THE GENUS DIANTHUS. 
11 
which I had heard so much was evidently secured, and in four 
weeks more the blossoms were developed. 
I shall not stay to speak of the emotions originated by the 
unfolding of the petals, or the exciting first glance at the broadly- 
expanded richness of a “Colcutt’s Brutusthose who have no 
experience in pleasures of the kind will not understand them, 
and those who do know them need not be reminded, for the re¬ 
collection never leaves the mind once awakened to the pure delight 
and honest triumph of such a position. I had overcome the 
adverse seasons, and beheld one of the most beautiful of Flora’s 
gems as a reward for my exertions; all the intellectual senses 
were gratified, at the same time a lesson was presented to the 
moral man, on the advantages of properly-directed perseverance, 
and my gratitude increased to him who had guided my first skill¬ 
less endeavours. * 
In the following season I determined to avail myself of the 
force of habit which had been partially engendered in the plants 
now flowering, and, therefore, as their beauty declined, instead 
of throwing them away, they were carefully nursed in frames, 
and, being repotted, continued to grow through all the early part 
of summer, and being rested, were placed on the approach of 
winter into the greenhouse at once ; that year I had them to 
bloom in February, and by careful attention I find the same 
plants may be forced in three successive seasons, each year being 
somewhat earlier to flower than the preceding. Along with the 
carnations, and under the same treatment, I now cultivate pinks, 
picotees, the mule pink, and indeed any other member of the 
genus I happen to meet with, and find the essential point in 
forcing them to exist in their preparation, by suppressing the in¬ 
clination to bloom at the natural season, and in inducing a state 
of dormancy at an earlier period than is usual, carefully remem¬ 
bering through every stage “that they must not be hurried.” The 
object in forcing flowers being to produce a display of blossom, 
of course we do not look for the quality which should distinguish 
them at their natural season, and therefore I select the older 
plants in preference to layers, because they are bigger and pro¬ 
duce more bloom. 
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