The selection and improvement of the Iceland poppy, such as
Gibson, have had only less influence on its increase than the Shirley selection of the common poppy. The always useful rnontbretia, which lasts better in water than any others, has yellow as well as scarlet varieties and striking intermediate hybrids such as Mephistopheles or Rosea. The old Red-hot Poker, with such varieties as The Rocket, has achieved very similar tints. HOw very delicate in hue and graceful in growth • is the newest nasturtium " Golden Glory." The " King ". rudbeckia is so purple and fine that you might not know its race. As to the dahlia it has swelled, as in the Harrow song, from cricket ball to football size ; and is often—to my eyes— as hideous as it is gorgeous. But the growth of colour is astounding as in such a variety as Dobbie's maroon " Sultan Glade " ; and contrasted with these ponderous " show dahlias " the newer single bedding dahlias such as Mrs. Musgrave Hoyle are lovely and most useful, especially in public gardens. The Caucasian scabious is now a big and precious flower— so popular for cutting that it has brought a small fortune to some growers—and can be had in a delightful gradation of mauves and in pure white. As for the gladiolus, it is perhaps more various in colour than any other flower and its popularity intense. Since the strange primulinus variety was found by the Zambesi Falls it has run riot in colour. " Charles Dickens " is a good example of the newer hues.
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