24 ANTIRRHINUMS AND PENTSTEMONS 



which the florists set up, and the resolute manner in 

 which they rejected all rogues and inferior interlopers 

 from their choice collections. 



There is one admission that must be made — and not 

 only does this apply to the Pentstemon, but to practically 

 all florists' flowers that are both easily raised from seeds 

 and propagated from cuttings — seedlings of good form, 

 size, and colour are so readily produced that the number 

 of named varieties put into commerce is far larger than 

 necessary, and as a result of many growers raising and 

 selecting the best of their seedlings for naming as new 

 varieties we have always quite a number that, although 

 bearing different names, are to all intents and purposes 

 identical with each other. 



The similarity in varieties of Pentstemon is the greater 

 because the range of actual colours is confined to narrow 

 limits. There are no pure yellow or rich orange shades, 

 no true blues, and scarcely a pure white; but, having 

 remarked upon the limitations of colour, let me ask 

 where we may find a wider and more dehghtful range 

 of shade? and tints than in Pentstemons. The pink's 

 begin with the palest flesh or blush, on through salmons, 

 roses, and combinations indefinable. We have scarlets 

 with pure white throats, others which have faint lines of 

 colour on the white throat, others stained and deeply 

 blotched, and then there are full reds, deep crimsons, 

 plum and purple shades, in each of which there are white- 

 throated and pencilled varieties. Mauve and lilac Pent- 

 stemons are available, although there are no real blues, 

 and cream is to be found either verging to ivory-white 

 or to sulphur-yellow, and some of these are washed in 

 pink or carmine. To some tastes nothing is more beauti- 

 ful than a brilUant outer colour with a spotless white 

 throat, and as the reflexed margin of such flowers is 

 always banded with the colour corresponding to the 

 exterior, the sharp contrast to the interior white is 



