SIIjF S. B. Bill ©hrarg SB406 M55 This book was presented by Frederick L. Wellman :» Jr.. JL^ This book is due on the date indicated below and is subject to an overdue fine as posted at the Circulation Desk. THf .:) A TREATISE ON THE GfiLTURE OF Flower Si [^A St^ppleme^^tarv Dissertatiox S OIL8,]SlAXrRES,&T n If .#lOX*lft, ^/A IVALWOliTIlNrrn- i.^ViXs^W ^ii^'\ F let Street; (^(Tj^^'JJiohifijhn, Ff^te?viojter /{on; tffff/TSc,/.£^ert(>n, Chann^ CrojJ. ^r I) c ex c 1 1 . Eiitei'ftl at S tatioiic-rs Hall . Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2009 witii funding from NCSU Libraries littp://www.arcliive.org/details/floristsdirectorOOmadd PREFACE. np H E following Treatife was under- taken by the Author at the particular requeft of many refpeftable Florifts, who have fufFered repeated lofles, and have been difcouraged in their favourite pur- fuit of cultivating the finer flowers ; as well as of others, who have been deterred from entering with fpirit into this mofl rational and pleafmg amufement, for want of a fuitable guide, or diredor, to inftru6l them in the rudiments of the art ; pointing out, on the one hand, the moft approved methods of culture A yet ii PREFACE. yet difcovered, and, on the other, guard- ing them againft the pernicious confe- quences arifmg from improper modes of treatment. The Author, with much diffidence, fubmits the following pages to the peru- fal of fuch ; and at the fame time ear- neftly folicits the candour and indulgence of the reader, in excufingany inaccuracies they may be found to contain, as his objeft, in the publication, is to afford what little afliftance he is capable of, to the inexperienced, without arrogating to himfelf any fuperior qualifications for a work of this nature, beyond others who perhaps may be more capable of exe- cuting it ; but who, however, have not yet thought proper to favour the public with PREFACE. iii with their opinions and experience on the fubje6l. The Author is not acquainted with any publication that treats feparately, and particularly, of thofe flowers that are deemed mofl: worthy of cultivation by Florifts ; there are, indeed, treatifes on the culture of particular flowers, as of the Hyacinth, Auricula, &c. fome of which are written in foreign languages, and are confequently of but little ufe to the Englifli reader ; others are to be found in our own tongue, by different authors ; but their works are either volu- minous and expenfive, or their informa- tion inadequate to the end propofed. However imperfeft, in point of fcience or language, the following work may appear. iv PREFACE. appear, it has, at leaft, the advantage of experience to recommend it, an expe- rience founded on long and extenfive pra6lice, and clofe attention to the fub- je6l; and the fuccefs refulting from the methods hereafter defcribed has been, in fomemeafure, confirmed by the concurrent teftimonies of the mofl eminent Florifts, both of this country and abroad. But notwithftanding the long and con- tinued attention which feveral in England and Holland have given to this branch of horticulture, the art of cultivating plants in general, and flowers in particular, is yet fo imperfeftly underflood, and may probably long remain to be fo, that an extenfive field for improvement and dif- covery prefents itfelf to the intelligent and PREFACE. V and exploring genius, who is, or may be engaged in this purfuit. So much likewife depends on foil, fituation, climate, and various other at- tending circumftances, that an individual can fcarcely exped to arrive at any confiderable degree of perfe6lion in this art, merely from his own obfervation and experience ; it is, perhaps, not to be obtained in any other manner than by a comparifon of the fuccefs which may refult from the methods and praftice of different perfons refiding in fituations totally diffimilar to each other : if fuch would mutually communicate their ideas, it would evidently tend to elucidate a fubje6l very interelling to the admirers of this clafs of the produaions of na- 3 ture; vi PREFACE. ture ; for want of fuch communications, many ufeful acquifitions and difcoveries have been loft to fociety, either by fmk- ing into oblivion, with the parties in whom they originated, or by being im- properly circumfcribed within too nar- row limits, have fallen ftiort of thofe extenfive improvements which they were capable of producing. It is impoffible to lay down any rules on the prefent fubjeft that will always fucceed when reduced to praftice ; they will, on the contrary, be liable to fail •under peculiar circumftances, fuch as the irregularities of weather, difference of feafons, the long duration and extremes of heat and cold, and other unavoidable cafualties, which are beyond the reach of human PREFACE. Vll human prudence to forefee, or guard againft at all times ; all that can be rea- fonably expefted or propofed here, is, to point out fuch modes of treatment as have been generally found to fucceed beft, without prefuming to fay that any of the rules are infallible, or incapable of improvement. INTRODUCTION. T^HE finer Flowers, more particularly demanding our attention, are The Hyacinth, The Tulip, The Ranunculus, The Anemone, The Auricula, The Carnation, The Pink, and The Polyanthus. Thefe are feparately treated of under their refpedive heads ; but for a more particu- B lar INTRODUCTION. lar defcription of the feveral varieties of each fpecies, the reader is referred to the printed Catalogue publifhed annually by the Author of this Treatife, containing the name, colour, and price, of the va- rious articles, which could not be properly introduced into any permanent work of this kind, on account of the continual changes and alterations that take place, both in the value of the articles, which is governed by their novelty, fcarcity, or merit, and alfo by the introdu6lion of new forts, and extinftion of others. The following fhort account, or hiftory, of the cultivation of Flowers, may not be deemed foreign to our purpofe ; but to trace back to their origin, the Flowers treated of in the following work, through their various ftages of cultivation and improvement, and to aflert with abfolute certainty, of what particular country they are INTRODUCTION. 3 are natives, would be a talk too difficult to accomplifh, and the refult of the moft affiduous inquiry, would, in all proba- bility, in the end amount to little more than conje6lure ; fo divided are authors in their opinions on the fubjeft, and fo enveloped in obfcurity are the ideas of ancient writers, particularly with refpedl to the Hyacinth, that inftead of commu- nicating any ufeful information, they tend rather to confound and bewilder the inquirer. It mufl therefore fuffice, juft to point out the moft natural and reafonable conclufions on this head, and fimply to ftate what are the moft generally received opinions of latter times on the fubje6l; in doing which it would be improper to extend the difcuffion beyond the narrow limits to which a ftrid attention to authenticity will neceflarily confine it. The 4 INTRODUCTION. -^■^— ^~— — ^ "^ The Hyacinth is of the clafs and order Hexandria Monogynia ; according to Linnaeus, it is the Hyacinthus orientalis ; five, Hyacinthus coroUis infundibulifor- mibus femifexfidis, ball ventricolis : i. e. Oriental Hyacinth ; or Hyacinth with funnel (haped corols or petals, cleft half way into fix parts, and fwelled at the bafe. The Oriental Hyacinth, according to Linnaeus, is a native of Afia and Africa ; it is alfo called oriental by Diofcorides, who wrote during, or foon after., the reign of Vefpafian : Cafpar Bauhine refers to a work entitled Befler's Hortus Eyflettenlis, the firft part of which was publiflied in 1613, the lafl in 1640, for three double varieties of the Oriental Hyacinth; but the firft double Hyacinth known in Holland, was raifed from feed, towards the end of the laft, or l^eginning of the prefent century, by Pete^ INTRODUCTION. 5 Peter Voorhelm/ one of the earlieft and moft celebrated Dutch Florifts, and from which, all the fine double varieties we now poflefs, may be traced through a courfe of continued cultivation and gra- dual improvement. So great was the value of a capital new double Hyacinth confidered formerly in Holland, that two thoufand Dutch florins, amounting to upwards of 150I. fterling, was aftually given for a fmgle root.^ The word Hyacinth is of very ancient date, and of uncertain derivation. The Tulip is of the fame clafs and order as the Hyacinth ; according to Linnaeus, it is the Tulipa Gefneriana; five, Tulipa flore ere6lo, foliis ovato- lanceolatis : z. e. Gefnerian Tulip ; or * Vide the Marquis de St. Simon's treatife on the Hyacinth, printed at Amfterdam, 1768. P Vide George Voorhelm's treatife on the Hyacinth, printed at Haerlem, 1773. Tulip 6 INTRODUCTION. Tulip with an ereft Flower, and ovate fpear-fhaped Leaves, The Tulip, accord- ing to Gefner, is a native of Cappadocia, from whence it was introduced into Europe, in the year 1559; it is, however, certain, that theprefent improved varieties of the Tulip have been obtained by art, within the laft and prefent century; and it is chiefly to the exertions of Dutch, French, and Flemifli Florifts, that we are indebted, for the perfeQion to which we fee the Tulip at prefent arrived. The rage for Tulips was fo prevalent in Holland about one hundred and fifty years ago, that it is faid, property to the amount of many hundred pounds (lerling, was given for a fingle root; this extraor- dinary traffic was, however, foon checked by the interference of the legiflature, who forefaw the ruinous confequences that muft inevitably follow an infatuation of that INTRODUCTION. 7 that kind to individuals, and deemed it expedient to enaft, that no Tulip, or other flower root, fhould, in future, be fold for any fum exceeding about fifty pounds flerling. The word Tulip is faid to be derived from the Turkifli word, Tulipan, fignifying a cap, or head drefs. The Ranunculus is of the clafs and order Polyandria Polygynia ; according to Linnaeus, it is the Ranunculus Afiaticus; five. Ranunculus foliis ternatis biterna- tifque, foliolis trifidis incifis, caule inferne ramofo : i. e. Afiatic Ranunculus ; or Ranunculus with trifoliate, and twice trifoliate leaves, whofe leaflets are trifid and cut, the flem branchins: at the bottom. The Afiatic, or as it is more commonly called, the Perfian Ranunculus, according to Linnaeus, is a native of Afia and Mauritania: it is faid to have been intro- duced 8 INTRODUCTION. duced into Europe from Syria, at the time of the Crufades ; but in this, as well as other Flowers, we find the mofl confi- derable improvements made within the lafl fifty years, both on the continent of Europe, and in England. The word Ranunculus is fuppofed to be derived from Rana, a Frog; this derivation proba- bly originated from the known partiality of the Ranunculus to a cool and moifl lituation, while in a fi:ate of vegetation, as the plant does not appear to have any refemblance in its fliape to that animal. The Anemone is of the fame clafs and order as the Ranunculus ; according to Linnaeus, it is the Anemone coronaria; five, Anemone foliis radicalibus ternato decompofitis, involucro foliofo : i. e. Crown Anemone ; or Anemone with radical Leaves three-decompound, and a leafy involucrum. The INTRODUCTION. 9 The Anemone, according to Linnaeus, is a native of the fouth-eaft of Europe; but we are alfo informed by another author,*" that M. Bachelier, a French gen- tleman, brought it from America to France, in the courfe of the laft century, where he cultivated and very much im- proved the fpecies, fince which it has attained its prefent degree of perfeftion, by the continued attention of Florifts to its culture : the Englilh, however, can claim little or no {hare in the advance- ment or improvement of this flower ; for all the varieties of double Anemonies we pofTefs in England, have been import- ed from Holland, France, or Flanders. The word Anemone is derived from a Greek word, fignifying the Wind, very applicable to this flower, as its petals are fo foft and flexible, and its feed fo light " Vide G. Voorhelm's treatife on the Hyacinth. C and lo INTRODUCTION. and downy, that they are agitated by the moft triflinor breezes. The Auricula is of the clafs and order Pentandria Monogynia ; according to Lin- naeus, it is the Auricula Urfi ; five. Primula foliis feratis glabris : i. e. Bear's Ear ; or Auricula with fmooth ferrated leaves. The Auricula, according to Linnaeus, is a native of the alps of Switzerland and Styria ; it is called Sanicula Alpina, by Bauhine, Gefner, Sec. it owes its prefent improved flate, principally to the afliduity and attention of Englifli Florifts to its culture, who have, from the feed of a flower, imported from Holland about fifty years fince, produced, by continued cultivation, almofl: all the varieties we now can boaft. The Dutch and French have extended their improvement of this flower, little or no further than to pro- duce a numerous variety of yellow, brown, and INTRODUCTION. ii and other fhaded forts, greatly Inferior to the beautiful kinds raifed in this country. The words Auricula Urfi, fignify Bear's Ear ; the plant is fo called from the refemblance its leaves have to the ears of that animal. The Carnation is of the clafs and order Decandria Digynia ; according to Linnseus, it is theDianthus Caryophyllus ; five, Dianthus floribus foiitariis, fquamis calycinis fubovatis breviflirais, corollis crenatis: i. e. Clove Dianthus; or Dian- thus with folitary flowers ; fcales to the calyx rather oval and very fliort ; the petals crenated or notched. The Carnation, according to Linnaeus, is a native of Italy ; the fingle Clove Carnation is, however, to be found grow- ing wild on the walls of Rochefter Caftle ; but whether, from that circumftance, it ought to be deemed a native of this country. 12 INTRODUCTION. country, we pretend not to determine; it feems rather a difputable point, and therefore, after having related the fimple faft, we leave the difcuflion to thofe who may be able to decide upon it with more certainty. The Carnation has attained its prefent degree of perfeftion, by the unremitting attention of Florifls to its culture from feed, the only line in which the fpecies of any plant, or flower, can poflibly re- ceive improvement or variety. The principal, or moft generally elleemed, forts of Carnations, cultivated in England, till within the lafl fifty years, were called Burfters, becaufe their blof- foms*^ confifted of a double pod;" the interior one being in the centre of the other, and containing likewife a great number of petals, by its fwelling caufed «> Corolla. • Calyx. the INTRODUCTION. the exterior pod, or calyx, to burft; the bloflbms of thefe Burfters, when properly managed, and in full bloom, were not lefs than four or five inches in diameter, and the centre of each was well filled up with the petals of the interior pod, fo as to make a very uniform and noble ap- pearance; but it required much care and Ikill to caufe them to blow in perfeftion. The attention of the Florill was di- verted from the cultivation of Burfters, by the introduftion of a new defcription of Carnations from France, about fifty years fmce ; thefe were denominated Whole-Blowers, in oppofition to the former term of Burfters ; they were alfo called French Flakes ; their bloflbms, in general, were furniflied with only one pod or calyx, which, by a little manage- ment on the approach of bloom, was preferved in an entire ftate ; the culture of 14 INTRODUCTION. of them was, at the fame time, attended with much lefs trouble, in other refpe6ls, than that of the former, and they foon obtained a decided preference. But the improvement, with refpeft to the edge of the petal, is of ftill later date ; the firft forts, both of Burflers and Whole-Blowers, being poflefled of a fringe, or ferrature, in that part, like that of the Pink ; this has, however, been completely overcome of late years, and thofe poffefTed of that property, are not now efteemed to be of the capital forts. The word Carnation is, probably, de- rived from Carnes, the natural flefli colour. The Pink is of the fame clafs and order as the Carnation ; according to Linnaeus, it is the Dianthus Arenarius; live, Dianthus caulibus fubunifloris, fqua- mis calycinis ovatis obtufis, corollis multifidis, INTRODUCTION. 15 multifidis, foliis linearibus; i. c. Sand Dianthus; or, Dianthus with moftly one flower on the ftem, oval obtufe fcales to the calyx, the petals cut into many points, and the leaves linear or narrow. This Pink, according to Linnaeus, is a native of the colder parts of Europe; it is alfo found in the north of England; but the improved varieties of what were formerly called Pheafant Eyes, are the fubjed of that part of the following work where Pinks are treated of, having now the preference in this and other countries ; thefe fo materially differ, in fome of their properties, from the original fpecies, that it is not eafy to afcertain to which of them, as defcribed by Linnaeus, they mofl; pro- perly belong; there is, however, reafon to believe, that the arenarius of Linnaeus, is the original Pheafant Eye, and as fuch it is given in this place. The i6 INTRODUCTION. The great improvements made in the Pink, are of very recent date, and hither- to chiefly, if not wholly, confined to this kingdom; in fhort, we may venture to aflert, that a Pink called Major's Lady Stoverdale, raifed from feed in the fouthern parts of England, by the perfon whofe name it bears, was the firft that deferved to be clafled amongft fuch as are now held in efteem by Florifts ; it was raifed about twenty years fmce, and was the firft Pink pofleffed of that fingular and beautiful ornament called a Lacing, which is a continuation of the colour of the eye, round the white or broad part of the petal, that gives it a moft elegant appearance. Very little progrefs has yet been made towards diverting the Pink of its fringed or ferrated edge; but that effeft having been produced in the Carnation, we may reafonably INTRODUCTION. 17 reafonably hope, that it will in time take place in the Pink, and that we fhall be able to obtain tall ftrong ftem'd Pinks, with large handfome bloflbms, confifling of petals as perfe61;ly entire on the edge as thofe of the Carnation or the Rofe. The word Pink is derived from the Dutch, in which language it fignifies an Eye. The Polyanthus is of the fame clafs and order as the Auricula, and has been confidered, by different authors, to have originated from different fpecies of the Primula; fome fuppofe the Cowflip, others the Oxflip ; but the author of the Flora Londinenfis, treating of the Prim- rofe, confiders it as the original parent of the Polyanthus, to whom we refer the reader for his reafons, which he gives at large in that excellent publication. D The i8 INTRODUCTION. It is aflerted, however, by fome, that the Polyanthus is a native of Turkey, v^here it may ftill be found in great beauty, &c.^ To whatever plant it owes its origin, its prefent highly improved ftate is doubtlefs the effeft of long and afliduous culture, which, like the Auri- cula, Carnation, and Pink, has been chiefly confined to this country. The beautiful yellow of the Cowflip, which it did not formerly poffefs in the fame degree of perfe£lion it now does, has, in the opinion of fome, been communicated to it, within the prefent century, by impregnation ; it has likewife received very confiderable improvement in its other properties, within the laft twenty or thirty years ; and the forts known fifty years ago are not now in cultivation, being ^ Vide Hanbury's Complete Body of Planting and Gardening, printed at London, 1771 and 1772. negle6led INTRODUCTION. 19 neglefted in proportion to the fucceflive acquifition of new and fuperior varieties. The word Polyanthus, or Polyanthos, is derived from the Greek, and implies many flowers. It may not be improper to give fome explanation to fuch of the botanical terms, defcriptive of the component parts of a flower, as are occaiionaJly men- tioned in the following treatife; but it does not appear neceflary to explain every technical term ufed by Botanifts, in their defcriptions of the conflituent parts of a plant or flower, in this work, as it is not intended to comprize a fyfl:em of Botany. Botanical Terms explained, viz. I. The Peduncle, is the foot-ftalk of a flower, proceeding from the main flem, 20 INTRODUCTION. ftem, and fupporting the Corolla, as in the Auricula, Polyanthus, &c. II. The CalyXj or flower cup, the part which guards and fupports the Corolla, as in the Carnation, Pink, &c. III. The Corolla, the flower or bloflbm, properly fo called, confifting of one or more petals. When this is entire, it is called Monopetalous, or a Corolla of one petal, as in the Auricula and Polyanthus ; but when it is divided quite to the bafe, into two or more parts, each part is called a Petal; thus the Tulip is faid to have fix petals: in double flowers they are extremely numerous, and the Corolla of fuch may be termed Polypetalous, IV. The Petal, or fingle floral leaf. V. The Unguis, or lower, long, narrow part of a petal, called the Bafe, or Claw. VI. The INTRODUCTION. 21 VI. The Lamina, or upper, broad, fp reading part of a petal, called the Plate. VII. The Limb, border, or upper broad, fpreading part of a Monopetalous Corolla. VIII. The Tube, or lower, narrow, tubular part of the fame. IX. The Stamen, Stamens, or Stamina, if more than one, confifts of two parts, viz. the Filament, and the Anther, or Summit, which it fupports. X. The Anther, contains the Pollen, or Farina. XL The Pericarpium, or Seed-VefleL XIL Radix, the Root : vide Plate 4. and its page of reference, for various defcriptions of flower roots. TH E THE FLORIST S DIRECTORY. On hyacinths. DOUBLE Hyacinths, which are much more beautiful and eftima- ble than thofe which produce fingle flow- ers, are, like the latter, known by the general diftin6tion of Reds, Whites, and Blues, with a few kinds of Yellow, more recently obtained from feed. In many inftances, Double Hyacinths have the 24 HYACINTHS. the peculiar advantage of a beautiful contrail of colour in the eye, or centre of their bells, which the fingle forts can- not poffefs. The roots'" of Double Hyacinths may- be planted at any time from the middle of Oftober to the middle of November ; if it is done earlier the plants will appear above ground in the middle of winter, which will render them liable to material injury from fevere frofts ; or if it is de- ferred later, the roots will be weakened by their natural tendency to vegetate, manifefted by a fwelling of the circle from whence the fibres proceed, which will be foon followed by an a6lual ap- pearance of the points of the fibres, toge- ther with that of the foliage at the other extremity of the root, in the form of a fmall obtufe cone of a greenifh colour. * Or bulbs. The HYACINTHS. 25 The bed on which they are to be planted fhould be fituated in rather a dry and airy part of the garden, a fouthern afpeft is to be prefered, fhekered on the North and Eaft by trees or buildings, at a diflance from it proportionable to their height ; if it is a common garden wall or hedge, the diflance of fix feet will be fufficient. Care muft however be taken to avoid the drip from trees, which is found to be prejudicial. When the fituation is determined on, the dimenfions of the bed fhould be marked out, and the foil entirely taken away to the depth of at leafl two feet ; the earth in the bottom muft then be dug up and comminuted, or pulverized, one fpit or nine inches deeper, and the fpace above filled up with a compofl con- fiflins[ of the foUowino- inorredients in the annexed proportions, viz. E One 26 HYACINTHS. One third coarfe fea, or river fand. One third frefh found earth. One fourth rotten cow-dung, at leaft two years old. Earth of decayed leaves for the remainder. The frefh found earth of the compofl fhould be of the beil quality that the garden or adjacent country produces ; it (hould be entirely free from noxious vermin of every defcription, particularly the hard yellow wire-worm, which is about an inch long, and prevails in moft parts of the kingdom ; it is ex- tremely deflruftive to all kinds of tender vegetables, and many of the hardy forts, by penetrating to, and eating out the heart of the bulb, and it fometimes pro- ceeds up the ftem of the plant. The only fure method of avoiding thefe worms is to examine the foil very minutely, and if HYACINTHS. 27 if it contains any, to pick them out and deflroy them. Some make ufe of rot- ten tan as an ingredient in the compoft, but it generally retains fome degree of aftringency, which is pernicious to de- licate flowers. The ingredients before mentioned are to be well mixed and incorporated, and about a fortnight previous to plantings the bed fhould be filled up with the compoft to about four inches above the level of the path on the fouth or front fide, and ten inches on the north lide> fo as to form a regular flope, or incli^ nation towards the fun. On planting the roots, the furface of the bed (hould be covered with a little frefh fandy earth about one inch thick, raked perfeftly fmooth and even, and have the exad fituation for every bulb marked upon it, as on Plate 5, Fig. 1. The 28 HYACINTHS. The plan, as defcribed by the plate, on minute inveftigation, will appear fu- perior to any other that can be devifed for elegance and fimplicity ; each bulb, thofe of the outfide rows excepted, will be in the centre of a hexagon, and the whole at equal diftances from each other. The w^idth of the furface of the bed is four feet, the fix rows acrofs it are eight inches afunder, and the two outfide rows are each four inches from the fides of the bed ; confequently the fpace be- tween the centre of each bulb is about nine inches and a quarter ; each row contains three bulbs, and the letters R. W. B. denote the colour of the flower to be placed there, viz. Red, White, or Blue ; under thefe three heads all Hya- cinths may be comprehended, except a few forts of Yellow, which may be claffed with the Whites. On HYACINTHS. 29 On planting Hyacinths, a little clean fand fhould be placed underneath, and likewife upon the roots, to prevent the earth adhering too clofe to them; the whole are then to be covered with found frefli fandy earth, from three to four inches deep, according to the fizeof the bulb ; when this is completed, the bed will be about eight inches above the level of the walk on the fouth or front fide, and about fourteen inches on the north fide ; it will look neater and have a bet- ter effeft if it is fupported on all fides with a flrong frame of thick boards, or brickwork ; and in order to preferve it from very heavy rains or fevere frofts, it fhould be hooped over, and mats or canvafs fhould be placed at hand ready to cover the bed on fuch emergencies ; but it will not be neceflary to defend it from moderate rains or flisrht frofts : for too 30 HYACINTHS. ■■ ■ ■' too frequent and long covering will de- prive the roots of the due aftion and in- fluence of the air, which ought to be avoid- ed as much as pofTible : it were even bet- ter to run the hazard of incurring a flight injury by the omifTion of covering on fome occafions, than overdo it to the certain detriment of the plants. If froft is permitted to penetrate fo far into the foil as to reach the bulbs, efpe- cially about the time that the plants be- gin to appear above ground, it will pro- duce a fingular effeft, by caufmg fome of them to fhoot forth or difcharge their flems and bloflbms ; but if the roots become entirely frozen through, they are in danger of being deftroyed. The earlier forts will begin to open and fhew colour about the beginning of April; it will be proper to fcreen fuch from the too powerful effefts of the fun, which. HYACINTHS. 