SNAPDRAGONS, SWEET WILLIAMS 341 



would render Snapdragons valuable, because they are 

 so rare. But the fine modern types are very beautiful. 

 There are both self and striped varieties. The latter 

 flowers are of immense size, and most of them have 

 broad flakes of rich velvety colour beside the narrow 

 lines. It is this type that the doughty Scottish florists 

 love, and with which they encounter each other in prize 

 competitions. 



There are many selections of self-colours which come 

 true from seed. Nearly all seedsmen offer two strains, 

 the tall and the Tom Thumb, the former growing two 

 to three feet high, the latter only eight or nine inches. 

 But some offer a third called Intermediate, the height of 

 which is twelve to fifteen inches. The latter strain is 

 better than the Tom Thumb, even for the front of 

 borders, as the growth, while not excessive, is a little 

 freer, and the flowers are larger. 



With respect to colours, nearly all seedsmen offer 

 crimson, yellow, and white separately, most add carmine, 

 some include coral, pink, apricot, orange, and rose. No 

 varieties are more beautiful than those with a blending 

 of two colours, such as rose and white, red with white 

 margin, pink with yellow lip, scarlet with white throat, 

 crimson and yellow, pink and gold, white tipped with 

 yellow, and crimson with white throat. Few flower- 

 lovers, even those with considerable experience of hardy 

 plants, are familiar with these exquisite bi-coloured 

 Snapdragons. The more closely a collection of seed- 

 lings is examined the more exquisite the variations that 

 are found. 



While those who are anxious to have particular 

 colours will do well to procure separate packets of 

 seed, it generally happens that a mixed packet from a 

 good seedsman gives a considerable number of them. 



