out beneath the principal ones, more or less abundantly accord¬ 
ing to the vigour of the plants. On the stronger ones the ter¬ 
minal flower-heads are very large, distinctly larger than those 
of all the older forms, measuring as incurved from two to two 
and a half inches across. The dry coloured involucral scales 
on the exterior part of the head do not differ materially from 
those of the common Everlastings, except that they are more 
abundant and arranged in more numerous rows, and are perhaps 
rather smaller and more closely imbricated; a very much larger 
number of the smaller narrow inner scales are also produced 
and these, instead of spreading, so as to expose the disk wholly 
to view, curve inwards gracefully over each other, so as to con¬ 
ceal the greater part of it. This incurving gives the heads a 
much richer effect than that produced by the common sorts in 
which the disk is exposed; they are also very much more 
beautiful in the dried state, the incurving of the scales being 
permanent. The colours of these scales appear to be very va¬ 
riable and sportive, though it is not improbable that they may, 
by close selection, eventually become more or less fixed and 
permanent, so that the different varieties may be preserved dis¬ 
tinct from each other. Among the plants from which our 
sample was selected, the colours included different shades of 
yellow, sulphur, cream, white, pink, rose, crimson, and a kind 
of coppery-red. 
These beautiful objects are of the easiest culture. Grown 
as ordinary half-hardy annuals, they merely require to be sown 
in the dower-borders in April; or they may be raised in a 
sheltered bed, and transplanted into the borders where they are 
to bloom. The soil should be rich and light, the situation open, 
and the plants not too much crowded. Raised in a frame with 
a slight warmth, and pricked out into pans, and eventually 
potted two or three together in pots of rich earth, they make 
very handsome plants for standing in the greenhouse, and the 
heads of flowers are very fine under this mode of treatment; 
but they must be kept clear of insects, and well ventilated to 
prevent them from getting drawn up. 
