ON CARNATIONS DROOPING. 297 



supply of moisture, which would not remain with them were they 

 placed at the surface; protects them from the wind, and from the 

 attacks of animals; and enables the roots to take a firm footing in 

 the soil. 



When the germination has commenced, the seeds become soft, and 

 swell, oxygen is absorbed, and carbonic acid disengaged ; the parti- 

 cles of the covering of the seed lose their cohesion, and it bursts, to 

 make way for the elongation of the embryo ; the radicle elongates 

 and descends, often attaining a considerable length before the gem- 

 mule has made any progress, and soon exercises its function of ab- 

 sorbing food; the cotyledons expand and become seminal leaves, 

 which afford nourishment to the young plant in the first stage of its 

 existence, by elaborating the sap, and wither when the proper leaves 

 of the plant have unfolded, or remain under the surface, are gradually 

 absorbed, and disappear ; the gemmule, or first bud, gradually un- 

 folds and enlarges ; the leaves and stem appear, and we now have a 

 young plant, a living being, able to provide its own sustenance, and 

 to apply it to its increase, and to the formation of seeds to perpetuate 

 the species. 



In the operation of malting, the object is to convert the farina of 

 the seed into sugar. For this purpose the seed is made to germinate, 

 and this process is stopped (by heating) at that point at which it has 

 been found there is the greatest quantity of saccharine matter in the 

 seed. Were germination allowed to proceed further, the saccharine 

 matter would be taken up for the nutrition of the young plants, and 

 its nature completely altered. 



ARTICLE VI. 



ON CARNATIONS DROOPING AND DYING WHEN NEAR BLOOM. 



BY A MIDLAND COUNTIES FLORIST. 



Noticing in a former Number that an amateur Carnation grower had 

 had the fatal disaster of some of his best kinds drooping and dying 

 when near the period of blooming, I send the following particulars 

 relative to the subject, and beg to inform him that it is caused by 

 growing them too strong in the winter situation. The layers should 

 be planted in light, but poor soil ; for if they are planted in a rich 

 compost in winter, they make a large quantity of roots, and become 



