199 
Balsams, and similar flowers, which have so often and so justly 
excited the admiration of even the most experienced garden- 
ers.” It should be observed that those plants, such as Bal- 
sams, Lobelias, &c. which throw out roots from their stems, 
will be benefited by being sunk a little deeper in the soil at 
each potting, but those which do not do so would be injured by 
such sinking. It should be remembered, too, that in pots 
plants demand a lighter or more porous soil than would be 
suitable to them in the open ground. 
194 Ranunculuses, Culture of. We have been favoured with 
flowers of remarkably fine seedling Ranunculuses, raised by 
nir. Tyso of Wallingford, Berkshire, one of which has been 
drawn, and will shortly be published in the Botanic Garden. 
31 r. Tyso is, we believe, the most extensive and successful 
cultivator of this favourite flower in England, and we are obli- 
ged to him for furnishing us with practical instructions for its 
cultivation. This paper is the result of long experience, we 
therefore, give it entire. 
The Ranunculus Asiaticus, or Garden Ranunculus, is a hardy 
herbaceous perennial, forming a fasciculus of small tubers, about 
an inch and a half deep in the soil, which require to be taken 
up as soon as vegetation has ceased, or they are in a state of rest: 
these should be kept dry till the return of the planting season. 
There are innumerable varieties of this interesting species, 
above a thousand of which have received distinctive names, but 
they are for the most part of an arbitrary character. The 
Ranunculus has long been a favourite with the Florist, al- 
though by many unsuccessfully cultivated. It is deservedly 
esteemed for the symmetry of its double blossoms, the brillian- 
cy of its colours, and the great variety it displays. In a well 
selected bed may be seen, scarlet, purple, crimson, yellow, white, 
dark, (approaching to black,) with others which are denominated 
seifs: and bicolored sorts with white, yellow, buff, or crimson 
grounds, beautifully edged, spotted, mottled, shaded, or striped, 
in infinite variety. In offering a few hints on the cultivation 
of this attractive flower, it may be desirable to arrange them 
under different heads. The first point then after the possession 
of a collection of roots is to seek a suitable 
Soil. The Ranunculus delights in a rich hazely loam. If 
the natural soil of the garden be unfavourable, the top spit of 
200 AUCTARICM. 
