6 ANTIRRHINUMS AND PENTSTEMONS 



tion of those keen and discerning flower lovers and 

 growers whom we of to-day refer to as the old school of 

 florists. They were a body of men by themselves who set 

 up ideals and worked with inexhaustible patience and 

 perseverance to attain the ideals they themselves had set 

 up; and despite the affected contempt with which the 

 modern gardener looks down upon the old florist, it was 

 he more than any other who accomplished the pioneer 

 work, and achieved the first triumphs in evolution and 

 building up of the choicest and most beautiful of the 

 flowers that enrich our gardens to-day, and have placed 

 Britain in the vanguard of horticulture. 



Just how long ago it is since the florist took the 

 Antirrhinum in hand I cannot say, nor is it of particular 

 importance that dates should be fixed for a book such as 

 this ; let it suffice that wellnigh, if not quite, a century ago 

 good men and true set up standards of points, and with 

 an ideal before them exerted themselves to raise, select, 

 and propagate Antirrhinums of good quality. 



Clear self-colours were sought and obtained, and later 

 variegated, striped, spotted, or speckled flowers became 

 special favourites with all but a few who vigorously 

 protested against any flower that departed from the 

 orthodox self-colours. It is a noteworthy fact that one 

 of the oldest and most distinct striped Antirrhinums is 

 still in cultivation and is held in high esteem, especially 

 in Scotland. This variety is Antirrhinum Hendersonii, 

 raised something over seventy years ago by Mn'Mender- 

 son, a worthy old florist who had a nursery in Maida 

 Vale, London. 



A. Hendersonii is clearly and evenly striped with 

 carmine on a pure white ground, and to see a fair-sized 

 bed of this striking flower is a sight that surely must 

 appeal to all real lovers of beautiful flowers, whilst as an 

 exhibition variety it has always been held in high esteem 

 by those who judge a flower on its " points." 



