THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 39 



beauty will be qaite gone ; but if carefully cooled off beforehand, 

 nearly all kinds of plants will remain fresh for days, and in some 

 instances for weeks. The soil of all pot plants iatended for room 

 decoration should be concealed, and for this purpose the three fol- 

 lowing materials are best, namely, silver sand (as white as possible), 

 common mons, such as is found in woods or hedge-rows, and Sela- 

 ginella deuticulata, growing on the surface. The latter looks by far 

 the best, and is the least trouble, as it does not require to be re- 

 plenished, but will keep growing ou as long as the plant is not 

 disturbed. Nearly all ornainental china pots have saucers sold with 

 thera ; but when paper or rustic covers ai'e used, care should be 

 taken to see that each pot is placed on a saucer of some kind, else 

 the damp will penetrate througli the rough pot, and spoil any table 

 it may be laid on, even though a mat may be under it. In the same 

 •way, any wire stands or tables on which a number of plants are 

 grouped should have an inside lining of painted zinc. In arranging 

 a group of flowers, the second tier of pots should be raised a little 

 above the outside row, and in the centre should be some graceful 

 fern, draca3ua, or palm, to stand up higher, and wave gracefully 

 over the other plants. If the room is particularly warm and dry, 

 or lighted by gas, the plants should be removed about every four or 

 five days, and fresh ones brought in to take their place. Care 

 should be taken to see that the soil is never allowed to get very dry, 

 as, if young shoots or fronds once become shrivelled from this 

 cause, there is a chance if they ever regain their freshness, no matter 

 ho'.v much water may be given them. When a number of plants 

 are be:ng placed in a wire stand, moss should be put in between 

 them, so as to pack the pots firm ; and if the moss is wetted it will 

 tend to keep the plants fresh a longer period than they would 

 otherwise remain. 



CULTURE OP SEAKALE. 



BY ir. EUGEJfE TAEIX. 



LL who have travelled in England and Scotland will have 

 observed that seakale (Crambe maritima) occupies an 

 important place in the alimentation of Great Britain. 

 In France, unfortunately, we seldom or never see it 

 grown, except by a few amateurs. Horticultural treatises 

 of fifty years ago make mention of it — a sufficient proof of the 

 difficulties which beset the propagation of good things. I think it 

 may be well to direct attention to this excellent vegetable, at once 

 so wholesome, so easy of digestion, so suitable for dehcate stomachs. 

 As its name imports, the Gramhe onaritima grows wild by the sea- 

 shore, in saline sands. It is a species of Grucifer, closely allied to 

 the cabbage tribe. 



In taste it partakes of the broccoli and asparagus. Like the 

 latter, it has diuretic qualities, but it leaves no disagreeable odour. 

 It is a perennial, the edible portions being the petioles of the leaves, 



February. 



