1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



3iJ 



each other and tolerably flat, the most unpractised 

 eye will see the richness o/ one compared with 

 the other, and thou2^h there are none quite round 

 or quite flat, there are many which approach both, 

 and they are the more valuable in proportion to 

 their near approach. Again, the properties of 

 the dahlia are equally well defined; the nearer the 

 shape approaches two-thirds of a'ball the better. 

 Every body can understand this definition of the 

 property of a dahlia. It is true, that to become of 

 this form, the petals must be broad, round ended, 

 short, and imbricate well, free from notch, plenty 

 of them, and the centre not over bloomed ; but 

 these are details. If the flower be two-thirds of a 

 ball, the detail is sure to be good, lor if the petals 

 be narrow or pointed, or long, the flower cannot 

 be well formed. A tulip has been equally as well 

 defined as to property, and very fbriunately, for 

 the flowers which were bearing hish prizes were 

 perverting the taste of the growers^; and it will 

 take some years to correct it. Nevertheless, the 

 rule laid down by the Metropolitan Society cannot 

 be mistaken. The desired form, when expanded, 

 is from one-third to one-half of a hollow ball, for- 

 ming, as a matter of course, a perfectly round 

 shallow cup ; /or, as the beautv of a tulip 'is in the 

 inside, no other form will so well display it. The 

 tulip must, however, possess one quality without 

 which it will be now set down as valueless. The 

 white or the yellow must be of one uniform shade 

 or tint, without stain, to the very centre. In this 

 case, as in the other, the most ordinary observer, 

 who may know nothing about tulips, shall, ne- 

 vertheless, in a moment decide the clear round 

 flower IS more beautiful than one that is stained or 

 not round. Upon this principle should the value 

 of all such productions be estimated. We do not 

 mean that every body should be able to appreciate 

 all the points of a good flower; but that the lead- 

 mg ones, especially the form, should be that most 

 likely to please ihe world. The auricula is a 

 flower equally requiring a proper estimation of 

 properties, and equally indebted to the Metro- 

 politan Society for published rules by which to 

 regulate them. The chief point here again is 

 forvi. To be quite round and quite flat,°like a 

 counter, would be perfection ; but here the colors 

 form a much more important feature than in other 

 flowers, for the auricula will come all green like 

 a calix, or all white and mealy, without any dis- 

 tinct color. It has been, therefore, necessary to 

 state thej-6f should be several divisions of color; 

 the small tube in the centre should be bri^rjit yel- 

 low— the circle round this perfectly whrte-^the 

 next circle should be a distinct color, lilac, violet, 

 purple, blue, brown, or dark approaching to black, 

 and very unbroken— and the outer circle of all 

 green, grey, or white ; and in proportion as all 

 these form distinct circles, and the individual pips 

 are flat, &c., does the value of the flower increase. 

 There is anothor property estimated in London 

 and its vicinity more than in the country. The 

 Metropolitan Society consider it a leading properly 

 that the auricula should form a bold truss of seven 

 pips or flowers at the least ; in the country they do 

 not require more than five. Thus many flowers 

 will do for the country that would not do in the 

 metropolis. 



In roses, novelty seem to have been the leading 

 point, and many growers have discovered novelty 

 where nobody else could ; but there are properties 



as essential to a good rose, as to any other flower, 

 novelty forming one of them. A rose should be 

 strongly perfumed — the petals should be thick, 

 round, and plentilul; the color bright, and the 

 flower double; the more of these properties are pos- 

 sessed by a rose, the better it is. Hundreds, how- 

 ever, are in cultivation so nearly resembling each 

 other, so nearly approaching to single, so weak in 

 their perfume, and so straggling in their growth, 

 as to make every amateur who has purchased 

 largely repent truly that he has been governed 

 by fine names, instead of fine qualities. Gera- 

 niums have come in for their share of attention as 

 to properties. The majority of them have petals 

 so narrow, that, as there are but five, they divide 

 and form an irregular star; they ought, like the 

 heart's-ease, to be wide enough, to lap over each 

 other, and form a whole and nearly circular flow- 

 er rather companulated than otherwise. These 

 ought to come in trusses, comprising at least six 

 or eight blooms each, and forming good close 

 heads. Bright colors, novel pencilling, and deep 

 dark spots on the upper petals, are in great esteem; 

 but the best at present, for form and style of 

 growth, is Dennis's Perfection, though the color 

 is deficient. Others asserted to be as ic ell formed 

 and better colored, are said to have been raised 

 and coming out, if^ not out already; and indeed we 

 have observed several bright and good flowers 

 which very closely approached it, but we confess 

 we have not seen any fully up to the point ; and 

 though, as we have said before, the coloring is 

 deficient, we have not seen any one so complete 

 in form of flowers, beauty of truss, and general 

 style of grou'th. The principal object w^e have 

 in view here is to show that, in the estimate of 

 properties by the Metropolian Society of Florists, 

 regard is had to those points which please every 

 body ; that in fact, taken in any way, an ordinary 

 flower placed by the side of a flower approaching 

 the standard of perfection, if down, shall appear 

 inferior to ordinary observers, that the properties 

 estimated as valuable to the connoisseur shall en- 

 list among its admirers all persons of taste, whether 

 florists or not ; and when we resume this subject 

 <o go into details, we shall be able also to show, 

 that there is a good reason to be made apparent 

 to common observers, foreverj' point esteemed by 

 the society as essential to a good flower. In tulip 

 growers we have observed more whimsical notions 

 than among any other class of florists. But such 

 is ihe advantage, of setting even the experienced 

 cultivator upon a right course, with regard to the 

 properties of flowers, that there are sorts whicli 

 bore a great price now hardly cared for, and 

 others which bore no price at all gradually be- 

 conii;)Lr favorites. The uncertainty of the bloom 

 wiii iiiu'ays render the possession of a bed of 

 flowers a source of an anxious pleasure, because 

 there are varieties usually stained at the bottom, 

 and therefore worthless, but which sometimes 

 come very clean and fine, and they are then grand 

 beyond description. Nine times out often a Siam 

 will beat a Louis, but the tenth time the Louis 

 may come without its usual stain at the bottoiTi, 

 and then it is a sight worth travelling miles tor. 

 But a Louis has never won at the Metropolitan 

 Society's show^s, and we doubt if it ever will, be- 

 cause, if one do'^s happen to come clear, which 

 is not twice in a century, we might as well per- 

 suade a grower to cut ofl' his own head as to cut 



