254 THE GARDENER. [June 



They should be kept in a warm house until about the beginning of 

 June, when, being previously hardened off, they may be turned out 

 into cold frames or pits, and set on a bed of ashes ; or still better, 

 plunge the pots in the ashes, which will save such frequent waterings. 

 Let them have plenty of light and air, and still attend to the pinching. 

 A few of them may be introduced to a warm greenhouse about the 

 beginning of October, when they will very soon come into flower : 

 others may be introduced at intervals as required, but all of them 

 should be housed before any danger from frost is anticipated. 



Where pits or frames are not readily available, they will do nicely 

 planted out in a moderately rich and sheltered border. In this case, 

 however, they need not be shifted into larger than 4-inch pots at first, 

 and not planted out before the middle of June, having been previously 

 well hardened-off. Still attend to pinching and watering, if necessary. 

 In the beginning of September they may be lifted carefully, and potted 

 up either singly or in groups, as required. When potted, water them 

 well, and set them in a cold frame, which must be kept close and 

 shaded for a while, until they begin to root afresh, when shading may 

 be dispensed with, and air given — moderately at first, and afterwards 

 more liberally, until by-and-by the lights may be removed altogether 

 through the day, replacing them at night. The after-treatment will be 

 the same as described above. A successional batch of cuttings should 

 be struck during the month of May, only these should be kept in pots 

 and grown in cold frames or pits. These will come into bloom later in 

 spring, and will be very useful, before forced flowers come in. Of 

 course, the time of blooming will be regulated by the amount of pinch- 

 ing they receive. There are a good many varieties of Bouvardia, but 

 we think the most generally useful are Vreelandii, elegans, Hum- 

 boldtii, and corymbiflora. J. G. W. 



CHOICE HARDY SPRING-FLOWERS. 



Resuming my running selection of these beautiful gems of the flora 

 of spring, I must draw attention to one or two which have been 

 omitted in the connection in which they would naturally have 

 occurred in last month's paper on the subject. The first of these, and 

 one of the very choicest and most charming, is — 



Menziesia empetrifolia. — Nothing can exceed the brilliant and dis- 

 tinct effect of this neat dwarf shrub when in flower. It literally 

 clothes itself in its globular, heath-like, rosy-purple flowers in April 

 and May, which in the mass have a luminous effect. It grows about 

 9 inches high, and is very compact and dense in habit. It should be 

 accommodated with a compost of sandy peat, and is well worth any 

 ordinary care and trouble to insure success. 



Hutchinsia alpina is one of the neatest and most profuse bloomers 



