ON THE CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 81 



of the previous year's wood are not excited, when I cut away the 

 upper portion which have pushed ; the remainder do so afterwards, 

 and cause the bloom to be three weeks later than would have been 

 the case had they been pruned finally at the usual time of pruning. 



In pruning in the shoots of last year's wood, I cut away all that 

 portion of each, so as to leave only two of the lowest buds. "These 

 buds are always indicated by a small ring round the shoot. Two 

 such buds are quite enough to leave to every shoot retained of last 

 year's wood, being quite sufficient to occupy the sap, and keep the 

 tree in desirable bounds ; besides the shoots will be much stronger, 

 and the Roses in proportion larger. This mode of cutting in the 

 shoots generally causes the production of suckers ; and as a portion 

 of the old wood must each year be taken away,' either wholly or in 

 part, such suckers of young wood make a suitable supply, and thus 

 the bush is kept young ; whereas by allowing the last year's shoots 

 to be kept long, encouragement is given to cause the tree to push 

 rapidly upwards, and become naked and unsightly below, which is 

 never the case with mine. 



In cutting away a portion of a shoot, I cut nearly to the upper- 

 most bud I leave ; so that not one-eighth of an inch of old wood is 

 above it, and thus the wound heals up closely with the new shoot. 



The slovenly practice of omitting to cut a Rose-tree more than 

 once in several years, has come under my observation : the irregu- 

 larity and naked bushes were quite unsightly, and when cut clown 

 low to obtain a new head, they refused to push forth shoots. A 

 plant omitted for only a single season, loses its proper form for 

 that year, and will not bloom near so well. 



Rosa. 



ARTICLE VIII.— On the Culture of the Ranunculus. 

 By R. 



My mode of growing the Ranunculus has been invariably suc- 

 cessful. It being also very simple, I forward it for insertion in 

 the Cabinet. 



I have a suitable situation in my garden fixed upon. The old 

 soil is taken out to the depth of twelve inches ; when that is cleared 

 out, I lay four inches thick of well-rotted old hotbed dung and 



VOL. IV. M 



