. nan- 

 ceianus. The former is hardy in cli- 

 mates scarcely less severe than ours. 

 The stalk is thin, and as growth is 

 very rapid, it is disposed to bend with 

 its own weight. The plants accord- 

 ingly require to be staked as soon as 

 the spikes show and should be tied 

 anew every day or two. It is seldom 

 that more than seven or eight blooms 

 are open at the same time. The flow- 

 ers are smaller than in the gandavensis 

 section, less closely set on the stalk, 

 and not so widely expanded. Their 

 coloring is however more vivid, abound- 

 ing in strong contrasts. They run the 

 entire chromatic scale from white to 

 deep purple and violet, with large spots 

 —usually darker than the main color — 

 on the lower petals. 



The variety, Incendiary, shown in 

 the centre of the figure, is one of the 

 largest and most brilliantly colored 

 forms. G. Lemoinei multiply rapidly, 

 and varieties only a few years intro- 

 duced may be purchased at a very low 

 price. 



G nanceianus is a race of daily in- 

 creasing popularity. The French and 

 German growers, and latterly, the Eng- 

 lish, are producing great numbers of 

 new varieties, which have all the beauty 

 of coloring of Lemoinei, while they 

 greatly exceed that strain in the size 

 of their individual flowers. The two 

 upper sepals are usually very long and 

 broad, but the flowers lack the sub- 

 stance of Lemoinei. The spikes of 

 both strains have a lightness and grace 

 which make a pleasing contrast with 

 the somewhat stiff" arrangement of the 

 flowers of the gandavensis hybrids. 



158 



