Now that the season is rapidly approaching when all who are interested in Floriculture will be contemplating what selections shall be made for another year's operations, we take this opportunity of urging upon the inexperienced, the importance of propagating flowery from well-saved seed, and upon which alone rests the success of the propagator. By this expression, however, we must not be understood to mean well-matured seed; but, on the other hand, the adoption of the minutiae of details (in its saving) necessary to maintain the present standard of excellence discernible in some of our public exhibitions, as well as private collections; and yet, perhaps, not one out of twenty of those even who pride themselves in producing, good flowers, and, certainly, not one out of a hundred of the commonality of growers, ever give that attention to the subject requisite to produce satisfactory results.

Take, for instance, that familiar favorite, the Double Balsam, or its rival, the Balsamine, with its rose-like petals and diversified blossom tints; - what an improvement is it upon the Lady Slipper! - the former may well be styled the chef d'osuvre of its species in* cultivation, while from the latter may be traced the origin of its present excellence, and this superiority of the Balsamine happening simply through a perseverance which apparently but few take any part. The Balsam, etc, like many other specimens of the floral world, in order to prevent its running back to its primitive state, requires the seed to be ripened only on the main stem, - and all the seed-pods on side branches, as quick as they begin to set, should be picked off; if this has not been done, the seed when propagated will bear unmistakable marks of a degenerating influence working upon it. All plants producing single or semi-double flowers should be uprooted as soon as detected.

We next bring to notice another well-merited and long-tried annual, the Ten-week Stock. This is one also requiring attention while saving seed. Depending as we do upon the single specimens of this flower for its seed, certain rules must be observed to ensure any gratifying results. For example we may say, that if the seed sown this season should prove to have an excess of single flowers, throw them away; but if the double flowers predominate, it may be considered a good "strain," and worthy of the following attention, viz.: - as soon as half a dozen pods have set on the centre stem, the flowers above the pods should be destroyed and some of the side branches should meet with the same treatment, but allowing only two or three pods-to set and no more shoots to grow. Some growers, however, confine the pods to the centre stem only, and cut the side branches off close; but experience teaches us that a few pods may be ripened satisfactorily on the strongest of the side shoots, the entire vigor of the plant being confined to a few pods of seed.

With respect to color, that is a matter of choice from which the ex-perimentist will make his own selections.

The Asters should not be overlooked; their multiplicity of colors, as well as the great improvement accomplished by many distinguished growers, make them indispensable annual visitors. The French Pyramidal Aster, though not equal in beauty to some other varieties, nevertheless may be mentioned as being one suited to most growers, on the supposition, however, that the situation as well as soil, like those above mentioned, should be suitable to its growth and the maturity of its seed. All indifferent plants should be pulled up as early as the blossoms are seen, and none but the perfect and earliest flowers allowed to mature their seed. This variety of Aster being a profuse bloomer, all the blossoms of a secondary character on good plants should be watched and gathered from time to time, and which will prove a continual resource, when in season, for securing bouquets of an attractive nature, and which may be freely distributed to the admirers of this flower, and at the same time prove a benefit to the plant in influencing and maturing the seed.

We now reluctantly conclude our remarks; undoubtedly we are trespassing beyond the boundary mark allotted to such communications in the Hot-ticulturist, - and yet, but few of the most familiar annuals have been enumerated, to serve as an illustration of some important facts which should not be overlooked by any one engaged in Floriculture, and, it is hoped, will tend to promote a more universal effort in this direction, and equal to the requirements of a progressive age. There is scarcely a flower discovered in its original state, but that it has been susceptible of improvement in some desirable point. This cannot, however, be attained without effort; let us awaken ourselves, and follow the French, English, Germans and Prussians, who it must be admitted carry off the palm in this matter, and who apparently possess unusual elements of character to prosecute it perseveringly and successfully, and upon some of whom we almost entirely depend for our supplies of reliable seeds.

Those' who have hitherto considered seed-saving hidden, as it were, in a labyrinth of mystery, so far as producing an unbroken succession of flowers of the highest character is concerned, should "try, try again," by securing in the first instance the very best seed from the most reliable sources, and then adopt the care in experimenting necessary to the accomplishment of the desired ends. The subject is full of interest, and cases may be multiplied, almost without number, where a similar minuteness of treatment is re-' quired to attain satisfactory results, and which perhaps I may refer to at some future period.