150 NOTES ON. NEW OR RARE PLANTS, 
the morning sun till near noon. Water daily during dry weather till 
the foliage begins to wither. When this takes place let the box 
become dry. Should wet weather occur just when the young roots 
are attaining to maturity, it will be advisable to place the box under 
glass. Take up the roots as the foliage withers down, and place them 
in a paper-bag in a dry place, where they may remain till the follow- 
ing February, when they are to be planted in the open ground and 
treated like the general stock. As the young roots are in general very 
small, be careful not to break them when planting: fix the claws 
firmly into the soil, and be certain that the crowns are uppermost. 
They may be planted a little closer than large roots; but small as the 
roots appear when planted, very few will miss blooming. It is rather 
a tedious process the planting a quantity of such small roots, but the 
enthusiastic florist will not complain at cold fingers and the time taken 
up to do this work correctly, for he expects to be rewarded with some 
fine new flowers to gratify him for his trouble and procure himself a 
name that will be famed among cultivators. 
It too often happens that some of the young plants bloom in the 
seed-box: it is generally August or September before they do so. 
When this occurs, and there is a fine sort among them, there is no 
other way to preserve it than removing the box to a greenhouse or 
frame, where it should be kept dry and protected from frost till the 
root is matured. 
These observations contain the practice I adopt, and I have no 
doubt that, if followed out, the youngest tyro may command success. 
It may be asked, why all this trouble with the preparation of the 
soil? The answer is, experience has taught me that Ranunculus seed 
sown in soil whose temperature has not been much lowered vegetates 
much better than in soil that has been exposed to frost and rain through 
a part of the winter. Let any person try the difference; they will find 
that three seeds for one will vegetate in the prepared soil compared 
with seed sown in ordinary soil; besides, the larve of worms, &c., 
that may remain in the soil when laid past, will all be hatched by the 
time it is put through hand the second time. They will then be 
detected. A single worm getting into a seed-box will come up to the 
surface through the night, and, by disturbing the seeds, will cause 
much mischief, if not destroy the whole. 
Such is my mode of culture, resulting from the experience of many 
years. I can with confidence recommend it as safe and practicable. 
There are few persons now alive who have made more experiments 
in the culture of the Ranunculus than I have, but the method of 
culture now detailed is the only safe one that will insure fine blooms 
and healthy roots. 
NOTES ON NEW OR RARE PLANTS. 
ABRONIA MELLIFERA—ITHE HONEY-SCENTED. 
A NEw species of this beautiful tribe of plants lately introduced to 
the gardens of the Horticultural Society, at Chiswick, by their collec- 
tor, Mr. Hartweg, from California. It has not yet flowered in this 
