THE FLORISTS' FLOWER GARDEN. 



801 



gardens all these precautions are unneces- 

 sary. 



Exhibiting. — These flowers were long exhi- 

 bited as single blooms, just as pansies and 

 dahlias are at the present day. This mode gives 

 no true criterion as to the cultivation or general 

 character of the plant or flower exhibited by the 

 florist. Let us, therefore, have hollyhocks 

 grown in pots; the thing is quite within the 

 range of possibility and practicability. Let us 

 have, instead of single flowers, nay even 2 or 3 

 feet spikes of flowers, the whole plant set upon 

 the exhibition-table in the pot in which it was 

 grown. We hold that there is as much credit 

 due for growing the plant as for producing the 

 bloom, for the first must be secured ere the 

 other is attained. On the subject of exhibiting 

 Mr Paul remarks : " There are two modes of ex- 

 hibiting hollyhocks — by single flowers, and by 

 spikes. Some cultivators have advocated the 

 withdrawal of prizes for single flowers, and de- 

 pending on spikes alone. It is freely admitted 

 that the exhibition of spikes creates a greater 

 display, and affords a truer idea of the nature 

 and properties of the flower. On this ground, 

 then, we admit the desirableness of encouraging 

 this mode of exhibiting, but doubt whether the 

 entire exclusion of single flowers will not pre- 

 vent many amateurs from entering the list of 

 competitors. To exhibit single flowers does 

 little damage to the garden at home, and they 

 are easily conveyed to the place of exhibition. 

 To exhibit spikes requires too great a sacrifice 

 where a few plants only are grown, and, more- 

 over, they form, however closely stowed away, 

 a somewhat cumbrous package. The most 

 emulous of amateurs would pause ere they cut 

 twelve spikes of their finest kinds from a limited 

 collection ; they could not reconcile themselves 

 to behold tarnished in a day, what would give 

 them pleasure for weeks, had the spikes been 

 allowed to remain on the plants. We think, 

 then," Mr Paul very sensibly remarks, and we en- 

 tirely agree with him, "there should be two classes 

 — one for spikes, and one for single flowers : 

 make the former the more valuable prizes, but 

 do not exclude the other." For village and 

 cottagers' competitions, a thing we have a warm 

 side to, we say, by all means let single flowers 

 be exhibited, but certainly not so at metropoli- 

 tan and provincial competitions. Either let 

 spikes or the whole plant be shown ; — we say 

 the latter. 



The ranunculus. — This flower has long been 

 a favourite with florists, who by their art have 

 produced innumerable varieties — so much so, 

 indeed, that above one thousand of these have 

 received distinctive names, and additions are 

 making yearly. The type of this tribe is the 

 Ranunculus asiaticus of botanists, a native of 

 the Levant, and introduced to England prior to 

 1596, for at that period we find it was cultivated 

 by Gerard and his contemporaries. The ranun- 

 culus is divided into two primary and pretty 

 well-marked sections, the first or common, 

 R. vulgaris, and the second or Turban, 

 R. sanguineus. The Dutch preceded us in its 

 cultivation as a florist flower, and from them we 

 long had large yearly supplies of roots. They 



also produced the majority of those varieties 

 which are of strong and dark body-colours. The 

 English have, however, surpassed their florist 

 friends in Holland in the production of the finest 

 flowers, although vast quantities of the roots for 

 ordinary purposes are still yearly imported. 



Propagation. — This is effected by dividing 

 the roots, which naturally produce offset roots, 

 which attain maturity in one season, and are 

 easily separated at the season of lifting ; and by 

 seed, which ripens readily. The former pro- 

 cess is so simple as to require no remark ; the 

 latter is more important, and deserves some 

 consideration. Flowers possessing the highest 

 properties, as regards size, shape, and colour of 

 marking, should be chosen, as being the most 

 likely to produce first-class seedlings. On this 

 subject the Messrs Tyso & Son, the well-known 

 cultivators of this flower, observe : " Procure 

 some semi-doubles possessing fine properties, 

 because these produce anthers as well as peri- 

 carps, and afford pollen for impregnation, which 

 is very seldom the case in long-established sorts. 

 The more double the flowers are from which 

 the farina is taken, the greater is the probabi- 

 lity of procuring double varieties. Apply the 

 farina of any semi-doubles that afford it to the 

 pericarp of the flower selected as a seed-bearer. 

 The most approved method of fertilising is by 

 gathering the semi-doubles, and applying the 

 pollen by lightly pouncing it on the pericarp ; 

 but if semi-doubles are scarce, then the applica- 

 tion may be made with a large camel's-hair 

 pencil. This operation should be repeated for 

 several days, in fine sunny weather, when the 

 plants are uncovered, shade being inimical to 

 fertilisation. The stems bearing seed-vessels 

 should be supported with sticks and two or 

 three bandages of matting, to prevent the stalks 

 from breaking down, which would deprive the 

 seed of the necessary nourishment. Gather the 

 seed when it turns brown, and keep it loose in 

 a drawer, in a dry place. Ranunculus seed will 

 retain its vitality two, or even three years." 

 The seed should be retained in its natural cover- 

 ing till the season of sowing, when it should be 

 separated. 



Sowing the seed. — This operation is best per- 

 formed in October and in February. Flat pots, 

 pans, or boxes, should be filled with moderately 

 rich loam, with about a sixth part of leaf-mould, 

 carefully examined for the detection of insects, 

 particularly wire-worm. Under the compost 

 sufficient drainage should be placed, and over 

 that the siftings or coarser portions of the soil. 

 The surface being rendered smooth and level, 

 the seed should be sown thinly; for if the young 

 crop come up too thick, the plants are weakened, 

 and many perish. The careful florist will sow 

 his seed so that each may be one- eighth of an 

 inch apart from its neighbour. Cover lightly 

 with finely-sifted soil, and apply a gentle water- 

 ing with a fine rose watering-pot. Set the seed- 

 pans on a dry floor of coal -ashes in an open 

 well -exposed place, and cover them with a 

 frame and glass sashes. Little shading will be 

 required at this period of the year, and a limited 

 supply of water; nevertheless the soil must not 

 be allowed to become at all dry. In four or 



