148 FLORA HISTORICA. 



the winter, by being placed in a green house, or the 

 window of a common sitting-room, and may be pre- 

 served for several years, if air is given to it when- 

 ever the weather will allow, so that the young 

 branches do not become too delicate. As soon as 

 the seed-vessels begin to form they should be cut 

 off, which will cause the plant to throw out a fresh 

 supply of blossoms : but these plants should never 

 be suffered to perfect their seed, as it would greatly 

 weaken them, and generally cause their entire decay ; 

 for the Sweet Reseda is an annual in its proper 

 climate, and therefore naturally decays when it has 

 ripened its seed. AVe have made the same experi- 

 ment on other annual plants which have survived 

 through the winter, and produced blossom on the 

 following year, when their flower-stalks have been 

 cut off before the formation of seed has taken place. 

 By this means, also. Stocks and Wall-flowers, 

 -which blossom in the spring, will be found to flower 

 a second time in the summer, if their branches are 

 cut off. We have frequently made the experiment 

 on early-flowering Honeysuckles, and obtained a 

 fine display of corollas in the autumn ; for it ap- 

 pears almost like instinct in plants to endeavour to 

 perform their office to nature in rendering up their 

 various seeds. The philosophical reason of this 

 apparent phenomenon is, that the roots have drawn 

 up and furnished the trunk with the due proportion 



