234 



THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



■wish there were more like it. Brodea 

 grandiflora bloomed well, but the sun 

 scorched all its leaves before the flower 

 came. — Windoio Gardener. [Vallota 

 purpurea should never be dried off like 

 most other bulbs, but be kept always 

 growing. After flowering, it should be 

 taken out and repotted in a smallish 

 pot, and the offsets taken off and potted 

 separately. It may be kept out of doors 

 in a shady place or in a very airy green- 

 house, from May to October, and should 

 be in ordinary greenhouse temperature 

 at other times. The soil best adapted 

 for it is pure mellow yellow loam, or 

 equal parts loam, peat, and leaf-mould, 

 and extra supplies of water as soon as it 

 | begins to throw up its flower scapes. 

 Agapanthus umbellatus should now be 

 shaken out and repotted in mellow sandy 

 loam, and be set aside in a warm corner 

 out of doors, and be moderately watered 

 until there is reasonable fear of frost, 

 and it should then be transferred to the 

 cold pit for the winter. After the middle 

 of April it may be set out of doors in a 

 sheltered place, and during May, June, 

 and July should be treated as a half 

 aquatic, and stand always in a pan of 

 water. Many amateurs spoil this plant 

 by giving insufficient water. The more 

 open air it has, without being touched 

 by frost, the better. Anoinatheca 

 cruenta is one of the best window plants 

 known. The bulbs should be dried off, 

 and be repotted when they begin to 

 grow again. The treatment of an Ixia 

 will suit it admirably. Tou may get up 

 a stock of plants from the seed you have. 

 Sow in February on gentle heat, or wait 

 till May, and sow on the open border.] 

 Small Greenhouse. — L. F. D. — It may 

 be as well to state first, that small 

 greenhouses require more skilful man- 

 agement than large ones. They get too 

 hot when the sun shines, too cold during 

 frost; if well ventilated are draughty, 

 and if not well ventilated close and suf- 

 focating. Amateurs sometimes build 

 small houses, under the impression that 

 they are easier to manage than large 

 ones, and this when expense is not a 

 serious object. Houses of less than 

 thirty feet in length and twelve feet 

 wide are to be considered troublesome, 

 and hence they demand more than ordi- 

 nary care. Your little house of nine 

 feet by seven feet is in a somewhat 

 damp corner of the garden, and with 

 no sun on it after the middle of the day, 

 is really not fit for pelargoniums, 

 fuchsias, and other first-class green- 

 house plants, but it would answer ad- 



mirably for a small collection of ferns. 

 If flowering plants are an object, we 

 certainly advise yon to move the house 

 to the position marked A in the sketch ; 

 but before you do so, bear in mind that 

 on frosty nights you will have a long 

 way to go to attend to the fire, and 

 however perfect your arrangements, you 

 (or somebody else) must have a peep at 

 the fire before midnight. "We have no 

 doubt Riddell's slow combustion stove 

 will suit your purpose ; but we cannot 

 recommend it from actual knowledge, 

 never having had one in use. As your 

 greenhouse stands at present, it would 

 make a pretty fernery by throwing up 

 within it some banks of good peat, and 

 facing them with burrs, and then 

 planting ferns in it. If you think any- 

 thing of this suggestion, we will gladly 

 furnish a list of ferns suitable for the 

 purpose. In our own garden is a house 

 which was built solely to fill in an ugly 

 recess in the wall of the dwelling. It 

 was very useful as a show-house for 

 some time, but some building operations 

 on the adjoining property robbed it of 

 sunshine. The back dead walls were 

 then faced with burrs, arranged to make 

 the house look like a cave, and it was 

 planted with ferns, and has ever since 

 afforded immense delight to all who 

 have seen it. This is a use for a dark 

 house which is not generally thought of. 



Machine-made Houses. Budding Roses. 

 — P. B. — Some of the best plant- 

 houses in the country are constructed of 

 machine-made rafters and sash-bars. 

 The work of setting out is the same, 

 whether the wood-work is made by 

 machinery or by hand; and generally the 

 machine-work has the advantage, be- 

 cause of its exact uniformity. The 

 wood-work of the Paxtonian houses is 

 all prepared by machinery, and they are 

 the best built houses known. "We do 

 not know what you mean by the root 

 of the bud in budding roses ; but if the 

 shield does not peel clean from the wood, 

 it is a matter of no consequence. The 

 bud may, indeed, be put on without 

 removing the wood, in which case a 

 slight excision should be made in the 

 stock to receive it. 



The Garden Oracle for 1866 will con- 

 tain a comprehensive review of the 

 progress of horticulture during the past 

 year ; descriptions of all the new 

 flowers and fruits ; lists of the best 

 varieties for flower, fruit, and kitchen 

 garden ; and many original hints and 

 advices of the utmost value to amateur 

 gardeners. It will be ready Nov. 1st. 



