j 
coaxing arts of the florist, 
but he has at least suc- 
ceeded in imposing upon 
our credulity in a carna- 
tion pink of white, streaked 
with peacock blue. Bou- 
quets of these uncanny- 
looking blossoms are fre- 
quently to be seen in our 
city flower-booths, but they 
smack of trickery, and the 
vendor is rarely seen to 
look you in the eye as he 
responds " new variety " to 
your inquiry as to the pe- 
culiar color. 
"Are those natural?" I 
heard a lady ask at a flower- 
stall recently, referring to 
these pinks. 
" Sure, madam," he replied, this time with easy 
conscience. " They were picked in the conserv- 
atory this morning." 
But as he folded the paper carefully about her 
generous purchase, he didn't trouble her with the 
details of the subsequent aniline bath to which 
they were subjected, and of which they bore plain 
evidence upon close scrutiny. 
But if we are to resort to hocus-pocus in the 
