1876. J 
DOUBLE DAISIES. 
63 
Again, the old Hen and Chicken Daisy differs materially from the others ; so 
does the early Mottled Crimson, with its variegated crimson and white flowers, 
and half-flat, half-quilled florets, from any of the preceding, while the late- 
flowering large Crown Daisy is even more distinct in character. A classiflcation 
of double Daisies is badly wanted. 
In places where spring gardening is well done, the double Daisy is largely 
employed, and with the most charming effects. It is of a very dwarf and compact 
habit; it makes a regular growth ; it flowers early and continuously, and so 
profuse of bloom is it that dense masses of colour are furnished by it. At 
Belvoir, Castle Ashby, Cliveden, and many other well-known places, the Daisy is 
a chief feature in the spring garden, and no description can do full justice to its 
merits. 
The darkest of all the red varieties is of quite a deep crimson hue, but the 
flowers are small, which mars its effectiveness. The ordinary Double-red DMsy, 
so much grown for market purposes, has much larger flowers, and is of a paler 
hue of colour. It is a most effective and useful variety. I have never yet met 
with a double-red Daisy with flat petals, and I am not aware that there is one in 
existence. The Aucuba-leaved varieties are, no doubt, sports from the common 
red variety ; first*it sported to crimson, then white, and then pink, and they are 
all very effective, as there is the added decorative quality of the charmingly- 
marked leaves. 
The Mottled Crimson variety is one of the earliest to flower, as it is also one 
of the most effective. It is, at present, but sparingly cultivated, because so 
scarce ; when it is better known, it will be a favourite in spring gardens. The 
flowers are remarkably full, and when fully expanded take on a striped appearance. 
Of white Daisies we have the ordinary Double White, with ligulate florets, 
which, while very effective, has the drawback of showing a conspicuous yellow 
centre when the flowers are fully expanded. The new white quilled variety. 
White Globe, gives us a white Daisy with very large full flowers that become 
fuller as they age, and is in all respects a superb variety. 
The Crown Daisy is a late-blooming variety, and as such, is of little value 
when early displays are wanted. It is, however, very effective at the end of 
April and in May. A strain of seedlings raised from this variety has been dis¬ 
tributed under the name of Victorian Daisies, and they are very effective indeed 
in borders. 
The Double Daisy yields seed, and many varieties are being raised in that 
way ; but they all more or less lack the size of the types in common use, and 
only a few of them are fully double. The result scarcely repays the trouble. Sup¬ 
posing, however, that any one is desirous of raising seedling Daisies, he should 
either obtain some seed of a good strain, or save his own seed from some of the 
best varieties he has in cultivation. The seed should be thinly scattered over a 
piece of prepared ground in the open air, and the soil should be kept a little 
moist till the plants appear above ground. They should be kept well watered in 
