530 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



Splendour of Flower.— As in the pelargoniums, heaths, rhodo 

 dendi'ons, azaleas, and kalmias. 



Fragrance of Perfume.— For which the violet, mignonette, car- 

 nation, pinks, hyacinth, and the tea-roses are remarkable examples. 

 1651. It is apeculiarity of florists' flowers that they soon become subservient 

 to the objects of the cultivator; so that, by following up an imaginary model 

 of excellence, florists have often succeeded in a great degree in attaining the 

 desired form. Thus, one tulip is to have a cuplike form, swelling out in its 

 upper part with a plain flat edge along the tops of the petals, forming the half 

 of a perfect hollow sphere ; while another, when quite expanded, has scarcely 

 an indication of a division of the petals, which are six in number, and all 

 marked alike, or it is no true flower. The globose form of the fuchsia is its most 

 desirable shape, the bud before opening, especially, must be globular. The rose- 

 shoiildbe circular, full in the face, thick and smooth in the petals, very double, 

 and very symmetrical, and very stiff and formal ; while the simpleloverof flower? 

 is lookino- for beautiful colour, graceful folds and volutes in the arrangement 

 of the petals, and a free and somewhat roving habit in the plant, and fragrant 

 perfume in the flower itself. Singularly enough, though few or none of these forms- 

 of perfection have been quite attained : by growing seedlings from the nearest 

 approach to them, and correcting one, so called, bad feature, by crossing it 

 with others in which it is absent, a wonderful approximation has been secured. 

 The cineraria has been cultivated for the desired form until it has become- 

 almost a perfect circle, the petals overlapping each other in that form. The 

 pansy is frequently grown perfectly round, and the verbena is rapidly- 

 extending its petals in the same direction under this kind of cultivation. 



1652. Florists' flowers are usually planted in formal and rather stiff-looking- 

 beds, the flowei-s in right lines,— those of dwarf habit occupying the outsides. 

 of the beds, with the taller sorts in the centre, with conveniences for their 

 protection on sudden emergencies. "Where, then, is the Florist's Flower- 

 Garden to be placed in the general ai-rangements ? Very near to the dwell- 

 in f of whoever has charge of them if they are much cherished, for no class of 

 plants require greater attention to grow them properly ; they require all the- 

 air that can possibly be given to them, while a slight frost coming suddenly 

 on after a warm April day— abrve all, heavy stoi-ms of rain, a hailstorm (not 

 unusual this month), or even a boisterous wind— will be destructive to many of 



them. 



1653. Heat is nearly as destructive. They should only meet the morning and 

 evening sun, and a shade of light calico for an hour before and after noon, 

 during the flowering season, will much prolong their bloom. For shelter 

 during the night, it has even been recorded of old and enthusiastic-growers, 

 that at this stage of their career, when they have been removed to a snug 

 corner, and placed under hand-glasses, they would take the blankets from 

 their own beds to cover them up and give additional shelter to their favourites 

 when a frosty night was anticipated. Indeed, the writer can vouch for one- 

 fit of gout caught in the cause. While the century was yet scarcely out of its. 



