202 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
place, the grand function of the flower is directed to the originat¬ 
ing of a succession-plant by means of the seed ; and though, while 
the seed is advancing toward ripeness or maturity, it still depends 
upon the parent plant for its nourishment, it is not, physiologically 
speaking, any part of that plant as an individual, and cannot in any 
way, or to any extent whatever, promote the additional growth of 
its parent. 
Hence we see that, in order to expand its flowers and ripen its 
seeds, the plant requires a more dry treatment than that which is 
best for promoting its growth, or increase of size, as an individual. 
"We find, too, that very old plants, as for example old fruit-trees, 
though they endeavour to push out new shoots, in rather an un¬ 
natural manner, from various parts of their stems, yet increase very 
little in growth-wood upon the sprays. On these they chiefly 
produce fruit-buds ; and in proportion as the growth of wood on 
the sprays diminishes, the flowers and the fruit become individually 
smaller, and the latter are harder, less valuable, and more subject 
to the attacks of insects. Plants, even ligneous ones, which last 
for years, and which are cultivated for their flowers, are seldom 
allowed to run into this state, because the flowers would thereby 
be deteriorated. The object in them, and indeed in all flowering 
plants, is to get a vigorous growth immediately before the flower¬ 
ing, except in the case of tropical plants of double seasons, which 
make their growth in the one season, and elaborate and perfect 
their flowers in the other. Plants are adapted to so many soils, 
situations, and differences of season and climate, that no general 
rule can be laid down which will apply equally to the details of all, 
or even any considerable number of them ; but still the influence 
of a general principle may be traced through all the subject, 
varied as it is ; and this principle is, first to get a vigorous indi¬ 
vidual growth, by the application of as much moisture as the nature 
of the plant, and the temperature of the place in which it is grown, 
will bear ; and then, to abate the moisture, and get dry heat and 
light for a vigorous flowering. If the object merely be to produce 
seeds, the heat should be kept up, if not increased, until the func¬ 
tion of the flower is at an end. Under such treatment, however, 
the duration of the flower will be exceedingly brief; and this 
would not answer the general purposes of the florist, who wishes 
to keep his beauties in bloom as long as he possibly can. From 
this, those who grow the same species of plants for show, and for 
