38: 



THE GARDENER. 



[Aug. 



(iroppint,^^, and charcoal ; with the addition of a little flaky leaf- mould, if 

 the loam was of a tenacious nature. The dung should be thoroughly dried, and 

 broken into small pieces before being used. In this mixture he found such 

 sorts as Adiantums, Gymnogrammas, Lygodiums, Aspleniums, Pterises, 

 Lomarias, and the diirerent species of Tree-Ferns, &c., thrive remarkably well, 

 making a fine strong growth of firm texture. Bone-dust and cow-urine he 

 found very beneficial in stimulating growth ; but the latter should be used 

 only in the case of pot-bound plants, and much diluted with pure water. In 

 potting Ferns he used a much larger })roportion of crocks than for any other 

 class of plants, Orchids excepted. When insect -pests make an appearance, 

 the plants should be sponged or syringed with a solution of soft-soap and 

 warm water, using clear water to finish with. This he considered the best 

 and cheapest insecticide extant, prepared in a proportion of about 2 to 3 oz. 

 of soap to a gallon of water. iSyringing such plants as Crotons, Dracaenas, 

 Gardenias, Azaleas, and Pelargoniums, &c. , once a fortnight with this mixture, 

 gives the foliage of the plants a fine healthy tone, and keeps insects in check. 

 In speaking of the various means of projiagating Ferns, Mr Alison said he 

 had been very successful in raising young plants of many ditferent species in 

 a small propagating-case in the plant-stove. There, over a heated chamber, 

 the spores were sown on a bed of cocoa-nnt fibre about 4 inches in depth. 

 Germination quickly took place, and the young plants grew rapidly, seeming 

 to luxuriate in the additional warmth at their roots. Several exhibits in the 

 way of cut-fiowers were also before the meetings-notable among which was 

 a splendid flowering stem of Lilium giganteum, from Rossie Priory Gardens. 

 After the usual votes of thanks the meeting separated. 



©aUntrat* 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Pines. — The cold and sunless weather 

 which has so generally been experi- 

 enced all-through June and the early 

 part of July has prevented Pines in all 

 stages from making such progress as 

 they generally do ; and in consequence, 

 stock intended for fruiting early next 

 year should now have all the encour- 

 agement possible, so that they may 

 well fill their pots with roots, and 

 make well-matured plants before au- 

 tumn. Let the night temperature for 

 these range from 70° to 75°, according 

 to the state of the weather. Keep the 

 air moist, in proportion as the weather 

 is bright and warm. Shut the pits up 

 early in the afternoon, so that the heat 

 ranges from 85° to 90^ for a time. 

 Put air on in the morning before the 

 heat touches 80", and gradually increase 

 it till noon. Watering must be care- 

 fully attended to, never allowing the soil 

 to become very dry. Colour the water 



with guano every time of watering. 

 It is a good practice to water alter- 

 nately with guano and sheep-manure 

 water. Plants intended to make a 

 growth in spring before starting — and 

 which invariably produce the best 

 fruit — should not be pushed on quite 

 so rapidly, but have a temperature a 

 few degrees lower. Smooth Cayennes 

 and other late sorts now out of bloom 

 and swelling freely, must be encour- 

 aged with liquid manure and a moist 

 atmosphere. Shut them up as early 

 as it is safe to do so, in order to run the 

 heat up to about 95° for a time, and 

 so reduce the necessity for fire-heat for 

 the night to a minimum. Give air freely 

 to fruit that are ripening, and do not 

 dry them oil at the root, as is some- 

 times mistakenly done. Pines starved 

 at ripening -time at this season are 

 never so fine and juicy. If they are 

 aired freely, they will not lack in point 