31 which, if not prevented, would bleach and tarnifh their colours, particularly the Reds and deep Blues; but if they are properly defended from it, their colours will be preferved, and they will, in fome meafure, be kept back, fo as to be in full bloom with the later forts, efpecially if the roots of the early forts have been planted about an inch deeper than the reft : it is a very delirable objeft to have an uniform bloom. It will be neceffary to fupport the ftems, as they advance in height ; for this purpofe, fmall fticks or wires, painted green, fhould be forced into the ground, immediately behind the bulbs, either in an ereft pofition, or leaning a little backwards, to which the ftems are to be rather loofely tied, with fmall pieces of green worfted, as foon as they begin to bend, or are in danger of 3 breaking 32 HYACINTHS. breaking with the weight of the bells;'* this operation muft be repeated as they advance in height, for it is impoflible to do it at one time fo as to anfwer the purpofe. When the greater part of the bed appears in colour, a covering, or awning, fhould be erefted over it, and the path in front : the awning fhould confifl of a flrong frame of wood, ten feet high in the centre, and feven feet at the fides, covered with Irifh or Scotch fheeting, or Ruffia Duck, which will effeftually keep out rain, and admit a great degree of light ; it fhould come down clofe to the bed, on the north fide, in order to preferve it from cold winds, which are prejudicial to the bloom. The covering fliould be fo conftrufted, by means of lines and puUies, as to be eafily and expeditioufly rolled up, or let '' The Florifts ufual term for the Corolla of the Hyacinth. down, HYACINTHS. 33 down, as occafion requires, fee Plate 5, Fig. 2) to afford the plants the full benefit of light and air, at all favourable opportunities ; that is to fay, when the air is mild, and light clouds intervene, fo as to blunt the fun's ray. This fome- times, and, indeed, often happens to be the cafe from feven to nine o'clock in the morning, and from four to fix in the evening, at which times the fun has alfo lefs power than in the middle of the day. A bed of Hyacinths never requires to be watered at any period ; the rains that happen after planting are generally more than fufhcient, both for the roots and the bloom; and after the bloom is over they are rather prejudicial than otherwife, except when very moderate. Although covering in the manner defcribed, prefents and exhibits the bloom to the greateft advantage, yet it F evidently 34 HYACINTHS. evidently has a tendency to weaken and injure the bulbs, and ought not, there- fore, to be continued more than two or three weeks at mod ; but as foon as the general bloom declines, the bed fliould be immediately expofed to the open air, and the mats and hoops fhould be re- placed, as before, to keep off heavy rains. It is the praftice in Holland to take up the bulbs about three weeks or a month after bloom, in the following manner : as foon as the plants begin to put on a yellowifh decayed appearance, they take up the roots and cut off the ftem and foliage clofe to, or within half an inch of the bulb, but leave the fibres, Sec, attached to it ; they then place the bulbs again on the fame bed fideways, with their points towards the North, and cover them about half an inch deep, with dry HYACINTHS. 35 dry earth or fand, in the form of a ridge, or little cone, over each : in this ftate they remain about three weeks longer, and dry or ripen gradually ; during which, as much air is admitted as pof- fible, but the bed is preferved from heavy rains, and too hot a fun ; at the expiration of this period, the bulbs are taken up, and their fibres, which are become nearly dry, gently rubbed off; they are then placed in a dry room for a few days, and are afterwards cleaned from any foil that adheres to them, their loofe fkins taken off, with fuch oflFsets as may be eafily feparated. When this dreffing is finilhed, the bulbs are wrapped up in feparate pieces of paper, or buried in dry fand, where they remain till the return of the feafon for planting. Another, 36 HYACINTHS. Another, and lefs troublefome, mode of treatment after bloom, though per- haps more hazardous, is to keep the bed airy, and rather dry, till the flems and foliage appear nearly dried up or con- fumed ; this will feldom happen to be the cafe in lefs than two months ; the bulbs are then to be taken up, cleaned from the fibres, foil, &c. and preferved in fand or papers as before direded. Offsets may be planted a few days earlier than the large roots, in an open part of the garden, in rows about two inches deep, upon a bed raifed fix or eio:ht inches above the common level, confifl;ing of a fandy foil, commi- nuted, or pulverized, eighteen inches deep ; the furface of the bed fliould be made rather convex, or rounding, fo as to throw off heavy rains ; no further attention HYACINTHS. 37 attention is neceflary, except to flir the furface of the bed occafionally, keep it free from weeds, and preferve it from very fevere froft. The proper time to take them up, &c. is already pointed out, being the fame as for large roots. Offsets, if preferved in health, will bloom weakly the fecond year; but by the third, tolerably ftrong, and may af- terwards be placed on the beft bed. Such roots as have attained the age of four or five years, bloom flronger in this country than any other; they afterwards gradually decline, either by dividing into offsets, or diminifhine in fize and ftrength : but in Holland, owing to the peculiar circumflances of the foil, climate, fituation, &c. the fame bulb has been known to produce bloom twelve or thirteen times, nor is it ever known to die merely with age. Hyacinths 38 HYACINTHS. Hyacinths are fubjeft to various dif- eafes, arifing from different caufes; that diftemper commonly known by the appellation of the ring ficknefs, is of all others the mod dangerous, and moft difficult to cure ; in (hort, the only ef- feftual remedy is to cut out the difeafed part, till no brownnefs, yellownefs, or other fymptom of diftemper remains. The found part will furvive the opera- tion, if it confifts of no more than the outfide tunick of the bulb, without any heart ; but it will, in fuch cafe, only be able to produce offsets, and will never recover itfelf, fo as to flower again : as foon as the operation is performed, the wounded part (hould be expofed to the fun, till it becomes dry, to prevent mouldinefs, and it will be beft to replant it in fome dry fituation foon after. The HYACINTHS. 39 The Hyacinth delights in a fandy foil, and faline atmofphere ; of confequence it fucceeds beft on the fea coaft, or in fituations very near to the fea. In more inland parts, it will generally be found neceflary to procure an annual reinforce- ment of frelh imported bulbs, in order to make good or fupply the deficiencies arifing from the lofs, or impaired health and ftrength of many of thofe that have bloomed on the beft bed the preceding fpring. Thofe who are well acquainted with the Hyacinth, always allow about one bulb in twelve to fail, notwithftanding no vifible blemifh or decay is difcernible at the time of planting ; fuch generally have a corps de refcrve^ in narrow deep pots, which, at the commencement of bloom, they plunge or fink into the bed, wherever a vacancy, or weak fickly plant makes its appearance; by which means .3 ^^e 40 HYACINTHS. the uniformity and regularity of the bed is preferved, without any vifible defeft or alteration. Single Hyacinths are held in lefs eftimation than full or double ones ; their colours are, however, equally good if not fuperior, and their bells, though fmall, are more numerous ; they are more hardy, and may be planted a week or two before the double forts, by which means they will bloom two or three weeks earlier than the latter, with the fame kind of management. The Whites and Blues amon^ft thefe fingle forts are poflefied of better proper- ties than the Reds ; it is therefore advifa- ble to have a greater proportion of them in a colleftion. Single Hyacinths produce feed, which is very rarely to be procured from double forts, and the following is the moft HYACINTHS. 41 mod approved method of raifing and cultivating it ; but it is fcarcely worth attempting in this country, as its progrefs is fo (low, and fuccefs in ultimately obtaining any valuable flowers from it, is fo extremely precarious. The feed (hould be faved from fuch forts as have flrong and ftraight flems, and a regular well-formed pyramid of bells, riot perfeftly fmgle, but rather femi-double. It fhould not be gathered till it has become perfe6lly black and ripe, at which time the Pericarpium will appear yellow on the outfide, and will begin to open. The ftem, with which the feed is conneded, is then to be cut off, and placed in a dry, airy, cool fitua- tion, where it may remain undifturbed till the time of fowing, which is the latter end of 06tobcr, or beginning of March : it fliould then be fown about G half 42 HYACINTHS. half an inch below the furface of the foil, in a deep box filled with good found garden mould mixed with fand, or the Hyacinth compoft, which fhould be after- wards placed in a warm fituation during winter. It will never require to be watered, or have any other attention paid to it, than to keep it free from weeds and froft, till it has remained in this flate two years ; it mufl then, on the approach of winter, have an additional flratum of the compoft placed upon it, about half an inch thick; and at the third year, in the month of July, the roots may be taken up, dried, and treated in the fame manner as de- fcribed for large bulbs or offsets ; fome of the roots will flower the fourth year, one half of them will at the fifth, but by the fixth year, every healthy root will exhibit its bloom, and then the hopes and expec- tations of the cultivator will be realized or HYACINTHS. 43 jor difappointed. He may think himfelf fortunate, if one half of the plants that firfl appeared, are in exiftence at this period ; and if he can at laft find one flower in five hundred deferving a name or place in a curious colleflion, he may reil perfe6lly content, and be aflured that he has fared as well as could reafonably J)e expefted, and better than many who have befl;owed equal attention on the fubjeft. A Defcriptioii of the Properties of a Fine Double Hyacinth. THE flem fhould be ftrong, tall, and cred, fupporting numerous large bells, each fufpended by a fhort and ftrong Peduncle, or foot-ftalk, in a horizontal pofition, fo that the w^hole may have a compaft pyramidal form, with the crown, or uppermoft bell, perfeflly ereft. The 44 HYACINTHS. The bells fhould be large, and perfe6lly double, i. e. well filled with broad bold Petals, appearing to the eye rather convex, than flat or hollow : they fhould occupy about one half the length of the ftem. The colours fhould be clear and bright, whether plain red, white, or blue, or varioufly intermixed and diverfified in the eye; the latter, it muft be confefled, gives additional luftre and elegance to this beautiful flower. Note. Strong bright colours are, in general, preferred to fuch as are pale ; there are, however, many rofe-coloured, pure white, and light blue Hyacinths, in high eflimation. Obfervation. Some forts confift of Petals of different colours, fuch as light reds, HYACINTHS. 45 — reds, '^ith deep red eyes ; whites, with rofy, blue, purple, or yellow eyes; light blues, with deep blue or purple eyes; and yellow, with purple in the eye, &c. others again have their petals ftriped, or marked down the centre, with a paler or deeper colour, which has a pleafmg efFe6l. It fometimes happens, and with fome forts more frequently than others, that two ftems are produced from the fame root, one is generally confiderably taller and ftronger than the other ; when this is the cafe, the weaker may be cut off near the ground, foon after it makes its ap- pearance, or fuffered to bloom, and its bells be intermixed with the lower ones of the taller ftem, fo dextroufly as to appear like one regular pyramid of bells. On On tulips. 'Tn U L I P S are divided into two clafles, viz. early and late blowers* The late blowers are infinitely the fineft and mofl valuable, and are of courfe entitled to the principal attention of the curious ; they are, therefore, tQ be confidered as the fubjeft of the following remarks and obfervations. They are divided into five*" diflin6|: families, viz, 1. Primo Baguets. 2. Baguet Rigauts, 3. Incomparable Verports. 4. Bybloemens, 5. Bizards. * The author has not been able to difcover the original or hteral fignification of thefe terms : nor does he apprehend they are any other than trivial terms of diftindlion, ufed by Dutch Florifts. The Incomparable Verports are a particular kind of Bybloemen, diftind from the reft. The TULIPS. 47 The firft four have white bottoms or grounds, and the Bizards have yellow grounds. The mofl proper time to plant Tulip Roots is from the end of 06lober to the loth of November, which is indeed pointed out by nature, in the appearance of the grafs'^ at the upper end of the root, as is before obferved of Hyacinths. The fituation for the beft bed fhould be in an open airy part of the garden; when that is fixed upon, the ground {hould be marked out, agreeable to its intended dimenfions, and the foil taken out twenty inches deep ; the bottom is then to be filled up with found frefti earth, ten inches thick, upon which is to be placed a fl;ratum of two year old rotten cow-dung, and earth of the above ^efcription, about one half of each, well •^ Or Foliage, mixed 48 TULIPS. aj__Lj ' L.BIBHIIWI ■l ' l ' --| '■ . _;_^_^^ - ^^^_ ; : i ,___ _^ mixed together, tvv^elve inches thick; and again, upon this is to be placed another flratum of the fame kind of earth as that of the bottom ; this is only to be two inches thick at the fides, and three inches at the middle, which will give it a fmall degree of convexity ; this is to be per- formed about the 20th of October, i. e. a week or two before planting, to give the bed time to fettle ; at the expiration of two weeks the earth will have fubfided, fo as to be about two inches higher than the circumjacent paths ; but if heavy rains intervene between this preparation of the bed, and the time of planting, it will be proper to keep them off, in order to preferve the temperature of the earth, as it would be rendered too compaft and adhefive, by a redundancy of moifture, for the fibres to pals freely through }t, which ought to be avoided. 2 On TULIPS. 49 On the day made choice of for plant- ing, rake the furface of the bed fmooth and even, ftill preferving its convexity, and mark the exa6l fituation for every root upon it. The proper diRance between each root, is feven inches from centre to centre ; and if the rows are feven inches afunder, the roots will form fquares, of fimilar diameter, on all parts of the bed. A bed confifting of feven rows, makes the nobleft appearance, when it is of fuflBcient length, with a path round it, about two and a half or three feet wide ; but where the number of roots is fmall, five rows may fufiEce, and the path, in that cafe, may either extend quite round the bed, or only on one fide, at pleafure. If, therefore, the bed confifts of feven rows, it fhould confequently be fifty inches wide, which will allow a fpace of H four 50 TULIPS. four inches between the outfide rows and the fides of the bed; but if the bed contains only five rows, it will only require to be three feet wide, to give the roots fimilar diftances. Having fprinkled a little clean fand where the roots are to be fet, place them with great exaQnefs, and add fome very fandy earth, fo as to completely envelope each root in a little cone of it; then cover the whole very carefully, with flrong, found, frefh loam, about four inches thick at the middle of the bed, gradually decreafing as it approaches the fides, where it fhould be about three inches thick ; thus will the convexity of the furface be increafed in a: proper decrree, and the roots will be covered with foil, to a depth proportionate to their fize and ftrength : the iargefl and ftrongefl having been placed in the centre rows. TULIPS. 51 rows, and the fmaller and weaker on thofe of the outfide. No Tulip root, whatever may be its fize or ftrength, fhould be planted more than four inches deep from the upper fide of the root ; nor (hould any blooming root be planted lefs than two and a half or three inches deep, however fmall it may be. The foil made ufe of for covering the bulbs, fhould be frequently turned over, and thoroughly expofed to the fun and air, fome time before it is made ufe of, that it may be rendered perfectly fweet, and free from the acrid quality that moft foils are fub- je6l to, when taken confiderably below the furface. But if the bed is only to contain five rows, with a path in the front, and none behind, then it will be proper to plant the fraallefh and lowed growing roots in the front, next the path, and fo 52 TULIPS. fo gradually to increafe in the fize of the roots to the fifth or lafl row, which fhould contain the ftrongeft and largell of all ; when the roots are properly covered with foil, as before dire8:ed, the furface of the bed will (lope one way, forming an inclined plane: it will be ne- ceffary to fupport its higheil fide, at leaft, with boards, or brick-work, otherwife the earth would be liable to crumble down, and leave the roots bare, or too fhallow. When the operation of planting is concluded, the bed may be hooped over, and taken care of, in the manner direfted for Hyacinths, ^. e. fo as to preferve it from very heavy rains, and fevere frofts ; but either one or the other, in modera- tion, will be of more fervice than injury to it. By the end of February every plant in health will be vifible above ground; fome tall TULIPS. 53 tall early forts will be two or three inches high, others one inch, and the later forts jull making their appearance; indeed a very few remarkably late forts may be a week longer before they appear, but not more : if, on examination, any diflemper, or canker, is difcernible on the foliage, about this time, either above, or an inch or two below the furface of the foil, it {hould be carefully cut out, with a (harp knife, and the wounded part left expofed to the fun and air, which will prefently heal it : a fine dry day fhould be made choice of for the fore- going operation. If the furface of the bed appears to be of too clofe and folid a contexture, it fhould be carefully ftirred up, about two inches deep, which will admit the air more freely, and prove, in all refpefts, very beneficial. By 54 TULIPS. By the end of April, fome of the plants will probably be grown fo tall as to require the hoops to be raifed a little, to fecure the bloflbm from injury : atten- tion to this part mufl not be omitted, for the bloffom is very tender and fuf- ceptible of being bruifed and disfigured, by a very flight blow, or rub againft the hoops. As foon as any of the earlier forts begin to fhew colour, they fliould be fhaded from the fun, for, when its heat is confiderable, it will caufe the colours to run, and intermix, in fuch a manner as to deftroy the elegance and beauty of the flower ; fome forts are more particu- larly liable to this effeft than others, and will be fpoiled in five minutes. When the greater part of the bloffoms have begun to open, a frame, or awning, fliould be erefted over the bed and paths, nearly fimilar to that for Hyacinths : that is TULIPS. 55 is to fay, fo as to keep out rain, and admit as much light as poffible ; this muft be thrown off, or rolled up, at every favour- able opportunity, as direfted for Hya- cinths, except that it ihould be done rather earlier in the morning, and later in the evening ; becaufe the fun has acquired a greater degree of altitude and power at this feafon of the year than earlier. If thefe frequent expofures to the light and air be omitted, the colours of the flowers will be faint and weak, and the grandeur of effe6l will be loft, or confiderably leflened. The cloth covering fhould come down on each fide, within about three feet of the ground, to allow a free circulation of air, except in windy weather ; from the effe6ls of which, the flowers muft be moft carefully preferved, by a conti- nuation of the covering quite down to the ground, on the windy fide ; a line of mats 55 TULIPS. mats fewed together, and their upper edge nailed to the frame on that fide, may anfvver the purpofe, if the cloth is not of fufficient length. Tulips never require to be artificially watered, in the hotteft and dried feafons, at any period from planting to taking up the roots ; neverthelefs, moderate rains may always be admitted before, and in very fmall quantity after the bloom is over; but early in the fpring, they are abfolutely neceflary, in order to procure a ftrong bloom. When the awning is erefted, the hoops fhould be carefully taken away, the fides and ends of the bed fhould be neatly boarded up, and the paths lowered two or three inches, to bring the flowers nearer to the eye : a flight frame, about two foot high, fliould furround the bed, to prevent the garments of fpe6lators 3 from TULIPS. 57 from rubbing againft, or breaking off the flowers ; lines of fniall twine, painted green, and correfponding with the rows of flow- ers, fliould pafs from one end of the bed to the other, faftened to the end pieces of the frame, and ftretched tight : to thefe the fl:ems of the flowers are to be loofely tied with fliort pieces of green worfl:ed, which will preferve a pleafing regularity of appearance, without ftifFnefs and for- mality. Tulips will bear to be covered a longer time in bloom than moft other flowers, without fuftaining any confidera- ble injury ; it may be continued three weeks with great fafety. If any roots fliould perifli, or fail to produce bloom, the deficiency may be made good in the following manner: it is neceflary, in the firfl: place, to be provided with two ftrong tin inftruments, I or 58 TULIPS. or tubes,*" each having two fubftantial, perpendicular, iron handles, to force the inflrument into the ground, and draw it up again, with the plant and earth con- nefted with its root and fibres ; but in order to difcharge its contents into the place prepared for their reception, by the other inflrument, of exaftly fimilar dimenfions, it fhould be held together on one fide by a flrong wire, which upon being drawn out, when the plant is placed in the fituation it is intended for, will allow the tube to fpring open a little, fo as to permit it to be drawn up again, without difturbing the plant; this tube, or tranfplanter, fliould be perfe6lly cylin- drical, open at both ends, be about twelve inches long, fix in diameter, and made of the flrongefl and befl tin plate: ' See Plate 5. Fig. 5. one TULIPS. 59 one of thefe tubes may ferve to take out the defeftive plant, with its earth, Sec. and the other to bring a well blown flower from the offset beds, to fubflitute in its place ; the inftrument fhould be forced into the ground, as deep as its length will admit, otherwife the fibres will be broken oif fo near the root as to check the growth of the plant ; but the opera- tion may be performed with fo much dexterity and addrefs, as not to do the plant any material injury, or retard its growth in any confiderable degree : it will be proper to give the newly intro- duced plant about a pint of foft water immediately, or its ftem will be apt to bend a little at firft. Thofe who do not choofe to take the trouble of repairing their bed in the foregoing manner, may immerfe the lower end of the ftems of flowers, taken from the offset beds, in phials, 6o TULIPS. phials, filled with water, and funk into the bed, fo as not to appear above ground ; thefe will continue in bloom feveral days, without requiring to be changed, and will make a tolerable appearance. About a week or ten days after full bloom, when the petals of many begin to drop off, the awning fhould be taken down, together with the frame, boards, &c. that furround the bed ; and the mats and hoops may be replaced as before, to throw off excefs of rain, as the cafe may require : and as the leaves or petals of any fall, the feed veffel of fuch fhould be immediately broken off, clofe to the ftem ; for if fuffered to remain on the plant, it will procraflinate the period of its maturity, and weaken the root confiderably. The bed may remain in this ftate about a fortnight longer, by which time the TULIPS. 61 the grafs, or foliage, will become of a yellowifti brown, and two or three inches of the top of the ftem will wither, dry up, and become purplifh : this denotes the critical period to take up the roots, becaufe if done earlier, they will be weak and fpongy, and if deferred later, their juices will become grofs; this will be manifeft at the fucceeding bloom, by too great a redundance of colorific matter in the petals, and the flowers will be what is generally termed foul. When the roots are taken up, they are to be gradually dried, and placed in a fituation where they may remain fo: it will not be neceffary to do any thing more to them till Auguft or September following ; at which time, it is proper to take off their loofe (kins, fibres, and fuch offsets as are eafily feparated ; obferving not to leave the roots too bare, becaufe the 62 TULIPS. the aftion of the air upon fuch, would have a tendency to weaken and injure them, by drying up part of their juices : the laft brown fkin, which is fo intimately conneded with the root, fhould remain on it till the time of planting ; it fhould then be entirely ftripped off, and the root left perfe6lly bare and white ; but it fhould be performed with great care, to avoid bruifing or wounding the root, efpecially at the lower end, where the fibres are formed, which is at this time extremely tender, and will fcarcely bear to be touched : a fmall fharp-pointed penknife is the befl adapted inftrument for the above operation. The fmallefl and weakefl offsets, par- ticularly fuch as are not provided with a brown fkin, may be replanted as foon as they are taken up, about an inch and half deep, in a frelh fandy loam, in a dry fituation, TULIPS. 63 fituation, and the bed defended from heavy rains, by means of mats and hoops, as before ; or, inftead of replanting thefe offsets fo early, they may be preferved from the air, by being buried in dry fand till the autumn, and are then to be planted with the larger roots, but not quite fo deep. Tulips are hardier, and, of courfe, lefs liable to receive injury from froft, than moft kind of flowers ; the offsets, and more ordinary kinds, may be planted in any part of the garden, from two to four inches deep, according to the fize of the roots, in a good found foil, with a little rotten cow dung, placed from feven to twelve inches below the furface : the beds (hould be dug twenty inches deep, and raifed fix or eight inches above the walks, formed rather convex on the furface, and may be provided with hoops and ^4 TULIPS. and mats, to be ufed as circumllances require. Hail florms are very injurious to the foliage of Tulips, early in the fpring; for wherever a hail-ftone falls or ftrikes, the part is bruifed, the free circulation of the juices and growth of the plant is impeded, the wounded parts lofe their verdure, and a difagreeable effe6t is pro- duced to the eye ; therefore, although it is not abfolutely neceflary to cover the inferior beds of Tulips, during a common winter, yet it is highly proper to defend them againft hail ftorms in the fpring; and likewife to cover them when in bloom, in cafe of hot or windy weather, which would foon deftroy their beauty. Thofe who wifh to procure new varie- ties of Tulips, (liould procure the beft forts of Breeder Tulips, a name they are generally known by ; thefe confift of 3 one TULIPS. 