350 TIIE PLEASURE, OR [April. 



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 tine 

 auricula; that is, the stem, peduncles, or foot-stalks, and formation 

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

 las 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 colour; the proportion as in the auricula throughout 

 the flower. 



The ground colour 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 

 consistent 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 colour of the eye and stripes as 

 scarcely to be distinguished; in short, the polyanthus should pos- 

 sess a graceful elegance of form, a richness of colouring and sym- 

 metry 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 pos- 

 sible, agreeably to the rules laid down in page 296. 



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

 decayed 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 an air of neatness. Water the pots in warm weather, for 

 they will require a little every second day, or oftener, if the season 

 proves dry, which should not be omitted, otherwise the plants will 

 shoot weakly, and produce but slender flower-stalks. 



>Yhen the flower-stalks have advanced, let them be supported as 

 directed in May. 



Carnations may yet be finally planted into the borders or beds 

 where intended to flower, but that should be done in the beginning 



