132 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— May 20, 1850 
This, too, was of course well received; but was sub¬ 
jected to much rigid criticism. After a duet was 
sung, “0, Lovely Peace!” a column of five hundred 
Crimean heroes marched across the transept and up 
the centre avenue, filing off round the dais, while the 
three bands played “ See the Conquering Hero comes.” 
This formed the climax of the whole ceremony. The 
large assembly rose in a mass, and such rapturous 
cheering and waving of hats and handkerchiefs we 
never remember to have seen. As the men marched 
out of sight, and the band still keeping up the same 
stirring air, Her Majesty bowed to the assembly, and 
retired to the north transept, there to witness the foun¬ 
tains play. The assembled company left their seats | 
which they had occupied with becoming patience for 
five hours, and, forming themselves into small parties, j 
promenaded in the building, or betook them to the 
galleries or gardens. 
Such a scene as we that day witnessed bids fair to 
ensure to the Crystal Palace Company an assurance of 
a large measure of public patronage ; and the attractions 
which are announced as being still in store to be pro¬ 
duced throughout the season, cannot fail to establish 
the Crystal Palace as the most agreeable resort for all 
that is elevating and instructive. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
THE CINERARIA. 
These charming ornaments of the greenhouse have 
nearly reached perfection. Though not so showy on 
the exhibition stage as the Pelargonium, yet, at home, 
they cannot be too much cultivated. They last in 
bloom so long, and their colours are so pleasing, and 
their culture is so easy, that it is no wonder they are so 
universally admired and cultivated. The two greatest 
obstacles to successful growth are their being subject to 
the attacks of the Green Fly, which, if allowed to attain 
any great power, renders the plants sickly, dirty, and, of 
course, not fit for the stage. The other obstacle arises 
from the fact, that the Cineraria will not bear the least 
frost without injury. The remedy for their disorders 
is easy. Insects, the moment they appear, must be 
destroyed by tobacco-smoke; but it must be applied 
cautiously; if too strong, it will cause the leaves to ; 
turn brown. Two gentle smokings on successive nights ] 
will be quite safe, and quite as effectual as one se¬ 
vere one. Then, to keep the frost from injuring the 
plants, a continual and constant watch must be kept 
to keep the enemy out of the pit or house in which the 
plants are housed during the cold season. Then, again, 
I would warn the cultivator against the too common 
practice of thinkingTns good kinds of Cineraria require 
but little care after the blooming season is over. 1 see 
them frequently, in gardens, placed out-of-doors in some 
back, out-of-the-way place, with weeds growing in the 
pots, and the pots themselves green over with moss, 
and the soil covered witli worm-casts, showing the worst 
management possible. This is very wrong, and very 
ungrateful. Such plants, so managed, cannot send up 
strong, healthy suckers, or side-shoots; indeed, they 
frequently perish entirely. 
With these few preparatory cultural remarks, I will 
now proceed to give our readers a selected list of twelve 
of the best new varieties, and twelve of the best older 
varieties. 
Twelve Selected New Cinerarias. 
L Admiral Lyons (Hopwood).—A large, full-sized 
flower, white ground, edged with rich purplish-violet; 
good form and substance. 
2. Duchess of Wellington (Turner).—Medium size; 
white ground, with rosy-lilac edges; disc or centre 
nearly white ; a fiue-formed flower, of excellent habit. 
3. Emqiress (Salter).—A large flower, of good habit 
and form; colour white, with a delicate rosy-lilac edge, 
and great depth and width of petal; a good exhibition 
flower. 
4. Exquisite (Dobson).— Ground-colour pure white, 
edged clearly and distinctly with rosy-crimson ; disc 
very dark and conspicuous; good form, and a free 
bloomer; habit very compact and dwarf; one of the 
best for exhibition. 
5. Fascination (E. G. Henderson).— Medium size; 
colour clear, deep blue, with a narrow, distinct circle of 
white round the disc; petals stout and stiff, well set, 
and of a superior form ; a really good variety. 
G. Magnum Donum (Turner).—As its name imports, 
this is a large and good variety; colour bright rosy- 
purple, with a clear white ring round a dark disc; a 
good variety for exhibition. 
7. Mrs. Gerard Leigh. —A clear white flower, with a 
rosy-purple edging; the disc is a clear blue; a distinct, 
large variety, very conspicuous, either in the greenhouse 
or on the exhibition table. 
8. Mrs. Rogers. —Medium size; white ground, with a 
broad maroon edge ; dark disc ; form rather cupped ; a 
most distinct and beautiful variety. 
0. Optima (Bell).—Medium size, with large trusses; 
colour a white ground, with a broad, deep blue edge, 
and blue disc; fine form, and good habit; an excellent 
show flower. 
10. Purple Standard (Turner).—Medium size; colour 
a deep blue, with a narrow white ring round a dark disc; 
very fine variety for any purpose. 
11. Rose of England. —Raised by Mr. Boussie, gar¬ 
dener to the Right Hon. E. Labouchere, of Stoke Park. 
A large flower, of good habit; colour white ground, 
with a rose-coloured margin, and a dark disc in the 
centre; form excellent. 
12. Sir Charles Napier (Turner).—Very dense blue 
in colour; with great depth and width of petal; fine 
form and habit; a good self-coloured show flower. ■ 
Twelve Older Select Varieties. 
1 .Admiral Duiulas (E. G. Henderson). — White 
ground, with bluish-purple margin; good form and 
habit. 
2. Alba Magna (Smith).—A remarkable variety, with 
a nearly black disc, and blusli-wliite petals; a telling 
variety for exhibition. 
3. Conspicua (Wheeler). — A large-flowering variety, 
of a pure white ground-colour, tipped with rosy-purple ; 
habit dwarf and compact, producing a large head of 
bloom ; a very fine variety. 
4. Empress Eugenie (E. G. Henderson).—Clear white 
ground, with a violet-crimson edging and purple disc; 
good form of petal, and a free bloomer; a good variety 
5. Lady Mary L,abouchere (Turner).—A variety with 
the dwarfest, densest habit; colour pure white ground, 
very delicately tipped with blue ; deep blue disc, and 
a very free bloomer; a favourite variety. 
G. Lady Paxton (Turner).—Ground-colour pure white, 
with a broad,.dense margin of purple ; disc dark purple; 
good habit, form, and substance. 
7. Lord Stamford (E. G. Henderson).—White ground, 
finely margined with light porcelain-blue, good, well- 
rounded petals; a superior flower. 
8. Mrs. Foster (Turner).—A dwarf-growing variety, 
and flowers of the finest form; colour a white ground, 
with a glossy lilac margin, and white disc; a distinct 
variety. 
9. Novelty (E. G. Henderson).—Ground a rich, dark 
violet, with light-coloured disc; a large, novel, self- 
coloured flower, rich, and very showy. 
10. Optimum (Hopwood). — A flower with a broad 
