HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 261 



This gentleman, who is, if still alive, far advanced in years, has, many 

 times with exulting pleasure, given an epitome of its early history. Of the 

 firstimpulse imparted to the floricultural world in the environs of London, by 

 the first appearance of Davy's " Daveyanum" Moore's Victory, and Macran- 

 thum, the lions of those days, of the sensation created by the " new Duchess 

 of Glo'ster, the most noted flower in the beginning of our days." 



From that time to the present, vast strides have been made, and the " pro- 

 perties" of many of the present flowers are all but the perfection aimed at, 

 namely, a circle, with the colors, whatever they may be, bright and dense. 

 Among the most noted raisers is Mr. Foster, of Clewes, near Windsor ; 

 whose first, his " Gem" subsequently " Sylph" gave him a name above all 

 his compeers, but which have long since sunk into silence, giving way to 

 their more showy rivals. 



But to return to what more immediately concerns our present purpose, 

 we intend giving a brief outline of its management as a seedling, and as a 

 specimen plant. 



AS SEEDLINGS. 



The seeds should be sown as collected in the following manner, as much 

 less difficulty is experienced in getting them to germinate if sown at once, 

 than where they are allowed to dry. 



Prepare shallow pots or pans, put in one-fourth drainage, fill on this to 

 within two inches of the top, with soil recommended below, the remainder 

 with white sand ; press firm, and give it a good soaking with water. Have 

 a pointed stick and dib in the seed half an inch deep : keep them in a cool 

 place near the glass and shady. As soon as the plants are well up and 

 sufficiently large to handle, prick off into other pots, filled in the same way 

 except the sand ; as soon as they are out in the rough leaf, pot into thumb 

 pots, one in a pot ; as the roots get to the outsides, shift into larger till 

 they occupy a five-inch pot, in which they should be allowed to flower. 

 They require during winter, plenty of room, to be placed near the glass, 

 and kept entirely free from green-fly, by syringing with tobacco water, or 

 fumigating. About the first of May, they will commence flowering, when 

 those inferior to what are already possessed, should at once, be entirely dis- 

 carded, and those giving signs of improvement propagated and seeded from. 



AS SPECIMEN PLANTS. 



Cuttings may be taken off and struck any month in the year, and of 

 course in the case of nurserymen increasing new varieties, is desirable. But, 

 for private establishments, the most usual and best time, is about a fort- 



