SEEDLING FLORIST’S FLOWERS. 
129 
dwarf habit; the flowers of all are a bright cerulean blue, ex¬ 
ceedingly pretty, and but for the difficulty in growing, really 
handsome specimens, this species would certainly stand at the 
head of the group. 
Laricina. This is, I believe, identical with what is usually con¬ 
sidered a variety of biloba , and known among cultivators as 
B. violacea ; it differs from that species only in having flowers of 
a deeper blue, or violet tint. 
Arcuata. A recent species, with very large red and yellow 
flowers, promises to be useful; the only objection to be taken 
against it is a degree of looseness in the habit, not so bad, 
certainly, as in biloba , yet still of sufficient extent to render its 
culture unsatisfactory, or at least entailing much trouble in the 
production of fine specimens. 
J. Robertson. 
RAISING SEEDLING FLORIST’S FLOWERS. 
Every florist who pursues his vocation con amove , at some 
time or other tries his hand at the production of seedlings. It 
matters little what he grows, but an attempt at improvement is 
sure to take place. Though hundreds of florists fail in the pur¬ 
suit, and millions of seedlings are annually consigned to oblivion, 
still the fame of the fortunate urges him to the course, and not 
unfrequently without the least determinate plan, trusting every¬ 
thing to a hap-hazard chance, believing only that the production 
of fine varieties begins in the harvesting of the seed. Such a 
system, or rather the want of one, can lead only to disappoint¬ 
ment ; and now that the season is at hand for taking the first 
step in the pursuit, in order that it may be in the right direction, 
it may be well to lead the florist expectant to look more closely 
into his objects, and predeterminately to settle his plans, that he 
may secure to himself all the assistance which the experience of 
others and the evidence of science is calculated to afford. The 
laws which regulate the sporting of flowers are as yet obscure; 
we only know that once the disposition is excited, by a con¬ 
tinuous raising in any certain direction, we may carry the pro¬ 
duce so far from its normal character as to be scarcely recognisable. 
