io 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUlDl!. 



my friends havo planted, and, as they 

 imagine, liave failed to t reat rigUtlj' ; the ti'uc 

 reason of their failure being, that they are 

 cnltivating a plaid vvliich the short summer 

 of this climate will not bring to perfection. 

 And now comes the qnestion, how can 

 the two bo discriminated? I have cul- 

 tivated both fornai, and will state the 

 result of my own observations. My fertile 

 plant I purchased eight years ago in a 

 four-inch pot. I planted it in the centre 

 of a circular bed about ten feet in diameter, 

 in rich soil, and gave it plenty of water. 

 In the fourth year it sent up two noble 

 spikes, in the next six, in the next twenty- 

 two; and this year it has sent up no less than 

 sixty-three magnificent plumes, the tops of 

 "which are from eight to nine and a-lialf 

 feet from the ground. The distinguishing 

 characters are these : the branches of the 

 plume spread out slightly, and do not 

 droop at all, or scarcely so ; each flower, 

 when examined by the lens, is found 

 to contain an embryo seed, bearing the 

 two diverging feathery stigmas, to be 

 found in most true grasses ; the chaff 

 is surrounded by numerous fine, silvery 

 bristles ; a flower-stalk, measured at a 

 joint near the bottom of the stem, is an 

 inch and a-half in circumference ; a leaf, 

 measured about the middle, is three-eighths 

 of an inch across. The flower of the barren 

 plant is not accompanied by bristles, the 

 branches of the panicle are much larger 

 than in the other and droop most grace- 



fully, the flower-stalk measures two and a 

 half inches in circumference and the leaves 

 a.riifive-eighths of an inch across. I should 

 add that the barren plant makes an attempt 

 to flower in its second or third year, but 

 as long as I have grown it, has never suc- 

 ceeded. It is, however, a handsome plant, 

 and, as an in-door winter ornament, far 

 more valuable than the other. Most 

 people would scruple to cut the spikes of 

 the fertile plant until the frost has done its 

 worst with them ; they are then, however, 

 of little worth, for the outwoni flowers 

 easily separate from their stalks, and fly 

 about the room like so many feathers, to 

 the great horror of careful housewives. 

 Not so with the other : the flower-stalks 

 of these should be cut in November, divested 

 of their leaves, all except the sheathing 

 base, and be stored away to dry. In the 

 course of a few weeks each will have the 

 appearance of a long white rod, bearing 

 a small tuft of feathers at its extremity. 

 The sheaths must now be carcfidly re- 

 moved, the last being split with a pen- 

 knife, and within will be found what 

 appears to be a stick of frosted silver, 

 a foot and a-half long ; but is, in reality, 

 a multitude of closely packed abortive 

 flowers, which, when shaken out, form 

 the most graceful of all possible decora- 

 tions of a chimney-vase. Let any one 

 purchasing a plant, choose the one with 

 the narrowest leaves. 



Callipers, Herts. C. A. Johns. T.L.S. 



GAEDEN AND GREENHOUSE WOEK EOR JAISTUAEY. 



Annuals, of a few choice kinds, may 

 be sown in heat for early bloom. A few 

 pans of Eenzlia dianthiflora, Nemophila 

 maculata, Anagalhs Indica, Clintonia pul- 

 chella, Veronica Syriaca, Hibiscus Afri- 

 canus, Coramelina coelestis. Datura humi^ 

 lis, and Nierembergia gracilis, will jjay 

 well for the trouble, especially for the 

 boudoir and drawing-room. 



Asparagus beds being forced, to have 

 liberal supplies of water, and the heat kept 

 at 55' to 60'. Line beds where the heat 

 is declining. At the cud of the month 

 prepare beds by manuring and trenching 

 for planting in March. For culture, see 

 vol. ii. p. 221. 



AuniccTLAS. — Protect from frost, and 

 allow suow to remaui on the covering. 

 During intervals of mild weather give 

 plenty of air and clean up the stock. 



Azaleas.— Start the earliest in a moist 

 air at 55', to be increased to 65^ Grivel 



plenty of water. Succession plants keep diy 

 and airy, and as cool as possible, but not to 

 be touched by frost. Tie out where needed. 



Camellias. — Treat same as advised for 

 azaleas. 



Carnations. — Give as much au* as 

 possible, and follow the directions given 

 above for auriculas. 



Cauliflowers will want dusting with 

 lime to keep off snails. Set a few traps 

 among the plants, and take them up every 

 morning. Sow a few in pans in gentle 

 heat, to prick out in March. 



Cinerarias coming into bloom to have 

 the utmost allowance of light, plenty of 

 water, and good greenhouse temperature* 

 See vol. in. pp. 21, 89. 



Composts turned nowwill much benefit 

 by frost. Clear out the muck-pit, and lay 

 up the stufl" in heaps or in a long ridge for 

 the frost to go quite through it. 



Cucumbers. — Sow at once for early 



