MARCH. 53 



no Rose will better repay the amateur for his trouble and attention. 

 I should state that the young shoots ought to be nailed securely to 

 the wall as they grow, for they are very delicate, and easily destroyed 

 by any rude gust of wind. 



London. Rose Amateur. 



CULTURE OF THE BORONIA. 



All the Boronias are very interesting and showy, and form, among 

 other plants, a desirable addition to a greenhouse ; the best of the 

 genus is doubtless Boronia serrulata, to which, with your permission, 

 I will first direct attention. 



This species may now be obtained from most principal nurseries. 

 In selecting a plant, never be guided by size, or imagine that you are 

 gaining time by making choice of a large one ; for, depend upon it, if 

 you select a plant with its foliage brown and unhealthy, you will 

 rarely make it a fine robust specimen. On the contrary, rather 

 choose a nice dwarf bushy plant, however small it may be : let this 

 be your first consideration, and then you will start upon a fair footing 

 to make a good plant. In the next place, especial care is necessary 

 to keep it healthy and vigorous until the time arrives for potting. I 

 would commence that operation in April, first by preparing some nice 

 light fibrous peat mould, beating it well to pieces with a stick gene- 

 rally kept for the purpose on the potting-*bench. When well beaten, 

 sift through a coarse sieve, to deprive it of the coarsest roots, and rub 

 every particle of soil from them ; then add about half the quantity of 

 silver-sand, and a portion of clean broken potsherds, which will keep 

 the soil open, porous, and healthy. Mix these well together ; then 

 prepare a nice clean dry pot, well draining it with potsherds, upon 

 the top of which put some of the coarse roots that were rejected when 

 sifting. Place your plant upon the top, calculating the depth to put 

 the ball, bearing in mind not to sink too low the collar of the plant, 

 but to have it rather elevated above the level of the surface when 

 potted, pressing down the soil somewhat closely. When potting is 

 finished, place the plant in a greenhouse or pit ; I prefer the latter, 

 as it affords better means of supplying its little wants, and you have 

 a much better command over the temperature in a pit than in a 

 greenhouse. 



When placed in a nice dry comfortable pit, keep it close for a few 

 days ; if the sun should be bright, it should be shaded in the heat of 

 the day, but not allowed to remain on too long. After two or three 

 days, begin to give a little air by lifting the light behind, and increase 

 the quantity as the plant advances in growth, bearing in mind never 

 to expose it to draughts or cutting winds, as, rest assured, if you do, 

 your plant will soon become brown and sickly. Pay great attention 

 likewise to watering, which is another important point ; never allow 

 it to become dry : when it is perceived that it has begun to feel its 

 shift (which its appearance will readily indicate), give a gentle 

 syringing over-head, in fine bright weather, and close your pit in 



