66 
THE FLORIST. 
have recently advanced more than the Calceolaria; and there yet 
remains much to be done before we reach the ultimum of perfection. 
Some of the spotted varieties certainly approach nearly to the 
standard; but then there is such diversity of colour and marking, 
that the variety is thus rendered almost infinite. Mr. Plant, of 
Cheadle, has opened out a new class of flowers with stripes, like 
the Carnation. The habit of his plants is generally good ; but the 
shape is capable of much improvement; the marking, however, is 
both beautiful and novel; and consequently ought to encourage the 
raiser in his labour of love. 
Having made these few prefatory remarks on the pleasure of 
raising seedlings, and the capabilities of improvement, I beg to sub¬ 
join a few remarks on saving the seed, raising seedlings, and their 
subsequent culture. 
When the plants are coming into bloom, select those you intend 
to save the seed from, which possess the best habit, and flowers of 
the finest form ; and as the flowers unfold, impregnate them with 
the pollen of another variety, distinct, and remarkable for brilliancy 
of colour, purity of marking, or some other desirable property which 
the seed-parent does not possess : this remark is applicable in im¬ 
pregnating most other flowers. A fine hair-pencil is generally used 
for this purpose; and, which is perhaps the best, neither retaining 
nor parting with the pollen too freely. It is desirable to keep the 
plants you intend to seed from, separate from others of inferior 
quality, to prevent their impregnating by natural causes. After the 
flowers are impregnated as above described, I generally tie a piece 
of string below the seed-pod, in order to distinguish the hybridised 
pods from the others when I gather the seed. I have often, how¬ 
ever, remarked, that when plants have been thus treated in a room- 
window, where they were excluded from bees and the wind, that 
very rarely any of the pods have filled with seed but those I have 
hybridised. At the same time, it is not advisable to keep the plants 
in the house when required for seeding, as an abundance of air is 
almost indispensable to the natural perfecting of the seed-pods. 
As soon as the pods begin to turn brown, cut them off, and 
spread them on a piece of paper for a few days, when the seed, which 
is very small, will rub out freely. Sow it the latter part of August, 
or the beginning of September, in pans, or large pots about 10 inches 
in diameter. Let the pots be filled about half-way up with crocks ; 
and then filled up with soil, three-fourths peat and one-fourth rich 
loam, passed through a fine sieve; to which add a liberal quantity 
of silver sand. After you have knocked the pot gently on the bot¬ 
tom, to settle the soil, rufile the surface with your finger, and then 
sow the seed, not too thick ; after which, press the surface moderately 
with the back of your hand, or a flat-bottomed pan, in order to set 
the seed, and then water it with a fine rose. It should on no 
account be covered with soil. Place the seed-pots in a frame, and 
protect them well from the mid-day sun. By placing a piece of flat 
glass over the pots, the soil will be kept regularly moist w'ithout too 
frequent waterings, and greatly facilitate the germination of the seed. 
