172 CULTIVATION. 



and, being elastic, firmly embrace the lower part 



of the pod, which keeps it in place. 



Besides this carding the flowers, which keeps 

 the petals in due lateral position, another mani- 

 pulation is bestowed in dressing a show-flower ; 

 i. e. by arranging the petals themselves, pulling 

 out bad-coloured or redundant ones, and placing 

 all the rest in regular order. This branch of the 

 knowledge of a real and thorough-bred florist, 

 Mr. Hogg says, is a rare accomplishment, and 

 exercised adroitly but by few. 



The flowers, when full blown, are too heavy 

 to be trusted to the sole support of their own slen- 

 der peduncles. They should also be gracefully 

 disposed to meet the eye of the spectator. For 

 this purpose, small pieces of brass or copper wire, 

 about three or four inches long, having a spiral 

 crook at one end, to hold the stem, and sharp at 

 the other, to be inserted into the stick, serve to 

 secure the flowers in the desired position. 



When the plants and flowers are all thus 

 disposed, and in progress towards perfection (the 



