548 Culture of Seedling Ranunculuses. 



tice : he lops, and prunes, and dies ! Even his very name is 

 probably forgotten before the objects of his care, his solici- 

 tude, and skill, are put to the test by the plane of the car- 

 penter. I am, Sir, &c. 



Palace Gardens, Armagh, Aug. 28. 1830. J. Elles. 



The preceding communication we consider of very great 

 importance, and we earnestly recommend it to the study of 

 the young gardener. The error of taking off strawberry 

 runners before they are rooted, and that of adjusting the 

 branches of transplanted trees to the. roots, we had fallen into 

 ourselves, and we therefore feel the force of Mr. Elles's ar- 

 guments. We repeat our opinion, that communications of 

 this kind are invaluable to the practical cultivator. — Cond. 



Art. VIII. On the Culture of Seedling Ranunculuses. 

 By the Rev. Joseph Tyso. 



Sir, 



I have been making experiments on the culture of seedling 

 ranunculuses for five or six years, and I l^ve at length suc- 

 ceeded to admiration. This year I had one seedling bed, 

 20 ft. long and 3 ft. broad, which contained about 500 roots, 

 out of which I have selected more than 100, many of which 

 will vie with their renowned predecessors. One obtained the 

 first prize at our annual show at the Town Hall, and also the 

 premium prize, as being the best flower exhibited that day. 

 The root was afterwards sold to Mr. Brown of Slough for five 

 guineas. The florists then went to see the bed, and expressed 

 their admiration. Mr. Brown purchased another root for 

 three guineas, and several others were sold at the same time 

 for a guinea a root. A few days after ten pounds were offered 

 for three other roots, but were refused. As this is not the age 

 for keeping secrets, when making them known will be a public 

 benefit, I most cheerfully communicate my method of culture 

 to you. 



Some years ago I sowed some ranunculus seed, but not one 

 vegetated. Next year I examined the seed I sowed, by the 

 aid of a small lens, and found it only chaff. Some time after- 

 wards I obtained a thousand seedlings, which had never 

 bloomed, but they did not produce any good flowers ; they 

 were evidently grown to be sold. However, I sowed some 

 seed from the best semidoubles ; this produced only a few 

 promising blooms. I thought if I could sow seed from my 

 old double flowers, my seedlings would many of them be 



