118 ON THE FAILURE Ol- KANITNCULUSES. 



AKTICLE III.— On the Failure of Ranunculuses. By 

 the Rev. J. Tyso, 



The last season has been tho most unpropitious for Ranuncu- 

 luses of any during the last thirty years. I have frequently ob- 

 served that a cool showery iNIay has been very conducive to the 

 growth of the plants, and has ensured a fine bloom in June. There 

 is a cei'tain state of weather conducive to the generation of roots, 

 another to vegetation, and a third to maturity of plants. Unless 

 these succeed each other, tender plants cannot anive at perfection. 

 This year the natural order of the season was reversed. We had 

 that state of weather which produces maturity in ilay, and the 

 state of progressive vegetation in June, so that at the time when 

 Ranunculuses should have been taken up they began to vegetate 

 again ; and some that remain in the ground will prubably bloom 

 about Michaelmas, and produce an increase of roots- I have as- 

 certained from extensive observation and enquiry that the failiu-e 

 lias been generid, extending to France and even America, though 

 they have grown in very dillerent soils, and were planted at, differ- 

 ent times, some in January, others in February, and ^larch, and 

 some so late as April. The cause of this extensive failure was the 

 hot weather in May, which produced a precosity of the roots, and 

 trought them into a state of rest before they were prepared to send 

 up their blooms, the average of which was only about live per hun- 

 dred. The only means of preventing a like failure in similar sea- 

 sons will be, copious waterings and a cool shade. Yet even these 

 will avail but little, when the season is so particulai-ly adverse. 



Notwithstanding the unfavourable season for Ranunculuses, llie 

 seedling roots bloomed well. This was evidently a trick of youth, 

 which the old dons refused to play. Those who grew seedlings 

 this yeai-, had peculiar- advantages over others. It is the custom 

 oi the Royal Berks Horticultui-al Society to show in " chisses," as 

 well as a " sfcind of nine." At the exhibition which took place at 

 the Town Hall, Wallingford, on June 12th, I obtained the 1st 

 prize dark, 1st prize rose, 1st prize yellow by scedhngs, and the 

 2nd and 3rd seedling prizes ; as dso the 1st of the " st;uid of nine," 

 ill which were seven of my own seedlings, and two Scotch. 



I believe Mr. Guod.m would have had the first prize at the Me- 

 tropolitan Society, had he entered his flowers in time to show. I 



