94 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ April, 
of top-dressing. The florists who grow this flower for show, use thoroughly 
rotten horse and cow-dung, and maiden loam, in about equal proportions. No 
cold winds or frost are allowed to come near the flowers, as they are likely to 
do injury to them. The direct influence of the sun must also be guarded against, 
as hot sunshine will mar the beauty of the blossoms. 
There are yet many who, for want of accommodation, grow the Polyanthus 
in the open ground, and that most successfully. The bed is carefully prepared 
in the autumn, by digging it deeply, and manuring , well with thoroughly rotten 
cow or horse-dung and plenty of leaf-soil, and by the beginning of November the 
plants are planted out. The Polyanthus will stand a great deal of moisture at 
the root during winter, provided there be a free circulation of air ; and it is 
alwa} r s well, when severe wintry weather threatens, to shake some fern or other 
loose litter over the plants, to screen them from injury. By the middle of March 
a movement of growth will take place, and the flower-spikes will begin to show 
themselves. The soil should be stirred about the plants to the depth of an inch, 
taking care to avoid doing injury to the roots by disturbing them, and the bed should 
be top-dressed with a compost like that recommended for plants in pots. When this 
is done, some shelter should be extemporised from cutting winds. One of the best 
means of obtaining this shelter is to cut some branches of the Spruce Fir into 
small pieces, and stick them about the beds to windward of the plants, and in 
this way an excellent screen is obtained. 
During the last two or three years a fine strain of decorative Polyanthuses has 
been obtained, and designated as a fancy or mottled section. The plants are all 
of vigorous growth, and they throw up bold trusses of flowers on strong foot¬ 
stalks, the blossom's being of great size and beautifully marked. From pure 
white, through yellow, pale lilac, rose, bright purple, magenta, and crimson, these 
Fancy Polyanthuses vary in colour, and having plenty of robustness of constitu¬ 
tion, they are invaluable for beds in early spring, for mixed borders, and for 
cultivation in pots. A good soil is required, and the more attention they receive 
the more beautiful are their flowers. Last year, the Royal Horticultural Society 
certificated two or three types, so finely were they shown at some of their meet¬ 
ings—a measure of encouragement they well deserve. 
These few seasonable notes would be incomplete without mention of the 
new Single Primroses that have been raised and exhibited of late. The yellow 
Primrose of our hedges and woods has developed into a flower of great perfection 
and beauty by means of careful fertilisation. White and yellow, lilac and purple, 
rose and red, magenta, scarlet and crimson, and even blue shades, have been 
obtained. Such varieties as Violet Gem, Auriculoeflora, Rosy Morn, Sunrise, 
Violacea, Lilacina, Splendour, Fairy Queen, and Sulpliurata, may be mentioned 
as worthy representatives. All the qualities most dearly prized by the florist— 
form, outline, substance, brilliancy of hue, &c.—are here present, and, in addition, 
they flower early, profusely, and continuously. They are remarkably fine when 
cultivated in pots, after the fashion of the Polyanthus; but they do not require 