65 ' • - --■ one plain colour, on a white or yellow bottom : no perfon fliould make the attempt who is not poflefled of a great fund of patience and perfeverance, as the period of procuring finely broken Tulips from breeders is very uncertain, fo much fo that it is not unufual to wait ten or twenty years without the defired fuccefs, although it fometiraes happens fortu- nately to take place the firft, fecond, or third year of their blooming ; and where the coUeftion of breeders is numerous, there may be reafonable expedlations of procuring one or two valuable new flowers annually, but not otherwife : a poor dry foil is moft likely to produce thefe effe6ls ; and a fingle inftance has occurred, where forty breeders out of fifty became broken, or variegated, in one feafon, in a fituation of this defcription, K New 66 TULIPS. New forts of breeders are procured from feed, but fuch only as have very tall ftrong ftems, with large well formed cups, clear in the bottom, are worth cultivating. The feed (hould be faved from the mod perfe6l breeders, in preference to the finefl of the vari'^gated or broken forts, as the feed of fuch produces nothing but poor weak breeders, of no value. It fiiould remain growing on the (lem till the Pericarpium becomes of a brownifh colour, and begins to open ; it is then fuihciently ripe, and (hould be cut off, with fix or eight inches of the Hem, and treated afterwards, in all refpefts, agree- able to the dire6lions given for the management of Hyacinth feed. Some of the feediings will bloom by the fourth or fifth, and moil, if not all, by the feventh year. Early TULIPS. 67 Early Tulips fhould be planted a month or fix weeks before the late blowers, at rather a lefs depth, and in a warmer fituation ; they will then blow in March or April following ; their flems are much (horter, and their properties, in general, are much inferior to the late blowers •, they confift of only Bybloe- mens and Bizards, of which, however, there are many varieties. A Defcription of the Properties of a fine Variegated Late Tulip. THE ftem fhould be ftrong, elaftic, and erefl, and about thirty inches above the furface of the bed. The flower fhould be large and com- pofed of fix Petals : thefe fhould proceed a little horizontally at firfl, and then turn up'wards, forming almofl a perfe6l cup, 68 TULIPS. cup, with a round bottom, rather widell at the top. The three exterior petals fhould be rather larger than the three interior ones, and broader at their bafe : all the petals (hould have perfe6lly entire edges, free from notch or ferrature; the top of each fhould be broad and well rounded ; the ground colour of the flow^er, at the bottom of the cup, fhould be clear white, or yellow ; and the various rich coloured flripes, which are the prin- cipal ornament of a fine Tulip, fhould be regular, bold, and diftinft on the margin, and terminate in fine broken points, elegantly feathered or pencilled. The centre of each leaf, or petal, fhould contain one or more bold blotches, or flripes, intermixed with fmall portions of the original or breeder colour, abruptly broken into many irregular obtufe points. Some TULIPS, 6g Some Florifls are of the opinion that the central ftripes, or blotches, do not con- tribute to the beauty and elegance of the Tulip, unlefs confined to a narrow ftripe, exa6lly down the centre, and that they fhould be perfectly free from any remains of the original or breeder colour: it is cer- tain that fuch appear very beautiful and delicate, eipecially when they have a regular narrow feathering at the edge ; but the greatefl connoifTeurs in this flower unanimoufly agree, that it denotes fupe- rior merit, when the Tulip abounds with rich colouring, diflributed in a di{lin£l and regular manner throughout the flower, except in the bottom of the cup, which, it cannot be difputed, fliould be a clear, bright white or yellow, free from ftain or tinge, in order to conflitute a perfe6l flower. On v^ '^^ -^^^^ '^^ "^^ '^^ *^^ On ranunculuses. "n ANUNCULUSES may either be planted before or after winter : if the foil and fituation is remarkably cold and wet, it will be better to defer planting to the middle or end of January, or be- ginning of February, as the weather may favour; but, in other fituations, the latter end of Odober, or beginning of Novem- ber, is to be preferred, as the roots will have more time to vegetate, and form themfelves, and will, in confequence, bloom rather ftronger, though only a few days earlier than the later planted. Ranunculufes are originally natives of a warm climate, where they blow in the winter, or more rainy feafon of the year : they RANUNCULUSES. 71 they are of courfe, naturally partial to coolnefs and moifture exempt from froft, which the more delicate forts cannot bear, in any confiderable degree, without material injury. A frefli, ftrong, rich, loamy foil is pre- ferable to all others for Ranunculufes. The bed fiiould be dug from eighteen inches to two feet deep, and not raifed more than four inches above the level of the walks, to preferve the moifture more effe6lually : at about five inches below the furface fhouid be placed a ftratum of two year old rotten cow dung, mixed with earth, fix or eight inches thick; but the earth above this ftratum, where the roots are to be planted, ftiould be perfeftly free from dung, which would prove injurious, rather than of benefit, if too near them. The fibres will draw fufficient nouriOiment from it at the depth 72 RANUNCULUSES. depth above mentioned; but if the dung was placed deeper, it would not receive fo much advantage from the aftion of the air, which is an objeft of confequence. The furface of the bed fhould be raked perfeftly even and flat, and the roots planted in rows, at the diftance of about five inches from each other. It is better to plant in fhallow trenches, made nearly two inches deep, than to make holes for the reception of the roots : there fhould be a little clean coarfe fand fprinkled into the trench, and the roots fiiould be placed with their claws down- wards, from three to four inches afunder, according to their fize : when the trench has received its roots, it fhould be care- fully filled up level with the fame earth that was taken out, fo as to cover the root exa6tly one inch and a half deep, which is the only true depth to procure a good 2 bloom ; RANUNCULUSES. 73 bloom : it is pointed out, by nature, in a fingular manner ; for when thefe roots have been planted too (hallow or too deep, in either cafe, a fecond root is formed at the proper depth, by which the plant is weakened to fuch a degree that it feldom furvives a repetition of it. Ranunculus roots will remain feveral days in the ground after planting, before they begin to vegetate ; during this period, they become very much fwelled, by imbibing the moifture of the foil, and are, in this flate, extremely fufceptible of injury from froft, much more fo than when vegetation has adually taken place. As foon as the bed is planted, a fufhcient quantity of barley or oat flraw fhould be placed near it, ready for a covering : in cafe of froft, it may perhaps be neceffary, during a very fevere vrinter, to cover the bed in this manner, ten or fifteen inches L thick : 74 RANUNCULUSES. ... I -IN , -1, thick; but the flraw fhould be taken off at all favourable times ; for the efFe6ls of covering too much, or too long, are as deftru6live as the reverfe, efpecially before the roots have begun to vegetate, becaufe they are then more liable to become mouldy than at any other period, than which nothing can be more prejudicial. Early in the fpring, when the plants make their appearance above ground, fo as to render the rows , eafily difcernible, the furface of the earth, between each row, fhould be trodden or beaten, fo as to make it firm and compa6l ; and if the foil is comprelTed with the fingers, quite clofe to the plants, it will keep out any cold drying winds that may happen, and prove beneficial. It is advifable to make choice of a fine dry day, foon after rain, whilft the ground is flill moifl, to perform the above operation : when it is RANUNCULUSES. 75 is finifhed, a little long draw ftiould be placed between each row, to preferve the furface of the foil cool and moift, till the foliage of the plants is fufficiently grown and expanded, to afford it ftiade without further affiftance. April fhowers, and frequent rains in May, are eflentially neceffary to the growth and vigour of the plants : if thefe fail, foft water mufl be adminiftered in fufficient quantity between the rows, by means of a common watering pot, with a long tube or fpout, held low, fo as not to wafh the earth into holes ; for it is better to avoid watering the plants them- felves, as it may chill them too much, and fiagnate their juices. The confequences of omitting to water when neceirar}^ are thefe, viz. The plants will make little progrefs ; the blofTom buds of the lirongeft will be fmall, and the weaker plants 76 RANUNCULUSES. plants will not bloom at all ; the grafs, or foliage, will put on a fickly yellowifli appearance, from which it will never recover during the feafon ; and, laftly, the roots will, when taken up, be fmall and lean. But fuch kind of waterings, however neceffary, are by no means fo falutary to thefe, or any other flowers, as fine, warm, natural (bowers ; they can neither be fo equally difpenfed, nor are the plants naturally difpofed to receive them when the atmofphere is dry, becaufe their pores and fibres are contra61ed, and they are, as it were, in the expe61ancy of dry weather. Since it is evident that artificial water- ings are, in all refpefts, fo much inferior to natural, it is, therefore, better to wait a day or two, in hopes of a change of weather, than to be too hafty in affording thefe fuccours, although the plants may appear RANUNCULUSES. ^'^ appear to fufFer for the moment, by the omiirion ; for if fuch a change fhould fortunately take place, they will receive infinitely more benefit from it than when both themfelves and the foil are already faturated, or replenifhed, with moifture. The weather in May is fometimes very clear and hot ; the plants ought to be fhaded at fuch times by means of lofty hoops and mats, or fome better con- trivance, that will admit light and air freely; a frame and covering, fimilar to that for 'Hyacinths, would anfwer bed:, if expence and trouble were not to be confidered : it will, however, be abfo- lutely necefTary to fliade them, in fome manner, during the period of bloom, otherwife they will continue but a very fhort time, efpecially the dark rich coloured forts ; for, in proportion as their colours approach to black, is the injury they will receive 78 RANUNCULUSES. receive from the rays of the fun, if it is permitted tofhine upon them in full force; fome of the very darkeft cannot (land it one hour, without being entirely fpoiled. The light-coloured forts will bear the fun's rays much better, reflefting them in proportion as they approach to white ; green is the only colour that reflefts and abforbs the rays of light in equal propor- tion, and is more predominant in the ve- getable kingdom than any other. After the bloom is over, watering is no longer neceffary, but fhading, in the middle of hot days, is Rill very beneficial to the plants : it tends to prolong their vegetation, and the fize and fubftance of the roots are thereby increafed. By the end of June, or foon after, the greater part of the plants will appear brown and dry ; vegetation has then ceafed, and it is the exa6l time to take up RANUNCULUSES. 79 up the roots, becaufe if they are fufFered to remain in the ground till rainy weather enfues, the roots will begin to (hoot afrefh, and thereby fuftain confiderable injury. When the roots are taken up, their ftems, &c. fhould be cut off clofe, and they fhould be placed in a fhady, airy room, or fituation, to dry gradually ; but before this is perfe6lly accomplifhed, it will be proper to clean and feparate them, becaufe, when they are quite dried, they become very hard and brittle, and there is great danger of breaking off their claws : fome may be feparated into many complete roots, although they are fo clofely conneded, as, on a fuperficial obfervation, to have the appearance of only one large root. Nothing more remains to be done, till the return of the planting feafon, except to How the forts feparately in bags, or boxes, 8o RANUNCULUSES. boxes, for the fake of convenience, in a dry room, in which (late it is poffible to keep them out of ground for two or three years, without perifliing, ahhough it evidently tends to vreaken and injure them : there have been inftances known, of Ranunculus roots furviving till the fifth or fixth year ; they were, however, rendered extremely weak, nor could any but very ftrong roots retain their vegeta- tive powers for fo long a period. A bed confiding of fcarlet turband Ranunculufes, produces a moft brilliant effeft, if the roots are of a proper fize to bloom well : if thefe roots are planted at the fame time as the Tulips, they will alfo bloom together ; they are hardier than other Ranunculufes, but may, in other refpeds, be treated in the fame manner. New forts of Ranunculufes are, like all other plants and flowers, produced from 2 feed. RANUNCULUSES. 8i feed, which, in no inflance, ever pro- duces two alike, or the fame as the original ; hence the infinite variety which the inexhauftible fund of nature is capa- ble of continually affording thofe who will take the pains of purfuing her in this track : this theorem holds equally good, whether applied to the animal or vegetable kingdom ; though it muft be confefTed, there is^ in many inftanceSj fo great a fimilarity in appearance, as fcarcely to admit of diflinftion. Ranunculus feed is to be procured from femi-double flowers: care Ihould be taken to fave it from fuch as are poflelfed of good properties, viz, fuch as have tall ftrong ftems, a confiderable number of large well-formed petals, and rich good colours, chiefly preferring the darker, but not to the exclufion of the lighter M coloured, 82 RANUNCULUSES. coloured, when their properties anfwer the. foregoing defcription. The feed fhould remain on the plant till it has loft its verdure, and becomes brown and dry, it may then be cut off, and fpread abroad upon paper, in a dry room, expofed to the fun, that every degree of humidity may be exhaled from it; in which ftate it (hould be put into a bag, and preferved in a warm dry room, or clofet, till the time of fowing, otherwife it wull be in danger of contraft- ing a dampnefs, which will foon produce a mouldinefs, that will infallibly deftroy it. January is the proper time to fow the feed, and in order to prepare it, it muft be feparated from the ftalks to which it is connefted, in the following manner, viz. In the firft place, it (hould be taken out of the bag, and fpread thin upon a fheet of paper, or tea tray, &c. and placed before RANUNCULUSES. S3 before a moderate fire, till it is jufl warm, and no more; the feed will then eafily fcrape off, by means of a pen-knife; but great care mud be taken to avoid fcraping it off in lumps, or fuffering any pieces of the llalk, dried petals of the flower, or other extraneous matter to be mixed with it, which would create a mouldinefs when fown, of very deftruc- tive confequence : when the feed is fcraped in a proper manner, it will have much of the appearance of clean coarfe bran, with a little brown or purple fpeck in the centre of each cuticle, which is the kernel. When the feed is thus prepared, it fhould be fown in a (hallow frame, pro- vided with glaffes, fimilar to thofe made ufe of for cucumbers and melons ; the foil fliould have been previoufly taken out, three feet deep, and fpread thin upon 84 RANUNCULUSES. upon the ground, till it has been per- fe6lly frozen throughout, in order to deftroy any vermin it may have con- tained, more particularly the common earth worms; thefe are extremely de- flruQive, both to the feed and the young plants, which they draw into their holes for nutriment, from a very confider- able diflance. When the pit is filled up again, with the frozen lumps of earth, it fhould remain till the whole mafs has thawed, and fubfided to its priftine bulk, or nearly fo ; its furface fhould then be made perfeftly fmooth and even, and the feed fown upon it with the utmoft regu- larity, in fuch quantity as nearly to cover it ; the glaffes fliould be placed over it immediately, and the frame kept clofely covered with them, for two or three days, till the feed begins to fwell and foften ; RANUNCULUSES. 85 foften ; a little light earth fhould then be fifted upon it, through a fine fieve, but not fufficient to cover it ; this fhould be repeated once or twice a week, till the greater part of the feed difappears : it is proper to remark in this place, that fuch feeds as happen to be covered deeper than the thicknefs of a half-crown piece, will never vegetate, and muft, of courfe, inevitably perifh. Miller, in his Gar- dener's Diftionary, recommends that Ranunculus feed be fown about one quarter of an inch deep ; if his pra6lice agreed with his theory in this inftance, it may be fafely afferted that he never raifed a Ranunculus from feed in his life. It is neceflary t^ keep the feed mode- rately moid, by gentle waterings with foft water, that has been expofed to the fun till it is a little warmed ; the rofe of the watering pot fhould be hemifpherical, and 86 RANUNCULUSES. and perforated with a great number of very fmall holes, that will difcharge fine flreams of water, in a very diftinft and regular manner ; the rofe fhould be made of copper, it being lefs liable to corrode than iron. But although it is neceflary to the vegetation of the feed that it be kept rather moift, too great a degree of moifture is neverthelefs injurious. About the time that the plants begin to make their appearance, it is proper to flir the furface of the earth with a pin, or filver bodkin, juft fufficiently to admit air, and give liberty to the young plants to pafs eafily through ; this operation fhould be very carefully performed, to prevent breaking off the fibres, or raifing and leaving any of the plants out of the earth, becaufe one hour's fun upon fuch, would inevitably deftroy them, 2 When RANUNCULUSES. 87 When the fun (hines very hot, it is neceflary to admit fome frefh air under the glafles, and (hade the frame with mats ; but it fhould be clofe fhut up with the glafles when the air is cold, and always at night. After the plants are all up, and their two interior leaves appear, more air mud be given, by having hurdles, or lattice- work, fubftituted for the glafles ; waterings mufl: be regularly continued, in the manner before defcribed, when the long continuance of dry weather renders it neceflary ; but fine warm fhowers of rain are always preferable, when they happen in due time. This kind of management is to be continued till the roots are matured, and fit to take up, which is known by- the foliage becoming perfeclly brown, dry, and nearly confumed. The 88 RANUNCULUSES. The rpeedieft and fafefl method of taking up thefe fmall roots is to pare off the earth, three inches deep, with a trowel, or fhovel, having previoufly tarefully picked off the dried leaves, and any other extraneous matter that may be found upon it. The earth and roots, thus colle6led, are to be thrown into a fine brafs-wire fieve, that will not permit the fmalleft roots to pafs through it ; the fieve is then to be worked in a large veffel, or tub, nearly filled with water; the earthy part will, in confe- quence, be difiblved and wafhed away, and the roots will remain in the fieve* where, by a little management, they may be eafily feparated from the fl;ones, &€* which are mixed with them. The upper rim of the fieve muft, at all times, be held above the furface of the water, otherwife fome of the fmalleft roots will be RANUNCULUSES. 89 be loft, as they are frequently found floating on the furface, till they have imbibed a fufiRcient quantity of water to make them fink. The roots are to be dried and preferved in the manner before direded, and are to be planted at the fame time as large roots in the autumn ; the greater part, or fuch as have two or more claws, will blow ftrong the fol- lowing fummer. A Defcription of the Properties of a fine Double Ranunculus. THE ftem fliould be ftrong, ftraight, and from eight to twelve inches high, fupporting a large well-formed bloflbm, or corolla, at leaft two inches in dia- meter, confifting of numerous petals, the largeft at the outfide, and gradually diminiftiing in fize as they approach the N centre 90 RANUNCULUSES. centre of the flower, which (hould be well filled up with them. The bloflbm fliould be of a hemifphe- rical form ; its component petals fliould be imbricated in fuch a manner as neither to be too clofe and compa6t, nor too widely feparated ; but have rather more of a perpendicular than horizontal direftion, to difplay their colours with better efFeft. The petals fliould be broad, and have perfe611y entire, well-rounded edges ; their colours fliould be dark, clear, rich, or brilliant, either conflfting of one colour throughout, or be otherwife varioufly diverfified, on an afli, white, fulphur, or fire coloured ground, or regularly fl:riped, fpotted, or mottled, in an elegant manner. There are more numerous varieties of beautiful Double Ranunculufes than of any other flower. On On anemones. A NEMONES require- nearly the fame treatment as Ranunculufes, therefore it will not be neceflary to give fo long and particular a defcrip- tion of their culture and management ; the following remarks are all that ap- pear needful to be added, and more would perhaps be confidered, at leaft, unneceflary. Anemones are hardier than Ranuncu- lufes, and, confequently, may be always planted in the autumn with fafety ; the mofl advifable time is about the middle of 06lober, by which means they will blow a week or two earlier than the Tulips : if they are planted ten days or 92 ANEMONES. or a fortnight after the Tulips, they will all bloom together ; but a few days earlier or later in the planting will fcarcely be perceptible at the time of flowering : it is, however, proper to obferve that fuch roots as are planted in 06lober, will blow ftronger, and, when taken up, will be found of a larger lize than thofe that are planted towards the end of November, efpecially if the winter proves mild ; but if the winter fets in early, and proves fevere, late planted roots will not have time to vegetate before frofty weather takes place ; in which cafe there will be great danger of their perifhing, unlefs they are cover- ed with ftraw, juft fufficiently to keep froft from the roots, as they are then in a ftate of inaftivity, but replete with moiflure, which renders them more fufceptible of injury from froft, and, at the ANEMONES. 93 the fame time, in much greater danger of mouldinefs, than after vegetation has commenced. The covering muft there- fore be taken off and put on, as often, and in fuch proportion, as the exigency or circumftance of the cafe requires. The beds fhould confiil of the fame kind of foil, and be prepared in the fame manner as for Ranunculufes; the roots fhould be at nearly fimilar diflances from each other, and be planted in the fame manner, except that they require to be covered rather deeper, L e. they {hould be planted about two inches deep ; it requires fome care and attention to diftinguifh which fide of the root is to be placed uppermoil, efpecially if the fmall thread-like fibres have been entirely cleaned off, after the lafl taking up. The 94 ANEMONES. The roots are in general flat, and their eyes, from whence the ftems and flowers proceed, on examination are eafily dif- cernible on one fide of the root, which, of courfe, fhould be planted uppermofl: ; the other fide will confeq ntly have its true pofition, as the fibres naturally ftioot forth in an oppofite direftion to the flem, foliage, &c. Although, as before obferved. Ane- mones are hardier, and can bear a greater degree of cold and drought than Ranun- culufes, moifl;ure is neverthelefs almofl; equally falutary and beneficial to them, nor ought they ever to be deprived of it, when it is naturally afforded ; but if that does not happen in fufficient quan- tity, occafional waterings, with foft water, muft not be omitted, efpecially on the approach of, and during bloom, and they ANEMONES. 95 they (hould be applied in the manner as is direfted for Ranunculufes. The bloflbms and petals of Anemones are of a more foft and flexible texture than thofe of Ranunculufes, and are confequently more liable to receive injury from high winds and heavy rains than the latter ; their colours foon fade when expofed to a clear fun; it is therefore equally neceffary to flielter them whilft in bloom, in order to prolong their beautiful appearance. Anemones continue longer after bloom in a flate of vegetation than Ranuncu- lufes, probably becaufe of their greater degree of fucculency ; and even at the proper time to take them up, it will fometimes happen, that part of their foliage will not be entirely divefled of greennefs and moifture ; this will often be the cafe when frequent fiiowers of rain g6 ANEMONES. rain intervene, and are admitted between the times of blowing and the maturity of the roots : when it thus happens, much fkill is required to afcertain the critical period to take up the roots ; for if they are fuffered to remain in the damp or wet ground a few days too long, they will fhoot afrefh, and be thereby materially weakened and injured ; it is indeed better to take them up rather too early, than fuffer them to re-vegetate in this manner, but the roots will not be fo firm and folid as if done at the exaft time. The fafeft and mod effeftual method to preferve them from thefe difagreeable confequences, is to keep off all rains after the bloom is quite over, by means of mats on hoops ; the roots will then regularly and gradually mature, and the foliage will, in like manner, become brown and dry, which will point out the true 3 time ANEMONES. 97 time to take up the roots ; and this will ufually happen to be about a month after full bloom. The whole fubfequent treatment of the roots, till the time for planting, is the fame as for Ranunculufes, with only the following caution, viz. that as the roots are exceedingly brittle, it is necef- fary to handle them very gently upon dreffing or cleaning away their fibres, and the foil that adheres to them ; how- ever, fhould only fmall pieces break off, fuch fhould not be thrown away, as each will, in the courfe of a few years, become a blooming root, if it has an eye, without which it is of no value ; but that feldom happens to be the cafe. Large overgrown roots, which are hol- low in the centre, will not blow fo iirong as frefti young roots that are perfectly found, and not more than two or three O years 98 ANEMONES. years old : the former will naturally feparate into many fmall pieces, when they are fufficiently decayed at the heart; thofe fmall pieces will, however, in time become good blooming roots. The conftitution of Anemones un- dergoes confiderable changes with age, which perhaps is in a greater or fmaller degree the cafe with all other vegetables. The Anemone will not laft more than twelve or fifteen years^ without degene- rating, unlefs it be frequently removed to a different foil and fituation ; nor will any removals protra6l or prolong its exiftence more than thirty or forty years. It generally blows in its greateft ' The Ranunculus will laft about twenty or twenty- five years in perfedlion ; it afterwards degenerates and perifhes. Tulips', and many other kinds of flowers of vigorous conftitution, will continue for a very long time in ftrength and beauty, fo long as to render it difficult, if not impoffible, to afcertain the period of their duration.. degree ANEMONES. 