ON THE CULTURE OF THE HEARTSEASE. 261 



ARTICLE III. 



ON THE CULTURE OF THE HEARTSEASE. 



BY A VOTARY OF FLORA. 



On the Preparation of the Soil for planting, fyc. — In the proper- 

 ties of the heartsease a most extraordinary improvement has been 

 effected during the last few years, and is still proceeding with such 

 rapidity that vast numbers are annually discarded, and their places 

 supplied with new and improved varieties ; indeed, there is scarcely 

 a show-flower now cultivated in first-rate collections which has not 

 been produced from seed during the last three years. In connexion, 

 however, with these facts, is another, with which every cultivator of 

 the heartsease should be acquainted j viz., that in proportion to the 

 rapidity with which the improvement has been effected, is the ten- 

 dency to degenerate. This fact has so frequently presented itself to 

 my observation, that I cannot doubt its correctness ; and, for the 

 purpose of rendering it evident to all concerned in the matter, I shall 

 say a very few words on what are termed " florists' flowers " in 

 general, dividing them into two classes; placing in the first class 

 those flowers which have been brought to their present state of per- 

 fection rapidly; and in the second class, those which have been 

 improved slowly, and by almost imperceptible degrees. In the first 

 class, then, we shall find the dahlia and the heartsease, both of which, 

 it is well known, exhibit considerable tendency to degenerate. In 

 the second class we find the pink, carnation, tulip, rose, &c, which 

 show no such tendency, or, if at all, in a very trifling degree. 

 Without, therefore, extending these observations further, wc may 

 fairly consider the above fact as established. But it may be asked, 

 what has this to do with the subject of this article, viz., " the pre- 

 paration of the soil for planting?" It has much to do with it ; for 

 it must be observed that, of all the above-named flowers, the hearts- 

 ease-, which has been improved the most rapidly, flourishes the least, 

 or shows the greatest tendency to degenerate when planted in the 

 common unprepared soil of the general flower-border. It is there- 

 fore evident that, as a stimulating Bystem of cultivation has produced 

 the present splendid varieties of the heartsease, and as, without that 

 stimulation, they evince a considerable disposition to go back, the 



