ON THE DIFFUSION OF SEED. 
161 
Keep them morleratel}^ damp, but by no means wet^ and place the pots in a hotbed 
or forcing- house, till the plants attain the height of six inches. They should then 
be carefully exposed to the weather, in a greenhouse or cold frame, till all fear of 
frost is past ; after which, they may be turned out into a warm border to flower, 
or kept in the pots, as taste may dictate. 
" But they thrive better, if planted about the end of March or the beginning of 
April, in a prepared bed or border, which should have a south or south-west 
aspect, that they may receive the benefit of the sun during the hour they blow, and 
that the roots may be properly ripened in the autumn, which should always be 
strictly attended to, as their preservation through the winter, and their strength the 
following year, greatly depend on it. The bed should be about eighteen inches 
deep, of rich turfy loam, with one third decayed leaves and old horse manure, and 
'as much sand as the nature of the loam may require. The whole should be chopped 
'up with the spade, not sifted. Let the surface be raked smooth, and the strong 
flowering bulbs be planted either singly, or three near together ; in rows, (\i planted 
singly, which is to be preferred when the room is not too valuable,) about six inches 
asunder, and three inches below the surface. In this situation, they will, without 
further care, display their flowers_, and amply repay \he little trouble they require. 
Should September prove wet, a covering would be of great benefit, as they do not 
require moisture, when the foliage turns yellow ; unless seed is intended to be 
preserved, and then a little moisture would facilitate its perfecting. 
"This flower may be increased by seed, which should be sown about the first 
week in April, in boxes filled with a rich light soil ; place them in a gentle heat till 
the plants appear, after which, they may receive a moderate supply of air when the 
atmosphere is temperate. If the plants are too thick, they may be transplanted 
into a bed formed on the surface of a cooling hotbed. They should then be kept 
closely shut down for a few days; but if the boxes are not one foot deep, they will 
not require this removal, which certainly checks their growth. They should be 
allowed to enjoy the full benefit of air as soon as the weather will permit. When 
they begin to turn yellow keep them dry ; and when the tops are dried, take up the 
roots and put them in paper bags secure from frost, and the following spring treat 
them as the strong plants. The third spring, the strongest plants should be 
selected for flowering. 
They are also freely propagated by offsetts, which should not be separated from 
the parent root till the time of planting, but kept tied in bunches in a dry season." 
ON THE DIFFUSION OF SEED. 
The economy of Providence in distributing seeds may be remarked in those of 
the dandelion {Leontodon taraxacum), which are everywhere to be seen during 
summer, floating about on the air, supported by its feathery down. It is not to 
be supposed, that half of these seeds ever fall upon spots favourable to germination ; 
VOL. III. NO. XXXI. y 
