350 THE PLEASURE, OR [April. 
beds or borders, being tolerably hardy, and having more to fear 
from the summer heats than the winter frosts. 
Their propagation is by slips and seed, at the same time and in 
the same manner as directed for auriculas. 
Ji Description of the Properties of a fine Polyanthus. 
Its properties are, in most respects, similar to those of a fine 
auricula; that is, the stem, peduncles, or foot-stalks, and formation 
of the bunch or truss; therefore, a description of its pips or corol- 
las only remains to be given in this place. 
The tube of the corolla above the calyx should be short, well 
filled with the anthers or summits of the stamens, and terminate 
fluted rather above the eye. 
The eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, and distinct 
from the ground colour; the proportion as in the auricula throughout 
the flower. 
The ground colour is most admired when shaded with a light 
and dark rich crimson, resembling velvet, with one mark or stripe 
in the centre of each division of the rim, bold and distinct from the 
edging down to the eye, where it should terminate in a fine point. 
The pips should be large, quite flat, and as round as may be 
consistent with their beautiful figure, which is circular, excepting 
those small indentures between each division of the rim which 
divide it into several heart-like segments. 
The edging should resemble a bright gold lace, bold, clear, and 
distinct, and so nearly of the same colour of the eye and stripes as 
scarcely to be distinguished; in short, the polyanthus should pos- 
sess a graceful elegance of form, a richness of colouring and sym- 
metry of parts not to be found united in any other flower. 
Fine double primroses are cultivated by offsets in the same way 
and at the same time as polyanthuses, and require similar care and 
management in pots; they are somewhat more tender, and conse- 
quently must be treated accordingly. 
Carnations. 
If you have omitted the potting or transplanting of carnations 
last month where necessary, let it be done in this, as early as pos- 
sible, agreeably to the rules laid down in page 296. 
Keep the pots perfectly free from weeds, and the plants from 
decayed leaves, and let the earth on the surface be stirred if it 
binds hard, for this will encourage the plants to shoot, and will 
also give an air of neatness. Water the pots in warm weather, for 
they will require a little every second day, or oftener, if the season 
proves dry, which should not be omitted, otherwise the plants will 
shoot weakly, and produce but slender flower-stalks. 
When the flower-stalks have advanced, let them be supported as 
directed in May. 
Carnations may yet be finally planted into the borders or beds 
where intended to flower, but that should be done in the beginning 
