372 THE GARDKNER. [Aug. 



general mode being to graft tlie finer varieties on stocks of the 

 common Spurge -Laurel (Daphne laureola). The soil best suited 

 to their requirements consists of equal parts of good turfy loam 

 and fibry peat, with a good sprinkling of silver sand. The soil 

 should be used in as rough a state as may be consistent with the 

 size of pot used, and the pots should be very carefully drained, as, 

 though the plants require a large supply of water when in full growth, 

 they are very impatient of water lodging about the roots, and will 

 soon fall into bad health should the soil become in any way soured. 

 When the plants have completed their year's growth they should be 

 turned out into a drier atmosphere, to ripen off, and set their flower- 

 buds. After a time they may be set out of doors, in a nice sheltered 

 position facing south ; care should be taken, however, that worms do 

 not find their way into the pots — they should therefore be set on an 

 inverted pot, or on a deep bed of fresh ashes. Should early flowers 

 be wanted, a few plants may be put into a gentle heat in November, 

 and they will come into flower about Christmas. Daphnes are some- 

 what susceptible to the attacks of red-spider, so that during the grow- 

 ing season the syringe should be freely used among them. The 

 greenhouse varieties are mostly natives of China and Japan ; and 

 though the genus consists of a great many varieties, the cream of 

 them is comprised in D. hybrida, D. indica, D. indica rubra, D. odora, 

 and D, odora rubra. 



THE PIMELEA. 



The above genus contains some of the most beautiful of our flower- 

 ing greenhouse plants. They are generally easily grown, and are very 

 free bloomers, as well as being very sweet-scented. They are admir- 

 able for cutting from, and also for house-decoration, and are among 

 the best of exhibition plants — indeed they formerly used to be con- 

 sidered indispensable on the exhibition -table, but, like many other 

 kindred subjects, have for some years been all but unrepresented 

 at our exhibitions. We hope, however, to see them again reinstated 

 in their wonted place. They are all natives of New Holland, and 

 therefore do not require a high temperature to grow them — a winter 

 temperature of between 40° and 50° being amply sufficient for them. 

 They are propagated from seed and by cuttings ; the latter being the 

 mode more generally adopted. 



Cuttings of the young shoots should be taken off in spring, and put 

 in under a bell-glass, in a properly prepared pot, such as has been often 

 described before, and the pot plunged in a mild hotbed. They must 

 be potted off singly into small pots as soon as they are sufficiently 

 rooted, and the pots replanged in the bed until they get a fresh start. 

 The soil should consist of good fibry peat, two-thirds, and one-third 

 of turfy loam, with a sufficient quantity of silver sand to keep it open. 

 Of course for the small plants the soil must be sifted, but for all sue- 



