CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 
45 
an airy chamber, but not exposed to the sun. At a leisure time the offsets may 
be separated and the roots selected for the following- year. 
11. If it is desired to obtain flowers late in the season, let the bed on which 
they are planted be raised no higher than the surrounding surface : by this means it 
will retain more moisture ; plant the roots in the usual way, and give the bed a 
good watering with lime-water to destroy the worms. Afterwards keep the bed 
well watered with a thin solution of cow-dung and water, until the leaves appear. 
After they have come up, it is necessary to constantly shade, from ten o’clock in 
the morning to four or five o’clock in the afternoon, in sunny days ; and this must 
be continued until they have done flowering. 
12. To obtain early Ranunculuses plant in a frame in September, and they will 
come into flower in January and February. Select roots for this purpose which 
have been kept out of the ground the previous season of planting, if this is con- 
venient ; as they will grow much quicker than those which have been taken up the 
previous summer. Some may also be planted in pots in the beginning of August; 
and if they be brought into the green-house at different times, a bloom may be kept 
up from October to February. 
13. For a bloom the whole year, begin to plant in February, and plant every 
fortnight. For a bloom in May plant in February ; for a bloom in July plant in 
April ; for a bloom in September plant in June ; and for a bloom in October plant 
about the middle of July. After this commence planting in frames for winter 
flowering. 
14. To raise good varieties from seed. “ The system consists in having some of 
the best show flowers of each class, which produce a pericarpium, or seed vessel, 
either dark, white, scarlet, crimson, yellow, striped, &c. : and a number of the best 
semi-doubles of each corresponding class, producing anthers as w 7 ell as pericarps. 
Then if a new dark flower is wanted, fertilise Naxara , Variat , Quixos , or any 
good dark flower with the pollen of a dark semi-double or nearly double flower, 
containing the best properties as to colour, shape of petals, and general habit. If 
a superior flower, with a yellow ground and dark edging, be desired, then fertilise 
Grand Monarque , Julius, or Grand Berger, with the pollen of a yellow-edged 
flower, of first-rate properties. Those that have the greatest number of petals are 
to be preferred, so that they have anthers producing farina. A similar method 
must be pursued to obtain a superior flower of any other class- The seed generated 
in this way will certainly produce some fine varieties*.” Mr. Sweet recommends 
that the yellow be fertilised by black, the scarlet or crimson with white or yellow, 
and all the most distant intermixtures. 
15. Sow the seed at the latter end of October or very early in February. 
Either boxes or pans will do for the purpose ; give them plenty of drainage by 
laying a quantity of broken potsherds at the bottom, fill the boxes or pans with 
light loam ; sow the seeds thin and cover them as lightly as possible ; water them 
with a very fine rose watering-pot, and place them in a cold frame or pit. 
The plants will be up in about a month or six weeks. They must then receive 
* Gar cl. Mag. 
