THE FLORAL WORLD A:^D GARDEN GUIDE. 183 



that this practice was nnnecessary. It was even seen to prevent the free development 

 of the plant, which thus became less vigorous than when layered in the soil. 

 Although layering secures the formation of strong plants quicker than propagation 

 by cuttings, the plants are not of such good habit, and are not multiplied so rapidly 

 as by cuttings. These may be obtained at any season when the two principal 

 requisites for the formation of roots — heat and moisture — can be secured ; the best 

 cuttings, nevertheless, are those raised in April, in pots or pans filled with good 

 light soil mixed with a little peat. The cuttings should be taken with little shoots 

 obtained from the two-yeai'-old wood, and the whole should be placed on a brisk 

 hotbed. Under such circumstances the cuttings will root in from fifty to sixty days. 

 As soon as they are rooted they are exposed gradually to the air ; they are repotted 

 so that they may be placed during the summer in the open air. As soon as the 

 plants attain a height of about twenty inches the thcjots are stopped in order to 

 induce the formation of flowering branches. To form a clean little stem, all the 

 buds formed on the lower eight inches of its bass are suppressed. The shrub 

 especially delights in copious waterings, and should be kept perfectly free from the 

 insect pests which infest it when under negligent cultivation." 



In addition I may remark that pretty free-blooming oleanders are grown about 

 Paris in small pots, say 4S's, in sandy soil, and these pots they of course soon fill 

 with roots. They are plunged all the summer in the open air, and grown at all 

 other seasons near the glass in those low houses so much in vogue in Parisian 

 nurseries and gardens. The large plants you see in some of the public gardens are 

 in great tubs, evidently undisturbed for long periods. They flower profusely, and 

 get ahout the same treatment as orange trees, as regards housing in winter, Tne 

 little plants of oleander are, however, most likely to be useful with us. They are 

 allowed to rise with an undivided stem for about four inches, and then break off into 

 several bi-anches. There should be no difficulty in growing them wherevei there is 

 a sunny shelf in the greenhouse, by securing a clean, while discouraging a soft or 

 luxuriant growth, giving a rather dryish rest in winter and abundant water and 

 light in summer. In winter any cool house will do to store them, or even a shed. 

 The large round-headed plants in the public gardens are certainly very noble objects, 

 and more worthy of culture than the orange tree tubs. Judging by the habit of the 

 oleander, as generally seen with us, it might be supposed that they would not make 

 ornamental trees for a terrace, but nothing can be finer than the immense specimens 

 seen in the Luxembourg G-ardens, the heads being as round and dense as a Pelargo- 

 nium grown by Mr, Turner, and sometimes so much as ten feet through ; and as for 

 the little plants grown in six-inch pots, nothing can be prettier. 



HORTICULTURAL AFFAIRS. 



Tulips at Kensington. — The meeting, held May 5, is deserving notice, for 

 Mr. Charles Turner, Slough, exhibited a fine collection of Tulips, and a few good 

 Auriculas; they were deservedly admired thi'oughout the afternoon, thus proving 

 that the love for first-class florist's flowers is by no means so cold as some people 

 are inclined to believe. Of the Auriculas, Mr, Turner staged, in addition to several 

 good old kinds, such as Richard Headly, Lancashire -Hero, Miss Giddings, and 

 Earl Grosvenor, three new ones, all of which were awarded first-class certificates, 

 Mrs, Mendall, a beautifully-shaped large white-edged flower ; and Novelty, fine 

 shape, deep violet shaded towards the edge ; and Wonderful, rich maroon crimson, 

 fine flower, also shaded round the margins. Of the Tulips, the following are first- 

 rate : — Bybloemens : Adonis, Duchess of Sutherland, General Barneveldt, Vicar of 

 Radford, and Proteus. Bizarres : Caliph, Dr. Horner, Everard, George Hay ward, 

 Glory of Abingdon, Lord Rnglan, Milton, Polyphemus, Sheet Anchor, Shakespeare, 

 and Sir Joseph Paxton, The Roses were well represented by Aglaia, Countess of 

 Blessington, Duke of Sutherland, Lady Stanley, and Sarah Headly. 



The Azalea Show, held at Kensington on May 9, did not bring forward such 

 good collections of these beautiful flowers as the time of year, and the vast numbers 

 which are grown on all sides, would warrant. The best kinds shown were, 

 Extranei, rose shaded with vi(det, fine ; Marie Louise, purplish crimson ; Victoria, 

 white, beautifully striped with lake ; Stella, bright orange- scarlet, upper segments 



