30 REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 



found the pots so filled with roots, that I re-potted the plants into 

 sixteen-sized pots, keeping the balls entire. I retained them in the 

 greenhouse till the end of August, when I placed them in a sheltered 

 situation for about a month, to harden the shoots, and prepare them 

 for the winter's cool temperature. During winter I had them in the 

 coolest, but lightest, situation; as I have observed where the plants 

 are treated with more than just kept from frost, they draw up weakly, 

 become unsightly, and are soon damaged by wet, or other casualty. 

 In March following I again re-potted them, as done previously, into 

 the next larger sized pots, in which I kept them till August last, then 

 put them into eights, in which they now are, perfect specimens of 

 successful growth. The plants when young had nice leading shoots, 

 I had them secured to a central stick, and thus continued the training, 

 so that each plant forms a handsome and regular cone of branches, 

 from the broadest at the base to the summit. Each plant is now 

 three feet high, or a little more, above the rim of the pot. When in 

 bloom they were one blaze of rich crimson, and most beauteous 

 specimens, amply repaying for the attention I had given. 



Thinking it advisable to have an annual stock of two new plants, 

 in case of the decease of the old plants, I had some other young ones 

 potted in March last, and in all other respects subsequently properly 

 treated during the past season. I purpose continuing to pursue this 

 course of provision, and so dispense with the old ones when they 

 become unsightly from any casualty, or die away. 



I have two plants of the delightful blue L. biloba, in course of 

 similar treatment, and in order to render them bushy, I have stopped 

 the leads of the shoots, excepting the central one, and they now are 

 fine vigorous specimens. 



ARTICLE IV. 



REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 



BY MR. JAMES HAMILTON, OF ALMONDBUUY, YORKSHIRE. 



I have been pleased to notice remarks from time to time have been 

 inserted on the cultivation of that universally admired lovely little 

 flower, the Ranunculus, and was pleased with the plain and sensible 

 remarks given by Mr. Lockhart, in a recent number of this maga- 

 zine. I have been a Ranunculus grower for about twenty years, 



