128 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ June, 
surface-dressing of turfy soil, to encourage them to spread all over the pots into 
the dung. These roots are of great service, and help to bring the fruit to a good 
size, as well as to produce an abundant second crop ; but they must be stopped 
bearing after the second crop is obtained, and the extra roots cut off, so as to get 
the wood ripened for the next year. 
Figs require an abundant supply of water, except when the fruit is setting or 
the wood is ripening. The temperature is also better lowered at the time of 
setting. About Naples, to set the fruit crop, they insert, a silver bodkin rubbed 
over with a little oil. I think it is called “ caprifying,” but although several Italian 
gentlemen have performed the operation here, when we used to grow these very 
early figs, I never saw any benefit to arise, but the revei’se, as we found there came 
blind hard patches on them when ripe. 
Early figs require the same treatment as vines—indeed many persons grow them 
together—except at the time of setting and ripening, when the temperature should 
be lowered, as it adds greatly to the fiavour of the fruit. Where bottom-heat is 
established, something like the same treatment can easily be carried out.—J, 
Fleming, Cliveden. 
MAEKINGS OF THE CAENATION. 
« HAVE,” writes “ J. S.,” “ read your remarks at p. 76 with a great deal of 
interest, and must say you have got quite away from the old Hoc volo.^ sic 
f jvbeo style of treatment, but when you come to the markings of the Carna¬ 
tion, I am not sure, if I understand you, that I go with you. I have 
always thought a uniform distribution of colour was the one thing desirable, and 
so far as I am acquainted with floral literature, I believe most of the old genera¬ 
tion of florists prescribed this. But you say, the ‘ exact distribution of colour 
and its uniform arrangement in every petal would be positively painful.’ Query, 
is there not some point in which perfection may be found, and cannot this be 
indicated ?” 
It is clear my correspondent has scarcely given the thought he should have 
done to the remarks of Mr. Jeans on variety. Let me repeat them :—“ From what¬ 
ever source, however arising, it is essential that the florists’ flower which would claim 
a high position should not be deficient in this. Nor does it signify whether the variety 
of form be in the substance or in the markings of flowers. The Carnation owes 
much, though not all, of its superiority to the Picotee or Pink to the fact that, ivith- 
out violence to its general unityit has no two g>etals and. no two stf'ijoes on the same 
IKtal alike in the form, of their colours.’^ No doubt it was the case that an elder 
generation of florists did prescribe an “ equal distribution of stripes of colour in 
every petal,” and that they were thus unwittingly seeking the destruction of one 
of its especial beauties, but we must remember the Essays on the Philosophy 
of Florists' Flowers had not then been written, and our florist fathers were, in a 
large degree, groping in the dark. 
For myself, I can conceive nothing more unfortunate than that we should seek 
