Difference between Mixture and Variety, 309 



Row 3. — No. 1. in the third row is Rose Cerise Blanche. 



2 Bybloemen Reine de Sheba. 



3 Bizard Polyphemus. 



4 Rose ComtedeVergennes. 



5 i Bybloemen Louis Seize. 



6 Bizard Emperor of Austria. 



7 Rose Julia. 



And so on till the bed is complete, by which means I have the 

 greatest possible mixture of the three classes of colours. 



The same or a similar case will answer for named ranun- 

 culuses and anemones ; but if one is made on purpose for the 

 two latter flowers I would recommend the bottom of the 

 drawers to be of coarse canvass, strained tight, instead of wood. 



I have made the case {Jig. 83.) to contain only 100 rows, 

 although mine has 230 rows ; but that of course would be 

 much too large for a private collection. 



I am, dear Sir, yours truly, 



H. Groom. 

 Walworth," February 1. 1827- 



Much as we are an advocate for a systema naturae in every 

 garden, we are not the less so for a department devoted to 

 florists' flowers ; and we know, from experience and observ- 

 ation, that a principal reason why these are not more cultivated 

 is the difficulty of keeping the numerous varieties distinct. 

 By Mr. Groom's plan this difficulty is overcome. The drawers 

 may be taken to the beds at planting, and one root after 

 another taken out of its cell and put in the ground, without 

 the trouble of making and using number sticks, or having any 

 other marks than one for the beginning, and another for the 

 ending, of the collection. The drawers may be again taken 

 out at the taking-up season, and each root, with its off-sets, 

 replaced in its appropriate cell. Thus far we entirely agree 

 with Mr. Groom, and we have little doubt his communication 

 will be of real use to many, and diffuse more widely a taste 

 for that department of gardening to which he has devoted 

 himself. But his principle of arrangement, " the greatest pos- 

 sible mixture," we cannot let pass without stating our opinion 

 on the subject. We know that " mixture" is the practice of 

 all florists, and with most other people, when their object is 

 to produce what they call variety. Variety, however, is not 

 produced by mixture, but by a succession of different things. 

 Every part of a mass, formed on the principle of mixture, is 

 the same in appearance, and the general effect monotonous ; 

 but every part of a varied whole differs from every other part, 



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