ON florists' flowers. 89 



in the south. In the colder climate and moist atmosphere of 

 some northern districts the pest is absent. 



Exhibitors remove all the trusses of blossom but one, which 

 is shown in a finely-developed condition. One of the best 

 of the northern cultivators of this choice favourite grows one 

 set of plants in his garden in a good position planted out for 

 one season, and pots them up the next, so that he has one small 

 collection in pots and another planted out. Five-inch pots are 

 suitable, and one crown only should be planted in each. 



The fancy Polyanthuses have been used as exhibition plants 

 in recent years in the south of England; indeed, the Laced 

 varieties, as they are termed, have been excluded, owing to the 

 difficulty of obtaining good plants. They were of such poor 

 quality that the committee thought it best to omit them from 

 the schedule of the National Society. 



The rich and varied colours of the border Polyanthuses have 

 made them general favourites. Their culture is simpler, as 

 they are grown out-of-doors all the time, and are only brought 

 under glass for a few days before the exhibition, and potted up 

 for a week or so. They like rich, deep soil to grow in, and if 

 it is inclined to be clayey so much the better. 



The Hollyhock (Althaa rosea). 



In this we have one of the stateliest of garden flowers, and 

 one, too, that has long been known to cultivation in this country, 

 for it had taken oh considerable variety of colour in Parkinson's 

 time — 1629. Parkinson says: "The flowers were of divers 

 colours, both single and double, as pure white and pale blush, 

 almost like a white, and more blush, fresh and lively, of a rose 

 colour ; scarlet, and a deeper red like crimson, and dark red 

 . like black blood." Parkinson adds : " They will reasonably well 

 abide the winter." This remark shows that our old author had 

 an intimate knowledge of the plants . he wrote about, for in 

 severe winters they suffer to a certain extent. Seedlings that 

 have not flowered generally pass through the winter very well, 

 but named varieties will not be quite safe in the open garden. 

 Like most flowers of this class, which have been brought to a 

 high state of perfection, the work has been accomplished by the 

 untiring energy of individual florists, who have been enthusiastic 

 in their efforts to improve the plants. Mr. Charles Baron, a 

 shoemaker of Walden, produced some very beautiful quite double 

 flowers about fifty years ago. Messrs. Paul, of Cheshunt, carried 



