356 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



several inches. They were more than a month covered up in this way. 

 We were rather afraid to uncover them, and when first looked at every- 

 thing was quite hard with frost. After careful and gradual exposure, 

 we found that, with the exception of the tips of a few being a little 

 browned, they were not injured. After flowering is over they should 

 be cut down and placed in a cool airy situation till they have broken, 

 Avhen all should be examined ; those that require another pot should 

 be attended to at once. The pots ought to be clean and well drained, 

 using good fibry peat, broken up with the hand, to which add a good 

 sprinkling of silver-sand; and when charcoal can be procured, break a 

 little the size of beans, and mix in amongst the whole. If large plants 

 are required in a short time, the soft-wooded sorts might be placed in 

 a gentle heat ; but if small healthy plants are in request for house- 

 decoration, place them in a cold frame, where they can have plenty of 

 air. If a brick can be placed at each corner of the frame, so as to 

 raise it the thickness of the brick, it will allow the air to circulate more 

 freely amongst the plants, keeping the lights close at hand in case of 

 heavy rains. When they are on, let them be tilted alternately back and 

 front. There is scarcely any other class of plants which require more 

 care in watering than Heaths, but if properly attended to in watering, 

 and frequent syringing overhead, by autumn, nice plants with strong 

 flowering-spikes will repay all the summer attention. 



THE -RHODODENDRON 



is another class of plants which come in for a good share of attention 

 from those who have a large demand on them in keeping the conser- 

 vatory gay. I will only give the names of a few we have found good 

 for forcing, and refer all to the able articles in the back numbers 

 of the ' Gardener ' for the present year for the treatment of this grand 

 tribe of plants : Proecox, Alta Clarense, Noblieanum, Venus, Regalia, 

 Minnie, Brayanum, Lady Eleanor Cathcart, Mrs John Waterer, Comet ; 

 greenhouse sorts, Ciliatum, Countess of Haddington, Edgworthii, 

 Jasminiflorum, Javanicum, Princess Alexandra, Princess Helena, 

 Princess Royal, Yeitchianum, and many others which we have not 

 had an opportunity of testing. 



THE THORN. 



The new double Scarlet Thorn forces well, and when grown as stan- 

 dards about 18 inches high, they are very pretty objects mixed 

 amongst other things in early spring. When done flowering, if 

 plunged instead of planting them out of their pots altogether, they do 

 not suffer a check from repotting in autumn. The white or grandiflora 

 variety makes a good companion to the scarlet. 



A. H. 



