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HOW TO PEOPAGATE MISTLETOE. 



HE seeds being enveloped in a wet, slimy, or gummy-like substance, it 

 dries and fixes tbem firmly in a short time, if put on when the bark 

 and weatlier are both dry; whereas if the bark is wet, and rain falls 

 shortly afterwards, they are liable to drop, or be washed off. In planting 

 or rubbing on the seeds, take a berry between the finger and thumb, 

 press it till the skin bursts and the seed is protruded. Apply it to the part of the 

 bark selected, throw away the skin, as it is of no further use, and might attract 

 birds to the seed ; then rub or press the seed firmly on with the point of the finger, 

 and the sowing is completed ; but a little dry bird or fowls' dung, a little old lime 

 mortar or dry earth, may then be dusted on to conceal the seed from birds. This 

 will afford sufficient protection if the seeds be put on so thickly that a lai-ge pro- 

 portion can be spread, but when these are scarce, it is better to cover them with 

 gauze or fine netting, held at least an inch off the seed, with pieces of furze or 

 branch spray. Or, they may be surrounded at a distance of one or two inches by a 

 few fine willows, wrought basket-like, and just sufficiently close to keep out birds* 

 heads and beaks. It is not only unnecessary but improper to cut or open the bark, 

 as the hardened wounded surfaces prevent, or at least impede, the insertion of the 

 young rootlets, which only take hold and insinuate themselves where the bark is 

 tender, fresh, and devoid of outer dried or dead skin. Supposing the seeds to be 

 rubbed on either this or next month, they will put out small knob-pointed radicles 

 or rootlets in April or May, by which they become more firmly attached to the bark, 

 but we have never seen them put forth leaves till the second summer ; and this last 

 season we had a considerable number of seedlinf^s, none of which showed leaf till 

 the third summer, and some look as if they would not do so till the next or fourth 

 summer ; but the trees on which their seeds were sown had to be all transplanted 

 the second spring, which might have retarded their progress for a year. — Farmer. 



NEW PLANTS. 



ilHUXIA BENSONI^, 3frs. Benson's Thunia {Bot. Mag., t. 5694).— 

 Orchidaceae. This is a close relative of the old Phajus albus. It is a 

 native of Rangoon. It is a robust-growing orchid, with large flowers 

 of a pleasing rose colour, the lip being deep purple, with a yellow- 

 crested disk. 



Begonia glandulifeka, Glandular Begonia {Bot. Mag.^ t. 5965). — Begno- 

 niacese. An elegant species from Trinidad. The leaves are obliquely cordate, 

 dark green ; fl.owers in a tall scape, pure white. 



DicENTKANTHERA MACROPHYLLA, Large-leaved DicentrantTiera {Bot. Mag.^ 

 t. 5696). — Acanthacese. A fine plant, obtained by Mr. Gustav Mann in the island of 

 Fernando Po. It is an erect shrub, eight to ten feet high, with leaves ten to four- 

 teen inches long, obovate-lanceolate. The flower-spikes are terminal, a foot long, 

 the flowers almost whorled ; the corolla is tubular, expanding into a five-cleft limb 

 of a pleasing rosy-purple colour. 



Odontoglossum Alexandeyt:, var. Guttatum {Bot. Mag., t. 5697). — A pretty 

 spotted variety of this charming species. 



Verxonia calvoana {Bot. Mag.., t. 5698). — Composite. A beautiful plant 

 from the Cameroons Mountains. It is a tall shrub, eight to twelve feet high, the 

 leaves oblong, eight to fourteen inches long, the flowers in large corymbs, the florets 

 purple, surrounded with white involucral scales 3 in other words, the flowers are 

 white, with purple centres. 



Cola acuminata, Kola nut tree {Bot. Mag., t. 5699). — Sterculiacese. This is 

 the well-known Kola nut of tropical Africa, a tree of which flowered at Kew ia 

 January, 1868. The leaves are oblong and coriaceous, the flowers unisexual, one 

 inch across, yellow. It is a plant of but little interest to English cultivators. 



Passiflora trifasciata, Passion Flower with- three-handed leaf {L'lllust. 



