FLOEISTS FLOWERS. 



115 



FLOWER-BASKETS. 



may be, are lost among others more 

 I'obust growing. To avoid these in- 

 congruities, the best plan is first to as- 

 certain, if possible, the habit of growth 

 and general appearance of every plant 

 before introducing it into a flower- 

 garden ; and then carefully to consider 

 the situation in r^^hich it is likely to 

 look best. A little care and attention 

 in this respect, with common plants, 

 will have more effect in producing a 

 beautiful flower-garden, than large 

 sums laid out in the purchase of 

 showy plants without it. 



Fitz-Rot'a. — Coniferce. — F. 

 patagonica is a noble hardy ever- 

 green tree, with gracefully drooping 

 foliage, introduced from Patagonia in 

 1850. When the plant is young the 

 leaves have aglaucoushue ; but when 

 old they become of a deep green, and 

 take somewhat of a triangular form. 



Flag-Flower, or Fleur-de-Luce. 

 — English names for the I^ris. 



Flax. — See Lin'um. 



Florists' Flowers are those 

 which it has been found may be 

 grown to an extraordinary size and 

 degree of perfection by taking great 

 pains with their culture. The Dutch 

 were the first who practised this art 

 with their Hyacinths and TuKps ; but 

 their example has been followed by 

 the florists of other countries, who, as 

 they cultivate their flowers in. tbe 

 hope of vanning prizes with them at 

 flower-shows, may be said to use 

 them as instruments for gambling. 

 All the varieties of florists' flowers 

 are named, and every year many new 

 kinds are raised, which are eagerly 

 sought for, and sell for enormous 

 prices. It is thus desirable that all 

 florists' flowei's should either hybri- 

 dise freely, or vary very much from 

 seed. The principal florists' flowers 

 are the Hj^acinth and Tulip, the 

 Dahlia, the Auricula, the Polyanthus, 

 the Carnation, and the Pink ; but to 

 these may be added the Ranunculus, 



and the Anemone, and, of late years, 

 the G-eranium or Pelargoniums, the 

 Heartseases, the Calceolarias, and the 

 Chrysanthemums. Of all the kinds, 

 the Dahlia is undoubtedly that 

 respecting which there is most gam- 

 bling and most rivalry. It may be 

 observed, that the rules by which 

 florists decide as to the merits of their 

 respective flowers do not depend on 

 any particular beauty of colour, and 

 sometimes not even on form ; but on 

 certain arbitrary criteria which they 

 have settled among themselves ; as, 

 for example, no Auricula or Poly- 

 anthus is admired that is what is 

 called pin-eyed, that is, if the style 

 projects beyond the stamens ; and a 

 perfect Dahlia should not show any 

 green in the centre. Thus, as it 

 requires to be a florist to know the 

 full merits of florists' flowers, they 

 are of comparatively little interest to 

 amateurs. 



Flo's Ado'xis, — See Ado'nis. 



Flower Fence. — See C^sal- 

 pi'nia. 



Flower-Baskets. — These may 

 be consti'ucted in many different 

 ways ; some being intended to appear 

 as if set on the ground, and others to 



FIG. 15. — WIRE flower-basket. 



be raised on pedestals. The former 

 are generally constructed with curved 

 pieces of ii-on furnished with sharp 

 spikes for entering the ground, like 

 the prongs of a fork ; and these are 

 placed so as to form a circle, with 

 wires for climbing plants extended 

 across it, like the handles of a basket. 

 (See /(/. 15.) The plants must be 



