THE FLORAL WORLD AND G-ARDEN GUIDE. 



149 



quired is to keep De Rbeims's sticking- 

 plaister in a dry place ; otherwise, if 

 allowed to get damp, the sheets would be- 

 come glued together and unserviceable. 



Those who like may prepare black silken 

 tissue in the same way ; it would then be- 

 come a sort of medicated court-plaister. 

 E. S. D. 



PEOPERTIES AND CULTURE OE THE PETUNIA. 



For a long time after its first introduction 

 the petunia was looked upon as almost 

 worthless; indeed, it has been compared 

 to a " mean weed" — a comparison not much 

 to be wondered at, looking back some few 

 years at the flimsy appearance of the 

 flower and the wretched foli;ige of the best 

 varieties that were produced. At the pre- 

 sent time there are to be found amongst 

 novelties, where florists' properties are a 

 secondary consideration, as many beautiful 



dead, laying and lapping over and abouc for 

 want of substance; the latter standing erect, 

 with a convolvulus-like appearance, form- 

 ing a perfect and symmetrical trumpet-like 

 cup. Let us, then, abandon the word 

 " weedy," and look to florists' points. The 

 geranium has become a florist's flower. 

 Why not the petunia? It is not less beau- 

 tiful in its varied and vivid colours, and 

 much longer continuance of bloom. To 

 constitute a good petunia the characters 



petunias as of any other class of decorative 

 plants, their tints and markings being ex- 

 quisite. But the want of substance and 

 general deficiencies of form make them 

 unsightly to the florist eye ; but skill and 

 cultivation must and will get over such 

 difficulties. Indeed, when we look back to 

 the old Magnifica and at the present 

 Phaeton or to the old Snowflake, and the 

 present Fascination, what a contrast — the 

 former ones starry, and apparently half- 



should be as follows:— The flower should 

 be as near a circular form as possible, 

 merely showing five slight indentations on 

 the outer edge, and which should lap over 

 each other, making up the circumference, 

 also indicating the size of petal. Secondly, 

 the centre line or rib in each petal, which 

 commences at the base of tlie tube at each 

 division of the calyx, should be of sufiiclent 

 substance to hold each petal in its proper 

 form, also tapering from the base of the 



