274 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



ths opening on tlic top of the soil. Tlil^; ope- 

 ration, simple as it is, ■will detach mould 

 enough to fill up the gap, and the water, 

 which is afterwards given, will, instead of 

 running away uselessly, permeate the en- 

 tire mass of soil in the pot. And let it be 

 remembered that this " sufficient'' water- 

 ing applies to winter as well as summer 

 treatment ; it is a mistake to give plants in 

 pots that are dry only water enough to 

 moisten the surface of the soil. Subjects 

 that in the summer require copious sup- 

 plies of water every day, in the winter- 

 time perhaps will not want it more than 

 once a week ; but wlien they do have it, 

 give them enough. I would also persuade 

 amateur gardeners to adopt feeders, or 

 saucers, or pans, or whatever may be the 

 name by which tliey are locally designated; 

 these will be found to be of incalculable 

 advantage to many plants; not the glazed 

 pans, but those of the same material and 

 finish as the common cjardsn put. First of 

 all, the water, which has passed through a 

 pot of soil that has become dry, will be re- 

 tained by the saucer, and will be absorbed 

 by degrees, according to the necessities of 

 the plant. Then, again, the pan itself ab- 

 sorbs a considerable quantity of the water, 

 and furnishes a moist, cool bottom for the 

 plant to stand upon, most grateful to plants 

 of all kinds, and analogous to standing on 

 a bed of ashes or sand out of doors, where 

 they arc always found to enjoy tbemselves. 

 Further, tliere are numbers of plants 

 that positively delight to stand in water. 

 Fuchsias, all through the growing and 

 flowering season, begonias, arums, callas, 

 ixias, many ferns, and otlier things, will 

 amply repay by their luxi;riant vigour the 



indulgence of being permitted to stand in a 

 pan of water. 



Again, it will be a great relief to many 

 an anxious cultivator, who leaves his home 

 in the morning, and, as Le takes a last 

 look at his potted plants, to feel sure that, 

 by leaving them a supply of water within 

 their own reach, their necessities will be 

 met through tiie length, it may be, of a 

 long, bi-ight, parching summer's day, to 

 find, at his return home, after the toils of 

 business, that his plants are not only not 

 perishing from drouglit, but are, perhaps, 

 considerably improved in vigour and beauty. 

 Only, once more, let me say, that, in using 

 pans, adapt them to the size of the pots, 

 that is, let forty-eight-sized pans be used 

 for forty-eight pots, and the same with 

 other sizes, as it will be found that, if they 

 are too large, they contain more water than 

 can be absorbed by the plant while it is 

 sweet, and if too small, will not contaiu 

 enough. 



I am afraid your readers will think I 

 give them credit for very little knowledge, 

 but it is because I know that a very large 

 proportion are expert cultivators, that I 

 can speak so plainly for the advice of be- 

 ginners. But just another moment, v.'hilel 

 pLace two or three guards around the prac- 

 tice I have been advocating. Let every- 

 thing placed in pans be v.-ell potted, 

 sufficiently drained, and filled with roots, 

 and for innumerable subjects, such as roses 

 in pots, vines in pots, orc'nard-trees in pots, 

 fuchsias, and strong-growing and free-root- 

 ing tilings generally, this will be found a 

 most satisfactory provision. 



"\Yii,UAM Chiity. 



Stamford Rill, 



CULTURE OP THE TUBEEOSA. 



The culture of Puli/anthcs tnlerosa being 

 found a difficult matter with many ama- 

 teurs who highly prize the flower, we 

 submit for their guidance a treatise origin- 

 ally communicated to the Horticultural 

 Society by the late Mr. Salisbury. The 

 importation of the bulbs takes place late 

 in the season, when Dutch bulbs are mostly 

 sold and planted. 



For this purpose select a piece of ground 

 that is perfectly drained, under a south 

 v.-all; or, if this cannot he f^pared, defend 

 it on tiie north by a reed hedge. The 

 size of the bed must be proportioned to 

 the number of roots you v,-ant, for the same 

 tuber never blows a second tinic, but only 

 the lateral ones, which are produced in 



great abundance round it; as they arc t 

 be planted at five inches distance from each 

 other, a bed nine feet long by three feet 

 wide will hold 144 roots. The soil which 

 I have found them succeed best in, is light 

 sandy earth mixed with one-third pail of 

 very rotten cow-dung ; the earth should 

 be taken about seven or eight inches deep, 

 along with the green turf, chopping it very 

 small with a spade, and turning it once a 

 month for a year before it is used ; if the 

 earth is not ver}' light, add a quantity of 

 sea-sand, or fine shelly gravel. If you are 

 obliged to use this compost sooner, pnss it 

 through a wide screen, casting out nothing 

 but any large stones. 



About the middle of April, prepare the 



