APRIL] FLOWER GARDEN. 361 



situation ; they are, like the latter, very impatient of heat and drought, 

 and agree with a much greater portion of moisture ; they are fond of 

 shade, and will not succeed well when exposed to our summer heats, 

 in a warm situation ; at least so as to blow, even in tolerable perfec- 

 tion, the ensuing season. 



The fine kinds may be grown in the same sized pots, and in the 

 same compost, as auriculas, with the addition of more loam ; and the 

 common or more indifferent sorts may be planted in cool shady beds 

 or borders, being tolerably hardy, and having more to fear from the 

 summer heats than the winter frosts. 



Their propagation is by slips and seed, at the same time and in the 

 same manner as directed for auriculas. 



A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTIES OF A FINE POLYANTHUS. 



Its properties are, in most respects, similar to those of a fine au- 

 ricula; that is, the stem, peduncles, or footstalks, and formation of 

 the bunch or truss; therefore, a description of its pips or corollas 

 only remains to be given in this place. 



The tube of the corolla, above the calyx, should be short, well 

 filled with the anthers or summits of the stamens, and terminate 

 fluted rather above the eye. 



The eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, and distinct 

 from the ground color ; the proportion as in the auricula throughout 

 the flower. 



The ground color is most admired when shaded with a light and 

 dark rich crimson, resembling velvet, with one mark or stripe in the 

 centre of each division of the rim, bold and distinct from the edging 

 down to the eye, where it should terminate in a fine point. 



The pips should be large, quite flat, and as round as may be con- 

 sistent with their beautiful figure, which is circular, excepting those 

 small indentures between each division of the rim which divide it 

 into several heart-like segments. 



The edging should resemble a bright gold lace, bold, clear, and 

 distinct, and so nearly of the same color of the eye and stripes as 

 scarcely to be distinguished ; in short, the polyanthus should possess 

 a graceful elegance of form, a richness of coloring and symmetry of 

 parts not to be found united in any other flower. 



Fine double primroses are cultivated by offsets, in the same way 

 and at the same time as polyanthuses, and require similar care and 

 management in pots; they are somewhat more tender, and conse- 

 quently must be treated accordingly. 



CARNATIONS. 



If you have omitted the potting or transplanting of carnations last 

 month where necessary, let it be done in this, as early as possible, 

 agreeably to the rules laid down on page 309. 



Keep the pots perfectly free from weeds, and the plants from de- 

 cayed leaves, and let the earth on the surface be stirred if it binds 

 hard, for this will encourage the plants to shoot, and will also give 



