82 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ April, 
“ without violence to its general unity, it has no two petals, and no two stripes on 
the same petal, alike in the form of their colours.” 
One other point remains to be named. Quality, involved in the requirements 
set out under the head of form^ yet necessary to be introduced, because without 
quality^ whatever the symmetry of form, or the beauty and harmony and variety 
of the markings, the flower would be worthless. Quality, high quality, is there¬ 
fore of the flrst consequence, and demands the highest consideration: its presence 
depends upon the existence of a rich texture, lustrous colours, pure white ground, 
and smoothness both of the surface and edge of the petals. 
Size, as a point of excellence, deserves the least consideration. Any limit 
between 2^ in. as a minimum, and 3^ in. as a maximum, will be found to afford 
ample ground for admiration. In competition, other 2 ^oints being equals of course 
the larger size would win. 
In flowers brought into competition, the Disqualifications of the florist are:— 
1. The presence of any petal without any white. 
2. The presence of any petal without any colour. 
3. In the case of bizarred flowers, the presence of any petal in which there 
shall not be the two colours, in addition to white. 
4. The splitting of the calyx (or pod) so low as to touch the sub-calyx. 
In concluding this part of my subject, I desire further only to remark that 
though I may not, perhaps, have carried all my readers with me to the conclusions 
at which I have arrived, I have, in the materials collected, provided ample means 
for the solution of the question, each for herself—for I hope I may flatter myself 
that some of the fairer sex will be of the number—each for herself or himself, and 
this, to me, as provoking intelligent inquiry, is far more satisfactory than a mul¬ 
titudinous following in the dry and barren ruts of mere dogmatic prescription. 
WoEK FOE Apeil. —^Lose no time in getting the plants into the blooming- 
pots, or upon elevated beds; secure tail-growers by means of small sticks, to 
prevent loss from the effects of wind ; arrange the stock in classes and alphabeti¬ 
cally, as a means of easy reference. See that every pot is level, or the water when 
needed cannot be equally distributed. Delicate growers, or varieties which suffer 
from suffusion of the colour, whether of Carnations or Picotees, and whether it 
be to the discoloration of the back of the petals, or the melting of the colour into 
the white of the surface, will be greatly advantaged by a liberal admixture of 
small pieces of charcoal, about the size of a nut, with the soil at the time of 
potting. My practice is to have a measure of charcoal of the size described con¬ 
veniently at hand whilst potting, and to throw in a large handful, sometimes two, 
in every case where the grass is very open and succulent, or where experience has 
shown the tendency referred to exists. Be unremitting in watchfulness now, if 
you desire to have a fine head of bloom. Sow the seed in fine soil and well- 
drained pans, and place in gentle heat. Give plenty of air, and be very sparing of 
water as the plants break through.—E. S. Dodwell. 
