an Tong ayn al RAN At ee 
OF GARDENING. oe 669 
| O@ob. Flower on the Dunghil Plants. That this Let us confider what this doubling is, and Octob. 
does not take the Effect of increafing the 
Number of Petals, is evident in the Fields as well 
as Gardens; and in the fame Manner what we 
have mentioned in regard to Moifture as fo 
obvious in this Effet in Meadow Plants, is 
confirmed in thofe of the Garden. 
The Ten Weeks Stock is a conftant Inftance : 
*ris the Cuftom to fow this at a Seafon when 
few Showers are expected ; and as it grows thro’ 
Summer with lefs Wet than thofe Plants which 
are fown in earlier Spring, the Flowers are 
generally fmall and fingle. 
The Gardener does not endeavour to im- 
prove them by Waterings, for it has not been 
known before that it is the Effect of this, 
well managed to enlarge and increafe the 
Petals of Flowers, but Nature often does it: 
wet Summers happen, and in thefe the Flower of 
that Stock is always vaftly finer than in others ; 
much larger on all the Plants, and in feveral 
double. | 
We fee in this which is an Inftance in Na- 
ture, though the Plant grow in a Garden, 
a Proof which all will own, though none 
have before attended to it for this Information, 
that Wet has a great Share in the doubling 
of Flowers. 
CG: H-iA-P. 
vinced of it. 
what ate the common Operations of Nature 
in like Cafes; and we fhall be the more con- 
We have fhewn that this En- 
creafe of Petals is from a Number abfolutely 
crowing from the Receptacle of the Flower or 
of the Seeds; or from a Degeneracy of the 
numerous Filaments in other Kinds into Petals. 
We fee in the Graffes a Tendency to leafy 
fpikes: Grains fhoot in the Ear; and Leaves 
of the Plant rife round about them in Places 
where they do not ufually appear; or they 
rife in Tufts at the Heads of the Stalks in 
the Place of Spikes. — 
The firft is an Inftance like that of the 
Growth of Petals in extraordinary Number from 
the Receptacle; and the other of vitiated Parts, 
for the Leaves fhould have formed the Films. 
and Hufks of the Ear. : 
The Graffes have no Petals, therefore the Re- 
dundance muft be in Leaves; and the Cafe is fo 
far parallel: but on what Occafions does this hap- 
pen? Every Farmer knows. *Tis not in our 
dunged Fields; but in rainy Seafons. So much 
then is clear; that in the Work of Nature 
on this Head abundant Moifture is the moft | 
obvious Agent. ee 
LPLELLPGSPERIPSS SPS RESELL 
Il. 
Of ripening Seed for double F if OWERS. 
: NE great Caufe of the ill Succefs of thofe 
who have attempted the Practice of 
doubling Flowers, has been from their taking 
up the Work too late. They think it is 
enough if they begin with the Seed: but we 
are to tell them, that a great’ deal is to be 
done before that, if they would rationally at- 
tempt this Bufinefs. We know how early in pe- 
rennial Plants, the Bud for the fucceeding 
Year’s Flower is formed. ‘We. have fhewn 
this, fpeaking of the Auricula, and have directed 
a timely Care for that Reafon; for all Im- 
provement is to be attempted in perennials at 
the Period of forming the Bud: and in the 
fame Manner all doubling of Flowers is firtt 
to be undertaken, at the Time when thofe Flowers 
are about to be formed, from which the Seed is 
to be faved for the new Progeny. The Foun- 
dation is to be laid there ; andthe Work muft be 
perfected by the Culture of the Plants raifed 
from it. 
as may othetwife happen. | 
We will fuppofe the Gatdener pofieffed of 
fuch Seed ; and that he raifes his common Stock 
of Plants by it in the ufual Way: it is no Mata 
ter of what Kind, we write here of doubling 
Flowers in general, not of any particular Species. 
When the ‘Plants raifed from thefe Seeds 
have acquired about a third Part of their Bignefs, 
let him by all poffible Means promote their free 
/ Growth: this is the Period at which the Buds 
of Flowers take their final Form. 
Let him. clear away the Surface of the 
Mould between the Plants to an Inch Depth 
or more, if that can be done without im- 
pairing the Roots; and in its Place let him 
fpread fome perfectly frefh and rich Garden 
Mould, or fome of the Compoft appropriated 
-to the Plant. On this let him give a gentle 
Watering, and let this be repeated afterwards 
daily in fmall Quantities. Always let him 7 
keep in Mind, that he is not now endeavour- 
Every Gardener knows the Advantage of 
changing Seeds with fome Friend on whofe 
Integrity he can rely: the beft Way is, in- 
deed, for two Perfons, who enter into fuch 
an Intercourfe, to mark the Seed Plants in 
each others Ground at the Time of Flowering; 
and when the Seeds are ripened, to take off 
the Heads themfelves: thus there will be no 
Sufpicions of falfe Dealing from real Accidents, 
No. 56. 
ing to double for the laft Time the Flowers of 
his Plants, but to feed and ripen the Seeds of 
thofe Plants from which he expects fuch a Stock. 
Let only a few Flowers ripen upon each of 
thefe Plants; and let not the Root exhauft - 
itfelf by opening more than are intended to be 
fet for Seeds; in the common Way the Flowers 
weaken one another, and Part of the Seed is al- 
ways bad. 
8 H 
As 
