AMERICAN SEED CATALOGUES 



the plunge with the respective names of Dreer and 

 Farquhar. Moderation in expression character- 

 izes these two lists; a plant is desirable, very de- 

 sirable, of pleasing color. Few superlatives are 

 here to be met; as a result, the reader's confidence 

 is gained, and when an extra good thing comes in 

 for high praise he promptly responds to the sug- 

 gestion. Farquhar is entitled to all praise for his 

 courage in introducing the new Chinese and Jap- 

 anese shrubs and plants. The glorious Lilium 

 myriophyUum, or, as it is now called, Lilium regale, 

 was brought out by this firm a few years since; 

 most of the new barberries, cotoneasters, and other 

 shrubs lately introduced into commerce have been 

 first described and offered upon these pages. 



In Dreer's catalogue for 1916, on the page oppo- 

 site the excellent color print of Gladiolus Baron 

 Hulot and Gladiolus Sulphur King, when these are 

 called blue and gold, not only is the phrase pur- 

 ple and gold more beautiful as to words but it is 

 accurate and the other is not. A kind of faint- 

 hearted retrieving of accuracy in color description 

 is noted in the words concerning Baron Hulot, a 

 "rich royal violet blue." All who have grown this 

 small and charming flower know it for a rich violet 

 or purple — the word blue cannot occur to any 



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