THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [January, 



rule, content themselves with gobbling up surface vermin. But occasionally even 

 these will forget themselves, and dig down for subterraneous supplies, threatening 

 at one and the same time to make for themselves and our dearest treasures one 

 common grave ; and consequently even the wisest of these can do but little to aid, 

 and very much to hinder, garden culture. 



No. The aid I allude to is widely different from any of these. Its chief 

 characteristic is its uselessness in the house. It adds nothing to the comfort nor 

 enjoyment of home life ; but, on the contrary, endangers both in every possible 

 way. It wages constant war with health, and is in solemn league with death. It 

 is antagonistic to beauty or comeliness in our homes, and yet fosters the develop- 

 ment of both in our gardens. Thus, by accepting its offered help, garden and 

 house alike gain, the former in beauty, the latter in sweetness. With this clue to 

 tho character of our aids to garden culture, I leave the subject for the present. 



Harchvicke House, Bury St. Edmunds. D. T. Fish. 



PASSIFLORA QUADRANGULARIS. 



'HIS fine stove-climber flowered last year with me in great profusion, and 

 ripened quantities of its showy and edible fruit. Where plenty of room 

 can be found, it is a grand plant in a warm conservatory or stove, and I 

 know of no climbing plant that can rival it for magnificent foliage 

 and finely-scented flowers. The plant here has only been planted out three 

 years in a rather confined border of a warm conservatory ; but the soil is very 

 rich, and during the different flowering periods plenty of liquid manure made 

 from deer-dung was given it. The plant covers a large space on the roof, and 

 on two or three occasions during the past summer the number of flowers opening 

 every day could be counted by thousands, and their beauty, combined with their 

 delicious fragrance, made the house one of the most enjoyable to be imagined. 

 When fruit is required in any quantity, the flowers must be artificially impreg- 

 nated — an operation which is easily performed in all the Passion-flowers. The 

 fine foliage of this plant keeps remarkably free from any kind of insect, which is 

 another great merit, and most favourable to its extended cultivation. 



WelbecL William Tillery. 



POINSETTTA PULCHERRIMA. 



f l EW plants are more useful for decorative purposes during the winter 

 months than the Poirfsettia pulcherrima, and few more easily grown 

 fftP when there are the proper appliances. Probably the very best mode of 

 ^ propagation is the same as that universally in use for the Grape Vine. 

 Eyes from ripened wood of the previous year's growth should be planted 

 in April in rich light earth, and placed in a brisk bottom-heat ; water should 

 be applied very sparingly until they begin to grow and root freely, when 

 they should be potted singly. They may be shifted as necessary, and finally 



