9 
S tr bes, ob sate TALTIES, see 
Fesevany 16, 1895 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
— — 
THE BEST 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS 
WEBBS’ 
PRIZETAKER. 
NOW OFFERED FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
Unexcelled for exhibition or culina The stem is 
covered with large firm Sprouts of Se. Finest quality. 
1s. per packet, post free. 
WEBBS’ =MATCHLESS. 
Very early, of robust growth, and EN — ier peo ort 
Sprouts of superior flavour, which a y tend 
6d. and 1/- per packet, 1/6 per ounce, post free. 
From Mr. E. Seaton hee Sou h Collingham 
“T have taken t Prize at our Vegetable Show with 
Webb’ Matchless E Brussels N beating 14 competitors 
in a class open to all.“ 
| See WEBBS’ SPRING CATALOGUE, ie ii 1s 
bridged Edition, oa and post-fre 
WEBBS', WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE. 
THE NEW 
MELON 
For 1895. 
SUTTONS 
ROYAL FAVOURITE. 
We have the honour of offering a New 
Melon of singular beauty, originated by 
Mr. OWEN THOMAS, of the 
ROYAL GARDENS, WINDSOR, 
who has placed the entire stock in our hands, 
The fruits of this Melon are perfectly 
spherical, and elegantly netted. e flesh is 
white, exceedingly deep, with a full and ex- 
quisite flavour. The plant is robust in con- 
stitution, sets freely, and is very productive, 
Price of Seed, 3s. 6d. per pkt., post-free. 
GENUINE ONLY, DIRECT FROM 
SUTTON & SONS, sse, READING. 
VEITCHS’ 
SUPERB STOCKS. 
VEITCH'S NEW WHITE PERPETUAL- 
FLOWERING TER-WEEK STOCK. 
handso 
Pos Variety, producing immense spikes of large 
is ga st bean bite io rere ot unusual sut "stanon, The plant 
in pots, ful for growing 
a GERMAN 
| TEN-WEEK. 
5 t popular Sto 
fal spite al i producing massive 
ub-t, a b ilia large e 8 flowers of great 
title Ni stinct colours, separate, 28. 60. 
xed colours, per packet, 60 
tae PERFECTION TEN-WEEK. 
ght strong pyramidal growth and fine 
ring long spik f bea 1 
ae wll — 5 dan * g utiful large 
ot 8 distinct che oun oo , separa‘e, 2/6. 
bg ed, per packet, 18. 
Por fal descri P 
NovR ptions of the above and many other Choice 
SEED CATALOGUE 
post. free or application. 
ok EXOTIC NURSERY, 
LSEA, LONDON, S. W. 
AMES VEITCH «sons |; 
CHOICE 1 
FLOWER SEEDS 
FOR PRESENT SOWING 
AND 
BULBS:PLANTS 
FOR SPRING PLANTING. 
COLLECTIONS OF VECETABLE AND 
FLOWER SEEDS, 
Made up of the most popular Varieties, von! to suit all 
requirements, from 2s. and upwar 
DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE of the 
above, with CULTURAL 8 will be fgg 
pos e on application Offices at 
9 near HAARL “EM, “HOLLAND, 
r to our General Agents. 
Messrs. MERTENS & CO., 
3, GROSS LANE, LONDON, E. C. 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1895, 
THE ROMANCE OF FLOWERS. 
HE motive of all science is the attainment of 
truth ; the only merit of fairy tales is, that 
they are the image of the truth, a simulacrum 
invented to stimulate the intellects of children, 
not yet robust enough to sift truth from error; 
yet of the thousands of grown persons in this 
country who are not obliged to toil or spin, how 
great a proportion seek their mental amusement 
bition by the collection of old postage-stamps, 
others by field-sports and competitive games, and 
hese may be held as harmless palliatives “4 
much leisure, the last-named indeed being v 
able, inasmuch as they develop the limbs sons 
brace the constitution. 
many a man’s life might be turned to 
better account, many people would become con- 
scious of a motive for living, were they to turn 
their faculties to unravelling the secrets of 
Nature. To the majority—far the greater ma- 
bat patient hands are at work, year after year, 
opening new pages; anybody who chooses to 
turn his hand resolutely to the work may live in 
good hope of prevailing to open a new chapter, 
and some of these chapters are far more wonder- 
stirring and exciting than any artificial fairy 
e. 
Let us glance at a few that have been deci- 
phered already. We will take the volume of 
botany first, being, perhaps, that in which the 
ordinary mind would least expect any stirring 
passages, You cannot spend a quarter of an 
hour in a country lane or on a bleak hillside 
without being surrounded by plants of many 
kinds, each of which has a story for him who 
has ears to hear and eyes to see. We will go to 
the very bottom of the scale first, if you please, 
among the humblest of all vegetation, the 
3 those plants which are destitute 
the chief attractions in most plants, flowers 
suit leaves. In this group are contained the 
different 3 of fungus, lichen and algæ, or 
seaweeds, humble family, ag Pe pases yet 
has it a Boras of its own, is among 
them that the nearest approach j an 13 is 
Indeed, one order of 
mb 
of life that, though o classed 
present, many biologists held their j 
to its true nature in suspense 
Now, if there is one characteristic fe 18 
than any other, in the popular ee qr in- 
fungus from other plants, it 
judgment as 
guishes t v A Mu h- 
rapi ecay. us: 
8 Ee” te proverbial for all that is 
