POLYANTHUSES. 
54 
POLYANTHUSES. 
I regret very much that this, one of the most beautiful of the 
florist’s pets, does not advance with a rapidity equal to some 
other portions of the class, and conceive it must arise from a 
difficulty in selecting really fine sorts ; for it is indisputable that 
for one good one there are a score of worthless varieties, which 
must necessarily cause disappointment whenever they happen to 
be received. To assist in removing this obstacle to their more 
general adoption, I forward a list of twelve which may be de¬ 
pended on, and have described their characters as they have been 
pourtrayed on the average of five years. I may add, my Poly¬ 
anthuses are grown in the borders, but are bloomed in pots; that 
is, they are planted into rich loam, and in a shaded position as 
soon as the flowering is over, and are again taken up and potted 
in the autumn, preserving them in cold frames through the 
winter and the following blooming season, which I find to be 
one of the very best methods of securing strong healthy plants, 
and consequently, fine, large, and clean flowers. 
Pearson’s Alexander . An old variety, but indispensable. It 
has a fine dark maroon ground colour, good eye, with beautiful 
regular lacing. The only fault it possesses is, that the segments 
are cut rather too deeply, which reduces the strength of the flower, 
and gives it a tendency to droop or reflex. 
Buck’s George the Fourth when true lias but one fault, and 
that a minor one—the flowers composing the truss do not open 
simultaneously, but at intervals. Thus it is seldom it can be 
“ caught.” The ground colour is a rich crimson, the eye is 
clear yellow and prominent, the lacing regular, and the seg¬ 
ments proportionate. The individual flower is quite flat and 
circular. 
Clegg’s Lord Crewe. One of the largest and best flowers we 
possess. Ground colour very dark ; remarkably bright eye and 
lacing; the tube a trifle too large. 
Clegg’s Prince of Orange. A handsome, regular variety, having 
excellent properties in the eye and lacing, rich dark ground co¬ 
lour, and fine shape. 
