46 THE FLORIST. 



guided by empiric rules, which, however sound and successful they 

 may be, are neither half so valuable nor half so productive of j)leasure, 

 as when accompanied by such an insight into the principles of floral 

 life, as shall furnish (in many, if not in all cases) '■' a reason why." 

 My desire, then, is to du'ect the attention of amateurs to the prin- 

 ciples of floricidture, by such a compendium as, whilst it may but 

 lift a corner of the veil, may do so sufficiently to stimulate their in- 

 quiries in the same direction, a course which will most surely yield 

 them increased success and pleasure. How often has the question, 

 *'Why do you do so?" been answered to the following effect: " Oh, 

 they always do so at Mr. Toddlekins ; and he gained the gold medal 

 at the last horticultural show at Chiswick." But to proceed with 

 our subject : As plants spring for the most part from seeds, the na- 

 ture of seeds may properly engage our first attention. What, then, 

 is a seed ? A ripe seed is a body produced by and separated from 

 its parent (a vegetable egg), endowed with a vital principle, and 

 capable, under certain conditions, of growing into a plant of the 

 same species as its parent, with such occasional pecuHarities and va- 

 rieties as Florists delight to see in their favourites. It is not common 

 for seeds to reproduce the pecidiarities of their parents, and their 

 sports and variations are confined within narrow limits. It may be 

 doubted whether any true mules have resulted from the many at- 

 tempts that have been made to obtain them ; but when plants have 

 been under cultivation for a long time, and the varieties crossed with 

 each other, their progeny is greatly more liable to sport and produce ' 

 variations, either in foliage, habit, or growth, or size and colour of 

 flowers, than such as have not been so crossed. 



I am not aware that any very certain light has been thrown upon 

 the subject of crossing flowers, the particular properties affected by 

 the different parents. The deductions of some of the most talented 

 experimentalists are at variance on this point ; but I think it may 

 be safely affirmed that well-bred and well-cultivated parents are 

 most likely to produce good seed, and this in proportion as the 

 parent-plants have been brought to a high or perfect state of cultiva- 

 tion, and the best flowers should afford the best seed. How have 

 the improvements in Florists' flowers been effected exclusively? I 

 think by long- continued cultivation and crossing. 



A ripe seed is in that condition best suited to its preservation : 

 all unnecessary moistm^e is withdrawn, and it waits in security those 

 conditions which are needful to excite its vitality. The length of 

 time that any seed will keep, that is, retain its power to grow, varies 

 much in different sorts, and is no doubt modified by the conditions 

 in which it may be placed ; it is, however, sometimes possible, by 

 careful management, to excite the languid powers of growth in old 

 seeds, when, under the usually successful plan, every seed would 

 perish ; therefore valuable seeds should not be too hastily thrown 

 away because they appear dead. The care required with old seed 

 consists in supplying the needful degree of heat, and just such small 

 and gradual supplies of moisture as its feeble vitality can decom- 

 pose. 



