ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE FINK. 221 



is from the 18th to the 24lh of June; and now it is that the careful 

 grower anticipates his reward. In selecting a stand of blooms for 

 show, he must therefore be cautious to have all the blooms dissimilar 

 and, as much as possible, perfect in arrangement, bright in colour, 

 and regular in lacing. The disqualifications are, a split pod, bass, 

 or any other material being left on the pod, two blooms of a sort, a 

 run petal, or a dropped petal. 



To the cultivator, who has paid every possible attention in the 

 management of his plants, the disappointment of gaining a prize by 

 an oversight or misunderstanding is vexatious enough; he cannot 

 therefore be too wary in placing his blooms. 



Perhaps the fatal defects enumerated may not be fully understood 

 by the young grower. I will briefly explain then that a split pod is 

 when either division is run down to the sub-calyx ; a dropped 

 petal is when the guard petal has been eaten by an insect, or other- 

 wise, so that it will not support itself; and a run petal is when no 

 white is seen in the centre of the petal, or, in other words, when the 

 lacing is run into the ground colour; in addition, as already observed, 

 there must be no bass, card, or anything on the flower, when staged 

 for exhibition. 



As the propagation of the Pink by means of pipings is generally 

 so well understood, I need not occupy any portion of this essay 

 thereon ; but, as it cannot be denied the various kinds now grown 

 are very capable of improvement, I will observe, with respect to 

 seedlings, for the particular encouragement of raisers, that I have 

 found the plants seed much more freely when allowed to grow 

 without any artificial treatment. It is advisable therefore to plant a 

 bed of the best rose-leaved flowers solely for the purpose of producing 

 seed ; allowing them to grow as they like. As soon as the seed- 

 vessel begins to open at the point, it must be gathered, and the seed 

 permitted to remain therein until required for sowing, which should 

 be in the month of March following. I have sown it as soon as ripe, 

 but do not recommend the plan, as the plants seldom flower the 

 following year; and when that is the case, they are exposed a long 

 time without any advantage being gained. I advise the seed to be 

 sown in a cold frame, and then the plants will be sufficiently strong 

 to transplant into beds in May, where they will bloom the following 

 year. 



In conclusion, I beg to add a list of the names of the best kinds 