99 degree of perfe6lion from the fifth to the tenth or twelfth year, after which it be- comes gradually fmaller and weaker ; and if the flower was originally very full and double, with age it lofes that property, the petals diminifti in number, become fmall and irregular, and finally the fort perilhes. It has more than once oc- curred, that the fame fort, although in the poffeflion of many perfons, refiding at remote diftances from each other, has been entirely loft in one feafon, without the poflibility of accounting for the faft in any other manner than the above. Anemones are raifed from feed in the following manner : in the firft place, the feed is to be faved from fingle or femi-double flowers, that have (Irong, tall, and ereft ftems, large welLformed cups and petals, of very brilliant colours : it loo ANEMONES. it muft be gathered from time to time as it opens; for being very downy and light, it will otherwife be blown away by the firfl breeze of wind, or fall down and be loft : it may be fown at the fame time, and be treated in all refpefts, like that of Ranunculufes ; the feedlings will, like thofe, blow ftrong the fecond year. It will be found very difficult to fow Anemone feed in a regular manner : it is united with, and enveloped in a downy fubftance, that upon being put together in quantity, adheres in fuch a manner as to render it neceffary to make ufe of fome fand or earth to feparate it on fowing ; nor will this be effeded fuffi- ciently without confiderable labour in rubbing it for a long time amongft the earth, as it ought not to adhere together in lumps, which would not allow the young plants fpace enough to form their roots. There ANEMONES. loi There will be found but few double flowers amongft the feedlings, nor can it hardly ever be expected there (hould, if the feed be entirely faved from fmgle ones ; of courfe, the greater number of broad peials the flower of the feed-bearer poflefles, fo much greater is the probabi- lii V of procuring large double flowers from the feed of it. A Defcription of the Properties of a fine Double Anemone. THE fliem fhould be ftrong, elaftic, and ereft, not lefs than nine inches high. The bloflbm, or corolla, fl:iould be at leafl; two inches and a half in diameter, confifl:ing of an exterior row of large fub- fl;antial well rounded petals orguard leaves, at firfl: horizontally extended, and then turning a little upwards, fo as to form a broad 102 ANEMONES. a broad {hallow cup, the interior part of which fhould contain a great number of long fmall petals, imbricating each other, and rather reverting from the centre of the bloffom; there are a great number of fmall flender ftamens, intermixed with thefe petals, but they are (hort, and not eafily difcernible. The colours fhould be clear and diftinft when diverfified in the fame flower, or brilliant and ftriking if it confifts only of one colour, as blue, crimfon, or fcarlet, Sec. in which cafe, the bottom of the broad exterior petals is generally white ; but the beauty and contraft is conliderably increafed when both the exterior and interior petals are regularly marked with alternate blue and white, or pink and white, &c. ftripes, which in the broad petals fhould not extend quite to the margin. ON ^^^5 ON VARIOUS BULBOUS-ROOTED FLOWERS. O OME (hort account of a few other bulbous perennial flowers may not be improperly introduced in this place ; but the greater part being of little value, and eafily cultivated, it does not feem neceflary to enter into a very minute or prolix inveftigation of their properties or culture. A good, found, frefli foil, either of the black or loamy kind, with the addi- tion of a little coarfe fea, or river fand, placed round the roots on planting, and manured with rotten cow-dung, two years old, if the foil and fituation be dry and warm, or rotten horfe-dung if it be cold and 104 ON VARIOUS and wet, is all the compoft or prepara- tion required for the greater part of thefe flowers, obferving that the dung (hould never come in conta6l with the bulbs, or be placed at (b great a depth from the furface of the foil as to lofe the advantage of the due a6lion of the air upon it, which would render it poifonous inftead of nutritious : in fliort, it (hould never be placed more than eight or ten inches deep, on any occafion, where it can pofFibly be avoided. The Polyanthus-NarcifTus confifts of many varieties, each fort produces feveral flowers on one ftalk ; the roots may be planted in September or October, about three or four inches deep ; they fucced befl: in rather a warm, dry foil and fituation ; but if the foil happens to be the reverfe, the bed fliould be raifed feven or eight inches above the common 3 level, BULBOUS -FLOWERS. 105 level, and muft be covered with ftraw in cafe of fevere froft, fo as to preferve the roots from it. The fur face of the bed fhould be formed rather rounding, or mats on hoops fiiould be placed over it, in cafe of exceffive rains. The roots may remain two or three years in the ground without being difturbed : it will then be neceflary to take them up, in order to feparate their offsets, which by being longer conne6led with the old roots, will caufe them to blow fmall and weak. Their bloom will be preferved longer in beauty, like that of all other flowers, if (haded from the heat of the fun, and preferved from rains : when the circulation of their juices ceafes, and their foliage becomes yellowifli, the roots may be taken up, cured, and pre- ferved in the fame manner as dire6i:ed for Hyacinths. P Double- io6 ON VARIOUS Double-NarcifTus (Daffodils) confift of feveral varieties ; they are hardier than the former, the Italian excepted : and may be treated in nearly a fimilar manner; but are in lefs danger from the effe6ls of froft. Jonquils ; Englifh, Spanifh, and Per- fian Bulbous-Iris ; the three firft confift of feveral varieties ; they may be planted about two inches deep, at the fame time, and treated in the fame manner as Polyanthus-Narciffus : the Spanifh Bulb- ous-Iris is very hardy. Crown-Imperials, Lilies, and Paeonies, confift of feveral varieties ; thefe may be planted in Autumn, about four or five inches deep, in any foil or fituation, being extremely hardy ; they do not require to be taken up till the third or fourth year, and then only to feparate their offsets. Martagons BULBOUS -FLOWERS. 107 Martagons (Mountain-Lilies with in- verted bells and reflexed petals) confill of many varieties, and may be treated in the fame manner as other Lilies ; they, however, make the bell appearance on a bed by themfelves, and will grow ftronger with the addition of fome manure, at the depth of fix inches from the furface. The Arum Dracunculus, Lilium Perfi- cum, and Pancratium Maritimum, may be planted in September and Oftober, co- vered with foil, about one or two inches above the top of the root : they are very hardy. Colchicums, Autumnal Crocufes, Fri- tillaries, Dog's-Tooth Violets, Orchis's, Snake's-Head Lis, and various Hya- cinths, &c. may all be planted about one inch deep, and remain in the ground till it becomes neceffary to feparate their offsets : io8 ON VARIOUS offsets : if required to be removed, it is advifable to do it wliilft their juices are in a flate of inaftivity, early in the au- tumn ; but they are all extremely hardy, and will bear removal at almoft any feafon of the year. Anemonoides are to be treated like Anemones, except the Alba, Lutea, and Rofea,^ the roots of which are very long and fmall, and will not bear to be kept long out of ground in a dry flate. Spring-Crocufes, and the hardy forts of Gladiolus, may be planted any time in the autumn, about one inch deep, and require no covering from froft. Cyclamens fhouid be planted early in autumn, one inch deep, in pots filled with found rich earth, mixed with fand. Thofe forts that bloom in the autumn ' Thefe three forts are not of the fame fpecies, although fo called by FIori(ts. fhould BULBOUS-FLOWERS. 109 ftiould be planted in the fpring ; they will not require to be tranfplanted oftener than once in two or three years, and Ihould have pots proportionably larger as their roots increafe in bulk : they are propagated only from feed, and are not very tender, except the autumnal Ane- mone-rooted fort, which fucceeds beft in a hot-houfe or green-houfe. The Lilium Fl. Aur. Max. Fol. Elesr. Var. is the moft delicate of all the forts of Lily, and has the fmallefl root : it fhould be planted in rather a warmer fituation than the reft, about one inch deep, and be covered with ftraw during fevere froft. Antholyza's, Ixia's, Crinum's, Guern- fey and Jacobea Lilies, Oxalis, Morea, Amaryllis, Pancratiums, the Mariti- mum excepted, and the tender forts of Gladiolus, fhould all be planted in autumn, no BULBOUS-FLOWERS. autumn, in pots proportionate to the fize of the bulbs, fo that the top of the root be one inch below the furface of the earth, which fhould be light and rich. They are all tender, and fucceed beft in a hot-houfe or green-houfe : it is, however, abfolutely neceflary to pre- ferve them from every degree of froft ; they require but little water in winter, and fhould have the advantage of as much light and air as can be admitted with fafety. It would exceed the intended limits of this treatife to enter upon the culture, &c. of the almoft innumerable fpecies and varieties of other bulbous, herba- ceous, annual, and perennial flowers, which are of little import to the flower fancier ; and fo well known, in general, as to render an addition of the kind, to this work, by no means neceflary. Q On On auricula. — »»»3!3)SS£C«»" ^ I ^ H E compofl proper for the Auricula fhould confift of the following ingre- dients, in the annexed proportions, viz. One half rotten cow-dung, two years old.h One fixth frefh found earth, of an open texture. One eighth earth of rotten leaves. One twelfth coarfe fea, or river, fand. One twenty-fourth foft, decayed wil- low wood.' One twenty-fourth peaty, or moory earth. One twenty-fourth afhes of burnt ve- getables. ^ Why proper to make ufe of the dung two years old, vide the fupplement. ' Found in the trunks of old willow trees. In 112 AURICULA. In order to procure the lafl article with very Httle trouble, any weeds, fticks, ftraw, or old mats, that are of no other value, may be collected together in a heap, and confumed by fire, in the open air, till their allies become white ; they will contain a fmall portion of alkaline falts, and fhould be fpread upon the furface of the other insfredients. The compoll is to be placed in an open fituation, perfeftly expofed to the a6lion of both air and fun, from the influence of which it will reap great benefit : it fliould be turned over once or twice, and as often pafs through a coarfe fkreen, or fieve, that it may be well mixed, and incorporated : it fliould then be laid in a regular heap, or mafs, from fifteen to eighteen inches thick, but not more ; in this flate it may remain a year before it is made ufe of, during which AURICULA. 113 which period it will be proper to turn it over two or three times, in order to expofe all its parts to the atmofphere, to mature and meliorate them more perfe6lly: the compoft (hould always be kept free from weeds, as they rob it of its nutritive qualities. The due preparation and proper confiftence of the compoft is of very great importance : nor will the plants fucceed well, for any confiderable length of time, if this part be not particularly attended to. The pots come next under confidera- tion, as they are the next article to be provided : thefe fliould be hard baked, and fhaped as follows, viz. the interior diameter of the top fix inches and a half, the bottom four inches, and about feven inches deep, for common fized blooming plants ; but fmaller plants Q and 114 AURICULA. and oflFsets fliould have fhallower pots, of a proportionate width and depth, and very large plants may have pots of a larger fize, in the fame proportion ; the infide of the bottom of the pots ftiould have a fmall degree of concavity, and a little hole in the centre, of about half an inch in diameter, that no water may lodge or remain in that part ; the rims of the pots fliould proje6l on the outfide, about half an inch, for the greater eafe and fafety in taking them up, or removing them from one place to another. New pots obtain in the operation of baking or burning an abforbent quality, and it is neceflary to faturate them perfedly with water, before they are made ufe of for the plants ; this may be effe61:ed by burying them in wet earth, ©r immerfing them in water for three or four AURICULA. 115 four days, or a week, before they are wanted for ufe : the harder the pots are baked the lefs they abforb ; at the fame time they are much ftronger, and will confequently be of longer duration. The moft advifable time to tranfplant, or as it is ufually termed to pot Auricu- las, is immediately, or foon after bloom, and this (hould be repeated annually (notwithftanding the opinion of fome people to the contrary, who fay the plants bloom better the fecond year after potting) for this obvious reafon, that it preferves the health and conflitu- tion of the plants, by affording them a frefh fupply of nutriment ; and at the fame time the cultivator has an oppor- tunity of curtailing their fibres, if grown very long, or of cutting off the lower part of the main root, if too long, or the end of it if decayed ; thereby forcing the ii6 AURICULA. the plants, as it were, into a flate of aftion, and caufing a continued circula- tion of their juices, during the fummer, in the formation of new fibres, for their ncceffary fuftenance and fupport : where- as, if this operation of potting is not performed till the fecond year, the foil muft have lofl a confiderable part of its nutritious quality, which will produce a proportionate decline in the ftrength of the plants : and if it be deferred till the autumn, there will not be time for a fufficient reprodu6lion of the fibres before winter fets in, the effe6ls of which will be a faint-coloured and w^eak bloom the enfuing fpring. But the mod dangerous confequence arifing from an omiffion to pot Auriculas in the fpring, is their remaining too much in a ftate of inaftivity during the heats of fummer, the feafon, of all others, whereirx AURICULA. 117 wherein they are moft liable to contraft a deftruftive difeafe, which has fometimes been known to take place in fo extenfive and extreme a degree, as to fweep away the greateft part of a large colle6lion in the courfe of a few months : nor has this occurred only in a fmgle inftance, it has happened to feveral very capital collec- tions, both in this country and abroad ; but it feldom or never occurs in a cool and wet climate. It is almofl impoffible to flop the baneful influence and progrefs of this diftemper, when it has once taken pof- feflion, and more efpecially when it has been occafioned by a defeclive or impro- per compoft, rather tending to increafe the diftemper than to aflift nature in throwing it off: the fafeft method is to remove any plant that appears infected, as foon as it is difcovered to be fo, to a part of the garden Ii8 AURICULA. garden remote from the healthy plants, that the contagion may not reach them : the firfl fymptoms of the diforder in the plants is a lofs of verdure, or a yellowifh lickly appearance ; they foon after decay on one fide, and become crooked, or elfe the main root of the plant rapidly decays quite through, and the head drops off; in fa6l, the juices of the plant are vitiated at the time the foliage begins to appear fickly, fo that no time muff be loft in frefli potting it into proper foil, and removing it to a cool (haded fitua- tion : this is the only likely method to recover the infeded plants, or to prevent the total deftru61ion of the colle6lion ; but it is certainly more advifable to avoid fo dangerous a malady, by frefli potting the plants in the fpring, than to run any fuch rifque as the before mentioned, by deferring the operation till autumn, or poftponing AURICULA. 119 poftponing it to the fecond year ; it likewife affords an opportunity to take off the offsets, which will at this feafon of the year flrike fibre freely, and become well eftablifhed before the return of winter. The only obje6lion of any importance, againll: fpring-potting, is, that fome forts will in confequence be more inclined to blow in the following autumn, and there- by deprive the plant of its capacity to bloom well the enfuing fpring : this, however, occurs but in few inftances. In potting or tranfplanting Auriculas, the plant fhould be carefully turned out of the former pot, and the earth fhaken from its fibres, which fhould be curtailed if found too long and numerous, toge- ther with the lower end of the main root, and the fibres attached to that part, if it appears too long, or fomewhat decayed, for reafons before given ; the plant is to be 120 AURICULA. be at the fame time carefully examined, and wherever any unfoundnefs appears, it muR be entirely eradicated by means of a (harp pen-knife, let the extent of it be ever fo great, till no appearance of decay remains ; particularly in that part of the main root where it enters the furface of the earth, or as the failors phrafe it, betwixt wind and w^ater, which being alternately wet and dry, is more fubjeft to decay than any other part, and for the fame reafon is the moil difRcult to heal : the wounded part fhould be imme- diately expofed to the fun, and when the furface of the wound is perfeftly dry, a cement fliould be applied, con- fiding of bees-wax and pitch, about one half of each, warmed and foftened in the fun, or by a fire, to make it adhere more firmly on application : this will become clofe and hard when cold, will 3 refill AURICULA. 121 refifl moifture, and is the beft application to prevent further progrefs of the decay yet difcovered. Whenever the lower leaves of the plant, next the furface of the earth, become yellow, or dried up, it is proper to ftrip them off, in a direftion downwards. On re-planting, a pot fuitable to the fize of the plant is to be felefted; it is to have a hollow oyfler (hell placed with its convex fide upwards, over the hole at the bottom, and then to be about three parts filled with the compoft, higher in the middle than at the fides : the plant is next to be placed thereon, with its fibres regularly diftributed all round, fo as nearly or quite to reach the fides of the pot, which is afterwards to be filled up with the compoft, adding a little clean coarfe fand clofe round the ftem of the plant, on the furface : the bottom of the pot fliould then be gently ftruck R two 122 AURICULA. two or three times againft the table, which is fuppofed to be made ufe of for the fake of convenience in the opera- tion, in order to render the foil more firm and compaft ; this will caufe it to fink or fubfide about half an inch below the top of the pot, which will prevent the lofs of water when it is adminiftered. N. B, The true depth to plant an Auricula, is within about half an inch of the bottom of its lowefl or outfide leaves ; as the new and moft valuable fibres proceed from that part, fo they fhould immediately meet with earth to ftrike into, or otherwife they will perifh : it will likewife encourage the offsets, if there be any, to ftrike root fooner than they would do if not in contaft with the foil. When the offsets have formed one or more fibres, of an inch or two in length, they may, by means of a piece of hard AURICULA. 123 hard wood, or by the ufe of the fingers, be feparated from the old plant with fafety, and re-planted round the fides of a fmall pot, filled with the fame compoft, till they become fufficiently grown to occupy pots feparately : if a fmall hand glafs be placed over each pot containing thefe newly planted offsets, it will caufe their fibres to grow more rapidly ; but it ftiould not be long continued, as it would have a tendency to draw and weaken the plants. In the beginning of May, as foon as the operation of potting is performed, the plants are to be placed in an airy, fhaded fituation, but not under the drip of trees : the following is recommended as a proper plan for the fummer repofi- tory, viz. In the firfl place, there fliould be a bed of coal-afhes formed in the place where it is intended to be ere61ed, about 124 AURICULA. about five or fix inches thick ; or a plat- form of plain fquare tiles, clofely fitted to each other, on the furface of the ground, to preferve the pots from the common earth-worm, which, by gaining admittance into them , would perforate , and alter the confiflence of the foil, in fuch a manner as to prove very injurious ; upon this foundation, rows of bricks are to be placed in flralght lines, about two or three inches afunder, which will allow a free circulation of air under and be- tween the pots when placed upon them, an obje6l of great importance, efpecially in warm weather, when the air is mod inclined to ftagnate, and become impreg- nated with noxious effluvia. The plants, by the above plan, will be raifed from nine to twelve inches above the level of the afhes or platform. There AURICULA. 125 There fliould be two rows of fubflantial flakes, three feet long, and five inches by three wide, one row of which (hould be placed on each fide, at about three or four inches diftance from the two outfide rows of pots : thefe flakes fhould be driven twenty inches into the ground, with their narrow fides towards the pots, and have notches cut in their tops, to receive the edges of the fhutters they are intended to fupport.'^ By way of illufliration, fuppofe the whole length of the platform to be twelve yards, and the width three feet, it will contain feven rows, and each row about feventy pots, a fufficient number to conftitute a mode- rate colle6lion for a private gentleman. Five fhutters, made with feather-edged inch deal boards, each four yards long, and two feet fix inches wide, will reach ^ Vide Plate 6. Fig. 1. the 126 AURICULA. the whole lens^th on one fide : three of the notched flakes will be fufficient to fupport one of thefe fhutters; of courfe, fifteen ftakes at proper diftances will com- pletely anfwer the purpofe on one fide: the notches are to be cut in the form of aV, two inches deep, and three inches wide at the top, which will give room for the fhut- ters to move backwards and forwards with- out difificulty or danger of flipping out. Both fides are thus to be provided with flakes and fhutters, the upper edges of the latter fhould meet over the centre of the platform, when the plants require to be covered with them, in the form of the ridge or roof of a houfe, well fitted and floping equally on both fides, fo as to throw off rain, without even admitting it to drip through upon the plants in any part. It AURICULA. 127 It is neceflary that a rail, or row of flakes, of a proper height and ftrength, fhould proceed from the ground between the two middle rows of pots, to fupport the fhutters when clofed or clofing, efpecially as it is ufually more convenient to begin to cover or uncover on one fide firft, and finifh on the other ; without a fup- port of this kind, in fuch cafe, the fliutters mufl fall down upon the plants : a (imilar, exterior rail, or row of flakes, is neceflary on each fide, to fupport the fhutters when open, with the fame degree of flope, in a contrary dire6lion than when clofed ; by which means the plants will have a free communication with the air, whether covered or open; nor are they entirely deprived of light, when the fhutters are clofed, becaufe the lower edge of the fhutters is as high or higher than the top 128 AURICULA. top of the plants at all times. The peculiar advantage arifing from this plan is, that when the plants require to be fhut up from excefs of rain, they have at the fame time the advantage of a continual fupply and free circulation of frefh air, which paffes amongft their leaves in all direftions; whereas thofe who are obliged to fliut up their plants in a clofe frame, to exclude excefs of rain from them, oftentimes fhut them up in a wet flate, as foon as it is judged they have had a fufiBciency : this is a very dangerous, though not unufual mode of pra8:ice, and often produces a mildew which is attended with the mod deftru^live confequences. The importance of a proper con- flru£led repofitory, and fuitable treatment of the plants, for the fummer feafon, will fufficiently apologize for any pro- 3 lixity AURICULA. 129 lixity in the defcription : it cannot indeed be too ftrongly imprefled on the mind of the cultivator of this delicate flower, that his fuccefs more particularly depends on the health and vigour of his plants towards the -end of fummer, than at any other period of the year. The plants, after being placed in the fummer repo- fitory, are to be kept moderately moift : if the rains that happen are not fufficient, they mud be occafionally watered with foft water, by a fmall pot^ with a round curved fpout, about twelve inches long : the pot fhould hold about two quarts of water, fo as to be eafily manageable with one hand, and the fpout fhould be nar- rowed in the middle ; for inftance, if it is an inch wide at the end next the pot, it (hould be about half an inch wide at its mouth or other extremity, and about ^ Vide Plate 5. Fig. 8. S a quarter 130 AURICULA. a quarter of an inch wide in the middle ; it will then deliver the water in a full perpendicular volume, and in fo foft and gentle a manner as not to wafii the furface of the foil into holes, in the fmallefl; degree ; but the mouth of the fpout fhould be held very near the fur- face, and be brifkly moved round the plant, taking care not to let any water fall into the heart, or amongft the interior leaves of the plant, as it could not fpeedily dry up in that part, and, of courfe, would endanger a decay ; any water lodging in the heart of the plants in fpring, w^hen the bloflbms begin to make their appearance, cannot fail to injure them confiderably. The plants are to remain in their fummer fituation till September or O6I0- ber, as the weather may be more or lefs favourable, or until the heat of the fun has AURICULA. 131 has confiderably decreafed ; they are then to be removed into their winter repofitory, which is to be conftru6led in a manner exaftly fimilar to that for the fummer feafon, with only one exception, viz. that the fouth-fide of it (hould confift of frames of glafs, inftead of the wooden fliut- ters:"' thefe are to a6l in the fame manner, but will admit of light when the plants are of neceffity (hut up from adverfe weather, which frequently occurs during winter ; the admiffion of light at fuch times is indifpenfably neceflary to the well-being of the plants, efpecially when the long continuance of rain, or fevere froftj renders it requifite to keep them covered, fometimes perhaps for a day or two, with little or no intermiflion. * Vide Plate 6. Fig. 1. for a perfpedive view of th: winter repofitory. In 132 AURICULA. In the firfl favourable weather that occurs in February, it is neceflary to dived the plants of their decayed exterior leaves ; and by the middle of that month, the operation of earthing up, as it is termed, fhould commence ; that is to fay, the fuperficial earth of the pot fhould be carefully taken away, about an inch deep, and frefh compoft, with the addition of a little loam, to give it more tenacity, fliould be fubflituted in its flead : this will contribute greatly to the ftrength of the plants, and the vigour of their bloom ; at the fame time it will afford a favourable opportunity to feparate fuch offsets as fhall appear poffeffed of fufficient fibre, to be taken off at this early feafon with fafety : thefe offsets, when properly planted in fmall pots, fliould be placed in a frame, in fome AURICULA. 