Plate 17. 



CELOSIA HUTTONI. 



This family (to which many ornamental plants belong, some of which are specially 

 suitable for the ornamentation of the conservatory in autumn,) has lately received a valuable 

 addition in the handsome plant which we now figure, originally named Amaranthus Huttoni, 

 but since altered to its present name. 



Like most of the family known to us it is an annual, and requires the treatment of a 

 stove during the earlier periods of its growth ; the seeds may be sown in a hotbed in March, 

 and then pricked out into small pots, afterwards to be transferred to the stove or greenhouse, 

 and potted off as they increase in size ; they will then form conspicuous objects for the 

 greenhouse when Azaleas, Pelargoniums, and other summer-flowering plants have passed their 

 prime and been turned out of doors. Like many other plants of this character, the Celosias 

 are liable to be attacked by red spider, but if well syringed this pest may be kept down ; 

 like others of the Amarantacecs it is hoped that the plant may prove useful for bedding 

 purposes, the redness of its colouring approaching to that of Iresene Herbstii, but somewhat 

 darker ; and may, in warm summers especially, add another to the many shades of coloured 

 leaves which, as well as flowers, tend to make up the results of the modern system of summer 

 gardening. 



Celosia Huttoni was introduced by the Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Chelsea, from Java 

 — sufficiently indicating its character as a stove plant ; and we are indebted to them for the 

 opportunity of figuring it ; it is a fitting companion to the Amaranthus salicifolius, figured in 

 the last volume of our former series. 



Plate 18. 



SINGLE VARIETIES OF CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



Those who are able to look back for some years at the progress of horticulture cannot 

 but be surprised at the immense improvement that has taken place in many of our favourite 

 flowers. The Cyclamen we have already adverted to, and the Chinese Primrose may be 

 evidenced as another : formerly the flowers were small, and the colours but few — now we have 

 them with large flowers of many hues of colour, and equally great variations have taken 

 place in the foliage, as for example the fern-leaved varieties, and latterly we have seen a large 

 white variety with very dark foliage. 



We have seen most of the different strains that have been brought before the public, 

 and although many of them are very beautiful, we are of opinion that that of which we now 

 give an illustration is of the very finest character ; there is so much beauty and such brilliancy 

 of colour that they lay claim to being of the very first order. We would especially refer to 

 the brilliant crimson of that marked fig. 4, and the curiously spotted magenta flower marked 

 fig. 2. No names have been given to these flowers, as Messrs. Stuart consider them but 

 types of the general character of the plants produced from their seed. 



We are indebted to Messrs. Stuart and Co. of Nice, and also of 5, Tavistock Eow, 

 Covent Garden, for the opportunity of figuring them, and are informed by them that such 

 varieties may be expected from their seeds, and we hope in our next number, (where we 

 purpose figuring a selection of double varieties) to give an account of their method of 

 cultivation. 



