branches, very large, five-petaled, averaging three inches in 
diameter, spreading out flat, and in the best varieties forming 
a complete circle, with the petals more or less overlapping. 
The calyx is cylindrical, with five acntish lobes, and is sur¬ 
rounded at the base by an involucre of short recurved leaflets. 
The petals are clawed, and have the limb, which is spread out 
horizontally, broadly obovate, with the outer margin more or 
less deeply lacerate-toothed, the claw and basal part being 
wedge-shaped and quite entire. The colours are extremely 
varied, but consist mainly of different shades of crimson and 
deep-rose or violet-crimson, some being uniformly coloured 
and others variously particoloured. The predominant colour is 
crimson, varying in the richest conceivable shades, the surface 
being of the softest velvet-like appearance; the centre or eye is 
often in addition marked with a dark zone or ring radiating 
outward. The particoloured forms are indescribable, but our 
illustration will give some idea of their character. 
The quality of the flowers as regards form and colouring 
produced by plants raised from seeds is exceedingly variable. 
It will be therefore necessary both to increase by means of cut¬ 
tings the more strikingly handsome of the varieties, and also to 
preserve the seeds only of those which possess desirable pro¬ 
perties, by which latter means improvement may no doubt be 
gradually wrought upon a flower which even in its present state 
is superlatively beautiful. 
The plant appears to be a short-lived perennial, like the In¬ 
dian Pink, and will doubtless like that be the better for being 
renewed frequently either by means of seeds or cuttings. Those 
raised from seeds sown in a slight warmth early in spring, and 
encouraged by potting and getting them established early in 
the same temperature, and then gradually hardened, will flower 
finely during the latter part of the summer in pots in the 
greenhouse, and also more or less perfectly according to the 
state of the season, if planted out in suitable soil, and in good 
situations. They should have a rather enriched light soil, such 
as a compost of friable turfy loam, and good leaf mould. This 
new Pink is to be regarded as a very desirable plant both for 
pot culture, and for the open borders. 
