THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



17 



entirely obviates the unpleasantness of 

 contact with the smoke, as it merely 

 requires lighting, and it performs the 

 operation, delivering the smoke in a 

 dense body, without further attention ; 

 a result which no other fumigator at- 

 tains, without constant blowing. 



These implements are sold at the 

 prices ordinarily charged for the old- 

 fashioned ones in common use, and 

 may be had direct from the makers ; 

 or of Messrs. Burgess and Key ; or 

 Messrs. Dray and Co., London. 





STRAWBERRY PLANTS AS EDGINGS. 



Hautbois, and particularly the Red 

 and White Alpines, are very suitable 

 for edgings to alleys, and even to the 

 principal walks in the fruit and kitchen 

 gardens. They combine beauty and 

 utility in no ordinary degree. Such 

 edgings need no more attention than 

 those of box, and they certainly make 

 a better return. I have also used the 

 stronger growing kinds with advantage. 

 They may be planted from four to 

 eight inches apart, and well manured. 

 An objection may be urged, on the 

 ground that such edgings do not keep 

 the soil from the walks ; but the bor- 



ders need^not be higher than the walks ; 

 and box, and other edgings, are liable 

 to the same objections. I have tried 

 them for many situations, and am 

 satisfied of their efficiency, profit, and 

 general adaptation. In autumn, I have 

 made use of Alpine strawberries in 

 fruit, to aid in giving character to the 

 flower-glasses, vases, &c, when flowers 

 were scanty. Groups of artificial fruits, 

 as well as flowers, are not void of 

 charms, when appropriately situated, 

 and arranged. — McEioen on Straw- 

 berry Culture. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Dkv Flowers. — N. K. — The easiest to begin 

 with, are yellow flowers, as ttiey retain the co- 

 lour best. Spread them as Hat as possible, and 

 without altering their natural tonus, on clean 

 dry blotting-paper. Cover them with three or 

 four thicknesses of the same, and apply a very 

 slight weight to flatten them gradually without 

 rupture of the vessels. After five or six hours, 

 take other sheets of now blotting-paper and 

 warm them at the (ire, and while they are warm 

 chanse the flowers into them ; apply more pres- 

 sure than before. Let them remain till the next 

 day, and change again in the same way, and you 

 ■will have them perfectly dried and the colours 

 beautifully preserved. Blue are more difficult. 

 Proceed in the same way, and at the first change 

 cover the blotting-paper with two thichnesses of 

 flannel, and apply a moderately hot iron to 

 hasten the drying process. We have dried all 

 sorts of flowers with a tenth part of the trouble, 

 by merely placing them between blotting-paper 

 in a book, and piling a few other books on it, but 

 only those of thin texture and that do notjjbound 

 in sap, can be treated in so slight a way. In all 

 cases, dry quick ; never crush the stems or cause 

 the juices to exude, and avoid laying one leaf on 

 another, which causes discoloration. Detailed 

 instructions, including directions for drying fungi, 

 without destroying their shape, may be found in 

 "Brambles and Bay Leaves," published ,by 

 Longmans. 



Stkiking Ivv.— R. G. — Ivy should not be struck 

 where it is to remain. It is better to strike it 

 in very sandy loam, and transplant when well 

 rooted. It will strike all the summer, but most 

 readily in spring. Leave your ivy alone for a 

 month or six weeks at least for the present. 



Phloxes. — R. Burnley.— Tike Abbe Boy, Amatis- 

 sima, Annie Salter, Countess of Home, Einilio 

 Mehl, May Queen, Mdlle. Ermine Lauible, Muta, 

 Princess de Wagram, Socrates, Virgo, and Louis 

 BJcarde, and you will have a splendid dozen, 

 none of them too tall for your purpose. Canci- 

 dissima nova and umbellata arc. beauties for 

 bedding, very early and dwarf. We do not re- 

 commend dealers. 



Annuals.— Bob.— In our opinion nothing is gained 

 by sowing annuals out of doors in February. 

 Wait another month, and wo will gis'e you some 

 hints. You may sow now in a Waltonian Case, 

 or dung pit, any annuals intended for bedding 

 out. We have not yet seen a bed of Veronica 

 syriaca, which was let out by Hendersons, last 

 year. Wc should not hesitate to try it in the 

 position you mention. 



Eugenia Ugni. — A. L. P. — This is a myrtle, and 

 must be treated as such. Good rich loam suits 

 it, plenty of pot room, and exposure to sun and 

 rain, from April to October. When grown under 

 glass, it blossoms in Spring, and ripens its fruit 

 early in Autnmu. The chief difficulty is to get 

 the fruit of a good colour — those exhibited at 

 Willis's Booms last October, were generally poor 

 as to colour. The flavour is delicious. All the 

 myrtles produce edible fruits. 



Pomegranates in Pots. — Buxin. — You give too 

 much water, and get too much young wood. 

 Bring your plants into growth in April ; in May, 

 turn them out on a south border, water regularly 

 till August, and then let the sun burn them as 

 long as it has power to do so, giving only just 

 enough water to keep them alive, and you will 

 not complain of [shyness in bloomiug the next 

 season. 



