1880 . ] 
PROPERTIES OE THE FLORIST S GOLD-LACED POLYANTHUS. 
51 
Lacing .—The lacing to be clean cut all 
around each segment to the centre, but to be 
a little thinner or more refined as it approaches 
the centre. It must also cut clean through the 
middle of each segment. This last is very 
important. 
There must be a due proportion between the 
quantities of the ground colour and the lacing- 
in each segment; fully three-fourths should be 
ground colour, and the remainder should be 
lacing. 
Faults of Form. 
A small centre, and consequent over-propor¬ 
tion of ground colour and lacing. 
An over-large centre, and too little of the 
ground colour and lacing. 
The segments narrow, and showing too much 
space between them. Such flowers were termed 
by the old florists “ wingy,” and were looked 
upon with disfavour ; a sixth petal usually im¬ 
proves flowers of this character. 
A decidedly pentangular centre. Unless the 
centre is too small, this is not a very serious 
defect, for as most of the Polyanthus flowers 
contain only five outer segments, a more or less 
pentangular form follows, as a matter of 
course; still, the nearer the centre approaches 
the circular form, the better. 
Faults of Colour. 
A difference between the colour of the centre 
and that of the lacing. If the difference is 
obvious at a glance, it is a serious fault; if very 
marked, such as a lacing nearly white to a full 
yellow centre, it is a disqualification. 
A centre of two decided colours, say an 
orange star upon a yellow ground, is a serious 
fault. If the centre is at all shaded, it is a 
fault, but not so great as when two decided 
colours appear in it. 
The ground colour being shaded, or of a 
weak, undecided, or foxy colour, neither good 
black nor good red, is a fault. 
The yellow centre and the lacing, even 
though both may be alike in colour, if dull and 
muddled, is a fault. 
The gravity of these two faults of colour can 
only be properly estimated by comparing a truss 
of blooms in which the colours are strong, 
decided, and brilliant, with another in which 
they are the reverse. A first-class polyanthus 
will “ fetch ’ one at a glance, by its brilliant 
appearance. To lack brilliance is a defect of 
degree, and if carried to dullness, a serious 
fault. 
Faults of Lacing. 
The lacing failing to cut through the middle 
of each segment is a fault so serious as to be 
almost a disqualification. 
A more common fault is the lacing failing to 
cut quite through the outer edges of the seg¬ 
ments to the centre. This is a serious fault, 
but not so great as the lacing failing to cut 
through the centre. 
The lacing to be ragged and rough at its 
union or junction with the ground colour. This 
is a fault of degree ; it may be small, or it may 
be so irregular and rough as to make the flower 
worthless. 
A want of due proportion between the ground 
colour and the lacing. If the lacing is too 
heavy, the flower has a spotty appearance. If 
the lacing is too light, the flower looks too 
heavy. These are faults of degree, and may be 
slight, or they may be very serious. An edu¬ 
cated eye will soon detect this want of due 
proportion. 
Disqualification. 
The pistil of the flower to show above the 
anthers in the tube or eye. Such flowers are 
termed pin-eyed, and are worthless, whatever 
other merits they may possess. A pin-eyed 
plant will disqualify any stand. 
I have now finished. The awakened interest 
in this too-long-neglected flower is cheering, 
and makes one hopeful of the future. True 
lovers of the Polyanthus are working earnestly 
at raising seedlings, but they must be ivarned 
not to put too much faith in seed of promis¬ 
cuous generation. I have tested some thou¬ 
sands of such seedlings, the seed being 
gathered from well-known, good sorts, and 
the result has been to leave nothing worthy of 
note to add to the scanty roll of fine sorts. 
To be successful, the best sorts only must be 
selected for parents ; and these should be most 
carefully and judiciously crossed, This being 
done, there is little doubt but that in a few 
years we shall be in possession of a stage of 
these lovely plants equal to anything that was 
ever seen in the palmy days of old. Such kinds, 
indeed, as Pearson’s Alexander, Hufton’s Lord 
John Russell, and Addis’s Kingfisher, all now 
extinct, will long remain as pleasant memories, 
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