92 CHARACTER OF A FINE AURICULA. [April 



CHARACTER OF A FINE RANUNCULUS. 



" It is indispensable for a good ranunculus to have a stem 

 about eight or twelve inches high, strong enough to support 

 the flower, and quite upright. The form of the flower should 

 be hemispherical, not less than two inches in diameter, con- 

 sisting of numerous petals, gradually diminishing in size to 

 the centre, lying over each other, so as neither to be too 

 close nor too much separated, but having more of a perpen- 

 dicular than a horizontal direction, in order to display the 

 colours with better effect. The petals should be broad, with 

 entire well-rounded edges, their colours dark, clear, rich, or 

 brilliant, either of one colour or variously diversified, on a 

 ground of cinereous white, primrose, yellow, or flame colour, 

 or diversified with elegant stripes, spots, or mottlings." 



AURICULAS. 



Having under this head last month given ample directions 

 for the treatment of these plants previous to flowering, we 

 refer to that head to avoid repetition. 



CHARACTER OF A FINE AURICULA. 



The pips should be large, flat, and round, with ground 

 colour equal on every side of the eye, which should be quite 

 circular, as well as the edge. The tube a bright lemon-yel- 

 low, perfectly round, well filled with the anthers or thrum, 

 the eye round and large, the body colour black or violet, the 

 meal fine ; the colour, in green-edged flowers, should be a 

 whole one, not a shaded green. The stem strong, and suffi- 

 ciently long to bear the truss above the foliage the truss 

 to consist of not less than five full-blown pips ; only one stem 

 allowed. 



CARNATIONS, PINKS, ETC. 



If any of these were omitted to be shifted last month, or 

 planted out according to directions therein given, let it be 



