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THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
any one wlio would succeed with these named Polyanthuses must pay them 
very great and constant attention. I am confirmed in this opinion by a letter 
just received from a Manchester cultivator. 
And yet, after all, a highly finished Polyanthus, after the style set up by the 
old florists, is a lovely flower, and it is incumbent on florists to set themselves to 
work in order to promote its improvement. Some of the Northern growers have 
taken seed from the named sorts, and among dozens of seedlings no advance has 
manifested itself. But the hand of the cultivator must not be stayed, and if he 
be persistent in his endeavours, he will eventually succeed. The demand now 
being made for named Polyanthuses is a proof that they possess a greater interest 
than they did a few years ago. I have made crosses with Lancer and Cheshire 
Favourite, and with the last and Exile, and I hope to get something good ; but 
as a rule, seedling Polyanthuses are very disappointing. Two years ago a keen 
old florist, who has made the Polyanthus a speciality for many years past, sent 
me a box of seedlings raised from seed taken from a few of the finest flowers ; but 
some of the greatest rubbish sprang from them, and it was remarkable to see the 
number of pin-eyed flowers that appeared among them. 
A little caution is now necessary on the part of purchasers of named Poly¬ 
anthus. I have known mere seedlings offered as the old named varieties, to the 
great disappointment of the purchaser. Unfortunately there are those in flori¬ 
culture who in this way prey on the non-vigilant grower. On the other hand, 
lists of named Polyanthuses are now being offered that in several instances lack 
the fine qualities that distinguished the flowers of a quarter of a century ago. 
We want to go forward rather than backward; a large measure of Haddock’s 
somewhat loose ideal is as yet unrealised, and till a nearer approach is made to 
it, the energies of raisers should not be suffered to abate.— R. Dean, Ealing. 
CROSSING AZALEA MOLLIS AND INDICA. 
JN 1872, I had six varieties of the showy hardy Azalea mollis from M. Van 
^ Houtte, named as follows :— Isabelle Van Houtte , dark nankeen colour; 
Madame Camille Van Langenhone , white, striped with rose and carmine ; 
Nonpareil , white, bordered with rose, a fine variety; Ebenezer Pyke, buff- 
yellow ; Centi Striatella and Baroness Rothschild. I find that all the varieties 
cross very readily with Azalea sinensis—the yellow and white varieties, and I 
have many healthy seedlings this year from these crosses. I have likewise this 
season set, with mollis, some flowers of the fine strong-growing orange-scarlet 
Indian Azalea Stella, and the seed seems to be swelling well, so that there is a 
chance of a new strain in Azaleas. 
When planted out in masses the varieties of Azalea mollis must have a grand 
effect in the shrubbery, from the size of their flowers, and their bright colours. All 
my plants of it are yet in pots, but they have stood out all the winter unprotected, 
so that they are as hardy as any of the Ghent Azaleas. — William Tillery. 
