ON EXHIBITING FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 253 



many instances where the decision of merit was, by local custom, or 

 when the judges being unacquainted with the generally required pro- 

 perties, decided erroneously, there was considerable risk in purchasing, 

 although the proprietor sent it out under such existing circumstances, 

 with the greatest confidence of merit, because of its being an approved 

 flower. New kinds of iiorist flowers are annually sent out, and the 

 increase is manifold upon the period we above refer to ; but the ratio 

 of disappointment in each tribe of flowers is not now anything near 

 equal in proportion. The improvement in the knowledge of the really 

 constituted merits of a flower, and that becoming so universally, the 

 facilities for travelling rendering it convenient now for persons from 

 every part of the kingdom to attend the general exhibitions, and 

 seedlings being an especial object of inspection, there is not much 

 danger to be apprehended from an attempt to impose bad flowers for 

 really good ones ; and should even an experiment be tried it would 

 now only succeed to a very limited extent, and the person meet with 

 merited chastisement. 



Extensive dealers, too, are now equally careful in purchasing 

 flowers before a sufficient trial has been had to justify their merits, 

 so that they can with confidence offer them to the public, and allowing 

 for the casualties of an unfavourable season or improper mode of cul- 

 tivation, general expectation is realized. Although we state thus 

 much in defence of the trade, as it is termed, in general, and that 

 suspicion of attempts to deceive purchasers need not be entertained 

 now as formerly, we should be glad, and so will the trade generally, 

 for committees to be appointed ; it would further benefit that class of 

 persons equally to amateur purchasers. 



We hope some of our readers will give the entire communication of 

 our correspondent their attention, and favour us with their opinions 

 on the subject of exhibiting as proposed. — Conductor.] 



ARTICLE VI. 



ON FORCING THE HYACINTH, AND CULTURE OF IN MOSS. 



[Read at the Meeting of the fVest London Gardeners' Association for Mutual 



Instruction.] 



COMMUNICATED HY MR. THOMl'SON. 



Mr. Shearer read his paper on the forcing of the Hyacinth. In 

 the beginning of October a few are placed in pots and glasses, pre- 

 ferring the single sorts for early forcing, which, if required, could be 



