ON THE RANUNCULUS. 
5 
sees, many thousands are then in embryo, and if he takes a 
portion of that, and has the worms picked out of it, he will find 
that after lying for some time many small worms may be de¬ 
tected through it, which have come into being during that 
period; now, although worms are always troublesome any 
where in a garden, there is no bed in it that they are likely to 
deface more than the ranunculus bed, as they drag the roots out 
of their places, and thereby disarrange the whole bed ; they also 
make it porous and light for the water to run through, which 
with this flower is highly injurious. Now, by using old manure 
much of this is obviated; the worms have all attained a good 
size, and can be easily picked out, and there are no young ones 
to take their place. 
There must be something too in fresh manure injurious to 
this flower, especially in hot seasons, as the past year has 
proved. IVIy beds prepared as directed in youi Octobei Num¬ 
ber escaped tolerably well the terribly destructive season, whilst 
others prepared with fresher manure weie scotched, and lifted 
miserably. The experience of such eminent growers as Light- 
body and Tyso are also, surely, a very good reason for using it 
as I have directed. Have Mr. Lockhart s succeeded well this 
year? or has the hot season shown him that fresh manure does 
not answer? I merely ask this from not having seen him, 
entering the lists as usual at Chiswick and the Suriey (jaidens 
against Messrs. Tyso. 
While upon this subject allow me to send you a list of a few 
good sorts, which T-- will do well to add to his list, it he 
does not already possess them, as they are sure to give satis¬ 
faction : — 
Lightbodys Chimpanzee. An ugly name for a most beauteous 
flower ; a white ground with a broad rose ecige about the eighth 
of an inch deep; large size, free grower and bloomer. 
Lightbodys Larne. A full, beautiful, white ground with a 
purple edge; a most striking and desirable vaiiety. 
Lightbodys Talisman. A very delicately beautiful flower; 
white ground with a narrow pencilled edge of bright purple ; a 
first-rate flower. 
Lightbody's Sir John Graham* Another very beautiful 
* [It appeal's from our correspondent’s description that there are two 
different flowers sold under this name. We have a Sir John Graham (said 
B 3 
