LADIES BOTANY AND BOTANY FOR LADIES. 
89 
little as to what caprice is to decide their fate; 
but as the time when the flower can be seen 
forced has arrived, and the period for show- 
ing in pots is approaching, we take the oppor- 
tunity of defining a little the properties which 
should be esteemed; as nearly all the points 
have been attained in different flowers, there 
is every reason to hope, that as soon as we 
persevere in raising seedlings in this country, 
and force the Dutch to follow the example, 
we shall make rapid advances toward obtain- 
ing several properties in the same flower. 
We commence with the pip. 
" Each pip or flower should be round and 
not ragged. The petals should be broad, 
thick, blunt at the ends, not pointed, and 
reflex enough to throw up the centre well. 
The foot stalk should be strong, and hold 
the flower out stiff in a vertical position, that 
is, facing the spectator, and by no means 
weak, to allow the pip to hang with the face 
sloping toward the ground. The foot stalks 
should also be of a length to make the pips 
touch each other and no more. The pips 
should be large, for unless the pips be large 
they cannot touch each other without very 
short foot stalks, and the flowers would be 
so close to the stem, that the truss itself would 
be no size. Double flowers should have the 
rows of petals above each other very regularly 
imbricated, so as to throw up the centre. The 
outer petals, therefore, of a double flower 
need not reflex, and should not reflex so 
much as a single one, because the centre is 
raised by the second and third rows of petals. 
" The spike should be bold, round, compact, 
and pyramidical, with a number of flowers at 
the bottom, gradually diminishing to a single 
flower at the top. The flower stem should 
be very strong and upright, and no part of it 
should be seen from the lowest flowers to the 
top, in consequence of the closeness of the 
pips to each other. 
" The colours should be bright, clear, and 
dense, whatever the shade; and any better 
approach to scarlet, blue, or yellow, than 
those shades we now possess, would be highly 
esteemed; flowers with dark eyes, vexy clear 
outsides, and those with striped petals, would 
be held to be better than selfs in general, but 
would give no point against form." 
PROPERTIES OF A GOOD HYACINTH, 
As defined in the Gardeners' Chronicle. 
A well-grown Hyacinth should be of a 
compact pyramidal form, with a strong, tall, 
and upright stem; supporting numerous large 
bells, each attached by a strong footstalk in a 
horizontal position to the stem. The bells 
should be perfectly double, composed of broad, 
thick, waxy petals, with the centre of the 
flower raised, rendering the form convex. 
The bells should occupy about one-half the 
length of the stem, with the uppermost bell 
erect. The flowers, whether whole, coloured, 
or striped, should be clear and bright; those 
having a contrast of colour in the centre are 
most esteemed." 
"LADIES BOTANY AND "BOTANY FOR 
LADIES."* 
This subject is rather forced upon our 
notice by the two works w T hich bear these 
respective titles ; the first by Dr. Lindley, the 
second by Mrs. Loudon ; two authors who 
agree at least in one point, the adoption of 
the natural system, and the rejection of that 
of Linnaeus. Dr. Lindley says, " It seems to 
me there is a confusion of ideas in what is 
urged in favour of the Linnasan system, and 
that its theoretical simplicity is mistaken for 
practical facility of application. That the 
principles of the Linntean system are clear 
and simple, and easily remembered, is indis- 
putable ; that student, indeed, must be re- 
markably dull of apprehension, who could not 
master them in a day. But is its application 
* Ladies' Botany ; or, a familiar Introduction to the 
Study of the Natural System of Botany. By Dr. 
Lindley. 12mo. London : H. G. Bohn. 
Botany for Ladies ; or, a Popular Introduction to the 
Natural System of Plants, according to the Classifica- 
tion of De Candolle. By Mrs. Loudon. London : 
Murray. 
