Apr.iL. 107 



expressed — that failure of crops was often owing to excessively heavy 

 crops the previous seasons, which rob the trees of their organised 

 matter, so that they require a season of rest to store up sufficient for 

 another crop. The Apricot crop in Yorkshire in 1854 was a very heavy 

 one, and as they were not thinned (except in some gardens) they 

 exhausted the trees of their organised matter, so that in 1855 the trees 

 required a rest to store up sufficient for anotlier heavy crop, which, 

 from present appearances, there will in all probabihty be this season. 



M. Saul. 

 Sitourton. 



WINTER BLOOMING PLANTS. 



Luculia gratissima. — This plant is generally acknowledged to be one 

 of the most valuable we possess, whether for the beauty of its flowers 

 or their fragrance ; and blooming as it does during the autumn and 

 winter months renders it still more desirable. This plant is thought by 

 some to be difficult to manage as a pot ])lant, and certainly it is very 

 impatient of extremes when growing, disliking alike cold draughts and 

 scorching sun, but as these are easily avoided it need not deter any 

 from attempting its culture. Leaving the propagation to nurserymen, 

 we will suppose young plants in February, at which season the previous 

 year's growth should be well matured, and in that case shortened back 

 to three or four inches of its base ; they should then be plunged in a 

 bottom heat of about 70°, and that of the atmosphere 10° lower ; this 

 v.'ill induce a gentle root action. When the buds begin to swell they 

 should be repotted in pots two sizes larger in a composition of nice 

 turfy loam and peat in equal portions, with a little leaf-soil and sand ; 

 they should again be plunged as before, keeping a moist atmosphere. 

 Let the temperature be gradually increased to 65° and 70° by day, 

 with shading in bright weather. As they advance in growth they 

 should be assisted with manure water rather frequently, stopping strong 

 growing shoots to induce a bushy compact habit ; this must not, how- 

 ever, be done later than the early part of June, for unless there is rather 

 strong and well ripened wood little bloom need be expected. From 

 the early part of August the plants should be fully exposed near the 

 glass in order to ripen the wood ; when this is done they will flower 

 li-eely in a warm part of the greenhouse. If the plants are only 

 required to furnish flowers for cutting, the best way to manage them is to 

 plant out against the back wall of a Vinery or some such place. In 

 the Vinery it will be quite at home, as it will make its growth with 

 the Vines, and with them ripen it, and flower when they are at rest. 

 In this situation all the attention it will require will be to prune after 

 flowering as described above, watering occasionally with liquid manure, 

 and keeping free from red spider, thrips, &c. These pests appear to 

 be remarkably fond of the Luculia, and unless kept in check will soon 

 do serious injury to its foliage, and check its growth. 



Rhododendron jasminijiorum. — This is one of the very best hard- 

 wooded greenhouse plants, and will bloom during the winter in great 



