MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 71 



Having now fulfilled his promise, and said sufficient to answer the purpose of 

 exciting observations on the part of others more competent than himself, Mr. 

 Wildman concluded l.y submitting a brief summary for adoption or improve- 

 ment by the Society. He said that he should only make three general heads, 

 viz. Form, in which was included most of the detail; Colour, and Size ; he 

 should also at first confine these heads to properties only, stating defects after- 

 wards. 1st. Form.- — The outline should be that of about two-thirds of a globe 

 or sphere ; the rows of petals foiming this globular outline should describe un- 

 broken concentric circles lying above each other with evenness and regularity. 

 and gradually diminishing till they approach the crown. The petals foiming 

 these rows should be spirally arranged, and alternate, like the scales of a Fir 

 cone; those in each supeiior row concealing the joints in the rows beneath, 

 and causing the circle to be unbroken and complete. They should be broad at 

 the ends, perfectly free from notch or indentation of any kind, firm in substance, 

 smooth in texture, uniform in size, and evenly and freely expanded in each row. 

 but largest in the outer ones, gradually and proportionality diminishing until 

 they approach the crown, where they should gently turn the reverse way, point- 

 ing inwards and forming a neat and close centre. 2nd. Colour. — If in a self, 

 it should be dense and clear; if in an edged flower, concentrated and well de- 

 fined ; in both cases it should penetrate through the petal, with an appearance 

 of substance and solidity. 3rd. Size, which must be comparative. The follow- 

 ing are the defects: In form — want of roundness or of depth, flatness of face 

 squareness of shoulder, sinking in the centre. In the rows — wide interstices 

 between the petals in each row, or between the rows themselves ; broken circles, 

 overhanging each other or diminishing abruptly; want of arrangement, and 

 loostness. Iu the petal, — notches or indentations on the edge, sharp points, 

 angularity, cupping too deeply with wide mouths ; abrupt hollows in the face 

 or ribbiness ; being too broad, coarse, or overwrapping each olher sideways, or 

 being too narrow and glittery, or not touching each other in the rows; quilling, 

 or curling, or showing the bark in any manner ; curling too much upwards, 

 turning quite back, or being upright in the centre, want of substance, and not 

 concealing the scale. Colour. — Cloudy or mottled, thinly laid on in patches, or 

 in spots, or variable ; not being the same at the back as on the face of the petal. 

 Size. — Being below the average, or so large as to be coarse. Disqualifications. 

 — Showing a yellow disk or a hard and scaly centre, cross eye. petals damaged 

 in any manner, blooms dead or decaying. Mr. Wildman remarks on what is 

 termed a cross eye, that though it ha3 not hitherto been considered a disqualifi- 

 cation, yet, in his opinion, the fault is so glaring, and so obviously arises from 

 inherent malformation, that it should cause any bloom, or any collection of 

 blooms in which it occurs, to be altogether rejected. Mr. Wildman concluded 

 by remarking that the object ought to be to obtain freedom without looseness, 

 boldness without coarseness, and symmetry and uniformity without stiffness or 

 formality. Then would our flowers conform to our own conventional usages, 

 and gratify the common as well as the more fastidious observer. 



FLORICULTURAL CALENDAR FOR MARCH. 



Anemones — Should now be planted as early in the month as can be done. 



Amaryllises, and other liliaceous bulhous plants which have been kept dor- 

 mant, rray now be re-potted, and put into an increased temperature. 



Annuals, Hahi>y. — If the soil 1 e moderately dry,some of the most hardy kinds, 

 to bloom early in the summer, may be sown in warm parts of the country, or si- 

 tuations well protected, but in cold places not until the end of the month; for if 

 the seeds of many sorts begin to vegetate, and frost operate upon them, they are 

 often destroyed. The best method of sowing the small seeds in patches is, to 

 have a quantity of finely sifted soil ; spread a portion where desired, after scat- 

 tering the seeds, sprinkle a little more soil over them, and then press it closely 

 upon the seeds, winch will assist them in vegetating properly. 



Annuals, Tender. — Such as have been sown and may be up, should have all 

 possible air given to prevent their being drawn up weakly. In watering those in 



