THE FLAMING FLOWER.
Our florists have marvellously responded to the demand. It would be hard to name any flower that has not grown in splendour as in favour during the past few years. Let me take some of the more common, seriatim. Among roses the climbing habit has been bred into a very great variety of full-flowered sorts. The President of the National Rose Society, whom I was congratulating on this development, spoke with especial admiration of the climbing Madam Butterfly ; and it is indeed as lusty as it is fair. In the Polyanthus tribe the various Poulsons—perhaps Else is the best—have a vogue equal to the American Pillar, and Gloria Mundi, though not so long flowering or big in flower, further extended this decorative range. In sweet peas even the humblest grower now demands special sorts. Mrs. H. Searles, Powerscourt, Youth, Flamingo are like new flowers compared with the old mixtures. There are new zinnias, called dahlia-flowered, which at first blush may easily be mistaken for dahlias, by reason both of colour and form.
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