MARCH. 43 



and for forming large specimens, may have 10-inch pots. They may 

 remain during summer in the cold frame, and they will require no fur- 

 ther attention than the ordinary routine of watering, stopping, and 

 starving. As regards stopping, this should be deferred in every case 

 until the current growth is well matured ; for if the plants are stopped 

 while the buds are soft and in a dormant state, the foremost eyes 

 only will break, and there will be but little gained as respects secur- 

 ing a compact bushy habit of growth ; moreover, as already inti- 

 mated, the stopping must be regulated by the period at w^hich the 

 plants may be wanted to produce blossom, and the temperature at 

 which they can be kept, &c. As a general hint regarding this part 

 of their management, I may remark that plants intended to furnish 

 a supply of flowers in November should not be stopped later than 

 July. During their growth they must be freely exposed to light 

 and air ; but after the flower-buds are formed, they may, if necessary, 

 be kept close, and subjected to a higher temperature, in order to 

 have them in flower at the desired time. When the weather be- 

 comes cold and damp, they must be removed to the greenhouse or 

 to a pit, where they can receive a little artificial heat ; but unless in 

 the case of plants which may have been stopped late, in autumn 

 artificial heat will be unnecessary, as they will l3loom in the greatest 

 perfection in a temperature of about 45°. It is better to have the 

 growth completed during autumn, and to keep the plants in a cool, 

 airy part of the greenhouse, until their flowers may be wanted, than 

 to stop very late, and depend upon artificial heat, which should only 

 be given in the case of a few plants intended for flowering late in 

 spring. While in blossom, they may be placed in the sitting-room, 

 the conservatory, or wherever their fragrance may be most accept- 

 able. The old plants may either be thrown to the rubbish-heap, or 

 if kept cool, cut back, and grown for flowering another season, they 

 will form large specimens with but little trouble. 



For soil, use rich unctuous loam and thoroughly rotted manure, 

 in the proportion of two parts of the former to one of the latter, to 

 which add a quantity of clean sharp sand sufiicient to render the 

 compost light and porous. J. S. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At the last meeting in Regent Street there were sotne good Orchids, 

 a few other plants, and some fruit, but nothing particularly striking. 

 In a collection of cut flowers in bloom from the open air, in Dorset- 

 shire (which must be a favoured county in regard to climate), we 

 noticed the beautiful little Iris alata, a plant which some of our sea- 

 side friends, who do not possess it, ought to add to their gardens. 

 It is exceedingly handsome, and w^ill thrive within reach of the sea- 

 spray, but not in an inland situation. 