133 fome warm fheltered fituation, till their roots are eftabliflied. The Auricula is by no means a tender plant, yet it will be proper to cover the repofitory with mats, in cafe of fevere frofl; for although it probably would not deftroy the plants, unlefs it happened in an extreme degree, it would, how- ever, injure them, and perhaps fpoil their bloom, particularly, early in the fpring, when the ftem begins to rife; it would certainly, at that period, deftroy, or render the pips " abortive. If any plant is poflefled of more than one or two principal ftems, it is advifable to pinch off the pips of the fmalleft and weakeft, in order to render the bloffoms of the remaining one larger and more * The word Pip is a term fubftituted by Florifts, for the corolla of the Auricula and Polyanthus. vigorous 134 AURICULA. vigorous than they would be if this was omitted to be done in due time. It is a curious fa6l, that thofe forts which are naturally poffeffed of a fine green on the edge or margin of the flower, are often known to lofe that property, when the ftem proceeds from the very heart or centre of the plant : whereas thofe flems that proceed from the fide, produce larger pips, poffeffing their true natural colours in much greater perfe6lion ; thefe lafl are called the winter flems, becaufe they are ufually forwarder, and produce their flowers rather earlier in the feafon than thofe which proceed from the centre of the plant. When the pips become turgid, and begin to expand, they mud be preferved from rain ; nor fliould they remain any longer in a fituation expofed to cold winds : on the contrary, fuch plants ought AURICULA. 135 ought to be fele6led from the reft, and removed to a calm, fhady corner, where they fhould have fmall hand glafles fuf- pended over them in fuch a manner as to preferve the bloom from rain, &c.° and yet admit a free circulation of air, both to the plant and to the bloflbm, it being equally neceflary for the one as for the other. The ftage for the pots to ftand upon, whilft in bloom, comes next under con- fideration : ^ it fliould have a northern afpeft, that the fun may not fliine on the flowers ; it (hould confift of four rows of (helves, in the form of fteps, but muft not exceed five ; the front, or loweft flielf, (hould be two feet five inches from the ground, the fecond about three inches higher than the firft, and the reft in the " Vide Plate 5. Fig. 6. P Vide Plate 6. Fig. 2. fame 13^ AURICULA. fame proportion ; thefe (helves fhould be about fix inches wide, ftrong, and well fupported, otherwife the weight of the pots will caufe them to bend or give way. If the flage confifts of four rows of fhelves, its depth, from front to back, ought to be about two feet eight inches ; the north or front elevation of the ftage fliould not be lefs than feven feet, gra- dually floping to about five feet fix inches on the fouth-fide ; the roof (hould confiO; of frames of glafs. N. B. Thofe frames of glafs made ufe of on the fouth-fide of the winter repofitory, will anfwer extremely well for this pur- pofe ; but as they will not be wide enough to form the roof completely, without addi- tion, a fingle row of feather-edged boards may be placed on the lowed part of the (lope, and the lower edge of the frames of glafs may reft upon them ; thefe boards 3 will AURICULA. 137 will anfwer another good purpofe, by preventing the fun, which at this feafon of the year has obtained a confiderable degree of altitude, from fhining on the firft and fecond rows of plants, during the middle of the day, when it has moil power ; although the plants of the back row will, in confequence, have rather lefs light, yet it is not fo materially injurious as the former. Thofe who make ufe of boards, or any dark covering, for the roof of their ftage, thereby caufe their plants to be drawn and weakened ; the ftems alfo grow to a great length, and are unable to fupport themfelves in an ere6l pofition without props, which have no very agreeable appearance ; the pips, like- wife, will neither be fo large, nor their colours fo ftrong and good, as when light is more copioufly admitted. T The 138 AURICULA. The pofts fupporting the roof of the ftage, on the fouth-fide, may be fo con- flru6led, and placed at fuch diftances from each other, as that the wooden fhutters, made ufe of on the north-fide of the winter repofitory, may fit between them, and form a regular fhed, as low or lower than the higheft flielf: the remaining fpace to the ground may be left open in mild calm weather, or may be eafily clofed up, by a line of mats fewed toge- ther, in cafe of the reverfe. The eafl: and weft ends of the ftage fhould be entirely boarded up from top to bottom, and the front left open, unlefs in unfa- vourable weather, and at night ; at thefe times, it may be defended by frames of wood, covered with canvafs : thefe ftiould be about fix feet wide, fufpended from the front edge of the roof by hinges ; they will ferve both to defend the bloom, when AURICULA. 139 when let down, and alfo by each having two fmall iron rods, about five feet fix inches long, conne£i:ed with their loweft edges by ftaples, that will allow them to move in any direftion, and fiipport them when up ; will defend the path in front from rain, take off the glare of light when the fun (hines, and at the fame time, defend the fpe6lators from its heat. The infide of the back and ends of the flage, and the (helves likewife, (liould be painted black, or fome very dark colour, by way of contraft to the white eyes, &c. of the» flowers : and if a large looking- glafs be placed at each end of the ftage, the effe£l produced will be very pleafing, by apparently lengthening the ftage each way as far as the eye can reach. As Auriculas and Hyacinths generally blow exadly at the fame time, the beauty and elegance of the fcene is confiderably 140 AURICULA. confiderably increafed by having a ftage of the former, and a bed of the latter, under the fame awning, with an interme- diate path, about fix feet wide ; in which cafe, if the cloth covering of the Hya- cinths is fine enough to admit a fufficiency of light, it may be continued over the Auricula ftage, inftead of the glafs and boards, and will anfwer all purpofes tolerably well with little trouble : or other- wife, the edge of the cloth covering, for the bed and path, may be nailed to the upper or front edge of the glafs frames, over the Auriculas, in fuch manner as effe'6lually to prevent rain dripping through in that quarter. A row of fine Polyanthufes, in pots, may likewife be introduced in front of the Hyacinths, as they likewife blow at the fame time ; it will add to the variety, and form altogether a more elegant AURICULA. 141 elegant aflemblage of beautiful fragrant flowers than any other feafon of the year can afford. The talleft blowing Auriculas fliould ftand on the laft or moft diftant ftielf, and the fliorteft in front ; thofe ftems which are weak, and bend, fliould be fup- ported with fmall wires, fixed in the earth behind them, fo as not to be eafily difcerned. If any of the ftems and bloflbms of thofe in the back row incline forward too much towards the light, they may be eafily recovered to an ere6l pofition, by turning the pots for a few hours in the morning ; but the glafs roof will render very little of this trouble neceflary : the pots muft be regularly watered, two or three times every week, during the bloom. When the bloom is declined, the plants are to be removed into their fummer re- pofitory, 142 AURICULA, pofitory, where they will foon recover their former ftrength and vigour, which, notwithflanding the utmoft care and precaution, will have been in fome degree impaired by {landing two or three weeks upon the ftage. During fummer they mufl be kept regularly watered, in the manner before dire6led, and the earth of the furface mufl be flirred a little occafionally till September, about which time it will be proper to remove them into winter quarters, where they are to remain till the approach of bloom, as aforefaid. No perfon can depend on a complete flage of Auriculas, who is not provided in autumn, or early in the fpring, with twice as many blowing plants as his flage will contain, becaufe fome will eventually prove defe6live, and fail in one refpe6l or other : and a fucceflion of proper AURICULA. 143 proper plants in bloom will be required to replace fuch, as being earlier than the reft, or of fhorter duration, are no longer eligible to remain on the ftage, and ought, in confequence, to be taken away, and more fuitable ones brought on, in their ftead. Whenever the outfide leaves of the plants appear yellow, or dried up, they fhould be carefully pulled off; becaufe when they become wet, there is danger of a mouldinefs or infeftion taking place in that part of the plant to which they are connefted. But whenever the furface of the earth in the pots appears green, or moffy, it is indifpenfably neceflary to ftir it up about an inch deep, if poffible, without dif- turbing or breaking off any of the fibres : if, indeed, trouble were not confidered, it would be moft advifable to take away the 144 AURICULA. the mofly furface entirely, and fubftitute frefh compoft inftead of it ; if, however, feafonable ftirringbe attended to properly, this green or mofly furface will never appear, and it will likewife prove emi- nently beneficial in other refpefts. The fure{^ and beft method to obtain fine Auriculas from feed, is as follows, viz. In the firft place, young, healthy, and flrong plants fhould be provided, of capital high-coloured forts, poflefling firft rate properties : thefe, on the ap- proach of bloom, (hould be detached from the reft, to a remote part of the garden, and there expofed to the fun, air, and rain, when the laft is in modera- tion ; but if in excefs, they ftiould be preferved from it by mats on hoops, or the fmall hand-glaffes ufed for the other plants, previous to their being ftaged, may be placed over them. In dry 3 weather, AURICULA. 145 weather, the feed plants muft be regu- larly watered, in the manner before direfted, or otherwife with a fine rofe, as often as they appear to require it : much depends on a due attention to this particular point. The feed will commonly ripen in June and July; it is advifable frequently to vifit the plants at this period, and care- fully to gather fuch pods or heads of feed as appear perfeftly dry and brown, and begin to open : if all the pods upon the fame ftem are ripe together, they may be cut off with part of the ftem to which they are conne6led ; but if fome of the pods are not fufficiently ripe, fuch as are fhould be carefully picked out from the refl, as they become fo. The feed, thus collecled, fliould remain in the pericarpium, or feed-veffel, in a dry room, till the feafon for fovving. U January, 146 AURICULA. January, or early in February, is the proper time to fow Auricula feed, and the following method of raifmg it, is recommended as the mod certain of being attended with fuccefs. A hot bed, with frames and glafs li^hfs, fimilar to thofe made ufe of for cucumbers and melons, is to be in readi- nefs. Provide a box, or boxes, about five or fix inches deep, fill it with the com- poft, and gently (hake or ftrike it againfl the ground, till the earth fettles a little : make the furface perfeftly fmooth and even, and fow the feed with the utmoll: regularity; then fift, through a fine wired fieve, a little compofl:, or decayed willow mould, upon it, fufficient only jull to cover the feed, and place the box in the frame on the furface of the hot bed ; the glafles mud be placed over it, and fo managed as to preferve a moderate and AURICULA. 147 and equal degree of warmth, both day and night, but muft be occafionally open- ed, or raifed up at the higher end, to admit frefli air, and to fuffer the exhala- tions from the bed to efcape, which is a very effential point. The fuperior advantage this has Dver the common methods of railing the feed, is, that it forces every live grain into vegetation in about three weeks, if the warmth of the bed is properly kept up : whereas, by the more ufual mode of expofure to the open air, the greater part does not vegetate till the fecond year ; and the weaker feeds, which are probably the mofl valuable, feldom vegetate at all. The earth and feed raufl always be kept moderately moift, but never very wet ; the beft method of watering it is by means of a hard clothes-brufh, dipped into 148 AURICULA. into foft water, which has had its chill taken off by {landing in the fun, the hair fide being quickly turned upwards, and the hand rubbed brifkly over it, will caufe the water to fly off in an oppofite direftion, in particles almofl as fine as dew; a fufficient watering may in this manner be given in a few minutes. If it is found impoffible to preferve the heat of the firft bed till the feed has all vegetated, it will be proper to remove the box to a fecond, prepared in the fame manner, which will infallibly anfwer the purpofe with pro- per management : if the furface of the earth in the box is inclining to become moffy, or mouldy, it mufl be flirred all over very carefully with a pin, about as deep as the thicknefs of a fliilling. At the expiration of three, four, or at mofl: five weeks, the young plants will all make their appearance: it then be- comes AURICULA. 49 comes neceflary to give them very gra- dually more air, in order to harden and render them more fit for an entire expo- fure to it, which they will be able to bear in a fortnight or three weeks afterwards : at which time the box fhoiild be taken out of the frame, and placed in rather a warm fituation, though not too much ex- pofed to the fun, till towards the end of April, when it may again be removed to a cooler afpecl, where it can only receive the fun till nine o'clock in the morning ; and in May, if the weather is hot, it (hould be placed in the mod cool and airy part of the garden, not negleding, at any time, to keep the earth moderately moid ; but at the fame time preferving it from violent rains whenever they occur. As foon as any of the plants appear with fix leaves, fuch fhould be taken out from the reft, and tranfplanted into other boxes, 150 AURICULA. boxes, filled with the compoft, about an inch and a half, or two inches afun- der ; and when they are again grown, fo as nearly to touch each other, they may be a fecond time tranfplanted into larger boxes, or round fmall pots, at the dif- tance of three or four inches, where they fhould remain till they blow, which will generally happen the following fpring, perhaps before they have acquired any confiderable fize ; and then fuch as ap- pear to be pofTefled of merit, fhould be marked, and the inferior ones deftroyed. As foon as the bloom is over, fuch as have been marked fhould be taken up, and planted feparately in fmall pots, and be taken the fame care of as other Auri- culas, till they blow again ; at which time their refpedive merits and properties may be afcertained with more accuracy. Such weakly plants as are not able to blow AURICULA. 151 blow the firft or fecond year, ought neverthelefs to be carefully preferved ; for amongfl: thefe it often happens that the moft valuable flowers are to be difcovered. A great proportion of the feedlings, althouo;h the feed was faved from the heft flowers, will be plain coloured, or felfs, which unlefs poflefled of excellent properties in other refpefts, or being Angularly beautiful in their colours, are of no value, but as common border flowers for nofegays. A Dcfcription of the Properties of a fine Variegated Auricula. THE flem fiiould be Ilrong, ere61:, and elaftic, and of a proper height, that the bunch or trufs may be above the foliage of the plant. The 152 AURICULA. The peduncles, or foot-ftalks of the flowers, (hould alfo be flrong and elaflic, and of a proportional length to the fize and quantity of the pips, which fl:iould not be lefs than feven in number, that the bunch may be rather round, clofe, and compaft. The component parts of the pip, are the tube (with its flamins and anthers) ; the eye, and the exterior circle, contain- ing the ground-colour, with its edge or margin : thefe three fliould be all well proportioned, which will be the cafe if the diameter of the tube be one part, the eye three, and the whole pip fix, or nearly fo. All the admirers of this flower agree that the pips ought to be round ; but this feldom happens ; and we mud be content if they are fo nearly round as not to be what is termed ftarry. 2 The AURICULA. 153 The anthers, or fummits of the fta- mins, ought to be large, bold, and fill the tube well, and the tube fliould termi- nate rather above the eye ; the eye (hould be very white, fmoothj and round, with- out any cracks, and diftinft from the ground or felf-colour. The ground colour fhould be bold and rich, and equal on every fide of the eye, whether it be in one uniform circle, or in bright patches ; it fhould be diftin6l at the eye, and only broken at the outward part into the edging ; a fine black, purple, or bright coffee-colour, contrail beft with the eye ; a rich blue, or bright pink, is pleafing, but a glowing fcarlet, or deep crimfon, would be moft defirable, if well edged with a bright green ; but this mufl feldom be expefted. The green edge, or margin, is the principal caufe of the variegated appear- X ance 154 AURICULA. ance in this flower ; and it fliould be in proportion to the ground-colour, z. e, about one half of each. The darker grounds are generally covered with a white powder, which feems neceflary, as well as the white eye, to guard the flowers from the fcorching heat of the fun's rays, which would foon deft:roy them if they were expofed to it. On #S0!##!0!###i0!^S#S03S0i#iS#i0i# On carnations. •TP H E compoft recommended to be ufed for fuch Carnations as are grown in or near large towns, is as follows, viz. One half rotten horfe-dung, one year old, or that has been ufed as a hot bed for cucumbers, melons, &c. One third frefh found loamy earth. One fixth coarfe fea, or river, fand. Thefe ingredients are to be mixed together in autumn, laid in a heap about two feet thick, in an open expofure, and turned three or four times during winter; or, otherwife, the dung alone, after being ufed 1S6 CARNATIONS. ufed as a hot bed, may be thrown toge- ther in a heap, of a conic form, in order to rot more perfeftly ; and, as its furface freezes in winter, it fhould be pared off, and laid on one fide, till the whole mafs has been thoroughly frozen throughout ; this may be repeated as often as the feafon permits, and it will be com- pletely fit for ufe the following fpring : the earth and fand may be added to it in March, when wanted to frefh pot the plants for bloom : the whole fliould then be well mixed and incorporated together, and paffed through a coarfe fkreen or fieve, to reduce its parts, and take out flones, or any other extraneous fub- ftances which it may contain. In country places, where the air is more pure, experience has pointed out the propriety of ufing lefs dung, and more loam ; the proportions of which, for fuch fituations, 3 ^^Y CARNATIONS. 157 may be reverfed, viz. one half loamy earth, and one third dung, with the fand as before fpecified : the preparation of the compoft, in other refpefts, is to be exaQly the fame in all fituations. The pots made ufe for fpring-potting fhould be of the following dimenfions, viz. at leafl twelve inches wide at the top, fix inches at the bottom, and ten inches deep in the inlide, with a circular aperture in the centre of the bottom, of about an inch in diameter ; alfo three or four fmaller holes round the fides of the pot, clofe to the bottom, to prevent the polTibility of water lodging or remaining in that part : the pots, in all other refpe61s, are to be formed and prepared as direfted for Auriculas. The operation of potting fliould com- mence about the middle of March, if the weather is not extremely unfavourable ; but 158 CARNATIONS. but it fhould not, on any account, be deferred later than the end of that month. The pot is, in the firfl place, to be half filled with compoft, having an oyfter fliell, with its hollow fide down- wards, placed over the hole in the centre of the bottom : this compoft is to be higher at the fides than in the centre of the pot, and the plants intended for it, which are fuppofed to have been wintered in fmall Auricula pots, containing four plants each, are to be carefully turned out of their pots, with all the earth adhering to them, in a ball ; and after rubbing off about half an inch of the furface of the old mould, round about the plants, above their fibres, cleaning them and cutting off the decayed points of their leaves, the ball is to be carefully placed in the centre of the pot, and the fpace between it CARNATIONS. 159 it and the fides filled up with the pre- pared compoft. It is very neceflary to be attentive in placing the plants, that they be neither planted deeper nor fhallower than they were before ; the compoft fhould there- fore be high enough to replace the old earth that was rubbed off on potting, exa6lly to the fame height as before, i, e, half an inch higher than the ball of old earth and fibres : and the whole furface of the earth in the pot, when the opera- tion is finilhed, fliould be nearly level or flat ; but by no means higher at the centre than at the fides, becaufe the plants would thereby be kept too dry ; nor fliould the compoft come nearer than within an inch of the top or rim of the pot, after it has been gently fiiaken, or flruck againft the ground on finifliing, as an inconvenience will attend its being too full, i6o CARNATIONS. full, when the operation of laying comes to be performed, which requires fome additional mould on the furface, for the layers to ftrike into. When the plants are thus potted off for bloom, the pots fhould be placed in an open airy part of the garden, under an arch of hoops, that in cafe of cold drying winds, heavy rains, or frofty nights, mats may be thrown over, to preferve them from the effefts of fuch unfavourable weather : in this fituation they are to remain, always open to the air, except in the cafes above men- tioned, and be kept regularly watered, with foft water, as often as appears neceffary, either by a fine rofe, or the fame fmall pot made ufe of for Auriculas. When their flower-ftems are grown eight or ten inches high, it will be necef- fary to fupport them with flicks, forced into CARNATIONS. i6i into the earth in the centre of the pot, to which the flems are to be loofely tied with fmall pieces of bafs mat : thefe (licks fhould be as high as the hoops will admit, in order that the pots may remain under them as long as poffible ; but when the flems are grow^n too high for this fituation, the pots are to be removed to the ftage, and remain there till the time of bloom : the fmall flicks fhould be re- placed with others more fuitable for the occafion ; thefe fhould be about four feet, or four feet fix inches long, regu- larly tapering a little from the bot- tom to the top, and be painted green ; they fliould be fubflantial and flraight, and their lower ends are to be forced into the earth in the centre of the pot, fuflBciently deep and firm, not to be fhaken loofe by the wind. As the flems continue to advance in height, the Y tying, i62 CARNATIONS. tying, as above, muft alfo be continued, at about every five or fix inches : it is proper to look over and examine the plants for this purpofe every three or four days, as the fl;ems are rather brittle, and liable to be broken by the wind, if not fupported in this manner. If any fmall, green, winged infefis appear on the fl:ems or foliage of the plants, particularly, upon, or underneath the flower-pods, they muft be effe6lually extirpated or deftroyed, either by the means of a fmall foft brufli or feather, by the application of a ftrong infufion of tobacco-water, or fome fimilar eafy and fafe expedient : even fcotch fnuff, dufted upon the infefted parts early in the morning, while the plants are wet with the dew of the night, has been fometimes tried in this cafe with fuccefs. The CARNATIONS. 163 The calyx of many forts contains a great number of petals, which, as they increafe in bulk, will diftend and burft it, if not timely prevented : this generally happens a few days previous to the proper time for the bloffoms opening, and will, if negle6led, foon manifefl the effefts of fuch negle6l, by letting out the petals on one fide, and thereby producing a loofe irregular appearance, totally deftroying that compa6l, graceful, circular form which a perfeft flower ought to poflefs, and which is one of its greatefl: ornaments : but this difagree* able effeft may be eafily avoided, by faftening a fmall narrow flip of bladder round the middle of the pod, where it is mofl: fwelled, and appears to have the greatefl: inclination to burft. The flip of bladder fliould be rather loncrer than is required to go once round, fo that one 2 end iGi CARNATIONS. end of it may lay over the other a little, which, by the application of a little gum water, will adhere firmly together, and anfwer the purpofe completely. Small flips of wet bafs mat may be fubftituted for thofe of bladder, and being tied with a hngle knot round the fame part of the pod, will anfwer nearly the fame purpofe."^ When any of the flowers begin to open and expand, fuch (hould be (haded, both from fun and rain, by means of (Irong caps, or paper covers,"^ about twelve inches in diameter, painted white or green, and formed like an umbrella, to throw off rain : each (hould have a fquare tin tube on the fummit, that will permit the (lick, to which the (lera is tied, to pafs through it as far as is neceffary. The tube (iiould be about two inches ■' Plate ?,. Fi-. 2. ' Plate 6. Fie. 6. o lons^, CARNATIONS. 165 long, and have a fmall hole bored through one of its fides, that it may be fixed by a nail to any part of the flick where required. But when the major part are in bloom, a cloth awning fhould be placed over the whole, and be drawn up or let down by means of lines and pullies, exactly in the fame manner, and on the fame occafions, as for the bloom of Hyacinths and Tulips. The fame frame that was ufed for the Tulips, will, without being removed or taken down, anfwer in every refpeft for Carnations ; nor can any other more fuitable be contrived or adopted. In order that the flowers may appear to the greateft advantage, it is neceffary that the pots fliould fland upon a flage or platform of boards' raifed about twelve Vide Plate 5. Fig. 2. or i66 CARNATIONS. or fifteen inches above the ground : this ftage fhould be very flrongly fupported, in order to fuflain the immenfe weight of the pots, without danger of giving way ; the fupporters of this platform fliould ftand in fhallow leaden or earthen vefTels, filled with water, to prevent the accefs of earwigs, which are deflruftive enemies to the bloffoms of Carnations : they fecrete themfelves, commonly during night, in the calyx, and foon commence their depredations, by biting off and devouring the lower ends, or claws, of the petals, which, of courfe, will caufe them to drop out, and thereby disfigure the flower. The (lands, or refervoirs, fliould be broad enough to allow an intermediate fpace of water, three or four inches wide, between their fides and the fupporters placed in the centre of each. Earwigs will, neverthelefs, be frequently found amongft CARNATIONS. 