181 



The body of the staa,e should be neatly painted, for the purpose of 

 effect as well as preservation. 



instead of these stages some make use of a sort of caps or 

 umbrellas formed of tin or other materials, supported on stems or 

 sticks, one for each plant; but these are neither so convenient nor 

 aftbrd so good an effect as the former in displaying the beauties of 

 the flowers. 



But whatever contrivances are made use of for the protection and 

 display of these curious flowers, the tyingof the plants to the support- 

 sticks should be continued as the stems advance; and some curious 

 florists contrive to keep them erect at the tops by the use of fine wire 

 or other similar means. And in order to procure the flowers as large 

 and fine as possil)le, tiicy trim off' all the side-shoots from the stems, 

 leaving only one or two of the top flower- buds to expand. When 

 the flowers begin to open, care should be taken to prevent their 

 bursting and expanding in an irregular manner, especially in the 

 bursters, by making a little opening or two in the indentings at the 

 top at equal distances in other places, by means of fine small pointed 

 scissars. The regular expansion of the flowers ma}" likewise be much 

 assisted, especially where one side is more expanded than the other, 

 and they are in pots, by turning the pots, that the contrary sides may 

 liave the full influence of the sun. 



Some florists likewise, to blow the curious soils as broad and fine 

 as possible, make use of a kind of spreading, stiff", white paper collar, 

 cut open on one side and placed round the bottoms of the flowers to 

 expand the petals upon to the utmost extent; but the practice is not 

 jn general advisable. • ' ' 



As these plants flower less perfectly as they increase in age, it is 

 proper to provide I'resh supplies of new varieties of them annually by 

 sowing seed obtained from the best sorts in the spring season, as 

 directed above, and likewise to continue the most valuable double 

 varieties by means of layering in the summer months every year, or 

 the planting of cuttings or pipings, but the first is by much the best 

 mode. 



In order to have good seed, some plants of the best and most 



