THE FLORIST. 
247 
there one condemned, and for some hard by, excuses are urged with 
eloquence — the season, the soil, the late planting, the wireworm, 
the early frost or the later drought, or this and that ill-grown, half- 
developed bloom would have been splendid ! It is a great fact, that 
all floral meetings are not happy ones. There is now and then a call 
for sympathy and condolence. The hopes of April are not realised 
in June, and the cause must be discovered, argued, settled. “ ’Tis 
the drought, and no mistake,” exclaim three elderly practical-looking 
gentlemen in an instant. “ But,” says Mr. Newbegin, “ Dr. Horner, 
in The Florist for June, lays down emphatically as a rule, ‘ Let not 
one drop [of water'] be given in hot, droughty weather.’ ” Heat and 
drought, but no water ! and here arises matter for a whole after¬ 
noon’s argumentation. 
I do not propose to follow the dialogue ; but having been a grower 
for some years, and having treated some beds with, some without 
water, some with shade and some without, also in soils of greater 
or less tenacity of moisture, I am constrained to come to a conclusion 
in antagonism with that of your respected correspondent. Water 
without shade is admitted to be a great injury in hot weather; but 
with shade and judicious administration, I feel assured of its utility 
and necessity in the majority of seasons. It will be of great advan¬ 
tage to your readers to know whether Dr. Horner’s practice relates 
to one or two-year old seedlings only, or to old flowers : if confined 
to the former, his directions must be restricted to that class of flowers, 
and are almost valueless to the general cultivator. It would be use¬ 
ful also to be informed of the character and depth of his subsoil; and 
whether there is any thing in the situation of his garden in respect 
of supply of moisture from beneath the surface, coolness of tempera¬ 
ture, or other features not generally to be found in the garden of the 
Ranunculus grower, and which would justify, in his case, the aban¬ 
donment of artificial watering, when, as a general rule, it might not 
be dispensed with. 
I trust that the opinions of observant and experienced men on 
this matter may find their place in some future Numbers of your 
valuable work, for the profit of many who are hitherto not altogether 
satisfied with their culture of this beautiful flower. 
July 5. Experimentes. 
A FEW REMARKS 
ON THE CARNATION AND PICOTEE BLOOM OF THE 
PRESENT SEASON, NEW VARIETIES, &c. 
FROM OUR NOTE-BOOK. 
Although these flowers have been shewn generally in great perfec¬ 
tion this season, large and well marked, yet, in some localities, from 
thrips and other causes, the bloom has not been satisfactory. At 
the metropolitan exhibitions in July, these favourites formed the prin¬ 
cipal attraction, and merited all the encomiums bestowed on them. 
