96 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



and leaf-mould. The whole should be chopped up roughly with a sixth part of sharp 

 silver sand; cocoa-nut refuse makes a capital substitute for leaf-mould. After this 

 stage the young shoots must be regularly stopped to form handsome specimens, and 

 the watering not neglected. During the whole season of growth it will be well to 

 give them sufficient shade to prevent the foliage being scorched, but not dense 

 enough to draw the growths up weak and lanky. Discontinue stopping about six 

 weeks before you want them to be in bloom, but keep the syringe at work until such 

 time as they are in flower. Weak liquid manure at every alternate watering after 

 the pots get filled with roots will be beneficial in promoting a vigorous growth, and to 

 assist the plants when in flower : what re-potting requires to be done after the first shift 

 depends entirely upon what size the plants are wanted. . As a word of caution we may 

 say, that it is not well to let them get pot-bound before repotting. If you strike a 

 few of the young shoots as soon as long enough, and grow on as advised for old 

 plants, you will have some nice plants to succeed the older ones. If you are obliged 

 to keep your old plants in the greenhouse, give them a warm corner ; they will do 

 very well in the greenhouse, but will not bloom so early as those grown in a house 

 with the aid of a little fire-heat. Follow our directions, and you will have no diffi- 

 culty in growing good specimens. 



Fern for the Dinner-table. — Miss E. — Lomaria gibba is about the best fern 

 known for dinner-table decoration, as the plants are so easily grown that there is 

 but little difficulty in getting match plants when required. They do best grown in an 

 intermediate house through the winter ; a greenhouse does capitally well during the 

 summer, but it is scarcely warm enough at other times. Pot in two parts peat and 

 one part fibrv loam, with a sprinkling of silver sand and good drainage. This fern 

 is readily increased by spores. L. ciliata, Adiantum cuneatum, A. formosum, Pteris 

 serrulata, also make good table plants. Of British kinds, Athyrium iilix-femina? 

 Ficldi is one of the best for this sort of work. 



Cabbages and Stocks damping off. — An Amateur writes to say that he has a 

 fine lot of young cabbage and cauliflower plants just come up, but they are beginning 

 to damp off. Last year, he says, he lost the greater part of the plants of these vege- 

 tables which were sown early, and also a large portion of the earliest batch of stocks, 

 notwithstanding his watering them carefully overhead. The last four words explain 

 the cause. Young seedling plants of this class ought not to have a drop of water 

 touch the foliage or stems from the time of their appearance above ground until they 

 are pricked out into the nursery-bed. The best way to water seedlings at this season 

 is to immerse the seed-pans in a vessel of water deep enough to reach within an 

 inch of the rim, and as soon as the water shows through the surface-soil, take them 

 oat. If you follow this plan and only give sufficient to keep the soil moist, you will 

 not be troubled with the plants damping off : we have acted upon it for several years 

 past with the best results. The water must not be allowed to soak through and 

 stand on the surface, or you will probably lose every plant. 



Sowing Lobelia Speciosa. — Beta. — This should be sown at once in a gentle 

 warmth, and kept close to the glass after it makes its appearance above ground. 

 Water carefully or the young plants soon damp off, especially if the seed is sown 

 thick : prick off into pans when large enough, and then pot] off into small GO's. 

 Plants raised from seed sown towards the end of this month and in March, grow 

 straggling for some time after they are planted out, and are a long time coming into 

 flower. October is the best time for sowing Lobelias, and then, if the strain is good, 

 the plants will be scarcely distinguishable from those raised from cuttings. 



Melons. — A. D. — Melons can be grown well enough in a frame heated with a 

 flue, but you ought to have a bed of manure for bottom-heat, as the flue will only 

 supply top-heat. The heat from the flue is much drier than from a hot bed ; there- 

 fore, a sharper look-out must be kept for red spider. We have used water from a 

 galvanized iron tank without any injury to the plants. You need have no fear 

 about using it. The white paint, if made with good white lead, or Carson's Anti- 

 Corrosion Paint, will be the best you can have for the roof of your greenhouse. 

 The last is the cheapest and best for outdoor work. 



Brunsvigia Josephine not Flowering. — A Cottage Gardener. — We expect 

 you keep your plant always growing. Keep it quite dry during the resting season. 

 Shift into a larger pot and fresh soil when it starts into growth. Free vigorous 

 growth, and a thorough season of rest, are essential to success. Your best plan to 

 dispose of the stoves will be to advertise them in a gardening periodical. 



