168 
DESCRIPTIVE FLOWER LISTS. THE TULIP. 
Blanche, and Ceres Blanche called Catalani. 
In short, it has been too usual to confound 
tlic one with the other; and in one, establish- 
ment tlic two stocks were placed in the same 
bag, some say by accident, but we have been 
told that it was at the suggestion of somebody 
who said they were both alike. Sports there 
may be with Tulip blooms, but we doubt very 
much whether they could sport so decidedly 
in habit and flower too, as to form a true 
Catalani and a true Ceres Blanche. 
Lac. — Our dearest rose at present, and de- 
servedly a favourite, for its extremely brilliant 
colour. It is a first row flower, of the full 
size for its height, with a much thinner petal 
than we like, and the consequence of all thin 
petals is a transparency, which deteriorates the 
white, and, however pure, takes from its 
density, unless there is a white ground behind 
it. On placing Lac on a stand, the place it 
rests on is seen through enough to cast a dark 
shade, and this is a sad drawback. There are 
other flowers as bad in this respect, and 
therefore the nose of each tube ought to be 
painted wdiite, and to reflex rather than form 
a cup, wdiich may do, for even that casts a 
dark shade, by excluding the light from under 
the flower. The colour of Lac approaches a 
scarlet, and wdien it first opens it is a most 
beautiful object in a bed. It is a dear flower; 
for those who can afford it are naturally 
anxious to grow a number ; and no one ought 
to grow one in a bed Avithout one on the 
opposite side in the same row. 
Hose Catharine, or Athalia. — A rose 
remarkable for its beautiful and very striking 
colour, rarely coming perfectly free from a 
stain in the bottom ; and yet so desirable as a 
bad flower, that nobody of any taste would be 
without it. "We have seen it clear, and in 
some localities much oftener than others ; we 
hear of clear strains of the flower, and we 
suspect it was one of these supposed clear 
strains that obtained for it a new name. The 
lighter it is marked, the clearer it usually is in 
the bottom, and the brighter the quantity of 
marking it has, seems to be developed. It is 
a second row rose, and a few in a bed adds 
great brilliancy to it. 
Camuse de Craix. — A very delicate and 
handsome rose, which comes out with a straw- 
coloured ground, and rich crimson scarlet 
markings. The straw colour appears to be 
caused by the extreme thickness of the petal, 
which is a long time getting to its proper 
whiteness. It is justly esteemed as a star in 
the first row, and the markings are generally 
very uniform, and splendid pencilling ; when 
perfectly bloomed the appearance is very 
grand indeed, though it is some days coming 
to its proper colour. It is a dear flower, and will 
remain so as long as it is scarce and in demand. 
Louis XVI. — A very noble byblomen, 
but a most uncertain one. The white is good, 
and the marking a deep purple, almost black 
when in fine condition ; the colour is very 
apt to run down too low, and the bottom to 
come smudged ; but people will grow it, in 
spite of being three or four seasons bad to 
one good one ; out of a score of Louis XVI. 
in a bed, there will be times when not one 
flower would be fine and clear as it ought to 
be ; yet, for the sake of a bloom now and 
then, everybody grows it. There are what the 
growers call different strains of it, which 
means that some flowers and their off-sets are 
generally better than others, although the 
same variety. We have bought Louis XVI. 
dirty and bad, and the very first year it has 
been splendid with us. The form of this 
flower is rather objectionable ; instead of the 
six petals appearing as if they belonged to 
each other, and forming a cup, three of them 
look independent of the three others. The 
flower, in all its stages, is striking in a bed, 
and, when perfectly free from breeder colour, 
is rich and handsome. It will do for the 
third or the middle row, according to the size 
of the root. 
Siam. — A third, or fourth row byblomen, 
of excellent properties, fine white ground, and 
purple margins, ^petals thick, form above the 
average, bottom is yellow for the first period 
of the bloom, and that condemns it all the early 
part of the season ; though it bleaches very 
fine, must have years before the bloom is off. 
It has been grown in high character by some 
cultivators, "and, under a notion that the strain 
was improved, it was called Acapulca. Siam 
has been shown in winning stands, and is one 
of the best that can be shown when in good 
condition. 
Heine de Sheba. — A very neat thick 
petalled byblomen, with good white pure bot- 
tom, generally well flowered and feathered 
outside, a second row flower, rather of the 
smaller kind. The purple is rather light, the 
markings generally perfect, or nearly so. The 
form, though not first rate, is above the 
average of the old flowers. It is shown suc- 
cessfully, and is an acquisition to a stand. 
Violet Alexander, or Violet Quarto. — 
A middle, or third row byblomen, exceed- 
ingly pure at the bottom, when in condition, 
apt to sport in the colouring, and to have 
breeder colour; but when fine, a most delicate 
and beautiful variety. "When they go coarse, 
which they will sometimes, and give more of 
the breeder colour than is to be tolerated, they 
are better planted at once in the exposed beds. 
It cannot get worse for being out of doors, 
and they will frequently come fine in a year 
or two. There is a fine strain, that rarely 
deceives. 
