NOVEMBER. 31 



broad, its guard-leaves large, rounded, horizontal, 

 and turning a little upwards, forming thereby a cup, 

 filled in richly, with long fine petals, regularly piled 

 one over the other, not crowded confusedly, whose 

 colours, as well as those of the exterior leaves, 

 should be bright and distinctly marked in variegated 

 flowers ; and, as it were, should be too brilliant for 

 the eye to rest on, in those that are of a single color, 

 which is termed self-colored ; many of those that 

 are semi-double, or even single, are highly prized ; 

 and the commonest kinds, if sown in masses, make 

 a vivid appearance, at a season, when any change 

 from the dreariness of winter, is most gratifying. 

 When the leaves are faded, the roots should be 

 spread in a dry and safe place, and occasionally 

 turned to prevent their moulding, which from their 

 succulency they are very liable to, and from which 

 they never recover. In about three weeks, which 

 is the fittest period, the largest offsets should be sep- 

 arated and preserved for planting ; by these means, 

 the wounds both in those and in the parent root will 

 have time to heal. In propagating by seed there is 

 some nicety to be observed : it is, of course, to be 

 saved from single flowers, and few double ones are 

 to be expected from the sowing. A few very good 

 ones, however, may be produced by taking the seeds 

 from single flowers, of brilliant hue, having the 

 greatest number of petals. The seed should be 

 gathered into a paper bag, each day, as the seed 

 vessel begins to open, otherwise it will be carried 

 off by the wind. The roots thus produced, must be 

 nursed till the third year, when they may go into 

 the beds ; they will blossom the second year, when 

 they may be marked and in part selected ; all this 

 trouble will be amply repaid by a few good flowers, 

 and the remainder will embellish the borders by the 



