March 2, 1882.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
sufficiently advanced. A large proportion of the plants are new 
forms obtained by judiciously crossing the best of those previously 
in cultivation, and in nearly all cases they show either a marked 
improvement upon the parents or remarkably distinct characters, 
which render them worthy of the attention of all who admire this 
beautiful race of plants. 
Foremost among the most notable varieties is John Heal, 
which was exhibited at Kensington and certificated last year. 
It has unquestionably the finest formed flowers of all, the petals 
inches broad, rounded, and the whole flower possesses sur¬ 
prising substance. A broad band of crimson extends down the 
centre of each petal with a margin of white. Sir Garnet Wolseley 
is a superb variety with well-formed flowers of a deep rich scarlet 
hue. Madame A. Sterling is one of the most effective ; the flowers 
are large, the petals being rich crimson in the centre and white 
on the margins. Another valuable character this possesses— 
namely, its floriferousness, one bulb about four years old having 
two scapes each bearing four flowers. James Douglas has hand¬ 
some scarlet flowers, the colour remarkably deep and the form 
good. Firefly is another noteworthy scarlet-flowered variety with 
very large and striking blooms. Ajax has broad deep crimson- 
scarlet petals streaked with white ; very effective. Prince Leopold 
is a neat and pretty form, with symmetrical even flowers of good 
breadth and crimson-scarlet in colour. The Siren deserves notice 
amongst the most attractive ; the flowers are bright scarlet mar¬ 
gined with white, and they are borne six on a scape. The Rev. 
Fig. 36. —M0N0Cn.35TUl£ SERICEUM MCLTIFLORUM. 
T. Staniforth has broad rounded handsome flowers, the petals 
crimson in the centre and margined with white. Mrs. T. Gilbert, 
a pretty form with neat flowers streaked with crimson and bor¬ 
dered with white ; it possesses a very distinct and agreeable fra¬ 
grance, a quality of considerable value. There are many other 
varieties of scarcely less beauty than those noted above, but we 
must reserve a few observations upon them until next issue ; in 
the meanwhile all who have the opportunity should visit the 
nursery, as the display is unrivalled in brilliance. 
MONOCHiETUM SERICEUM MULTIFLORUM. 
In one of the numerous intermediate houses at Messrs. J. Veitch 
and Sons’ Chelsea Nursery some dozens of the pretty dwarf Mono- 
chmtums produced an attractive display during the past December 
and January, and doubtless many visitors learned for the first time 
the usefulness and decorative value of such plants. They were all 
in small pots, 60-size or 48’s, the majority in the former compact 
little bushes 6 inches or more in height; and in the case of the 
variety now specially referred to, the bright purplish mauve 
flowers were so abundant that the foliage was scarcely visible. It 
is true the blooms are of short duration, but they are so freely and 
continuously produced, that for several weeks the plants may be 
advantageously employed in a warm greenhouse, conservatory, or 
a cool stove, especially for the margins of stages. The plants are 
of easy culture, requiring well-drained pots and a compost of 
light turfy loam, peat, and sand, the former in about equal pro¬ 
portions. Other useful forms are M. Lemonianum, M. Humboldt- 
