156 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ OCTOBEB, 
the base, forming a kind of neck to the bulb. 
The flower-scape grows up from the centre of 
the leaves, and is robust, about a foot high, 
crowned with a dense globular head of flowers, 
which, when developed from a strong bulb, is 
as much as six inches through. The flowers 
are numerous, collected into an umbel; the 
segments of the perianth are sub-equal, oblong, 
spreading, and of a charmingly brilliant colour, 
a vivid cinnabar-scarlet, tinted with carmine, 
having the sparkling lustre of a Guernsey 
lily; the rigid filaments of the stamens are 
of the same colour as the perianth, and are 
tipped by brilliant yellow anthers, which impart 
an additional interest to the flowers ; the style 
also, which is more slender than the stamens, is 
of the same brilliant red. 
This species of Hcemanthus is allied to II. 
multiJlorus , and being like that species a native of 
West Tropical Africa, it consequently requires a 
stove temperature for its successful cultivation. 
The gorgeous flower-buds last for a considerable 
period in beauty, so that in a collection of stove 
plants, it will be quite ah acquisition. The 
leaves in this case are about contemporaneous 
with the flowers. It has lately been introduced 
into commerce by Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, of 
Chelsea, to whom we are indebted for the wood- 
cut by which these brief particulars are illus¬ 
trated.—T. Moore. 
THE CAENATION AND PICOTEE 
AND A BUNDLE OF CRITICISMS. 
vtexjfeERY special and altogether unlooked-for 
Vk - distractions, which, greatly to my regret, 
OLp threaten grievously to abbreviate my 
future opportunities of the enjoyment of floricul¬ 
ture, and which at the time wholly engrossed 
my small energies, compelled me to pass over 
the very interesting and gratifying remarks of 
the Editors of the Gardeners’ Chronicle , of 
July 27th, on the National Carnation and 
Picotee Exhibition, and the mode of showing 
followed. It is true the writer’s remarks pro¬ 
ceed on an entirely erroneous basis—the 
assumption that a collar (as it is described) of 
white pasteboard is used for the purpose of 
supporting the calyx, and preventing the burst¬ 
ing which might otherwise occur—an error 
which has been corrected by Mr. Douglas. 
But the writer, after saying the exhibition 
“ was very successful from the point of view of 
the professed florist, the several classes were well 
represented, and the skill of the cultivator, as 
well as the beauty of form and colour of the 
flowers, were well displayed,” proceeds severely 
to criticise and condemn the mode of showing 
adopted :— 
“No attempt was made to break from the tradi¬ 
tional mode of exhibiting these flowers—a tradition 
so venerable, and so religiously acted up to, that it 
would appear as if the height of excellence as 
regards practice had been reached, and that long 
experience had shown that no improvement could 
be made. At the risk of being considered rash 
heretics, we venture to dispute the assumed excel¬ 
lence of the present mode • of exhibiting these 
flowers. Is it necessary, for instance, that the 
flowers, no matter what their colour may be, should 
be throttled by a stiff collar of dead-white card¬ 
board, projecting all round the flower for some dis¬ 
tance ? Assuming that some support of this kind 
is necessary to prevent the effect of the bursting of 
the calyx, is it necessary that such support should 
be so conspicuous ? The effect is often distressing, 
often ludicrous, and nearly always detrimental to 
the lighter colours of the flowers themselves. The 
card might be so curtailed in its proportions as not 
to be objectionable, and it might be of some light 
warm neutral tint, which should enhance, not 
detract from, the colour of the flower.” 
Quoting the above, in bis issue of August 3rd, 
tbe Editor of the Garden remarks :— 
“ It is high time to protest against the way in 
which these lovely flowers aro made hideous at 
shows. A bed of seedlings left alone had a better 
effect than all the collared Carnations ever seen. 
We do not wish to quarrel with the 1 florist ’ for his 
ideal, and let him lay down all the rules and 
standards of perfection which he lilfts. What we 
have to deplore is the fact that, after ages of effort, 
and not a little vaunting of what has been done, 
the ideal flower is only to be seen in a deep paper 
collar, with all its delicate beauty of varied petal 
destroyed, flattened, or picked out. Each exhibitor 
is armed with a small series of instruments, remind¬ 
ing one of a dentist’s collection, wherewith the said 
exhibitor extracts small petals, flattens others, and 
goes through a variety of operations, to force the 
flower to assume for an hour or two before its death 
a shape which he calls perfect. All this one might 
tolerate if, at the same time, these beautiful flowers 
could be seen as they grow. This is all we ask for. 
A show of Carnations and Picotees well grown in 
pots, and allowed to bloom without mutilation or 
objectionable collars, would be a charming novelty, 
and we should see in which way the flowers look 
best. We believe the usual way of showing them 
is that calculated to exhibit to the least possible 
advantage the beauty and grace which Carnations 
and Picotees naturally possess.” 
“ A. D.,” in tbe same periodical, in tbe 
following week, writes that be “ entirely en¬ 
dorses ” these remarks, and says of tbe practice 
of dressing tbe bloom :— 
“It is not the flower as produced by Nature, 
but one shaped and fashioned as far as possible by 
the hand of the expert, who, with his tweezers, 
manipulates it in such a way as that it shall not be 
grown, but pulled into his ideal. If this practice 
were permitted with the rose, for instance, what 
would be said P and if necessary for one flower, 
why not for another P An honest judge should dis¬ 
qualify all dressed flowers, and that would soon 
stop the process.” 
Continuing tbe bill of indictment, tbe Bev. 
J. B. M. Camm, in tbe Journal of Horticulture 
(p. 187), says :— 
“ I do not grow Carnations either for exhibition 
or for the decoration of the garden, but I am very 
fond of the plant, and know several of the largest 
growers, both amateur and professional, and I have 
exhibited Roses at a sort of joint show where Car- 
