414 
AURICULAS. 
starry, but fine in quality ; ground colour of 
a fine violet, well proportioned. This is a 
remarkably neat flower. 
Sykes' Complete. — Tube good; the thrum 
too much sunk ; ground colour very dark 
and even, pip round. This variety is very 
late in blooming, and, from the thickness of 
its pips, requires a good heat to expand them 
freely. It is a very distinct and neat flower. 
Fletcher's Ne Plus Ultra — Tube good, 
paste fine and round, ground colour black, 
very regular, pip flat, and very large, not so 
round as could be wished. This flower, when 
in its best state, is one of the finest in culti- 
vation ; it is very unsteady. 
Fletcher's Mary Ann. — Tube small, 
thrum much sunk, ground colour dark 
brown, pip large and round, but difficult to 
be got flat. 
Dickson's Prince Albert. — Tube very 
round, paste fine, ground colour of a reddish 
brown, very circular ; the colour breaks a 
little towards the paste, which gives it a 
lighter appearance in some parts. The pip is 
very round and flat, although a little difficult 
to open. This is a new and fine variety. 
Waterhouse's Conqueror or Europe. 
■ — Tube round and fine- coloured, paste fine, 
ground colour dark, very uneven, pips large 
and flat, a little pointed. This flower, with 
many florists, is highly esteemed. In my 
opinion, it is too much be-praised, being a 
xnry faulty, coarse flower, unsteady, and 
seldom you see two pips of the same style, or 
breadth of ground colour. 
Cheetham's Lancashire Hero. — Let out 
in 1845, under a very high character, and 
has amply proved itself worthy of its fame. 
The tube is round, and of a fine colour, paste 
fine and round, ground of a fine regular 
black, a little narrow for the size of the pip ; 
the pip is large, flat, and of great substance. 
It seems to be a late flower, a little hard to 
open, and stands long in bloom ; the pips are 
thrown beautifully out from the stalk. I would 
recommend this superb variety to those who 
wish to keep up their favourite place on the 
prize list. The fault of this flower (barring 
its price, which is its misfortune,) is an ap- 
pearance of a crack through the paste, which 
detracts much from its noble appearance. 
I believe this variety was raised by a Mr. 
Brierley, who sold the stock to Mr. Cheetham. 
Willmer's Squire Chillman. — Tube ra- 
ther large, ground colour regular, rather 
broad, of a dark brown ; paste fine, pip round, 
rather apt to fall back. 
Oliver's Lovely Ann. — G-ood tube, 
paste very coarse, ground colour light purple, 
rather narrow, pip large, round, and flat. This 
variety is frequently shown as a Green Edged. 
Beeston's Fair Flora. — Let out in 
1845 ; good tube and paste ; ground colour 
dark violet, of a very rich appearance. The 
proportions of this flower are very good, the 
pip is rather small, and the segments show 
too much. 
Kent's Queen Victoria. — Tube round, 
and well coloured, although quite large enough, 
ground colour dark brown, pip round and flat. 
This is a very distinct and pretty variety. 
White Edged. 
Taylor's Favourite. — Fine tube and 
paste, ground colour dark, rather broad, pip 
too starry, and folds back if it gets much heat. 
Wood's Delight. — Tube rather large, 
ground of a dark crimson, very regular, pip 
round and flat, paste rather coarse. 
Taylor's Incomparable. — Fine tube and 
paste, colour very rich deep purple, rather 
broad, pip large, round, and flat. A very fine 
flower. 
Thorpe's Magpie. — A new flower ; tube 
too large and very watery, indeed about the 
worst an Auricula could have ; paste fine, 
ground colour dark, a little pouncey (or 
tinged with farina") ; pip round, very uneven, 
(or wavy.) This flower has been much 
praised : in my opinion, it is about the worst 
of its class : it is very like Hughes's Pillar 
of Beauty, and quite inferior to it. However, 
florists may judge for themselves, as I write 
my own opinion, without fear or prejudice. 
Ashton"s Bonny Lass. — Fine tube and 
paste, ground of a dark crimson, pip round 
and flat. This is a very handsome variety. 
Lee's Bright Venus. — Fine paste, tube 
too large, and frequently comes distorted (or 
monstrous), ground dark crimson, nearly black, 
with a fine dense edge, makes a large plant, 
and strong trusser. This is an old variety, 
and still a favourite. 
Wild's Bright Phcebus has a good tube, 
quite large enough, ground colour is very 
dark, but much too broad for the edge ; unlike 
most of the White Edged, there is no farina 
on the plant. 
Kenton's Lord Chancellor. — Tube 
round and large, ground dark and broad, pip 
round and flat ; upon the slightest exposure 
to the sun the ground colour bleaches out. 
Popplewell's Conqueror. — Round tube, 
rather large, colour a brownish red, pip 
round and flat. This is a very indistinct 
looking flower, as the ground colour is uot 
dense enough. 
Hughes's Pillar of Beauty — Tube 
round and watery, paste fine, colour black, 
pip round, and very wavy, or crimpled. 
Lee's Earl Grosvenor. — Fine tube and 
paste, colour black and regular, pip large, 
round, and flat. This is a late variety, very 
splendid, both as a plant, for habit, size of 
