CROWNS OF FLOWERS. KOOT GHAFTIXG. 89 



CROWNS OF FLOWERS. 



In distiibuting rewards, and in conferring honours, nature is most 

 commonly appealed to. The poets were crowned with bays, the victor 

 with laurel. In Salency, a small village in Picardy, there still re- 

 mains an interesting and a highly useful and moral custom ; it is called 

 " The Festival of the I'ose." On a certain day of every year the 

 young women of the village assemble, and after a solemn trial before 

 competent judges, the one who has conducted herself most discreetly, 

 and gives the most affecting proofs of the general innocence and sim- 

 plicity of her character, is decorated with a crown, which thenceforward 

 becomes an object of pride to all her family. This crown is a hat 

 garlanded or wreathed with roses. It frequently constitutes the whole 

 wealth of the wearer, but the instances are far from unfrequent in 

 which it has been esteemed the most honourable recommendation to a 

 wealthy suitor. This custom was instituted by St. Medard, in the 

 fifteenth century. 



ROOT GRAFTING. 



This operation (says a correspondent of the Gardeners^ Chronicle) is 

 performed in two M'ays, either by grafting on the already established 

 roots of young plants or on pieces taken from tlie roots of older ones ; 

 but much depends upon circumstances and the kinds of plants to be 

 operated upon as to which is the most suitable jilan. The former is 

 tiie easiest metliod for obtaining strong plants, and is best suited for 

 Conifers and such-like plants, in which the stem or trunk is an object. 



In grafting upon already established roots of a young plant, first 

 clear the soil away from the collar or neck of the plant intended for 

 the stock, and cut the head off as much below the surface of the soil 

 as possible, but at the same time observing tliat a sufficient length of 

 the neck or collar must be left to receive the graft. The graft should 

 be cut wedge-shaped, and inserted in the slit or crown-graft method, 

 tied tightly with a soft worsted thread, and afterwards covered with 

 the soil, leaving only a portion of the graft exposed to light and air. 

 It will greatly increase the cjiances of success if the worked plants can 

 be kept close, and in a rather moist atmosphere for a few days, until 

 they commence growing, but much depends upon the operation being 

 performed at a proper time and season, which, in most cases, is just 

 before a new growth commences. 



In grafting on pieces of roots taken from an older plant, such pieces 

 should be selected as are of sufficient size to receive the scion, and also 

 such as have some small fibres attached to them. In grafting, the 

 roots may either be at once worked and afterwards potted or planted, 

 or the roots may be potted a short time previous to being worked, and 

 afterwards worked like those of the preceding ones, and then treated 

 according to the nature of the plants to which they belong, whether 

 stove, greenhouse, or hardy ; but even plants belonging to the latter 

 class are the better for a gentle moist heat for a few days to start them. 



Jn this way many kinds of plants maybe increased, such as Clematis, 

 Berberis, Roses, Comljretums, Moutan Pseonies, &c., M'here the roots 



Vol. XV. No. 4— iV.,S'. " 



