THE FLORIST. 175 



use. Go over the plants daily, select the most promising buds, 

 and carefully tie them in good time ; and while performing this 

 part of the y^iness, look to those that have been tied a day or 

 two previou&fiLand if too tight, release them, and retie. Manure • 

 water may ffi^Rven two or three times a week ; and during the 

 expanding Mffle blossoms, water the footways round the beds 

 once or twice during the heat of the day ; and endeavour to keep 

 a humid atmosphere floating around the opening buds. The 

 piping-bed should now be prepared, and no time lost in taking 

 cuttings. 



Seedlings. — Prepare a bed for the purpose, get the surface- 

 soil rather fine, and take advantage of the first dripping weather 

 that offers about the third week or end of the month. If the 

 seedlings are strong enough, plant them out, that they may get 

 well rooted before the summer heat becomes too intense. 



Peckham. J. T. Neville. 



Polyanthuses. — Gather the seed as directed for Auriculas. For 

 further particulars, see last Number. 



Peckham. J. T. Neville. 



Pot-Roses. — The different varieties, as they go out of bloom, should 

 have their flower-stalks removed, and a top-dressing of decayed 

 stable-dung given them, and then be placed in a shady situation. 

 If the weather is bright and sultry, this will prepare them for 

 the autumn flowering, taking care to keep down the green- fly. 

 Succession plants should be placed in a glass - covered house, 

 with abundance of air on all sides, and with arrangements for 

 shading. It does not answer to place Roses in pots under can- 

 vass, as with Tulips, &c, as they soon fade in flower and foliage. 



J. Dobson. 



Ranunculuses. — These have not suffered from the severe weather 

 proportionately with Tulips and some other florists' flowers, and 

 are at present looking full of promise. Should we have a de- 

 ficiency of rain, it will be necessary to preserve from drought by 

 shading with flake-hurdles, or other contrivances which admit 

 air freely. Water, in many situations, will be also found neces- 

 sary ; and this should be administered with care : better do it 

 effectually and seldom than a little nightly. Protection from 

 rain and sun must be afforded when in bloom, particularly to the 

 dark sorts. Do not allow any choice sorts to overbloom them- 

 selves ; seedlings are apt to do this, and exhaust their energy 

 in one season. Disbudding will, in great measure, prevent it. 

 Seedlings in boxes should now be in the open air, plunged to 

 the edge, and a little shade afforded. The Ranunculus stands 

 on vantage ground in one respect above many of its compeers 

 in the open garden, — its blossoms require no artificial aids, as 

 dressing, clipping, or extraction of petals, &c. : defend it from 

 accident and all enemies, and the only preparation for the exhi- 

 bition-stand is to sever it from the plant. As the Ranunculus 

 blooms in the longest days and under powerful suns, every 

 means should be taken to prolong the bloom by keeping down 