167 amongft the flowers, having been brought upon the (lage with the pots, where they remain concealed, or dormant, till the flowers are in bloom ; or perhaps they may have gained accefs by having crept up the external frame, and from thence fallen down upon the pots ; or they may poflibly have flown upon them, as they are evidently provided with wings, though it does not appear that they often make ufe of them. At all events, it is neceflary frequently to examine the plants, and the fl:icks which fupport the fl:ems, as earwio^s will be often found concealed there in the day-time, particularly at the part where the flems are tied, which affords them a more fecure hiding place. If any of the petals hang loofe, or drop out, it is a certain fign that an earwig is, or has been there : in the firfl: cafe, blow- ing forcibly with the mouth, into the bloflbm. i68 CARNATIONS. bloflbm, two or three times, will caufe it to creep out ; but if it has quitted the bloflbm, previous to the difcovery, it (hould be carefully fought after and deflroyed, or it will continue its depreda- tions the fucceeding night ; it will, how- ever, mofl probably be found fkulking fomewhere about the fame pot, but not further diftant than the next, or next but one, unlefs the fearch has been deferred too long. The flowers fliould be fufpended from the flicks by fmall pieces of fine elaftic brafs wire,* of unequal lengths, to fupport them in an eafy graceful manner, neither too near together nor remote from each other ; one end of the wire fliould be introduced into the flick, by means of a fmall awl, and there be fixed fuflicjently tight to prevent its droj)ping out by the ' Vide Plate 6. Fig. ^ and 7. weight CARNATIONS. 169 "- ' ' ' weight of the bloflbm ; the other end of the wire (hould be formed into a fmall ring, about a quarter of an inch in dia- meter, to enclofe the ftem below the calyx ; this ring (hould be a little open on one fide, to admit the ftem freely, without bruifing it, which would ma- terially injure the bloom. Thofe who are particularly curious in blowing their Carnations, carefully ex tra6l fuch petals as are plain, or run from their true colours ; they perform this by means of an inftrument adapted to the purpofe," and with the fame arrange the remaining petals, fo as to fupply the defeft ; in like manner they difpofe the "whole with fuch regularity that the flow- ers appear to have an equal diftribution of beautiful petals, nearly alike on every fide, without imbricating each other, fo " Vide Plate 6. Fig. 8. Z as lyo CARNATIONS. as to hide their refpeftive beauties : and if the bloflbm confills of too great a number of petals, they extra6l thefmalleft, and thereby afford the others more room to expand, which takes off the confufed effeft always produced by redundancy. The pots muff be kept regularly and conftantly watered during bloom, in the manner before defcribed, and no favour- able opportunity fhould be neglefted to afford them the full advantage of expofure to light and air, by drawing up the cloth covering, in the manner before defcribed ; but no rain mull be admitted to the bloffoms at any period of the bloom. Some place their ftage, or platform, on one fide, others in the centre ; but a double row of pots on each fide, with a commodious path in the middle, is preferable. If the pots contain only two plants each, they confequently are not required CARNATIONS. 171 required to be fo large as for four or five ; but the latter have much the bed appearance in bloom, producing a greater number of bloffoms : it is not however advifable, to permit every pod to bk)W, efpecially of fuch forts as are naturally poffefled of but few petals ; becaufe it would render each bloffom fmaller and thinner than if only one or two were left on each plant : it is, therefore, proper in this cafe, to cut off, or draw out, the fmall lateral pods, clofe to the main ftem, as foon as they can be afcertained, in order that the remainder may have time to reap due benefit by it ; but thofe forts that have remarkably large fhort pods, abounding with petala, mufl be fuffered to bloom them all, or the greater part, although, in general, three or four pods are as many as ought to be fuffered to blow on one plant; thefe rules, or re- marks, 172 CARNATIONS. marks, admit of fome few exceptions, but the inftances feldom occur. The operation of laying,"^ or piping, is to commence as foon as the plants are in full bloom ; neverthelefs, thofe who are particularly defirous to preferve their bloom in the greateft perfeftion, may defer it till the flowers are on the decline ; but others, who are anxious to have their plants flrong and well rooted early in the autumn, with a view to fend them abroad amongft their friends and acquaintance, that their layers may be better prepared to endure the feverities of the enfuing winter, will, as before obferved, fucceed beft by laying at the commencement or " When Carnations, &c. are propagated in the open air, by their fhoots or layers connefted with the mother plant, the operation is called laying, or layering of them ; but when they are propagated by cuttings, taken from the original plant, and by artificial means caufed to ftrike root in a confined air, it is called piping of them. middle CARNATIONS. 173 middle of the bloom ; at which time the plants being full of juices and vigour, the layers are the better nourifhed and fupported, and fooner ftrike root : but it muft be allowed that the bloom is confi- derably impaired by the wounds infli6led in the operation, and particularly fo when performed in an early ftage of it ; the plants feldom furvive, unlefs very ftrong and found, or fome of the upper youno- (hoots be left, fuch as are too fliort to be laid with convenience, thefe will encou- rage and continue the circulation of the juices, if fuffered to remain. Such of the old plants as appear likely to live after the layers are taken off, may remain in their pots, which fhould be placed in the warmeft part of the garden, plunged into the ground up to their rims, and be defended from heavy rains, .and fevere frofts, during winter, by hoops and mats : 3 in 174 CARNATIONS. in the fpring of the year they may be frefli potted like the reft. Thofe who are defirous to obtain all the increafe that can poflTibly be pro- cured, even at the expence of the old plant's life, fhould cut off all fuch (hoots as are too fhort to be layed, and pipe them under glalTes ; but as laying is the mode of propagation moft ufually adopted, eafieft to perform, and more certain of being attended with fuccefs than piping. To it naturally prefents itfelf as the firft fubjeft of confideration in this place. The beft time to lay Carnations is, as already obferved, when the plants are in full bloom, which generally happens about the middle, or towards the end of July, according as the feafon is more or lels forward ; the praftical part of this operation is fo well underftood by almoft every perfon who is acquainted with the flower, CARNATIONS. 175 flower, as in fome meafure to preclude the neceflity of entering into a very minute detail of particulars : but for the information of fuch as have not hitherto, but who may be dehrous of becoming cultivators of this elegant flower, it is deemed proper to point out the method mofl: approved, and in general pra6lice. A fufficient quantity of bone, fern, or wooden pegs are to be provided,"" each to be five or fix inches long, and formed fomewhat like the figure 7, i. e. with a fliort hooked end. The pot fliould be placed on a table, or ftool, that the operator may be better enabled to examine the plants, drefs the layers, and perform his operation with the greater exadnefs : he fhould aifo have a fliarp pen-knife, and fit down when he makes the incifion, keep his hand Ready, "" Vide Plate 6. Fig. 3. and 176 CARNATIONS. " ' and his eye at a proper diilance from the objecl. The layer may be fuppofed to have four or five joints, more or lefs ; the lower leaves, next the root, are all to be cut, or dripped off clofe, till within two or three joints of the end or extremity of the layer ; and its extreme points are to be fhortened with a knife, or pair of fciffors, fo as to leave them only an inch and a half, or two inches, in length, from the joint whence they proceed, according to the ftrength and fubftance of the layer. All the layers in the pot are to be thus dreffed, or prepared, before any further procedure be made ; the furface of the earth is then to be cleared of what may have fallen on it, and fhould be flirred up about an inch deep : the pot is in the next place to be filled up nearly level with CARNATIONS. 177 with fome light rich mould, not of too fine a grain ; the old Carnation com- poft ufed lafl; year, will anfwer for this purpofe extremely well, and part of it fhould be referved for the occafion. The incifion immediately follows : the knife fhould have a fmall thin blade, with a fmooth fharp edge ; it is to be introduced on that fide the layer next the ground, in a (loping direftion upwards, to commence about a quarter of an inch below the fecond or third joint from the extremity, and continue through the middle of that joint, and one half or three quarters of an inch above it ; the fmall portion left under, and connefted with the joint, is to be cut off horizon- tally, quite clofe to the bottom of the joint, but not into it, as it is from the outer circle of the bottom of the joint that the fibres proceed, confequently that A a part 178 CARNATIONS. part fhould not be injured: but it is neceflary to cut it off clofe to the joint, for it would decay if fuffered to remain, and perhaps communicate its rottennefs to the joint itfelf, and deftroy the plant. At the time when the incifion is made, the fhoot, or layer, fhould be held be- tween the thumb and finders of the left hand, and bent upwards ; otherwife the knife muft necefiarily enter confiderably below the joint, in order to pafs through the centre of it ; but when held in this curved pofition, a quarter of an inch below it will be fufEcient, and attended with lefs danger than if begun lower. After the incifion is made, the layer is to be gently forced down to the earth, with great care to avoid breaking it off, or even cracking it at the joint, which would prevent a due communication of juices from the old plant, fo neceffary for CARNATIONS. 179 for the fupport of the layer, till it has formed fuEEcient root to fupport itfelf: it would likewife render it more liable to decay on the application of water. The layer is to be held down to the furface of the earth, by one of the pegs before defcribed, which is to be forced into the foil, clofe behind the joint where the incifion was made ; and it is proper to obferve, that the fibres are fooneft formed when the joint from whence they pro- ceed is only jufli covered with earth: for if it be buried more than half an inch deep, it will lofe much of the benefit it fhould derive from the influence of the air, &c. and be more liable to decay ; at all events it will require a longer time to flrike root. The remainder of the flalk of the layer fliould lay, as much as poffi- ble, upon or above the furface of the pot ; but muft by no means be covered deep i8o CARNATIONS. deep in the earth, which would decay it before it had fufficiently fupported the layer. Fern pegs, which in mod places are very eafy to procure in abundance, are rather preferable to any other : they are already naturally formed in the ftalk of the plant, and only require to be cut off at fuitable lengths ; they retain a fufhcient degree of ftrength to hold the layers fecurely down till they have formed root, and will decay when become no longer needful. It is not neceffary that the layer Ihould have, at firft, an exaftly ereft pofition, it will naturally foon acquire it in the courfe of its growth; but it (hould not, even at firft, be fo nearly horizontal as not to allow the incifed part to open fufficiently for the fibres to iffue forth regularly on every fide. It is advifable to CARNATIONS. 181 to peg down the layers in a dry (late, being then lefs brittle, and, confequently, not fo liable to break off as when they are wet and fucculent ; therefore, as foon as the layers are drefled, the pot (hould be placed full in the fun for half an hour, in order to render them more flaccid and pliant than they otherwife would be. But if any of the layers happen acci- dentally to break off, they are flill capable of being preferved by piping, together with fuch (hoots as are too ftiort or too high to admit of being layed conveniently, alfo the increafe or (hoots of fuch roots as are decayed, of which inftances v/ill always occur in an extenfive colle6lion ; and it frequently happens, between the times of potting and bloom, that fome of the plants become fickly, appear yellow and withered, i82 CARNATIONS. withered, and foon perifh, unlefs their fhoots are timely taken off and piped. In order to fucceed in this more diffi- cult mode of propagating the Carnation, it is neceffary to be previoufly provided with a hot bed, upon which is to be placed a flratum, four or five inches thick, of fine light mould, laid very regu- lar and even ; the old compofh which the Auriculas grew in the preceding year, will be proper for this purpofe. The cuttings intended to be piped are to have two complete joints, that is to fay, they are to be cut off horizontally clofe under the fecond joint : the extre- mities, or points of the leaves, are like- wife to be fhortened, as for laying, which will leave the whole length of the piping from one inch and a half to two inches, according to its flrength : as foon as thus prepared, it may be thrown into a bafon of CARNATIONS. 183 of foft water for a few minutes, to plump it up. The earth on the bed where the pipings are to be placed, Ihould be moderately moiftened, and rendered rather compaft than otherwife ; then take one of the fmall hand glafles, made ufe of for blooming the Auricula, and with it mark its dimen- lions on the furface of the foil, in order to know where to ftick in the pipings, fo as to lofe no room, or endanger their being difturbed when the glafs is placed over them. The glaffes moil proper to be ufed on this occafion, as well as for AuriculaSj previous to their being placed on the ftage, (hould be of a hexagonal form, and fix inches in diameter ; the fix fides fhould be about three inches deep, and finilh with a conic hexagonal top to throw off rain:^ each of thefe will com- ^ Vide Plate 5. Fig. 6. modioufly i84 CARNATIONS. modioufly contain from fifteen to twenty- pipings. The dimenfions of the glafs having been thus marked on the bed, the pipings are to be taken out of the bafon fmgly, and forced into the earth, in their wet flate, with a fteady hand ; but not more than half an inch deep. When a fufficient number for the glafs are thus placed regularly, at equal dif- tances from each other, and rather more than an inch within the mark defcribed by the glafs, on every fide, they are to be very gently watered, in order that the earth may adhere more clofely to them, and thereby keep out the air ; after this watering, they are to remain open, but not expofed to a hot fun, till their leaves become perfe6lly dry, after which the glafs is to be placed over them carefully, on the fame mark that was made by it 3 upon CARNATIONS. 185 upon the furface of the foil, before the pipings were placed there. The bottom edges of the glafs are to be forced a little into the earth, to prevent the admiffion of too much air, which fo far finifhes the operation. What further remains to be done is to attend diligently to their management, with refpe6l to fun and air, &c. The foil ought to be kept regularly moift, till they have formed their fibres ; but too much moiflure is as prejudicial as too little, and when- ever they are watered, the glalfes are never to be replaced over them till their leaves are perfeftly dry. The pipings (hould have a little of the morning fun, but muft be fhaded from it when the heat becomes confiderable ; this will be eafily effefted, by placing mats upon a flight frame of hoops or laths erefted over the bed, about two feet above it. Bb The i86 CARNATIONS. The glafles fhould be occafionally taken ofF to admit frefh air ; if this material point is negle6led, the confequence will be a green mofly appearance on the furface of the earth, and an univerfal mouldinefs amongft the plants, which will deftroy them. It requires more (kill to know when and how long the pipings fhould be expofed to the air, while forming root, than for almoft any other part of the management ; on this fingle point, in great meafure, depends the good or ill fuccefs of the whole undertaking. The propagation of Carnations by piping is always precarious : five thou- fand plants were piped one feafon, of which not more than one hun- dred perifhed; whereas more than two thoufand were loft of the fame num- ber the year following, with but very little CARNATIONS. 187 little variation in the management ; neverthelefs, fome forts fucceed much better by piping than laying, and make healthier plants : it requires attention and experience to diftinguilh fuch forts from the reft. It is almoft, or perhaps entirely, im- poffible to lay down any rules that will not be liable, as circumftances may vary, to miflead the inexperienced in the art of piping, much muft depend on the dif- cernment and prudence of the cultivator; there is no great danger to be appre- hended from taking off the glaifes for a few minutes, or half an hour, when it is cloudy, and the air rather warm and moift ; but if no opportunities of this kind occur in due time, it fhould be done early in the morning : and rather than to omit doing it entirely, it will be better to take the glaffes off, if it is only for i88 CARNATIONS. for five minutes, turning them upfide down on the path, in order to air them, and replacing them again over the plants ; even this will be of great fervice, though not equal to a more effeftual airing at favourable times, which, indeed, becomes more frequently neceflary in proportion to the length of time the pipings have been upon the bed : but when once they begin to ftrike fibre, they will foon fpindle up and become extremely weak, if not carefully attended to, agreeable to the following direftions, viz, when their fibres are formed, which the additional verdure and growth of the plants will demonftrate, the glaffes (hould be placed over them very lightly, in order that more air may be admitted ; and when they become tolerably well rooted, the glafles being no longer neceflary, fhould be entirely taken away : but it feldom happens that all CARNATIONS. 189 all the plants, under the fame glsii^s, ftrike root together ; fome are generally a few days or a week forwarder than the reft, as will be apparent by their fuperior growth and verdure : fuch ought to be carefully taken up and planted in fmall pots, for winter prefervation, or they may be planted round the hdes of large Carnation pots, filled with the following comport, where they will foon make rapid progrefs ; the remaining plants which are not fufficiently rooted for removal, muft be continued under the glafTes, as before direfted, till they become fo. Small Auricula pots are well adapted for the reception and prefervation of Car- nation layers and pipings, during autumn and winter : the addition of a little more loam and coarfe fand to the compoft, is recommended for thofe feaions. Each 190 CARNATIONS. Each pot fhould contain at lead three or four plants, and be placed under an arch of hoops, where they can be covered with mats, in cafe of exceflive rains, till the feverity of the weather renders it neceflary to remove them into their win- ter repofitory, which is 10 be conflrufted in the fame manner, and have the fame afpeft as that dcfcribed for Auriculas. When the layers are properly rooted, which will be the cafe with moft forts in about three weeks or a month after laying, provided due care be taken to keep them regularly moift, and to (hade them from the heat of the meridian fun : they are then to be cut off from the old plant, with about half an inch of the flalk, which connefts them to it, and be immediately planted in the manner before defcribed. Carnations CARNATIONS. 191 Carnations are to be treated during winter much like Auriculas ; with refpeft to the weather, they are feldom injured by a moderate dry froft, though it is fafer to defend them from too much of it : but it is very neceflary to caution againft covering them up clofe when the plants are wet, as they are, in that ftate, very liable to contraft a deflru6live mildew, if they have not the benefit of a free circulation of air ; this mildew makes its firft appearance in purple fpots on the foliage, which can only be cured or pre- vented from fp reading amongfl; the adja- cent plants, by cutting out the infe^led part, or removing the pot, as foon as dif- covered, it being not improbable but that the diftemper is, in great meafure, owing to a very minute infeft, brought into exiftence by the fermentive warmth gene- rated at fuch times. Plants thus infeded have 192 CARNATIONS. have been frequently known to commu- nicate the contagion to others which fland near them, therefore no time fhould be loft in cutting off the fpotted leaves, or removing the plants to a diftant part of the garden. A repolitory, confl;ru6led in the man- ner already defcribed, is lefs liable to the above effefts than any clofe frame or fituation can poflibly be, becaufe it has the advantage of a free circulation of air at all times, even when fliut up, unlefs indeed when clofely covered up with mats, &c. as in cafes of fevere froft ; but at fuch times no fuch confequences are to be dreaded. The rains of autumn and winter are generally more than fufhcient for Carna- tions, as well as for Auriculas, from an excefs of which it is proper to defend them : of the two extremes, it is fafer 3 to CARNATIONS. 193 to keep them rather too dry than too wet, at thefe feafons, efpecially during winter; but a moderate degree of moifture is always to be preferred, except when the weather is feverely frofty. As too long a deprivation of light is at all times preju- dicial to plants, therefore, whenever the winter repofitory is required to be clofely covered up with mats, for feveral days and nights, with little intermiflion, no oppor- tunity fhould be lofl during the middle of the day, if the fun fliines, to take off the mats in front of the glafles, in order to admit its light and warmth. Whenever the furface of the earth in the pots becomes green with mofs, or too compaft and adhefive, it will be proper to llir it up carefully, about half an inch deep, and to fprinkle a little coarfe dry fand regularly upon it : this will prevent any great degree of tenacity C c in 194 CARNATIONS. in future, and be of great fervice ; it may be repeated as often as required. In fpring, the pots will probably re- quire to be frequently watered, and by the middle of March the operation of potting is to commence, as already de- fcribed. The blolToms of Carnations, par- ticularly the high coloured forts, are very apt to run from their ftriped or variegated colours to a plain one ; they are then elleemed of little or no value : but when they are only partially run, they may fometimes be recovered to their former ftate, by being planted in a poor, dry foil, that will but juft afford fufficient nouriihment for their exiftence. It is necelfary to be very careful to mark fuch pipings as are taken off before it can be afcertained whether the original plant is in true colours, or run, becaufe it very feldom happens that the pipings. CARNATIONS. 195 pipings, or layers, taken from a run flower, produce any other than run or plain-coloured blofToms ; in confe- quence of which they are not worth the trouble of propagation : the pipings ought therefore to be fo marked as that it may be accurately known from what plant or plants they were taken, in order that if any of the originals (hould prove foul in colour, or run, the increafe of fuch may be diftinguifhed from the reft, and deftroyed. The layers and pipings of the moft beautifully variegated flowers will frequently produce run bloflbms ; but it is impoflible to prevent it, efpecially amongft the rich high coloured forts, when they grow in a rich compoft. Some people pipe their Carnations at the third joint, but it is better to do it at the fecond; becaufe, in the firft inftance, the third joint being more hard and woody. 196 CARNATIONS. woody, the pipings do not ftrike root fo foon, or form afterwards, fuch hand- fome plants as when they are piped at the fecond joint from the extremity of the fhoot. New forts of Carnations are obtained from feed, which fhould be procured and raifed in the following manner. Thofe flowers which have but few petals, or, as it is more commonly exprefTed, are thin of leaf, generally produce moft feed, and therefore are moft to be de- pended on for a fupply ; but they fhould be poflefled of the beft properties in other refpe6ts, viz, their petals fhould be large, broad, fubftantial, and perfeftly entire at the edge, and their colours rich, and regularly diftributed, and in due proportion, throughout the whole bloflbm. Th( CARNATIONS. 197 The plants intended for feed fhould be felefted from the reft, and their pots ftiould ftand upon a ftage, defended againft earwigs, in an open part of the garden, in which fituation they fhould re- main during bloom, and until the feed is perfeftly matured: their bloflbms fhould be defended from rain, by having glafs, paper, or tin covers fufpended over them, in fuch manner as to admit a free circu- lation of air ; the pots fhould neither be kept very wet or very dry, nor will it be proper to cut and mutilate the plants, either for their layers or pipings, till the feed becomes ripe, becaufe it would certainly weaken them, and confequently injure, if not deftroy, their feed. When the bloom is over, and the petals become withered and dry, they fhould be carefully drawn out of the pod or calyx, being apt to retain a degree 198 CARNATIONS. degree of moiflure at their bafe, endan- gering a mouldinefs, and decay in that part, which will deflroy the feed. There is another mode of treatment adopted fuccefsfully in ripening the feed, which is, when the bloom is over, and the petals begin to decay, they are to be extra6led as above, taking par- ticular care to leave the two ftyles, which appear like horns proceeding from the fummit of the germen, or future peri- carpium; the calyx is then to be (hort- ened to about one half of its original length, and an aperture made on one fide of the remainder, down to the bafe of the pericarpium, fo that no water can poflibly lodge there ; but in doing this, great care is neceflary not to wound or injure the pericarpium, or feed veflel itfelf, becaufe it might prove deftru6live to the feed. After CARNATIONS. 199 After the above is performed, the covers may remain, or be taken away at pleafure ; but in the latter cafe it is advifable to loofen the upper part of the ftems from the flicks, that the open end of the calyx may incline a little downwards, the more elfeftually to pre- ferve it in a dry ftate : the ftems fhould not be fuffered to hang fo loofe as to be in danger of breaking off with every puff of wind. It is rather difficult to obtain any confiderable quantity of fine Carnation feed, from a moderate colleftion of plants : which thofe who make the at- tempt will often find to be the cafe. The feed ripens from the end of Auguft to the beginning of Oftober : the pericarpium becomes brown, dry, and hard, and the feed, when ripe, is of a black, or very dark brown colour; 3 thofe 200 CARNATIONS. thofe who are not fufficiently attentive to the ripening of their feed, are apt to gather it too foon, before it is perfe6lly matured, in confequence of which, the greateft part proves fmall, pale coloured, and unproductive. Thofe plants which have ftood three or four weeks upon the ftage, under the cloth covering, whilft in bloom, feldom produce any feed at all, or but very little : neither do fuch as are entirely expofed to the weather; becaufe in this cafe the rains and night dews that occa- lionally happen, keep the bafes of the petals, furrounding the pericarpium, con- tinually moift ; the confequences of which are a mouldinefs and decay. The feed, when gathered, fhould re- main in the pericarpium, in a dry room, till the beginning or middle of May; it is then to be fown in pots, filled with the CARNATIONS. 