ON THE HEARTSEASE. 101 



tion on the very useful contributions communicated by him from 

 readers of the Floricuitural Cabinet, we feel confident that those 

 who have derived pleasure and profit thereby will, in return, addition- 

 ally testify their sense of obligation by a diligent compliance with 

 his commendable request. We further solicit attention to each class 

 of florists' flowers, so that a really useful list of each may be com- 

 piled, and be forwarded to us at the earliest convenience after the 

 notes are taken. — Conductor.] 



ARTICLE III. 



ON THE HEARTSEASE. 



BT PHI 1,0- DAHLIA, DURHAM. 



{Continued from p. 29.) 



Crossing for New Sorts. — This is a branch of culture which, if 

 properly attended to, amply repays the gardener for any extra trouble, 

 by his obtaining from the seed so acted upon a set of splendid seed- 

 lings. To perform this operation most effectually, a number of the 

 best varieties should be grown in pots on purpose to save seed from ; 

 for, by having them so, the cultivator is enabled to hinder the inter- 

 ruptions of bees, which, if permitted to have access to the flowers, 

 materially injure the cross. Impregnation should be performed in 

 the morning of a fine clear day, before the sun has reached the me- 

 ridian, as then the pollen is to be found in the greatest abundance. 

 And in order to obtain a fine collection of seedlings, a flower of good 

 colours should be crossed with one of surpassing form, and vice versa, 

 taking care that both be nearly the same age. The flower to be 

 crossed should have its anthers taken out by means of a pair of 

 tweezers, lest they burst and discharge the pollen, and so destroy the 

 operation ; but in doing so, particular care should be taken not to 

 injure the pistil or its summit. The pollen from another flower 

 should then be placed on the pistil from a camel's hair pencil. This 

 may be repeated several times in order to ensure success. The plants 

 should be carefully looked over every day to see if any pods are ripe, 

 for if not taken at the proper time, the vessels quickly open and 

 scatter the seed. 



Management of Seedlings.- — If the seed be saved early in the sea- 

 son, it may be sown immediately, but if later than the middle of 



