ANEMONE. 45 



green, and white, and agate. One hundred choicest varieties 

 may be obtained for 50 francs, or about- $10. 



A fine double Anemone should stand upon a strong, elastic, 

 and erect stem, not less than nine inches high. The blossom, 

 or corolla, should be at least two and a half inches in diameter. 

 The outer petals, or guard leaves, should be substantial, well 

 rounded, at first horizontally extended, and then turning a little 

 upwards, so as to form a broad, shallow cup, the interior part 

 of which should contain a great number of long, small petals, 

 imbricating each other, and rather reverting from the centre of 

 the blossom. There are a great number of small stamens 

 intermixed with these petals, but they are short, and not easily 

 discernible. The color should be clear and distinct when 

 diversified in the same flower, or brilliant and striking if it 

 consists only of one color, as blue, crimson, or scarlet, &c., in 

 which case the bottom of the broad exterior petals is generally 

 white ; but the beauty and contrast are greatly increased when 

 both the exterior and interior petals are regularly marked with 

 alternate blue and white, or pink and white stripes, &c., which 

 in the broad petals should not extend quite to the margin. 



Propagation. By dividing the roots for the fine sorts, and 

 by seed for new varieties. 



Soil and Situation. The situation should be open, but not 

 exposed to currents of air. As to the soil to grow them in, 

 various are the composts prescribed by florists. They require 

 a fresh, strong, rich, loamy soil. Hogg recommends fresh 

 loam, with a considerable portion of rotten horse or cow dung. 

 The bed should be dug eighteen inches deep, and filled with 

 the rich compost, a little above the level of the walk ; then lay 

 a stratum of good rich mould, two inches -deep, over the com- 

 post, on which to plant the roots, as the dung or very rich 

 compost in contact with the roots would prove injurious rather 

 than beneficial. 



Planting. After the bed is thus prepared, and has stood 

 long enough to settle, the frame should be placed upon it. 

 Fall planting is much the best, if the bed can be kept from 



