FLOEICULTURE. 
FLORICULTURE. 
By Mr. Dixon, Florist, Brixton Hill. 
It is with mingled gratification and pride, I appear before the readers of the Magazine 
of Gardening and Botany as the advocate of Floriculture. So much has been said and 
written on the subject, that it would almost appear superfluous to attempt giving another 
version of the laws and regulations by which the World of Flowers is regulated ; but, on 
minutely investigating the different systems proposed, I find such ample room for improve- 
ment, as induces me to lay before the patrons of this work, my own peculiar views on the 
matter. More than thirty years of my life have been devoted to this pursuit — not to the 
theory alone, but to the practice. Experience, acquired during so many years, enables me 
to assert, without any fear of contradiction, that Flora exacts from her admirers something 
more than mere passive obedience to her laws. They will, it is true, prevent any violent 
outrage on Nature ; but their workings, duly considered in connexion with particular objects, 
are capable of being rendered doubly useful. Entertaining these ideas, I have given every 
spare moment to the consideration of how I might best simplify a code of laws for the subjects 
of Flora, as would render the government of her kingdom a matter of little difficulty. To this 
end I have studied the nature of plants, their health and habits, under different courses of 
treatment ; and having, by practical experience, reduced the gigantic notions of theory to 
its proper limits, proceeded to condense the information obtained, so as to render it 
acceptable to those parties for whose practice it was intended. This purpose has been to 
me one of the deepest interest, and to its advancement I have devoted unreservedly my 
most zealous exertions, which, I am proud to say, have not been unavailing, as the number 
of proselytes gained to my opinions sufficiently testify. 
Steering a middle course between those who write on Floriculture — a mere idle amuse- 
ment, a pleasure, or toy, unconnected with scientific acquirements of any kind, and those 
who reduce its operations to little less than drudgery — I will endeavour, by explaining causes 
that produce such extraordinary effects, to add interest to the experiments, by enabling my 
readers to predict results. Improvement in Floriculture has been gradual, and is still pro- 
gressive. Fifty years since, growing two or three pet flowers was the favourite pastime of 
a few humble and somewhat illiterate individuals. The cultivation of extensive collections 
— the produce of every part of the known world, is now the scientific recreation of the 
learned, the refined, and the noble. All that intellect can boast, all that wealth can pur- 
chase, or the heaven-gifted mind of man conceive, has been, and is, devoted to the possession 
and realisation of floral beauty. It might afford amusement — perchance, instruction — were 
I to trace the improvements I quote, step by step ; but, presuming that my general readers 
would prefer perspective advantages to retrospective discussions, I shall, for the present, 
leave the subject, and recur to it again when time is less an object to the florist than at the 
commencement of a season. 
It is sufficient for my present purpose to assert that, generally speaking, the power of 
creating variety in form and colour of flowers is coveted by the amateur. He well understands 
that no paid labour of servants could obtain for him an honour or pleasure (as the case may 
be) equal to seeing the offspring of his own creative genius matured into superlative excel- 
lence. It is this feeling that induces the florist to watch with such patience and perseverance 
his floral possessions — almost envying the season which brings to maturity beauties he fain 
would never lose. Another motive for the employment of time in Floricultural pursuits 
may be suggested in the interest many parties evince in adapting the precepts of science, 
and the principles of art, to the laws of nature. The scholar, wearied with the profundity 
of his research after hidden truths, seeks among his flowers a lighter field of study ; his 
mind already prepared to admit the stupendous magnificence of nature, he selects, with a 
due share of admiration for all, a few favourites to exercise his abilities upon ; and, bringing 
to bear on this point his acquired information on many others, soon learns the art of 
cultivating them to perfection. It is to assist in such undertakings that I shall from time 
to time submit my system of Floriculture, and hope, by smoothing the path to floral distinc- 
tion, to place Fame at the command of all those parties who consider her honours worth 
contending for. The man of fortune finds employment for his wealth in purchasing the 