201 ' ml ' ii ■■mil ■ I the compoft, and have a little fine mould fifted upon it, barely fufficient to cover the feed : at this feafon of the year, artificial heat is not required, the pots ftiould therefore be placed in an airy part of the garden, be fhaded from the heat of the fun, and kept moderately moift, but never very wet. As foon as the young plants appear with fix leaves, and become about three inches high, they fhould be planted out on a bed of good rich garden mould, at about ten or twelve inches afunder, and be defended from excefs of rain, and fevere frofts, by mats on hoops, placed over the bed in the ufual manner : they will in general blow the following fummer. Some perfons have advanced an opi- nion, that the feed of tun plants produces as great a proportion of variegated flow* ers as any other ; but the validity of this D d aflertion 202 CARNATIONS. affertion has not yet been fufficiently demonftrated by experiment. A Defcription of the Properties of a fine Variegated, Double Carnation. THE flem fhould beftrong, tall, and flraight ; not lefs than thirty, or more than forty-five inches high ; the foot- (lalks, fupporting the flowers, fliould be ftrong, elaftic, and of a proportionate length. The flower, or corolla, fliould be at leafl: three inches in diameter, confifting of a great number of large well-formed petals ; but neither fo many as to give it too full and crowded an appearance, nor fo few as to make it appear too thia and empty. The petals fliould be long, broad, and fubftantial, particularly thofe of the lower a ^^^ CARNATIONS. 203 or outer circle, commonly called the guard leaves ; thefe fhould rife perpendicularly, about half an inch above the calyx, and then turn off gracefully, in a horizontal dire6lion, fupporting the interior petals, and altogether forming a convex, and nearly hemifpherical corolla. The interior petals fhould rather de- creafe in fize, as they approach the centre of the flower, which fhould be well filled with them. The petals fhould be regularly dif- pofed alike on every lide, imbricating each other in fuch a manner as that both their refpe6live and united beauties may captivate the eye at the fame inflant: they fhould be nearly flat, however, a fmall degree of concavity, or inflexion, at the lamina, or broad end, is allowable ; but their edges fhould be perfe6lly entire, that 204 CARNATIONS. that is to fay, free from notch, fringe, or indenture. The calyx fliould be at leaft one inch in length, terminating with broad points, fufficiently ftrong to hold the narrow bafes of the petals, in a clofe and circu- lar body. Whatever colours the flower may be pofTefled of, they fhould be perfeftly diftinft, and difpofed in long regular flripes, broadeft at the edge of the lamina, and gradually becoming nar- rower as they approach the unguis, or bafe of the petal, there terminating in a fine point. Each petal fhould have a due proportion of white, i. e, one half, or nearly fo, which fhould be perfeftly clear, and free from fpots. Bizards, or fuch as contain two colours upon a white ground, are efleemed rather preferable to flakes, which have but one, efpecially CARNATIONS. 205 efpecially when their colours are remark- ably rich, and very regularly diftributed. Scarlet, purple, and pink, are the three colours moll predominant in the Carnation ; the two firft are feldom to be met with in the fame flower, but the two laft are very frequently. When the fcarlet predominates, and is united with a paler colour, or, as it fome- times happens, with a very deep purple upon a white ground, it conftitutes a fcarlet bizard, of which there are many fhades and varieties, fome richer, and others paler in their colours, as is the cafe with all the refl:. Pink Bizards, are fo called when the pink abounds. Purple Bizards, when the purple abounds. CrimXon Bizards, con- fift of a deep purple and rich pink. When the pink flake is very h.gh in colour, it is diftinguiflied by the appella- tion 2o6 CARNATIONS. tion of rofe flake ; but fome there are fo nearly in the medium betwixt a pink and fcarlet, that it can fcarcely be defined to which clafs they belong. On On pinks. •^ I ^ H E culture of the Pinks is much lefs difficult than that of Carna- tions : they are hardier, more eafily propagated, increafe more abundantly, and are lefs liable to the cafualties inci- dent to the latter. A good frefti loamy foil, dug and comminuted about two feet deep, and manured with a flratum of cow-dung, two years old, mixed with an equal proportion of earth : this ftratum to be about fix inches thick, and placed five or fix inches below the furface, is all the preparation or compoft that appears neceflary for this flower. The 2o8 PINKS. The bed fhould be raifed three or four inches above the furrounding paths, and its fides may be fupported with an edging of boards, to come up even with, or one inch higher than its furface ; this laft more for the fake of neatnefs than any particular utility it will be of to the plants. The plants intended for the principal bed for bloom, (hould be placed upon it in Auguft, or early in September, as they do not blow quite fo well if removed later in the feafon ; they (hould be plant- ed at about the diftance of nine inches from each other, and the bed (hould be laid rather convex, or rounding, to throw off excefs of rain ; but will require no other covering than a very flight one in cafe of fevere froft. The bed fhould be kept free from weeds, and its furface (lined up a little if PINKS. 209 if it inclines to bind, or, in other words, whenever it becomes too firm and ad- hefive. Large ftrong plants will put up nume- rous flower ftems, but it is proper to thin them out, a month or fix weeks before bloom ; in doing which, the largefl: and flrongefl;fhould be left, efpecially the prin- cipal leading ftem, which proceeds from the heart or centre of the plant, together with all its befl pods : but no plant, however flrong, fliould be permitted to bloom more than ten or twelve bloflbms, nor weakly plants more than four or five. In order to obtain them large and well coloured, all the fmall lateral pods fhould be cut or pulled off, as they never produce any other than diminutive flow- ers, and at the fame time rob the others of a certain part of their nourifliment» which, ofcourfe, prevents their attaining E e the 210 PINKS. the fize and beauty they would otherwife arrive at. The largeft and mofl bufhy plants do not produce the fineft flowers ; they natu- rally put forth numerous fmall ftems, which their roots are not able to fupport fufficiently to produce large bloflbms. Strong healthy plants, not too large, and confiding of a capital leading flem in the centre, with but little fur- rounding increafe, are moft proper to feleft for the befl bed : thefe will feldom put up more than one or two flems, which will, however, be very ftrong, grow tall, and produce three or four bloffoms, as large and fine as the fort is capable of. Thofe pods that nearly at the time of blowing become much fwelled, and appear in danger of burfling, fhould be tied in in the fame manner as dire6led for Carna- tions, PINKS. 211 tions, under fimilar circumflances. Such forts of Pinks as are mod inclined to burfl; their pods, oftentimes produce larger and finer flowers than others which have fmaller pods, becaufe the latter generally confift: of too few petals : it is, however, more defirable to have their pods large and long, than too fliort and round, as it is hardly poflible to preferve the latter from burfl;ing, whereby the beautiful circular form which the flower ought to poflefs is loft. When the calyx is fo extremely fliort that it muft inevitably burft, it is better to aflift nature by what is called letting down the pod, that is, with a pen-knife to nick it down at the bottom of each of its inden- tures, as low as may be deemed neceflary, in order to let out the petals regularly on every fide, and preferve the circular form of the bloflbm : for if it is left to nature. 212 PINKS. nature, the calyx will burft only on one fide, and its petals will confequently force their way through that aperture, and produce a loofe deformed flower ; fome kinds are pofTeffed of fuch weak and fhort pods that the calyx will entirely burft from top to bottom on one fide, and open fo very wide as to fuffer almoft all the petals to fall out, and hang down when they have been in bloom but a fhort time ; fuch indeed hardly deferve to be claffed amongfl the beft forts, let their properties in other refpe61s be ever fo defirable. When the flower ftems are grown fufficiently long, they fliould be fupported with fmall fl;icks, or wires, as the fancy of the cultivator may direft ; but thefe ought to be difpofed of in fuch a manner as to allow the bloffoms to expand and blow perfedly diftind from 3 each PINKS. 213 each other, that the whole may have an eafy graceful appearance. Thofe who can beftow fufficient time and attention to their bloom of Pinks, may contribute greatly to the efFeQ, by placing upon the calyx thin pieces of card,^ or fliff paper, cut circular, and of a proper fize to fuit the bloflbm, with a hole in the centre, adapted to the fize of the pod, and cut quite through from thence to the periphery, in order to admit the ftem : thefe are to be placed clofe underneath the guard leaves, fo as to fupport them horizontally, and will, when they extend juft as far as the extreme points of the petals, gi\e the bloflbm a very circular and pleafmg appearance ; but they are apt to warp when long expofed to the weather, efpe- cially after being w^et, and muft either be • See Plate 6. Fig. ii. taken 214 PINKS. taken off entirely, or exchanged for new ones, as they will no longer anfwer the intended purpofe. Some kinds do not require any afliftance of this fort, but the greater part not having their guard leaves fufficiently ftrong at the bafe to fup- port themfelves in a horizontal pofition, are confiderably improved by this little contrivance, which, perhaps, by the fore- going defcription, will not be difficult to comprehend. At the time of bloom, which is towards the end of June, it is proper to defend the bed by a covering, or awning, fome- what limilar to that ufed for the bloom of Tulips and Carnations : they fiiould, in like manner, enjoy the advantage of light and air, and the foil fliould be kept regularly moift by foft water, adminiftered between the plants, carefully avoiding to wet the bloffoms. The PINKS. 215 The eafiefl: and mofl approved method of propagating Pinks is by piping them exaftly in the fame manner as defcribed for Carnations ; they feldom fail to ftrike fufficient root in the coiirfe of a fortnight or three weeks to enable them to bear removal with fafety : they may then be tranfplanted into an open part of the garden, on a bed of the common garden mould, frefli dug up, where it will, in a few weeks, be eafily difcernible which are the mofl proper to place on the befh bed for bloom. The time to pipe Pinks is immediately previous to, or during the bloom, or, indeed, as foon as ever the new flioots are grown of a fufficient length for that purpofe. New forts of Pinks are procured from feed, and thofe plants produce moft feed which have been expofed to the weather, except in cafe of very heavy rains, from which 2i6 PINKS. which it will be proper to fiielter them, both before and after bloom. Such forts produce the greateft quantity of feed as have long narow pods, the bloffoms of which confifl of but few petals ; but the feed of fuch will not be likely to produce fuch large and double flowers as that which is faved from forts poflefling fuperior properties : it is to be gathered, preferved, fown, and treated in all re- fpe6ls like that of Carnations. A Dcfcription of the Properties of a fine Double .Pink. THE flem (hould be flrong, elaftic, and erecl, and not lefs than twelve inches high. The calyx rather fmaller and fliorter, but nearly fimilar in form and proportion to that of a Carnation, as well as the formation PINKS. 217 formation of the flower, which fhould not be lefs than two inches and a half in diameter. The petals fhould be large, broad, and fubftantial, and have very fine fringed or ferrated edges, free from large coarfe deep notches or indentures ; in fliort, they approach neareft to perfeftion when the fringe on the edge is fo fine as fcarcely to be difcernible : but it would be con- fidered a very defirable objeft to obtain them perfedly rofe-leaved, i. e. without any fringe at all. The broadeft part of the lamina, or broad end of the petals, fhould be per- fe£lly white and diftinft from the eye, unlefs it be ornamented by a continuation of the colour of the eye round it," bold, clean, and diftinft, leaving a confiderable ^ When the corolla confifts of petals of this defcription, it is denominated a Laced Pink. F f proportion 2l8 PINKS. proportion of white in the centre, per- feftly free from any tinge or fpot. The eye (hould confift of a bright or dark rich crimfon, or purple, refembling velvet : but the nearer it approaches to black, the more it is efleemed ; its pro- portion fhould be about equal to that of the white, that it may neither appear too large nor too fmalL On On polyanthuses. — — «w«^3gCSaCfG«:-« TJOLYANTHUSES blow at the fame time, and require nearly the fame treatment as Auriculas, both with refpeft to foil and fituation ; they are, however, more impatient of heat and drought, and partial to the reverfe, viz. fhade and moiflure : they may be grown in the fame fized pots, and in the fame compoft as the latter, with the addition of more loam ; or they may, with equal pro- priety, be planted on cool and fliady beds or borders, being very hardy, and feldom perifh in the coldefl and wetteR feafons : but during the heats of fummer they are frequently deflroyed, unlefs the neceffary precautions be taken. Polyanthufes 220 POLYANTHUSES. Polyanthufes are very liable to the depredations of fnails and.flugs, which infeft their leaves and bloflbms in the fpring of the year ; in order to extirpate thefe vermin, it is neceflary to examine the plants and pots on all fides, as early in the morning as poflTible, otherwife the opportunity might be loft, becaufe they go in queft of food at night, and conceal themfelves as the day advances, and as the light becomes difagreeable to them, in fuch a manner as not to be difcovered without difiBculty. But the worft enemy to the Polyanthus is a fmall red or fcarlet fpider, which in fummer forms its web on the under fide of the leaves : it is fcarcely difcernible to the naked eye, but may eafily be perceived, if it exifts, by means of a lens, or magnifying glafs. Thefe fpiders probably fubfift on the juices of the plant ; it is, however, evi- dent POLYANTHUSES. 221 dent that they caufe its leaves to become yellow and fpotted, and eventually de- ftroy it ; they multiply with fuch aflonifh- ing rapidity as to take pofleflion of a whole colle6lion, in a very fhort fpace of time, if the neceflary precautions be not taken as foon as any plant puts on the appearance of infeftion. This infeft feldom attacks fuch plants as are in a ftate of vigour, or when the weather is cold and wet ; it generally commences its depredations in the early part of furamer, and continues them as long as the heat and drynefs of the weather favour its exiftence : the juices alfo of the plants being then more vifcous and faccharine, afford it more fuitable nourifhment than at any other feafon. Such plants as appear infe6led fhould be immediately fele6ted from the reft, taken out of the earth, and foaked for two 222 POLYANTHUSES. two or three hours in a ftrong infufion of tobacco water, and be replanted in a frefh foil OT compofl, and removed to another fituation remote from the former. If the whole bed or border of Polyan- thufes is overrun with this infeft, it is bed to take up all the plants, ferve them in the fame manner, and plant them elfewhere. The bed, or border, from whence the plants have been taken, fhould be imme- diately dug up, or trenched, and fuffered to remain fallow till the following feafon, or be occupied with fome different crop, not liable to the fame calamity. Polyanthufes are propagated by fepa- rating their flips or offsets ; this may be performed when the plants are frefii potted, at the fame time and much in a fimilar manner as defcribed for Auri- culas, or it may be done early in the fpring ; POLYANTHUSES. 223 fpring ; but in this laft cafe the fucceeding bloom will be in fome degree injured. The pots, when the flowers are in bloom, may (land in front of the Hya- cinth bed, or at one end or in front of the Auricula flage, as fancy may di61ate ; but when feed is the objeft, the plants fhould be expofed to the weather, in a cool and (hady fituation, and be carefully watered as often as required, in the fame manner as dire6led for Auriculas. The plants are materially injured and weak- ened by being permitted to bear feed, and frequently perifh in confequence of it. The pericarpium, or feed-veffel, wil begin to open when the feed becomes mature, and fit to gather ; and unlefs it is particularly attended to at this time, it will be in danger of falling out, efpe- cially if it happens to be windy weather. The 224 POLYANTHUSES. The feed when ripe will appear of a very dark brown colour : it (hould be cut off, with part of the ftem, and may after- wards be preferved, fown, and treated in every refped like that of Auriculas. A Defcription of the Properties of a fine Polyanthus. ITS properties are in moft refpefts fimilar to thofe of a fine Auricula, viz, the ftem, peduncles, or foot-ftalks, and formation of the bunch or trufs; there- fore a definition of its pips, or petals, only remain neceffary to be confidered in this place. The tube of the corolla above the calyx, ftiould be fhort, well filled with the anthers or fummits of the ftamins, and terminate fluted, rather above the eye. 'q The POLYANTHUSES. 225 rr II—. The eye fliould be round, of a bright clear yellow, and difl;in6l from the ground colour; the proportion as in the Auri- cula, throughout the flower. The ground colour is moft admired when fhaded with a light and dark rich crimfon, refembling velvet, with one mark or ftripe in the centre of each divifion of the limb, bold and diflinft from the edging down to the eye, where it fliould terminate in a fine point. The pips fliould be large, quite flat, and as round as may be, confiftent with their peculiar beautiful figure, which is circular, excepting thofe fmall inden- tures between each divifion of the limb, which divide it into five or fix heart-like fegments. The edging fliould refemble a bright gold lace, bold, clear, and diUinft, and fo nearly of the fame colour as the eye G g and 226 POLYANTHUSES. and ftripes as fcarcely to be diflinguifhed : in fhort, the Polyanthus fhould poflefs a graceful elegance of form, a richnefs of colouring, and fymmetry of parts, not to be found united in any other flower. A SUP- A SUPPLEMENTARY DISSERTATION O N SOILS, MANURES, &c. Q OILS, in general, are found to con- ^ fift of the following fubftances, viz. Clay, Sand, Gravel or ftones, Calcareous and abforbent earths. Vegetable fubftances, containing oil, Metallic fubftances, and Salts. Clay is a foft fine powder, on the ap- plication of water it becomes tenacious, and 228 SOILS, MANURES, Sec. and hardens, as it dries, into a compaft folid mafs ; if the foil abounds with clay, it will retain water in too great a degree, which will rot the fibres of plants ; it will be too adhefive to permit their fibres to pafs freely into it, and will be difficult to fepa- rate or work ; the addition of fand, dung, or good marie, will obviate thefe effe6ls, and render it of a proper confiftence. Sand confifts of fmall cryfialline par- ticles, and has a contrary effe6l to clay in any foil where it abounds, permit- ting water to pafs too freely through it ; the addition of clay, neat's-dung, or woollen rags, will give it adhefivenefs and tenacity, and render it more fertile. Sea, or river, fand, is to be preferred to that found in flrata, or beds, in the earth, being more free from mineral or metallic fubftances, which are pernicious to vegetation. Gravel, SOILS, MANURES, &c. 229 Gravel, or ftones, are larger maffes of cryftalline fubftances ; they give the foil an open texture, and encourage the pro- grefs of the fibres of plants, when in due proportion, and not too large ; they are particularly beneficial to a heavy moid foil, permitting the water to pafs away more freely : on the furface of a light dry foil they tend to prevent too copious an exhalation, and thereby ren- der it more fertile. Calcareous and abforbent earths are, quick lime, limeftone, chalk, fhells, marie, &c. Quick lime, or cauftic calcareous earth, refills putrefadion, it attrafts acids and oils, and deflroys both animal and vegetable fubftances, particularly the former : it is produced by burning lime- ftone, chalk, fliells, &c, with a red heat, till the aerial acid be difcharged; it then becomes 230 SOILS, MANURES, Sec. becomes cauflic : when perfe6lly burned, it dififolves in water, in the proportion of five grains to a pint, and on being expofed a fufficient time to the air, it recovers its acid, and reverts to the ftate it was in before burning, i. e. it becomes mild or effete : in this flate it lias the property of promoting putrefa6lion, and is infoluble in water, as are the other mild calcareous earths ; but like them it effer- vefces and combines with acids, thereby forming a neutral fait ; and this fait, when united with oily fubftances, conflitutes a kind of faponaceous mucilage, which, in a perfed ftate, is the proper nutriment of plants. Calcareous earths, when re- duced to a powder, and laid on the furface of the foil, are foon wafhed down by rains, and their effeds loft. Marie, of all forts, is compofed of calcareous earth mixed with clay : it is 2 friable SOILS, MANURES, &c. 231 friable in water, and efFervefces with acids, which diftinguiihes it from fimple clay. Vegetable fubftances are found on and near the furface of moft foils ; they confift of the roots and fibres of plants, and of plants that have grown, fallen, and de- cayed there ; they contain only particles, which give the foil a black or dark coloured appearance, and greatly enrich it, unlefs the plants happened to be of the acetofe, aftringent, and antiputre- fcent kind. Vegetable fubftances pafs through the faccharine, vinous, and acetous fermenta- tions, before putrefa6lion is completed, and their conftituent parts feparated. Metallic, or mineral fubftances, are frequently found in foils united with an acid ; they are extremely pernicious and poifonous to plants, and, where they abound 232 SOILS, MANURES, See. abound in any great degree, render the foil barren and unproduftive. Salts are generally allowed to be the grand fertilizers of earth ; therefore the foil is denominated rich, where they are of a proper quality and abound, and poor when they are abfent. There are two families, or genera, of falts, the one alkaline, and the other acid, each of which are divided into their refpeftive fpecies, according to their fubordinate powers. The flrongefl acid falts are, ift. Vitriolic acid. 2d. Nitrous acid. 3d. Muriatic acid. The flrongefl: alkaline falts are, ifl. Fixed vegetable alkali. 2d. Cauftic calcareous earth. 