CASSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENING. 



other flower, and for thia reason collections are very 

 seldom seen near such centres. The situation is un- 

 I'avourahle to thena. They are natives of pure atmo- 

 spheres, and as such they cannot endure the smoky 

 air of lajge towns. Some attribute this to the 

 presence of smoke, others to the continual motions of 

 the atmosphere, which in most places would be in- 

 jurious to these delicate flowers. At those seasons of 

 the year when the weather is most trying to vegeta- 

 tion, a chilling atmosphere sets in towards a large 

 town from the surrounding country, inasmuch as the 

 artiflcial heat of the town causes the air over it to 

 ascend, upon the same principle that air ascends in a 

 chimney over a flre. Now it invariably happens 

 that when cold air, though completely charged with 

 moisture, approaches a warmer place it becomes a 

 ilrying or withering air, and this is the reason why 

 delicate flowers, and also the blossoms of the more 

 early and tender fruit-trees, are much more subject 

 to injury in the vicinity of towns than in the open 

 country. In the vicinity of London, for instance, 

 the general movement of atmosphere is from the 

 north or north-east during the part of the spring 

 which is so perilous to the growers of choice flowers 

 and fruits ; and, for the reason above mentioned, the 

 metropolis not only has its full share of this bHghting 

 wind, but retards it, and thus greatly increases its 

 mischievous efiects. It is for the same reasons be- 

 coming increasingly difficult to cultivate the Sweet 

 Violet round London. 



Kaising Seedlings of Polyanthuses and 

 Primroses. — Any one fond of these, and desiring 

 to have some fine young vigorous plants every year, 

 should raise a batch of seedlings each season. As a 

 rule they both seed pretty freely, except when the 

 spriDg season is wet and frosty, or hot and dry. Seed 

 should be gathered only from the best varieties, and 

 when the seed-vessels turn brown and begin to open 

 at the top the seed is ripe, and every day such pods 

 as so open should be gathered, or the seeds will be 

 lost. "When gathered the pods should be spread on 

 paper, perfectly dried, and the seeds separated from 

 them. We prefer to sow in August, or as soon as 

 the seeds are ready ; they germinate more quickly, 

 iind nearly six months is gained in comparison with 

 sowing in February following. One plan is to sow 

 the seeds in earthenware pans or shallow wooden 

 boxes, draining them with broken crocks, then placing 

 some rough soil over them, and filling up with a fine 

 light soU in which leaf-mould and sand predominate. 

 This is pressed down until the surface is smooth and 

 level ; the seeds are then scattered thinly over the 

 surface, and very slightly covered with sand ; the pans 

 are placed in a cold frame, precautions being taken 

 that worms cannot work through into them, and 



a piece of glass is placed over each. They are kejit 

 shaded fi-om the sun, and looked to oocasionaUy to 

 see that the surface is kept moist. In a month or six 

 weeks the plants will make their appearance. During 

 the winter the soil needs to be kept moist enough to 

 insure Ufe, and in early spring the tiny plants will 

 make growth, and as soon as large enough to handle, 

 should be picked off into store-pots, and fijiaUy planted 

 out in a bed to flower ; by the following spring they 

 win have grown into extra strong plants, and wiU. 

 flower finely and freely. 



Selection of Gold-laceu Polyakthus. 

 Black-Grounds. 



Cheshire Favourite. 

 Earl of Beaconsfield. 

 Exile (Cronsliaw). 

 Formosa (Burnand). 



John Bright (Barlow). 

 Lancashire Hero. 

 Lord liinooln (Hnfton). 

 Prince Regent (Cox). 



Eed-GroTOids. 



George IV. (Buoli;). 

 Lancer (Bullock). 

 President (Hilton). 



Sir Sidney Smith. 

 Sunrise (Barlow). 

 William IV. (SaudersonX 



Buttercup. 

 Criterion. 

 Gold Cup 

 Golden Bedder. 

 Grandis. 



Fanci or Giaht Poltahthiis. 

 Grenadier. 



Harbinger. 

 Lustrous. 

 Sovereign. 

 Sultana. 



Semi-duplex or Hose-in-Hose Poltanthus. 



Cloth of Gold. Lord Wolseley. 



Crimson Beauty. Scarlet Gem. 



Faust. Prince o£ Orange. 



Seleciion of use Sihole Pkimeoses. 



Altaica. Purple Queen. 



Aurieuleeflora. Queen of Violets. 



Amaranth. Rosy Gem. 



Gem of Eoses. Violet Gem. 



Lilacina. Virginia. 



Ophelia. Zenobia. 



Selection of Double Pkimroses. 



Blush. 



Cloth of Gold. 

 Crimson, or Madame de 



Pompadour. 

 Crimson Purple. 

 Croussii. 

 Giant Yellow. 



Lilac. 



Platypetala plena. 



Purple. 



Rose. 



Scotch Red. 



Sulphur. 



"White. 



AQUATIC PLANTS. 



By E. Ikwin Lykch. 



TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE AqUARIA. 



IT is well known that many aquatic plants are ex- 

 tremely beautiful, and they invariably prove in: 

 the highest degree attractive. Those of the tropics 

 excel in magnificence, and they are not, as a rule, 

 diificult of cultivation. The queen of all, the Vic- 

 toria Regia, requires a tank from twenty-seven to- 

 thirty- six feet in diameter, about four feet deep in. 



