6 
SCIIIZANTHUg RETUSUS. 
over the pot, the stem having cankered just above the soil. We have more 
than once experienced this ; and as a remedy we 
Recommend the pots to be very well drained, and the 
plants to be rather elevated in the centre of the pots, 
judicious waterings, and light soil. 
Last year we made a sowing in May, from which 
we grew extraordinary fine plants, but only a few of 
them flowered, and those indifferently ; we have, how- 
ever, preserved about fifty fine plants, from which we 
anticipate a dazzling display of flowers in May or June. 
We kept them in a frame, and gave them abundance 
of air ; they were shifted into larger pots about every fortnight or three weeks ; and 
in September many of them threw up eight or ten fine flowering stems, but owing 
to the unfavourable weather in this part of the country, they did not come to 
perfection. We have not yet tried whether it will flower well in the open air, 
though we have little doubt but that it will grow equally well with other half- 
liardy annuals. 
Mr. Hugh Cuming has lately discovered another beautiful sort, which is found to 
be a variety of the pinna tus, and is therefore named pinnatus humilis ; this and 
all the other species may have similar treatment to the retusus. If planted in the 
borders, always select situations where they will be dry and airy, but not exposed 
to strong winds. 
The generic name is derived from the Greek words schizo, to cut, and anthos , 
a flower, alluding to the flowers having the appearance of being deeply cut. 
J. P. 
