316 THE GARDENER. [July 



to be supported with stakes, so as to prevent them being broken with 

 wind. 



After the flower-buds begin to show, they will receive much advan- 

 tage from a watering twice a- week with manure-water; and nothing in 

 this way is better than good Peruvian guano, steeped, and then a little 

 poured off into the watering-pot as you require it, merely colouring the 

 water with it. They will require to be housed about the middle of 

 October, and a few of the most advanced may be put into a gentle 

 heat, when they will soon come into flower. 



We have been speaking of plants for general decorative purposes, as 

 being those most generally grown — those grown for exhibition pur- 

 poses being managed in some respects somewhat differently. For this 

 purpose the cuttings are quite soon enough if put in about the begin- 

 ning of February. The cuttings should be put in in the same manner 

 as described above, but the pots must be plunged in a hotbed or other 

 place where a bottom-heat of about 80° can be had. When rooted, pot 

 off singly in 3-inch pots, and after they begin to grow pinch out the 

 points, but after this they need not be pinched again, the object being 

 to throw as much vigour as possible into two or three stems. Of course 

 they grow very tall, and we have seen them from 5 to 7 feet high. They 

 must be kept growing, and shifted into larger pots as they require to be 

 moved. Pot firmly, and they may be plunged out-of-doors in a sheltered 

 place, as described for the others. Keep them well supplied with water, 

 and securely staked : when the roots have pretty well filled the pots, 

 give manure-waterings. They must be housed early in October, and 

 pushed forward or kept back according to the time they are wanted. 

 When the flower-buds appear, they must be thinned out, leaving only 

 two or three on each shoot. 



We have seen the Chrysanthemum turned out of the 3-inch pots 

 into a moderately rich border, and potted up again in September ; but 

 unless very carefully done, and kept close and shaded for a time after- 

 wards, they are apt to lose a large portion of their lower leaves. 



Nice dwarf plants, useful for front rows or for vases, may be grown 

 by putting in cuttings in April, and treating them in all respects like 

 the others, only keeping them in 4-inch pots, and pinched in to make 

 them dwarf and bushy. J. G., W. 



BOILERS AND PIPES. 



While the discussion on heating is going on in your pages, it may 

 not be inopportune to raise a few collateral questions on the subject 

 of boilers and pipes, &c, on which I would be glad to hear the 

 opinion of your correspondent, Mr Makenzie, who appears to be 

 pretty well up on the subject, and also of others. As regards boilers, 



