STOCK OR GILLYFLOWER. 25 



if the earth is too rich they become full of juice, 

 and generally perish by the frost ; but this may be 

 prevented by covering them with frames during the 

 severe season. The amateur florist will find the 

 Stock well repay his trouble by the beauty of its 

 flowers, if he attend to the following simple direc- 

 tions — namely, to sow the seeds in a border of rich 

 earth, and when the plants are of sufficient size to 

 remove, to plant them in middle-sized pots, filled 

 with an equal quantity of rotten cow-dung and 

 fresh loam, well mixed. The pots should then be 

 removed to a north-east aspect, where they will 

 receive only about three hours of the morning sun, 

 which is sufficient for them until October, at which 

 time they should be removed, so as to enjoy the 

 full south sun, until the frost is about to set in, 

 when they should be housed ; hut they should at 

 all times have as much air and sun as possible, and 

 only just water sufficient to keep them from becom- 

 ing over dry. To procure the petals and flowers 

 of a great size, all lateral shoots should be taken 

 off, which will cause the principal stem to become 

 strong and tall, frequently from two to three feet, 

 and terminated by a spike of flowers ten or fifteen 

 inches in length, adorned with flowers full and 

 round, like roses, frequently measuring between 

 two and three inches in diameter. The Stock, 

 thus treated, is one of the finest flowers that can be 



VOL. II. c 



