546 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



loam added, and plenty of silver sand, with a small quantity of char- 

 coal. It is essential that the plants should be potted firmly ; especi- 

 ally after they come to be in ])ots from 5 inches upwards, a rammer 

 should be used. 



The plant is somewhat inclined to be of straggly habit of growth, 

 and therefore, in order to keep it in due bounds, and make a compact 

 specimen, the knife should be used pretty freely annually : it stands 

 pruning well, breaking away again freely. 



It is propagated by cuttings of the side shoots, which should be \mt 

 in in the usual way, in silver sand, and under a bell-glass, and the pot 

 plunged in a gentle bottom -heat. The cuttings are very liable to 

 damp off, and therefore great care should be taken in drying up the 

 condensed moisture from the inside of the glass daily, until the cut- 

 tings are rooted. As soon as this takes place, they should be potted 

 off into thumb-pots, and replunged in the bed, which will help to pre- 

 vent the pots from getting dry so quickly, and thus save repeated 

 waterings. They should be kept pretty closely pinched when young, 

 so that a good foundation may be laid at first. As soon as the small 

 pots are filled with roots they may be shifted into 3-inch pots, and 

 this will carry them through the first season. In order to keep them 

 as dwarf as possible, they should be kept as near the glass as circum- 

 stances will permit. A temperature during winter of from 40° to 50° 

 will suit them, and care must be taken that they be not over-watered 

 during the dull winter months ; but, in avoiding this, care must also 

 be taken not to rush into the opposite extreme, and allow them to 

 suffer for want of a sufficient supply. After they have started into 

 growth again in spring, they may be shifted into say 5-inch pots, and 

 this will carry them through the second year. It is better to give 

 small shifts, and more frequently, rather than large shifts ; the plants 

 will thus be more easily kept in good health — the tendency of the roots 

 being to rush to the sides of the ball first. By small and frequent 

 shifts, the centre of the ball will also get filled with roots. During 

 the summer months the plants may be placed out of doors ; but the 

 pots should be plunged among coal- ashes, so that the sun may not 

 injure the roots which are in contact with the sides of the pot. They 

 should be housed again by the end of September. The after treat- 

 ment will consist of training, cutting them back when they get too 

 straggly, and in shifting them as they require it. J. G., W. 



FRUIT-CULTURE. 



Gooseberries and Currakts. 



We have already said that, for small gardens, Gooseberries, Currants, Rasp- 

 berries, and Strawberries are more valuable than such fruits as Apples. 

 AVe are not sure but, as time rolls on, and competition with the foreigner 



