INTRODUCTION 3 



a giant surrounded by dwarfs. But the giant of those 

 days would be a pigmy now, as Lady Gambier herself 

 appeared in comparison with another flower, which I 

 soon after raised ; and which, on account of what I then 

 considered its monstrous proportions, I christened Ajax. 

 This, I then thought, could never be surpassed, and yet 

 in shape it was as lengthy as a horse's head. Still I 

 had worked wonders, and I resolved to persevere. I 

 did so, and was at length rewarded by producing rich 

 colouring, large size, and fine shape. The first large 

 and good-shaped flower that I raised was named 

 Thompson's King. Still, up to this period, a dark eye, 

 which is now considered one of the chief requisites in a 

 first-rate flower, had never been seen. Indeed such a 

 feature had never entered my imagination, nor can I take 

 any merit to myself for originating this peculiar property, 

 for it was entirely the offspring of chance. In looking 

 one morning over a collection of heaths, which had 

 been some time neglected, I was struck, to use a vulgar 

 expression, all of a heap, by seeing what appeared to me 

 a miniature cat's face steadfastly gazing at me. It was 

 the flower of a Heart's-ease, self-sown, and hitherto left 

 to waste its beauty far from mortal's eye. I immediately 

 took it up and gave it a local habitation and a name ! 

 This first child of the tribe I called Madoro, and from 

 her bosom came the seed which, after various generations, 

 produced Victoria, who in her turn became the mother 

 of many even more beautiful than herself. Hitherto in 

 the way of colour nothing new had been introduced ; 

 white, yellow, and blue in their numerous shades seemed 

 to be the only colours which the Heart's-ease was 

 capable of throwing out, till about four years since, 

 when I discovered in my seedling-bed a dark-bronze 

 flower, which I immediately marked and baptised 

 Flamium from which have sprung Tarton, Vivid, and 

 the King of Beauties, which only bloomed this Spring, 



