Though known to botanists fully twenty years before, it is only some eight or ten years ago since, if our memory serves us right, Mr Thompson of Ipswich was fortunate enough to raise plants of this lovely Amaranthaceous perennial from seeds he had sent him from the Swan River.

The advent of the " interesting little stranger" created a considerable sensation at the time, and very soon thereafter it was to be found pretty freely scattered over the country. From some cause, however, to us inexplicable, certainly neither from its lack of beauty or facility of culture, it seems to have fallen into neglect, and is now rarely to be met with. With a view to rescue this plant from what we believe to be unmerited oblivion, we have conceived the idea of penning these few lines, fully convinced that by-and-by those of the readers of the ' Gardener' who can appreciate a really good flower will be constrained, if they could but penetrate our noni de plume, to thank us personally for reminding them of, or introducing them to, one of the greatest gems of recent years.

To those who do not know the plant in question, it may be interesting to say that it requires greenhouse treatment - that is, it will not stand frost - and that it forms at first a tuft of radical leaves of a form which botanists call oblong spathulate; they have long foot-stalks, and are of a dark shiny-green colour; from among these the flower-stems shoot up to heights of from 6 to 9 inches, sometimes, if the root is strong and vigorous, a few inches higher. They are generally branched, and each branch terminates in an oblong spike, consisting of a mass of pink-coloured bracts clothed most profusely with long silvery hairs, from amongst which the beautiful satiny rosy-purple flowers are produced. It is difficult to imagine a more striking or effective plant when well grown and in full flower.

As far as culture is concerned, the modus operandi is simple in the extreme, and may be briefly stated as follows: The plants, whether obtained from division of the roots, an operation which can be safely done about April, or from seed, which should be sown in a pan in the summer of the previous year, should be shifted in spring into 4 or 5 inch pots, according to the strength of the roots, using a compost of one-third well-decomposed leaf-mould, two-thirds rich fibry loam, with plenty of sharp sand to render it moderately porous, the whole thoroughly mixed up and incorporated, and used in a dry state. After potting, they should be kept in a cold frame or greenhouse near the glass till there is no possible danger of frost, and afterwards be fully exposed for the remainder of the summer in a warm sunny place out of doors, finally transferring them to the greenhouse about August, by which time they will be showing flowers and will continue in perfection for six weeks at least, charming all who have the good fortune to see them possessing a taste able to appreciate anything above mediocrity.

Omega.