1372. ] 
THE POLYANTHUS. 
57 
we find in the Melon, Northern Spy, and partly in the French Calville Blanche, 
—firm, yet short, and melting in the mouth, like Scotch short-bread. 
The Snow Apple was, I believe, introduced from Canada by Mr. Barclay, of 
Brompton, under the name of La Fameuse , which is given as a synonym in the 
Fruit Catalogue of the Horticultural Society. I have not been able to distin¬ 
guish it from another apple named Pomme Liicken, in the collection of the 
Horticultural Society, but I cannot answer for the Pomme Liicken being correct. 
The name Pomme de Neige signifies the Snow Apple, being significant of the 
whiteness of its flesh ; this is not, however, the source whence it was derived, 
but from the name of a village where it is much cultivated (see Horticultural 
Society's Transactions, vii., p. 334). I would strongly recommend the re-establish¬ 
ment of this truly beautiful, very interesting, and altogether excellent apple to 
our gardens.—A. F. Barron. 
THE POLYANTHUS. 
« HE taste for this much-neglected old favourite spring flower appears to be 
reviving in some localities, but I fear that many of the old sterling varie- 
f ties are entirely lost, while many of the new ones are deficient in the points 
requisite to constitute a good flower. It is remarkable that so few good 
ones should have been raised of late years, and many parties have given up the 
raising from seed in consequence. It may be owing to a want of artificial 
impregnation. There are, however, some of the old, ardent, persevering florists 
that appear to be determined to try again what can be done towards reviving this 
favourite of their early days. The greatest difficulty appears to be to keep the 
plants alive when raised. Even the common hardy sorts cannot be kept long in 
this locality, and the choicer varieties, whether grown during the winter and 
spring in frames or otherwise, baffle the most experienced. 
Some of the old cultivators of this lovely spring visitant used to grow them 
luxuriantly in 5-in. pots, placed in square holes cut in an elevated ridge of grass 
turfs, facing the south, and protected from the weather by a water-tight board 
only, raised in the day, and let down at night; and in these primitive frames, in 
its season, the Polyanthus might be found in perfection, all that the most fastidious 
could wish for, and such as was considered worth walking a dozen miles to see. 
Alas ! such sights seldom greet one’s eyes now-a-days. Whether, as some of the 
old veterans have given as their opinion, it was chiefly owing to the noxious 
vapours from chemical works, and gas in the air, that failure came, I am doubtful, 
for in localities miles away from any of these blighting influences the result is 
the same. They appear to flourish best in a moderately stiff loamy soil, mixed 
with old cow-dung and coarse sand, giving them plenty of drainage, and allowing 
them a shady situation, shaded and sheltered at least, either naturally or artificially, 
from the extreme heat of summer, and against the biting north winds of winter. 
Those who feel inclined to grow this beautiful spring flower would do well to 
study the natural habitat of our common primrose. Where this flourishes year 
