298: : THE: FLORIST. 
Mr, Andrew Henderson’ very. kindly acting as, guide, ,1,need not tell; 
the readers of the, #Vorist where-the nursery, 1s, or) what. sorts of. things | 
are grown’ there, for there..is; hardly a, plant, seed, or, root, grown, for 
display, which,.they do; not, bring forward, for, sale... It.is not.to bey 
expected that the Jreshness of a,provincial nursery is to,be seen here, 
situated, as it is)in the outskirts, of London, though, freed, from, the moreo 
deteriorating. influences of ;the,heart. of the City;.Jty yet must bearvits,, 
share of the annoyances of. smoke, smut, |&e., which ja, large, ats is)! 
always. sure, to engender; nor.where so much. is done |commercia lly sey 
can we look for the large specimen) plants which are,to,be foundiin, thes 
establishments, of those who. exhibit) for competition... The, - Wellington! 
Road, Nursery, has, however, long, been. .celebrated for the number of} 
novelties, itis, continually, bringing forward, te satisly, the,‘ Athenian’}, 
eagerness of the, British, public for.‘ some new, thing.” That many, of: 
thaek are failures, and. that; excessive praise has, been- bestowed jon, things | 
which afterwards prove good for nothing, I have more than,once.showny? 
and I think/it is a great, pity that anything should, be} sent/out withoutd 
first haying been. well, proved, raisers,, whether English, or foreion; are. 
seldom better judges of the merits.and. failings of their, seedlings, than ares 
most. parents of those of their children, and.a very large per centage, ought, 
to be taken: off the’ laudations. of these. who. have’ been, the,“ fortsunatel? 10 
raisers of such things!——seper/atices often prove not even. positives, and 
the substantives they qualify are often, ignominiously,. cast. out apon the 
dung-heap..,, Yet-with, allthis, drawback, for some.of which. they are; 
not: responsible, they. have; added; a) multitude, of, fine — to hp 
various departments,of.floriculture. ore SHG 
have -already said that the season.js,a' very areifferent: one’ ‘to idee v 
of ,bedding-out, plants, but I.saw two beds, which struck,me’ as, being 
very effective ;..one,,a-long bed, about 20-ft. by 44t5 hada pattern in.aty 
very similar to the stands: on, which a child’s. box of soldiers; is; made, toc 
move backwards and, forwards, or,the seissors which, an invalid; uses to:| 
take up anything beyond the reach of his.unassisted hands, ,the patterns 
being made of, the Gelden’ Fleece and, Cloth of, Gold, Geraniums},and,, 
the jinterstices filled, up with various-silver variegated, ones }, these, two! 
golden. varieties, are,an improvement jon: Golden: Chain, as, their leaves; 5 
are nearly all. yellow.and,much, more free in, growth+the naked. stems, 
of. the older, variety often making, it difficult.to.use it-effectively.. The. 
sorts, might be varied.; thus, the. pattern, in, Byjou,. and the interstices’. 
filled with, Verbena| venosa, would, make,,] think, a.charming bed. The:! 
second bed was edged.with, GAZANIA, SPLENDENS; andthe centreyfill led 
with a-choice collection of; Gladioli.. L had here an, opportunity.of com-, 
paring this fine bedding plant with what,it.was supposed to be sawn 
a synonymyof, eles or Gorteria )ringens, and a glance at once-shows | 
the difference ; the habit of the older kind.is,.asits,name implies, sefj- 
nob, nearly so branching and spreading as,splendens, the flowers, arevery;. 
similar, in. colour, but the. petals are saith broader and finer! in’ splen- 7 
dens; which is one of) the prettiest: things possible on a sunshiny days 
It is difficult to, convey an idea of the beauty of the new varieties of that! 
fashionable flower the Gladiolus ; all, shades of crimson, scarlet, purple,.; 
salmon, buff, spotted, striped, &c., are to be found amongst them, and. 
