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quite as pleasing as the older flower, but it is a much better grower, 
and has a very good deep scarlet flower, not over freely produced. 
Dahlias, after a long and severe time, attacked as they had been by 
fly ill a most alarming manner, were beginning to recover and to 
exhibit proofs that we may look for some grand blooms at the forth¬ 
coming September shows. Verbenas, too, were showy and fine; but 
as I promised myself a battue by-and-bye, I will say nothing of the 
sorts seen, only that I do not think that last season has added much 
to us in the way of novelty; but the to me treat of the day was the 
collection of Carnations and Picotees, for which Mr. Turner is so 
famous, and many of which were in their full vigour. Twenty years 
ago, what interest there used to be in these sweet and beautiful flowers ; 
but these geometric gardens, and bedding plants, and mosaic patterns, 
were not in vogue. Well, “every dog will have his day,” and I 
fondly hope to see the time when lovers of flowers will again have 
their collections of Carnations and Picotees, Pinks, Auriculas, &c. 
“ There’s a good time coming and although I do greatly admire the 
appearance of gardens at this season, yet I do long to see florists’ 
flowers, properly so called, asserting their supremacy. The loss (by 
death and other causes) of such raisers of seedlings, as Puxley, May, 
Ac., has made the hope of increasing the collections by many novelties 
rather faint; and, indeed, last season produced nothing worthy of 
notice in the way of Carnations, nor have 1 seen anything likely to come 
out this year. Not so, however, in Picotees ; the class which was 
formerly most deficient in these was that of scarlet and rose edge; it 
bids fair, however, ere long to be quite as numerous as either of the 
others. Rutland’s two parsons—the Rev. H. and Rev. A. Matthews 
—are fine flowers, and so are Princess Alice and Miss Meeking; 
the latter a very lively pink, and, what is better, of good strong habit. 
They are, however, surpassed by two flowers of this year, one a heavy- 
edged rose of great beaut}^— Flower or the Day, a long-podded 
flower, the petals of good substance, and a clear pure white; the edge 
a very deep scarlet rose, very similar in colour to that old and irnffy 
flower. Green’s Queen, but whereas that is most difficult to keep, 
Flower of the Day is of the most robust habit. Another very beau¬ 
tiful flower was Rosy Circle (Payne’s) ; this is also a very vigorous 
habited plant, and a great addition to a very limited class, the light 
rose edges; the edging is very thin and does not run the least into 
bars, the pod is long and it opens well and flat, equalling Mrs. 
Barnard in her best state, and not having the tendency that that other¬ 
wise beautiful flower has of running into bars, so as at times to be 
undistinguishable from Miss Desborough; both of these charming 
varieties have received first-class certificates from the Floral Committee 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, and richly deserved it, too. I saw 
also Mrs. Hole (Turner), light edged red; a great improvement on 
Eugenie, which is itself a very favourite flower, although somewhat 
creamy in its bud, w'hile Mrs. Hole is pure ; this was also commended 
by the Floral Committee. Lady Elcho (Turner), a light edged 
purple, was also very good; and Norman’s Favourite promises to be 
a full and useful flower. There was one point which struck me forcibly 
