BRITISH PLANTS. 
159 
liese instances, taken almost at random, may serve to indicate the land of improve- 
lent of which we conceive British plants capable, by fertilizing their seeds with 
weig'n kinds. And many others, perhaps more appropriate, will doubtless at once 
resent themselves to the mind of the thinking culturist. 
Although we have here limited ourselves to a consideration of the improvement 
liat may he effected in British plants, the practice involved in the preceding obser- 
ations is capable of producing an extensive melioration amongst hardy plants gene- 
ally. But it would be foreign to the intention of the present paper to embrace a 
lore excursive range ; we will now, therefore, proceed to other conditions capable 
f influencing the appearance of British plants. 
It must he obvious that when a plant is surrounded with grass or choked up with 
; n intricate mass of other vegetation, it can hardly acquire more than the tithe of its 
eal intrinsic excellence. And when divested of weeds and furnished with a kindly 
oil, prevented from acquiring coarseness by complete drainage, and other induce- 
lients to keep the roots near the surface, pegged to the ground, or otherwise secured 
o that the flowers may he conspicuously prominent, it is surprising what an altera- 
ion is brought about in the power of contributing to ornament. 
I As a general maxim, all excess of manure should he avoided, at the same time 
mploying a moderately rich soil, or the flowers of many plants wall he inferior in 
ize. Leaf-mould should be awarded in preference to dung, as the latter promotes a 
ank luxuriant vegetation, rather than the perfection of a flowering state ; and if with 
I his a portion of turfy peat earth he incorporated and the whole added to a common 
arden soil, observing to secure a dry bottom to the border, and never to make it 
eep, little fear need be entertained of the production of superfluous vigour. Such 
compost will supply the necessary amount of food to the majority of species suit- 
ble for a garden ; but it must still be remembered that certain kinds may require 
- treatment peculiar to themselves, to the nature of which their native haunts will 
rsually afford a satisfactory index. 
Tlie 
ages procured, by thinning the flower-beds when excessively abundant, removing 
lecayed flowers, and the rudiments of seed. Although it may appear somew r hat 
>aradoxical to speak of ameliorating the appearance of a plant by removing a por- 
ion of its flowers, yet such in reality is the result with a large proportion of species. 
Che abstraction is more than atoned for by the greater size of the remaining blooms, 
nd the undisturbed health of the specimen, which enables it to continue flowering 
or a longer period. And nipping off the decayed flowers, and preventing the 
ormation of seed, are beneficial in promoting the same end. 
We now come to consider briefly the manner in which British plants should be 
atroduced to the pleasure-garden. When the arrangement of a garden will permit, 
ve are decidedly more favourable to devoting a separate portion expressly to the 
mrpose, than to intermixing them with exotic species. There is, however, no real 
>r weighty objection to the latter plan, where none but the more showy kinds are 
only other point wdiich we shall at present notice is the conspicuous advan- 
