118 CULTIVATION. 



meter, consisting of numerous petals, the largest 

 at the outside, and gradually diminishing in size 

 as they approach the centre of the flower, which 

 should be well filled up with them. 



" The blossom should be hemispherical ; its 

 petals should be imbricated in such manner as 

 neither to be too close and compact, nor too 

 widely separated; but have rather more of a 

 perpendicular than horizontal position, to display 

 their colours with better effect. 



" The petals should be broad, and have per- 

 fectly entire, well-rounded edges: their colours 

 should be dark, richly clear, or brilliant, either 

 consisting of one colour throughout, or be vari- 

 ously diversified, on an ash, white, sulphur, or 

 fire-coloured ground, or regularly striped, spotted, 

 or mottled, in an elegant manner." 



There are more numerous varieties of double 

 ranunculuses than of any other flower ; and it is 

 one that may be flowered at almost any time of 

 the year, merely by changing the time of plant- 

 ing. For a bloom in September or October, 



