ON THE CINERARIA. 
133 
secured by the most unremitting perseverance and patient skill, 
and again extended by another effort equalled only by the last; 
yet, in their present merely progressive state, who that claims 
to be an admirer of real beauty, possessing but an idea of the 
loveliness of proportion, would desire to see them return to their 
normal condition? 
For the benefit of those who are raising seedlings, we append 
the rules by which these flowers are usually judged, as an assist¬ 
ance to the proper estimate of their several new productions: — 
The plants should possess a neat compact habit, amply filled 
with medium-sized foliage, the bloom stems rising above the 
leaves so as to exhibit the flowers, free from obstruction and in 
a conspicuous manner. The presence of these characteristics 
indicate rather good management than a constitutional form, 
still their absence is a fatal objection. The florets (in common 
parlance petals) should proceed from the centre or disk, in an 
horizontal position, quite flat, and they should be of sufficient 
width to overlap each other, so as to leave no interstices between 
them ; the more nearly they approach a perfectly unbroken 
circle on the margin, so much nigher are they to perfection : 
the proportion of the disk to that of the whole flower should be 
as one is to three, and the colour or colours must be clearly 
defined, dense, and decided; of course novelty in this point is 
an acquisition, though it must not be purchased at the expense 
of either of the preceding properties ; size, though a neces¬ 
sary qualification, is considered of least importance, because a 
well-formed small flower is every way preferable, and more 
pleasing to the discriminating eye of taste, than a huge mis¬ 
shapen object; still one, being only equal in other respects and 
somewhat larger, would have the advantage of its predecessors. 
A correspondent in the last April number has anticipated all 
we could say on the cultivation of these beautiful ornaments of 
spring, only we may warmly recommend them as window 
plants, feeling certain that every satisfaction will result if only 
the most moderate amount of care be given them : fresh soil 
and pots once a year, protection from frost, and the proper sup¬ 
ply of water, is the summary of their treatment in such situations, 
the return for which is a rich display of light and elegant forms, 
tinted with almost innumerable shades of colour. 
We obtained our illustrations from the extensive collection of 
Mr. Ivery, Nurseryman, &c. of Peckham, who has directed his 
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