Transactions of the Horticultural Society. 517 



the Luxembourg, Paris. Those described by Mr. Sabine, 

 " may all, with the exception of Crocus pusillus and of the 

 native British C. vernus, be considered as garden produc- 

 tions." 



[As this paper is to be completed in the succeeding part, 

 we cannot proceed with advantage to the reader till that 

 part appears. A coloured plate of 7 species and 12 va- 

 rieties, grouped together in a bouquet, is given ; but we are 

 compelled to say that we think the arrangement of this 

 bouquet of the same character as that of the chrysanthemums, 

 georginas, and other flowers, exhibited by the Society in the 

 garden at Chiswick, or at the exhibitions in Regent Street. 

 We have repeatedly, both verbally and in this Magazine, 

 pointed out the sameness produced by this indiscriminate 

 mixture of colours; but it seems to produce no effect. Certain 

 minds cannot acknowledge themselves in the wrong; we are 

 satisfied, however, of the truth and good taste of our position, 

 and shall endeavour to maintain it, not caring for immediate 

 results, but perfectly confident that, like every other truth, it 

 will finally prevail. Lest we should be mistaken, we may 

 state that the bouquet consists of 19 crocuses of three funda- 

 mental colours, purple, yellow, and white. These colours are 

 mixed indiscriminately. For instance, the two darkest purple 

 varieties (C vernus inflatus and C. vernus Sabine^s) are put, 

 the one at the lowest point on the left, and the other at the 

 highest on the right, of the bouquet ; the two darkest yellows 

 (C. sulphureus concolor and C. lagenaeflorus) are also placed as 

 far apart from each other as possible ; and in the same manner 

 the two whitest varieties (C vernus albus major and C. vernus 

 Anderson/) are disposed. Now what we maintain is, that, both 

 in a botanical and picturesque point of view, those colours or 

 sorts which are most like each other should be put nearest to- 

 gether; not indeed formally, in heavy lumpish masses, but in 

 masses broken off and blended with those adjoining, in that 

 style which is at once painter-like, most favourable for botanical 

 comparison, and most natural. Had this been done, instead 

 of a spotted bouquet, a sort of hodge-podge of colours, which 

 leaves a confused impression ; we should have had a mass, 

 one side of which was white, blended into the yellow sorts 

 occupying the middle, and these again losing themselves in 

 the dark sorts of different shades of purple completing the 

 other side. No one could have looked at such a bouquet 

 without having received a distinct impression, which he could 

 readily remember; but has any one a distinct impression of 

 the bouquet of Mr. Sabine ? The Transactions are, doubtless^ 



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