POLYANTHUS. 
67 
to give high colour to the flowers. This rich layer is to be 
covered with a compost (described above) to receive the plants; 
these being put in at equal distances of about eight inches apart. 
In dry weather they will require frequent watering, and espe¬ 
cially if attacked by a species of Acarus, commonly called red 
spider, which is very prejudicial to them. These little insects are 
not so easily driven from the Polyanthus as they are from some 
other trees and plants, because they can secrete themselves in the 
under cavities of the leaves, to which water cannot be easily intro¬ 
duced. Two or three applications of tobacco water, thrown for¬ 
cibly on with a garden syringe, while the lower leaves are held 
up, is one means of ridding the plants of them; but this will re¬ 
quire to be repeated very often in dry weather. Slugs, snails, 
and earth-worms, should be banished with lime water. 
The very choice sorts, when in flower, should have the shelter 
of a hand-glass, to preserve their beauty as long as possible. 
Except those intended to ripen their seed, all should have their 
flower stems cut away as soon as the flowers have faded. Being 
prolific bearers of seed, its production receives a great portion 
of the strength of the plant; consequently, the shoots and flowers 
for the next year are diminutive ; which would not be the case, if 
prevented from perfecting seed. 
Description of a fine Polyanthus.—“ Its properties are in most 
respects similar to those of a fine Auricula, viz. the stem, pedicles, 
and formation of the truss ; therefore a definition of its florets and 
petals are only necessary to be considered in this place. 
“ The tube of the corolla should be short, well filled with 
anthers, and terminate fluted, rather above the eye. 
“ The eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, and dis¬ 
tinct from the ground colour : the proportion, as in the Auricula, 
throughout the flower. 
“ The ground colour is most admired when shaded with a light 
and dark rich crimson, resembling velvet, with one mark or 
stripe in the centre of each division of the corolla, bold and dis¬ 
tinct from the edging down to the eye, where it should terminate 
in a fine point. 
“ The florets should be large, quite flat, and as round as is 
consistent with their peculiar, beautiful figure, which is circular, 
excepting those small indentures between each division of the 
corolla. 
