8 
TJIii FtiOlUS'f ANn FOMOljOd-IBT, 
[ jA.S'UAhv, 
Of the specialities of the Carnation and 
Picotee bloom, I must be brief. The season 
was abnormal, wet exceedingl}', and cold during 
May and up to the 20th of June. Then a 
wave of great heat, lasting to the 30th, 
rolled over us, and Hashed out the earlier 
varieties of Carnations like magic. Many of 
these flowers were deficient in colour, but 
early July brought a change, and for some 
fifteen days we had a succession of blooms 
glorious beyond description. Curzon, Dread¬ 
nought, Mars, Mercury, Sir Joseph Paxton, and 
True Briton were severally in their finest array. 
Hitherto these varieties have been in the Scarlet 
Bizarre class—the most developed of all classes 
—almost alone worth growing; but unless I 
greatlj^ err, some fine seedlings of Mr. Simonite’s, 
and some bantlings I have had the good fortune 
to originate, will, so soon as sufficient stock for 
distribution can be obtained, largely add to 
this limited list. In Crimson, and Pink and 
Purple Bizarres—a far liclier class numerically 
—of the older varieties. Black Diamond, Cap¬ 
tain Stott, Colonel North, Eccentric Jack, 
Graceless Tom, John Ilaiiand, John Simonite, 
Lord Milton, Lord Eaglan, J. D. Ilextall, 
Marshal Ney, Eifleman, Unexpected, Warrior, 
Wm. Murray, Falconbridge, James Taylor, 
Purity, and Sarah Payne were each “ beautiful 
exceedingly;” and of these classes I saw two or 
three seedlings, one in especial, sent to me by 
Mr. W. M. Hewitt, of Chesterfield, which will 
assuredly fill a place in the very front rank. In 
Purple Flakes, I had fine blooms of Dr. Foster, 
Florence Nightingale, Juno, James Douglas, 
Mayor of Nottingham, Premier, Sarah Payne (a 
sport), Squire Meynell, Scjuire Trow, and Time 
Blue ; in Scarlet Flakes, Annihilator, Clipper, 
Dan Godfrey, Holmes (a new variety), Janies 
Cheetham, John Baylej', and Sportsman ; and 
in Eose Flakes—Crista-galli, Janies Meriy- 
weather, John Keet, Lovely Ann, Mrs. Dod- 
■wcll, Mr. Findhi}', Simonite (a variety not yet 
in circulation). Queen Boadicea, Eose of Staple- 
ford, and Sibyl. 
Picotees ivere finer in growth and fuller of 
colour than I had previously realised, in the 
dry arid air inseparable , from my situation. 
Where all were so good, it seems almost invi¬ 
dious to select, but I am bound to say Zerlina, 
H.P., completely vindicated the claim made 
for it by its raiser, Mr. Lord, as being the best 
Picotee in existence. In my judgment, seen as 
it was my good-fortune to see it, it never can 
and never will be surpassed. Other fine heavy 
Purple Edges were Leah, Alliance, Beauty of 
Cheltenham, John Delaforce, Medina, and Mrs. 
Summers ; whilst in Light or Medium Edges, 
Ann Lord, Alice, Cynthia, Fanny, Jessie, Mary, 
Minnie, Mrs. Douglas, Nymph, and Silvia -were 
surpassingly good. 
Of heavy Eed Edges, a class which, ordinarily 
is limited in number, there was an extraordi- 
naril}'- large and fine display ; and the same 
remark applies to the beautiful class of Eose 
Edges. There were remarkably fine examples 
of Brunette, Countess of Wilton, Dr. Epps, J. 
B. Bryant, John Smith, Mrs. Dodwell, Master 
Norman, Mrs. Fuller, Morna, and Peeress ; and 
in Light or Medium Edges, Thomas William, 
Eev. F. D. Horner, Wm. Summers, and Clara. 
In Eose and Scarlet. Edges, Eoyal Visit (Aber¬ 
crombie), much in the style of a fine Edith 
Dombrain, was, all points considered, probably 
the head of the class. Then Lady Louisa, by 
the same raiser; Edith Dombrain,Fanny Helen, 
Juliana, Mrs. Lord, Miss Lee, Miss Horner, and 
Obadiah—all heavy edges—were in fine char¬ 
acter, and of great excellence respectively ; and 
in Light and Medium Edges, Mrs. Nichol, Miss 
Williams, Miss Wood, with Teresa (Simonite), 
and Victoria, (Abercrombie)—the two latter 
new—were all that could be desired for 
breadth of petal, form, substance, delicacy, and 
definiteness of colour. AVhoever possesses the 
varieties I have here enumerated, and gives them 
the attention needed, with the advantage of a 
well-sweetened soil, and a situation not worse 
than mine, wdll have a collection, in Northern 
phraseology, very “ bad to beat,” and one that 
will surely reward the cultivator with a very 
w'ealth of beauty.—E. S. Dodwkll, Clapliain. 
LAGERSTEGnMIA INDICA. 
fine old plant is very beautiful 
11 in flower, but it is rarely one 
:s with a good specimen of it; and 
yet it is a plant of easy culture. It is a late 
summer or autumn-flowering plant, and when 
well grown, it is a very beautiful and striking 
object. It should be kept at rest during win¬ 
ter, in a cool part of the stove ; the soil should 
then only be kept moist enough to keep the 
roots from perishing. Towards the end of 
March, or beginning of April, when it begins 
to grow, it should be placed in a warm part of 
the stove, Avhere it will have plenty of light. 
When the shoots have made a little growth, 
the plant may be shifted into a larger pot, if it 
should require it, using a mixture of peat and 
loam, with a little silver-sand. When it 
begins to root into the fresh soil, it should 
