*J0 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



air; and it was in this respect that the metropolitan floiists could never com- 

 pete with their country rivals. In fact, so great was the difference, that many 

 flowers which, with the one, are mo'-t desirahle, are with the others, if not worth- 

 less, absolutely useless. Hard-eyed flowers would never do in London, nor those 

 that were thin or soft in the country ; the first requires a strong air and free 

 growth, which the latter cannot bear; as instances, he mentioned Gregory's 

 Regina, as a useful London flower, but worth nothing in the country. Cox's 

 Defiance, though hitherto a favourite in the country, could seldom or ever be 

 exhibited by a London grower. Lady Cooper, again, often [beautiful in the 

 countrv, was useless here, the hack petals falling ere the others are blown. The 

 same with Hudson's Princess Royal. Widnall's Queen, again, was excellent 

 in the one place, notwithstanding the angularity of petals before mentioned, 

 which it then in a great degree loses, has the same defect. Hope was a flower 

 that does well in both places, so also were Unique, Maria, and Catleugh's Eclipse 

 (though uncertain). Dodd's Prince of Wales, again, is easily bloomed in the 

 neighbourhood of the metropolis, but it is always deeply and abruptly sunk in 

 the centre. Several others could be mentioned, but enough had been said to 

 show that sufficient change is caused by locality to justify variety in opinion, 

 and to render it imperative upon us to refrain from forming hasty or premature 

 opinions, both for the sake of our own consistency and the sincerity of those we 

 may be induced to condemn. The fact, nevertheless, often imposes upon cen- 

 sors a difficult task, who, judging in ignorance of circumstances, are required, 

 on inspection of one or a few specimens to form an opinion upon seedlings, 

 which, whether favourable or otherwise, may ultimately turn out to have been 

 delusive. But this cannot be avoided, unless the censors be apprised of things 

 which they ought not to know, and a door be thus opened to partiality which 

 would be a greater evil. Raising new varieties from seed was then touched 

 upon, after an allusion to the disinclination of those who really possessed prac- 

 tical knowledge to divulge their secrets; the little, however, that had been 

 written upon the subject had been so erroneous, and evidently written in igno- 

 rance, that a few remarks could not he refrained from. Some recommend that 

 seed be saved from thin, others from full, flowers ; some recommend fertiliza- 

 tion, others neglect it$ but unless the parties who give the advice have carefully 

 marked the seed and noted the result, their recommendations are founded on 

 conjecture only. If they have taken these precautions, and really wish to en- 

 lighten the inexperienced, it would have been far better to have detailed speci- 

 fically the result of their practice in each instance, than merely to have indulged 

 in unsupported and vague directions. Glory of Plymouth had, to the great 

 astonishment of all who possessed the slightest knowledge of the parts of the 

 flower, been repeatedly recommended as a good flower from which to save seed. 

 Now Glory of Plymouth is one of the most double flowers that has ever yet been 

 raised, and, like Globe Crimson, full to the centre ; and it might be asserted, 

 without fear of contradiction, that it never had been seeded, and was incapable 

 of bearing seed. This was not a matter of opinion, but one of fact ; and any 

 misstatement could be easily disproved. He knew an amateur who, once rely- 

 ing upon this recommendation, had been induced to grow twenty plants for the 

 sake of the seed ; but, as might have been anticipated, he was utterly disap- 

 pointed. Mr. Wildman then detailed the result of his experience (which he 

 admitted was limited), with many of the flowers from which he had saved seeds. 

 So much depended upon accident or circumstances over which we had no control, 

 that it was difficult to recommend one in particular ; but seeds from thin flowers 

 generally, however good their style, ended in disappointment: Windsor Rival 

 was an example. Constancy in the parent was, he thought, a matter of little 

 moment, provided defective blooms were immediately removed, and none but 

 the best left for seed. Brightness and clearness of colour were desirable, but no 

 dependence could be placed upon the exact colours that might be produced. If 

 fertilization were resorted to, the best blooms, whether occasional or otherwise, 

 from which seed might be obtainable, shou d be selected, the colours chosen 

 being distinct and opposite, and not compound. To those who would not take 

 the trouble to resort to artificial fertilization, he would recommend that a few of 

 the very best varieties, including one or two that seed more freely, be planted 

 together, apart from all others; the chances then would be far more favourable. 



