ON THE Cl'LTIVATION OF THE rOLYANTHTJS. 197 



never leave more than seven or less than five nips on each stein ; 

 if any of the petals are irregular by turning backward, I flatten 

 them with a piece of ivory made in an appropriate shape, some- 

 what resembling a button-hook: I place the flattener underneath 

 the pips and presses it upwards ; but, if the flower is cupped, I 

 press it downwards until the petals become quite flat ; if any of the 

 pips are dusty, I brush them with a camel-hair pencil, which gives 

 a brightness to the flowers. When in blow, I carefully shade them 

 from the sun's rays ; for if I was to sulli r them to be exposed, the 

 colour of the flower would be damaged, if not totally spoiled. I 

 find that if the plants are placed in perfect darkness for two or three, 

 days previous to the show, the colour becomes much darker than 

 if left in the frame. The following kinds possess the best properties 

 of any I know : — Cox's Prince Regent, Lord Crewe, Bang Europe, 

 Turner's Princess, Countess, Lord John Russell, Commander-in- 

 Chief, Mary Ann, Beauty of Over, Park's Lord Nelson, and 

 Othello. As soon as the plants have done flowering I take them 

 out of the frame, and place them upon a bed of coal ashes, that the 

 seed may he able to ripen ; as soon as the seed pods begin to 

 burst open at the top and change colour, I carefully cut them oft", 

 and place them in the seed-drawer till required for sowing. 



I alwavs sow the seed about the middle or beginning of Feb- 

 rnarv, the year after it has been gathered. I sow the seed in pans 

 or feeders rilled with the compost in which the plants are grown, 

 I then sprinkle the soil with water, sow the seed, and cover a 

 quarter of an inch deep with the same compost finely sifted. In 

 the course of four or five weeks the plants will be up ; I water them 

 ionally in a morning, and cover them down with a hand-glass 

 in the evening. Towards the latter end of May, I transplant them 

 into a border, where I allow them to remain for flowering the fol- 

 lowing spring. When they arc in flower, I mark all the best 

 (lowers; and the ' piit-ri/rs' (or those that show the pistilum) I 

 throw away, for although they are generally the brightest colours, 

 they are cohsidk red to In- worth very little ; those called ' moss-ryes' 

 (or those that show the anthers) are esteemed the best; the. pro- 

 perties n| ;i fine flower (which you have given at page 118) are. 

 correct. I have, seen several new and beautiful seedlings, 

 wbi, h I understand are to nunc out next ycur. 



I 'Unmoor, July 27///, 1831. John Revjbll. 