3d. Caufiic volatile alkali. In SOILS, MANURES, &c. 233 In the above arrangement, the mod powerful attra61ors are placed firft, and the reft in their proper order : if any of the acids be mixed in due proportion with any of the alkali's, and diflblved in water, they will combine and reciprocally naturalize each other ; again, if cauftiq volatile alkali be united with any acid, fixed vegetable alkali, on being added to the folution, will take pofTeflion of the acid, and drive off the volatile alkali ; or if calcareous earth be united with an acid, on the application of fixed vegeta-» ble alkali to the folution, the acid and alkali will unite, and the earth will be feparated, and precipitate or fall to the bottom. Alkaline falts appear to contain the bafis, or matrix, of the nutritive matter proper for plants ; they attraQ the nitrous acid of the air, which is fuppofed to be Hh the 234 SOILS, MANURES, &c. the only fpecies of arid that can anfwer the grand purpofes of vegetation ; they become reciprocally neutralized with it, but are flill capable of uniting and incor- porating with the oleaginous particles of the earth, and by the addition of air and water, become attenuated, conco61ed, and matured, forming altogether the fapo- naceous mucilage, which is allowed to be the effential pabulum, or nutriment of plants. From thefe fa6ls, it may be eafily deduced, that no fubftance ought to be efleemed eligible as a manure, which does not contain fome proportion of alkaline falts. All animal, and fome vegetable fub- ftances, afford volatile alkaline falts and oil, in a greater or fmaller degree ; and as dung, which is eafy to procure, par- takes of all thefe qualities, fo is it princi- pally SOILS, MANURES, &c. 235 pally recommended to the cultivator of tender plants, as preferable to any other kind of manure for general ufe : it never- thelefs requires proper management to bring it into a fit ftate for application, and mufl not be made ufe of before it has had fufficient time to pafs, in fome degree, through its various ftages of pu- trefa6lion, and till it has reaped the advantages arifing from a due expofure to the atmofphere. Neats-dung^ is efteemed the beft ma- nure for hot, dry foils ; it retains moifture longer, and in greater quantity, than other dungs, ferments and putrifies more flowly, and is bell adapted to the nature of all fuch plants as are natives of a cold climate. The dung of hogs has nearly the fame properties. * Dung of cows, oxen, &c. The 235 SOILS, MANURES, &c. The dung of pigeons and other fowls, as alfo that of horfes, fheep, and deer, Sec. is moft eligible for cold wet foils, and for the culture of fuch plants as are natives of a warm climate ; thefe go through the different ftages of putrefac- tion much fooner than the former, and neither retain moifture fo long, or in fo great degree as the firft-mentioned. In order to reduce frefh cow-dung to a proper confiftence for the cultivation of delicate plants, it fhould be laid in a heap, not more than fifteen inches thick, in a fituation neither low nor elevated, ^nd be entirely expofed to the influence of the atmofphere : it fhould be turned over and well worked, once in two months, that it may derive every poffible benefit from the a6lion of the fun and air. To prevent the lofs of any part of its enriching qualities, it is advifable to place it SOILS, MANURES, Sec, 237 it upon a flratum of good mould, five or fix inches thick ; this will anfwer two good purpofes : in the firft place, the foil will receive the ftrongly impregnated moiflure that naturally drains from the dung after rains, and which would, unlefs fo preferved, foak into the ground below, and be in great meafure loft ; and fecond- ly, if at each time of turning the dung, during fummer, a little of this ftraturai be pared off, and laid upon the furface of the mafs, it will forward its putrefac- tion, and prevent its falts from volati- lizing in fo copious a degree as if its furface was expofed to the heat of the fun without fuch a guard. When it has been thus treated for twelve or fourteen months, it will become fufficiently reduced to pafs through a coarfe fl^reen, or fieve ; this will be more eafily performed during a feries of 238 SOILS, MANURES, &e. of dry weather, becaufe its parts will feparate and pafs through it with lefs labour than when it is in a wet flate ; after this lafl: operation, it will make rapid progrefs towards a (late of matu- rity, and at the end of two years it may be ventured on as a fafe and eligible manure for every purpofe to which cow or neats dung is applicable. The cow-dung produced near London is more crude and grofs than that of the country, occafioned by the difference of food on which the animal fubfifts ; it of courfe requires longer preparation and expofure to the atmofphere than the latter, but two years and a half will be found fufiBcient for it in its grofleft and mod crude flate. Horfe-dung fooner becomes fit for ufe than cow-dung ; it fhould be laid thicker in the heap, but in other refpe6ls have the SOILS, MANURES, &c. 239 the fame treatment as the latter, except that it will not require more than twelve or fourteen months to prepare it for any purpofe. Manures are valuable in proportion to the falts and oils they contain, and are to be applied in quantity according to their quality. Hence it arifes that the dung of pigeons fliould be ufed in fmaller proportion than that of horfes, becaufe it contains more volatile falts ; and for the fame reafon, the afhes of burnt vegetables, containing a confiderable proportion of fixed alka- line falts, muft be ufed more fparingly than pigeons dung, being ftill more pow- erful : for that which is very beneficial and highly proper in due proportion, or moderate quantity, becomes pernicious and dangerous in excefs ; therefore, all (Irong manures fhould be made ufe of wath 240 SOILS, MANURES, &c. with the utmoft caution, or their efFe£ls may prove deftru6live. As dungs are the moft ufeful, fafe, and eafy to procure, of almoft any kind of manure, it may not be improper to add a few remarks refpefting the application of them, upon which, indeed, in great meafure, fuccefs uhimately depends, viz» Dungs (hould never be expofed, during fummer, too thin on the furface, becaufe the full a6lion of the fun and air upon them, in that Hate, would volatilize their falts and oils, which would exhale and be loft. They may lay thinner, and be more expofed to the atmofphere during winter, becaufe the air is then more replete with the nitrous or aerial acid, which the falts of the dung attraft in greater quantity by fuch expofure, and are thereby rendered more nutritive, and fooner fit for ufe. 3 I^"»gs SOILS, MANURES, Sec. 241 — ^ Dungs muft never be buried too deep in the earth, beyond the aftion of the air, becaufe in fuch a fituation they will ftagnate, corrupt, and become putrid, and poifonous to plants. In order to difcover whether a foil contains any metallic or mineral acid falts, the following experiment is re- commended, viz. Take a few pounds weight of the foil, at about twelve or fifteen inches below the furface, becaufe that of the furface ought not to be confidered a fair fpecimen, being fubje6l to the influence of the atmofphere, and wafhing of rains ; put it into an earthen veffel, and pour as much boiling hot rain, or diflilled water, upon it, as will com- pletely cover it ; llir it well together, that the falts may be perfeftly diflblved, and let it (land till the earth fubfides ; filtre off a little of the water, through I i filtrating 242 SOILS, MANURES, &c. filtrating paper, into a glafs or earth- en veflel, and add to it a few drops of a ftrong folution of fixed vegetable alkali ; this will immediately combine with, and neutralize the mineral acid, if there be any, and the earthy part will precipitate. On adding a little of the infufion of galls to the filtrated liquor, the quality of the acid may be afcertained ; if it contains iron, a blackifh recrement will precipitate, or grey if it contains copper. Some foils abound with metallic fub- flances of the ferruginous kind, which make them appear of a rufty iron colour; thefe fubftances are frequently found confolidated with the foil, into large maffes, very ponderous and adhefive : earth of this quality is commonly called Foxbent, or Till ; it is extremely unfa- vourable to vegetation. Upon SOILS. MANURES, &c. 243 Upon calcining one of thefe malTes, and reducing it to powder, if a magnet be applied, it will attraft and feparate numerous particles of iron. The beft method of converting foils of the above defcription to a ftate of fertility is as follows : Spread a fufficient quantity of quick lime on the furface ; let it have a con- fiderable time to operate, and afterwards frequently turn up the foil and lime incorporated together, that the air may pervade it thoroughly ; by this means its mafTes will be reduced, and their metal- lic properties deftroyed ; the foil will finally become produftive. If neutral falts abound in any foil, to fo great a degree as to become noxious to vegetation, it may be known by the following experiment. Boil 244 SOILS, MANURES, &c. Boil the filtrated liquor, before de- fcribed, till its aqueous parts are nearly evaporated ; put the remainder into a glafs or earthen veflel, and let it ftand to cool ; if any neutral falts are contained in it, they will (hoot into cryftals. Such foils will require long expofure to the atmofphere before they acquire fertility. Fixed vegetable alkaline falts, and calcareous earths, fhould never be placed at any confiderable depth from the furface of the foil ; their falts cannot exhale, but have a continual tendency to fink down- wards, which inclination being promoted by rains, the foil would confequently foon lofe any benefit it might otherwife derive from them. Alkaline falts, of all defcriptions, in folution, change the purplifh blue colour of the tinfture of violets to a green ; but SOILS, MANURES, &c. 245 but all the acid falts change it to a red : in order to prove it by experiment, take a narrow flip of white paper, dip it into the tinfture, and, when dry, apply it to the folution, it will immediately difcover, by its appearance, whether an acid or alkali prevails ; if neither the one nor the other predominates, the colour of the ftained paper will undergo no altera- tion ; therefore, if the folution contains any falts at all, they are neutrals, z. e. confiding of equal proportions of alkali's and acids. Of neutral falts there are many, but nitre is, perhaps, the moft perfeft, and is fuppofed to be th& beft adapted to all the purpofes of vegetation. The nitrous acid, according to the opinion of chymifts, is always produced by the lad flage of putrefaftion ; the tobacco plant, however, feems to exhibit fome 246 SOILS, MANURES, Sec. fome proof of its more univerfal exiftence, which having come under the author's immediate obfervation, he takes the liber- ty fimply to mention ; at the fame time moft refpe6lfully fubmitting its confidera- tion to thofe who may be better quali- fied to decide upon it. This plant, which is well known to be highly alkalefcent, and, for the purity of its falts, preferable to mod; others, wherever it may have grown, if it be taken up at a proper time, while in a ftate of vegetation, and dried in an open airy fituation, defended from the heat of the fun and rain, nitrous particles will be formed, and abound in the fmall flalks and fibres of the leaves, before any confiderable putrefaftion can have taken place, to fuch a degree as even to deflagrate with explofion when the parts become heated red hot. Vitriolic SOILS, MANURES, &c. 247 Vitriolic acid is found in the earth, united with various metallic and fulphu- reous fubflances. Muriatic acid is found in the earth, in mineral waters, the fea, &c. it is the weakefl: of the mineral, but flronger than any vegetable acid : it is poifonous to plants, as are all mineral or metallic fubflances whatfoever. Sea fait is by fome people ufed as a manure ; it certainly contains fome foffil or mineral alkali, but it abounds with muriatic acid, and therefore cannot, by any means, be recommended as a fafe and eligible manure, which the following experiment will tend in fome meafure to demonftrate. A quantity of fea fait, in folution, was applied to part of a paflure field; the foil became, in confequence, barren and unproduQive for more than twenty years ; 248 SOILS, MANURES, Sec. years ; it at length recovered its fertility, but did not afterwards appear to have derived any advantage from the expe- riment. It is true, the marflies, or low grounds near the fea, and mouths of rivers, which are periodically inundated by fait water, afterwards produce herbage luxuriantly ; but it does not feem neceflary to conclude from that circumftance, that the foil be- comes enriched by the fea fait : it may, indeed, receive confiderable benefit from the animal and teftaceous fubflances brought upon it by the water, and left on its furface when it fubfides ; but from the foregoing experiment, and the known properties of fea fait, may it not be reafonably prefumed, that the fait itfelf a6ls rather as a prefent poifon, than as a future promoter of vegetation? The foil, indeed, evidently requires a confiderable period SOILS, MANURES, &c. 249 period of time, proportionate to that in which it has remained under the fait water, to recover even the fame degree of fertility it pofTefTed before the event happened ; a much longer period than thofe foils require which have been laid under water by exceflive rains, or which have been overflowed by a foft, frefh water river, rendered ftill richer at times of flood, by the fine earthy particles, falts, &c. waflied from the furface of the adjacent lands, by the rains which have caufed it to overflow its banks. Somefoap-makers wafte aflies, contain- ing a certain quantity of vegetable and calcareous alkali, were laid in a heap, on part of a poor field which had never produced any thing but heath, mofs, and other afl:ringent and acetous plants ; it remained there about a year, and its falts defl;royed every plant near it : it was K k afterwards 250 SOILS, MANURES, &c. afterwards removed, but the earth on which it had been placed produced no plant for about a year fubfequent to its removal, after which the foil became luxuriantly rich : nor were the advan- tages confined to the narrow limits occu- pied by the wafte afhes ; for in the courfe of a few years, all the adjacent parts of the field became enriched by the extend- ed influence of the falts ; the foil retained its fertility for more than thirty years, which by the end of that period became amazingly cxtenfive. The fuperficial earth of this field was of the peaty or moory kind, of a dark colour, and about fix inches deep ; un- derneath was an irony clay, the metallic acid of which had caufed its poverty : but that property of the clay was con- trolled by the alkaline falts of the wafte, which at the fame time attrafted the nitrous SOILS, MANURES, &c. 251 /» ' ' II. ■ nitrous acid of the air, and thereby rendered the foil fruitful ; the operation of the falts became fo confiderably exten- five by the wafliing of rains, and the attra6lion of the acid in the foil. Good marie would undoubtedly have produced confequences nearly fimilar to the above, but none could be conve- niently procured ; there can be no doubt that the foil on the furface contained oily particles in abundance, but the alkali's were wanting to form the faponaceous mucilage. Fixed vegetable alkali is produced by incineration, or the burning of vegetables in the open air, till their acids and oils be difcharged, or volatilized, and their afhes become white, or nearly fo. The falts thus produced are never pure, but confift of different proportions of alkali*s and neutrals, according to the nature 252 SOILS, MANURES, &c. nature of the plant, and the Hate it is in when burned. It is found by experience, that thofe vegetables which afford plenty of good falts, if properly burned when in right feafon, which is when the feed has at- tained its full fize, but is not perfeQly ripe, will not yield near the fame quan- tity, nor of fo good a quality, a few weeks earlier or later ; there are alfo other circumftances to be confidered and attended to, which require clofe obfer- vation, and confiderable experience to underftand and account for properly. Much depends on the foil, air, climate^ and fituation in which the plants have grown, and the manner of condu6i;ing the operation. It has been proved by repeated expe- riments, that the northern and weftern coafts of Great-Britain furnifh plants more flrongly SOILS, MANURES, &c. 253 ftrongly alkalefcent than the fouthern and eaftern coafts : this phaenomenon appears to be an objeft worthy of philofophical inveftigation. It is obferved by chymifts, that the caufticity of falts depends on the ab- fence of fixed air ; which perhaps might be more intelligibly denominated the nitrous or aerial acid, becaufe it is reafonable to conclude, that the acid being, when heated, exceedingly more volatile than the alkali, becomes expelled and driven off in the procefs of incinera- tion, and that until the alkali has reco- vered its acid, it remains in a ftate of caufticity ; but upon a fufficient expofure to the atmofphere, it will regain its acid, and become mild or effete ; therefore it cannot be doubted that the abfence of the aerial acid is the fole caufe of caufticityo The 254 SOILS, MANURES, &c. The calcareous fait of lime being added in fuflBcient quantity to a fatu- rated folution of fixed vegetable alkali, produces foap ley ; the efFefts of the lime are, to produce a more perfe£l degree of caufticity, and a greater incli- nation to unite with fubftantial oils, with which the ley intimately combines and forms altogether a vifcous glutinous fub- ftance, containing the bafis of the true mucilage ; therefore ' foap and foap-fuds certainly poflefs it in as perfe8: a ftate as it can be prepared or produced by chymical procefs. But notwithftanding their excellence as manures, yet they are by no means proper for immediate application to delicate plants : it is true they enrich the foil, but until they have undergone putrefa6lion, and their falts have had fufficient time to become neu- tralized by the acid of the air, they are abfolute SOILS, MANURES, &c. 255 abfolute poifons to fuch plants ; hence the neceflity of expoUng manures and compofts for a fufficient time, and in a proper manner, to the atmofphere, that their crude acrid properties may be dif- charged, their falts neutralized, and that they may pafs through their various flages of putrefa6lion ; in the courfe of which, and likewife after application, the nutritive matter they contain fhould neither be lofl by too copious exhala- tions, nor fuffered to ftagnate and corrupt for v/ant of the due a6tion of the air, agreeable to the foregoing obfervations. Many vegetable fubftances afford but a very fmall proportion of fixed alkaline falts upon incineration ; among which are the aflringent plants of moraffes, &c. and the faccharine tribe, of which the potatoe is a fpecies : their falts are too volatile to bear the operation of burning without beinjy o 256 SOILS, MANURES, &c. being exhaled and loft ; but if they be taken in a fucculent ftate, and laid in a heap, covered with three or four inches of earth, they will putrify, and what falts they contain will be preferved to confiderable advantage as a manure. Animal fubftances produce volatile al- kaline falts, and vegetable fubftances fixed alkaline falts ; but neither fixed alkaline falts, nor acids, appear to be conftituent parts of living animals, or if at all fo, in extremely minute proportion. The falts of urine appear to be of a peculiar kind, diftin6l from all others; they participate, in fome degree, of the nature both of animal and vegetable falts; the am.moniacal abound in them in much the greateft quantity, but they are found likewife to contain a fpecies of tartarous fait, oil, and fome fulphur. Urine SOILS, MANURES, &c. 257 Urine is found to produce volatile alkaline fait in greater proportion, and to contain lefs of earthy matter than any other animal fubftance. It is decompofed by putrefaftion, and fhould never be applied to plants, till its falts become perfe6lly neutralized by very long expofure to the atmofphere. All animal fubftances whatever, are excellent manures, when properly ap- plied. Sulphur canfifts of pure inflammable matter,'' combined with the vitriolic acid and earth ; the laft in very fmall propor- tion : it is poifonous to plants, as are all waters impregnated with it. Oils confift principally of inflammable matter ; they are generally found com- bined with an acid, earth, and water, the three laft in very fmall proportion. ' Or phlogjdon, L 1 Oils 258 SOILS, MANURES, &c. Oils are of various qualities ; all ani- mal and vegetable oils are great promoters of vegetation, they are infoluble in water, without the mediation of alkaline falts, and but imperfectly {"o without the fal- faponarius. Animal and vegetable fubftances have a near affinity to each other, as appears by their reciprocal commutations. Animals derive their fuftenance from vegetables, either immediately or ulti- mately, and when decompofed by putre- faftion, they become great promoters of vegetation. Nightly dews are of the utmoft con- fequence to vegetation, efpecially in hot climates, where they are probably the vehicles which convey the fovereign, nitrous, or aerial acid, more diret^tly to plants and to foils, and in greater quan- tity than they could otherwife polTibly obtain SOILS, MANURES, &c. 259 obtain it : in fuch climatf^s the very exifl- ence of plants, in all probability, depends on them. It is difficult to define what are the component parts of dew, or to inveftigate its peculiar properties ; there can how- ever be no doubt, that it is produced principally by exhalations from the earth, which when condenfed by the cold air of the night, become fpecifically heavier than the atmofphere, and defcend again to the earth, or upon any objeft they meet with. The particles of dew certainly confift principally of water ; it is, however, probable that they contain a minute proportion of volatile alkali, attratling and uniting with the nitrous acid of the air, whereby they fooner become cop- denfed and fpecifically heavier than fuch exhalations as afcend higher in the atmofphere, 26o SOILS, MANURES, &c. atmofphere, and return to the earth in the form of rain. Rain and fnow waters are foft, and contain a fmall proportion of falts and oil : they putrify fooner than fpring or hard water, which is probably occafioned by their containing more oil, and being free from any mineral or metallic acid. Hard fpring waters generally contajn a mineral acid, which is extremely inju- rious to delicate plants ; it hardens their fibres, and coagulates their juices in a great degree, and a6ls as a poifon to fuch. Some waters are rendered hard by being impregnated with the nitrous acid : thefe contain a calcareous earthy bafe, by which the acid has been attrafted ; they are thereby rather improved than injured by their hardnefs : but fuch are feldom found in any gravelly foil, or in fuch as abounds with metallic fubflances. A fuf- SOILS, MANURES, &c. 261 A fufficient expofure of cold, hard, fpring water, containing metallic fub- ftances, to the fun in furnmer, caufes it to be lefs chilling to the earth, renders it rather fofter, and lefs. pernicious to plants : if it be long expofed, fome of its purefl particles will, of courfe, exhale ; but at the fame time the mine- ral acid will alfo gradually fly oif, which is the principal caufe of its hardnefs ; the metal will fall to the bottom, being feparated from its acid, and the water will confequently become confiderably improved by fuch expofure. Snow is an excellent prefervative to plants againft froft, and, when not too deep, it admits light and air freely. Froft is as de[lru61ive to tender plants as it is beneficial to the foil ; it a61s principally on their fluids, which dilate and expand as they congeal, and flioot like 262 SOILS, MANURES, &c. like faks, in the form of cryftals ; con- fequently the parts of the plant replete with juices, burft on freezing, and^are deftroyed. Succulent plants are therefore more liable to injury from froft, than fuch as are of a more firm, hard, and woody texture. Frofl has a fimilar efFe8: on the aque- ous particles of the earth : on freezing it becomes more feparated, and capable of imbibing more copioufly, the nitrous acid of the air, which abounds mod in cold and frofty weather, particularly when the wind is northerly. The bed method of preparing foil for a compoll is as follows, viz. Take the turf, with its earth and fibres, about three or four inches thick, from the furface of a common, or old pafture field, where the foil is of a good 2 quality, SOILS, MANURES, Sec, 263 quality, place it fo as to form a wall, of about four or five feet in height, and two feet thick, on the top of which lay a flratum of calcareous earth, mixed with the alhes of burnt vegetables ; when it has remained in this ftate two or three years, it will become in excellent condi- tion, the falts placed on the fur face will have defcended into the mafs by rains, and it will be found at the end of that period replete with nutritive matter ; the vegeta- ble fibres. Sec. with which it abounds, will be reduced into a more proper con- fiftence than could have taken place under any different mode of treatment. It fhould afterwards be paffed through a coarfe (kreen, or fieve, fix or eight months before it is wanted for ufe, that its parts may be more perfe611y incor- porated : it fhould likev/ife be frequently turned over, that the a6lion of the air upon 2^4 SOILS, MANURES, Sec. ■■ ■ - — * upon it may preferve it perfeftly fweet^ and in good condition, either as an ingre* dient in a compoft, or for whatever pur- pofe in vegetation it may be intended. Numerous are the compound and neu* tral falts found in various foils ; but they are all combinations of fome fpecies of alkali's and acids, or of acids with earthy and metallic fubftances ; it does not appear neceffary to diftinguifli them here particularly by name, or to enter into a minute detail of their refpe6live properties, as it is prefumed what has been already obferved on the fubje6l, will be fufficient, without attempting to defcribe all the poflible attraftions, combinations, and effefts on vegetation, thofe fubftances are capable of, which indeed, would amount to little more than a meer hypothefis, unfounded on a6lual experiment. The SOILS, MANURES, &c. 265 The properties and qualities of differ- ent fubftances are apparently fo extreme- ly diflimilar to each other, that it feems almoft natural to conclude they are ori- ginally compofed of different kinds of matter ; but upon a juft and mature refleftion on the infinite power and wifdom of the Creator, the idea vanifhes, and it muft be acknowledged, that one, pure, uncompounded element, or mate- rial, may have been abundantly fufficient in his hand, to produce under different modifications, all the various phaenomena of nature. M m ng.i.. Jig:2... :Buhl{/hedaJ the, Act directs by Ja,1 Maddach. Walwortkifjiuu^ Jjpz. Plate 2 Tuili^hedas th^Act dtrect^ hy Jaf MaJJ^ck. Walworth i:'Jun^ ^-^2- DESCRIPTION OF the PLATES, PLATE L Fig. 1. A Corolla, or bloflbm, of a fine Xjl double Hyacinth, of the com- mon fize. Vide page 44. Fig. 2. Ditto of a fine variegated Auricula. Page 152. Fig. 3. Ditto of a fine Polyanthus. Page 225. Fig. 4. Ditto of a fine double Ranunculus. Page 90. PLATE n. Fig. 1. A corolla, or bloffom, of a fine va- riegated Tulip, about two-thirds of the common fize. Vide page Fig. 2. Dittoof a fine double Anemone, of the common fize. Page 101, &c. PLATE 268 DESCRIPTION PLATE III. Fig. 1. A corolla, or bloffom, of a fine va- riegated double Carnation, of the common fize. Vide page 202 and 203. Fig. 2. A calyx, or pod, of ditto, tied on the approach of bloom, to prevent its burfting. Page 163 and 164. Fig. 3. An empty calyx of ditto, of the common fize. Page 204. Fig. 4. A corolla of a fine double laced Pink, of the middle fize. Page 217. Fig. 5. A fingle petal of ditto, the broad end of which is its lamina, or plate, and the lower end its unguis, or bafe. Page 217. Fig. 6. An empty calyx of ditto, of the mid« die fize. Page 216. PLATE IV. Fig. 1. An Anemone, or tuberous root, of the common fize. Vide page 94. Fig. 2. A Tulip, or bulbous tunicated root, ditto. Page 50, Sec. Fig. 3. A Hyacinth root, ditto, ditto. Page 24. Fig. 4. A Ranunculus, or fafciculated root, ditto. Page 72. Fig. 5. A fibrous root. Page 119. PLATE Plate 3 Fuili/h^doj tJi^Act ^irectf hyJa.fMadAack,Walworth ^f^Jun^ ijpz Plate 4 ^'S-L TuhLyJi^oj the Act dire/ii^ bj Jaf MadJock, Walworth I^Jzine Figri Plate 5. R B w R B W R B W R W R B W R B W R B R B W R B W R B W R W R B W R B W R B R B W R B R B R B W P R R w -K xS Fig-^ Fig--^; Publi/kedas the. Act directx hjr Jaf Maddock. Walworth if June, I'jg^- OF THE PLATES. 269 PLATE V. Fig. 1. A plan of the furface of the weft-end of the Hyacinth bed, on a fcale of half an inch to a foot, as defcribed page 27 and 28. Fig. 2. A perfpedive view of a frame, or awning, to defend a bed, or ftage of flowers, from the weather, with the cloth drawn up on one fide. Page 32 and 33. a. One of the horizontal pullies (fee Fig. 3.) fcrewed on the edge of the ridge-piece. b. One of the perpendicular pullies (fee Fig. 4.) fcrewed on the edges of the end rafters. c. One end of a long wooden roller, fattened to the lower edges of the cloth, with which it is rolled up, or let down, by lines paffing through the pullies. d. One of the boards of the Carnation ftage placed upon fubftantial fup- porters (as at e) the lower ends of which ftand in refervoirs of water (as at f). Page 165 and i66. Fig. 3- 270 DESCRIPTION Fig. 3. One of the horizontal pullies (a. Fig. 2.) Page 32 and 165. , Fig. 4. One of the perpendicular ditto, (b. Fig. 2.) Page 32 and 165. Fig. 5. A tranfplanting inftrument, as de- fcribed page 57 and 58. Fig. 6. A fmall hexagonal hand-glafs. Page 123, 134, and 183. Fig. 7. A rofe of a watering pot, defcribed page 85 and 86. Fig. 8. A fmall watering pot for Auricula, <&:c. defcribed page 129 and 130. PLATE VI. Fig. 1. A perfpe6live view of the eaft-end of the winter repofitory for Auriculas and Carnations ; that for fummer ufe differing only in having wooden fhutters fubftituted for the frames of glafs, on the fouth fide, defcribed from page 123 to 131. Fig. 2. A perfpe6live view of the eaft-end of the Auricula ftage, defcribed page i35> <^c. Fig. 3. a, A fern peg ; b, a wooden or bone ditto, for laying Carnations with, defcribed page 175. Fig. 4. Plate 6. Fig-p. Fig-.l. ^PubUpud as the^AU directj by Ja^ Kaddock. Walworth /^'June ijg:; OF THE PLATE S. 271 Fg. 4. One of the notched ftakes, defcribed page 124, &:c. Fig. 5. The furface of a Carnation pot, with its plant under the operation of laying, viz. c, A layer, or fhoot drefTed, and the incifion made, as defcribed page 176, &:c. d, A layer pegged down, as defcribed page 180, &c. e, A flower ftem held to its ftick by one of the brafs wires (fee Fig. 7.} defcribed page 168, &:c. Fig. 6. One of the paper caps on its ftick, as defcribed page 164, &:c. Fig. 7. One of the fmall elaftic brafs wires, (e, Fig. 5.) Page 168, &:c. Fig. 8. A fmall pair of wire nippers, to ex- traft and adjuft petals ; the points of which are flattened, and bound with filk, or thread, to prevent injury. Page 169. Fig. 9. A fliade for the bloflbms of Hyacinths, Tulips, &c. previous to the eretlion of the awning. Page 30 and 54. Fig. 10. A Carnation, or Pink, piping, com- pletely prepared. Page 181 and 182. Fig. 14. 272 DESCRIPTION, &c. Fig. 11. One of the circular pieces of card, or ftifF paper, for the bloffoms of Pinks, as defcribed page 213. Printed by Tkrogmorton-Slrett, FINIS. ^f*!^