1878. ] 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FLORISTS FLOWERS—VI. 
133 
tlie latest growth, tlie prevailing colour is light 
sulphur-yellow, while the green portion of the 
plant, at first a bright glossy hue, subsides by 
age to the deepest olive-green. The gracefully 
weeping habit of the plant, together with its 
showy colours, cannot fail to secure for it a 
large share of favour. It is altogether a noble 
Croton, which we consider a decided improve¬ 
ment on C. majesticus, and worthy of a place 
in every collection.”—M, 
THE REV. Gr. JEANS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
No. YI. 
N VARIETY, I would observe, that by 
this term I do not mean exactly that 
quality which gives value to a new 
seedling plant, by reason of its being different 
from others already in cultivation; but a quality 
to be looked for in any single given specimen 
irrespective of others—that is, not compara¬ 
tive, but absolute; not as differing from its 
fellows, but as containing differences in itself. 
And this quality, as I observed before, may 
arise from either of the three sources of form, 
number, or colour, or from any two, or all united. 
The Passion-flower, and still more the Water- 
lily, strike the eye as much from their varied 
forms as colours, and the Hyacinth derives its 
principal and constant value, irrespective of 
colour, from the same source. The petals of 
the Ranunculus are alike in form and markings, 
but their numbers contribute as much to an 
appearance of variety as to fullness of outline. 
And a bizarre Carnation, one which has two 
colours besides the ground, is considered to 
belong to a higher class than the simpler flaked 
kinds. From whatever source, however, 
arising, it is essential that the florist’s flower 
which would claim a high position should not 
be deficient in this. In a bed or a border the 
brilliant colour of some self-flowers make them 
the most useful and attractive of all, as the 
