16 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



pressed gently into the soil, witli some flat instrument, but no cover 

 ing of soil put over it. Water through a very fine rose, and cover" 

 the pan closely with a pane of glass, and set it in a warm pit. 

 When the seedlings are large enough, which may be in about from six 

 to eight weeks, they should be potted off singly into thumb-pots, and 

 plunged in a gentle bottom-heat, being very careful of them in the way 

 of watering. They may require a shift into larger pots about July. 

 The soil should consist of two parts of peat, one part of good fibry 

 loam, and one part of sharp sand, a little leaf-mould to be added, or a 

 little good old manure. They should be kept as near the glass as 

 convenient, and in a warm pit, until they take to the fresh soil, 

 when they may be removed to a cooler place, but out of the way of 

 draughts. They may be wintered in a pit where the temperature will 

 range at about 50° at night, and they must be very carefully looked to 

 in the way of watering. In spring they may be again shifted into 

 larger pots, and plunged for a time in a slight bottom-heat, in order to 

 make them start kindly. About the middle of June they will come 

 into flower, and so continue for a considerable time ; and will form 

 an attractive addition to the greenhouse or conservatory. L. prin- 

 ceps is propagated in the same way as the other, either by cuttings 

 or from seed, and it is even a more showy plant. The flowers are 

 tube-shaped, and about 5 or 6 inches in length, of a glowing scarlet, 

 but yellow at each end, and bulged out in the middle, the apex of each 

 bloom spreading out into six segments, through which the anthers and 

 pistil protrude themselves. The flowers are borne in clusters on the 

 points of the shoots. The plant is of a compact habit, and grows to a 

 height of about 2 feet. The general treatment given to L. Eussell- 

 ianus will also suit this variety. J. G., W. 



NOTES FROM THE PAPERS. 



The Apple trade of America with this country is, says the Loudon ' Tele- 

 graph,' still in its infancy, and yet it is enormous. We are told that " Wash- 

 ington Market, in New York, and the adjoining streets, are ' literally blocked 

 with barrels filled to repletion with red, green, and golden fruit ; while trucks 

 and waggons of every kind are engaged in conveying Apples from the receiving 

 depots to the various commission houses.' From Philadelphia, Baltimore, 

 Boston, and Montreal come similar rej)orts, so that, for many weeks past, 

 hardly a vessel has left the eastern seaboard of the United States without 

 having a large consignment of American Apples on board. One hundred 

 thousand barrels are exported from these cities every successive week, the 

 cost of each barrel ranging at the shipping place from one dollar and seventy- 

 five cents, or seven shillings, to one dollar and twenty-five cents, or five 

 shillings, apiece. Upon arriving at Liverpool, Glasgow, and London, each 

 barrel is sold at rates varying from seventeen to eleven shillings, and they 

 are landed in excellent condition, with hardly an Apple damaged. The most 

 favourite specimens are Newtown Pippins, Cranberry Pippins, Spitzenbergs, 



