610 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



fill up corners and baskets on shelves, and they stand the tear and 

 wear of room decoration better than most plants. Those in the 

 smaller pots do well in cold frames, when kept rather close and well 

 syringed, and closed up with sun-heat rather early in the afternoon. 

 In this way, and with comparatively little care, they make beautiful 

 little berried bushes, and well repay the care bestowed upon them. 



In spring, when the berries begin to shrivel, diminish the amount 

 of water for a short time, and if a little rather dry heat can be given 

 them to ripen the wood, so much the better : after this, prune them 

 in freely, and place them in a newly-started vinery or Peach-house. 

 Syringe them well two or three times a-day, and they will soon break 

 into numerous young growths ; and when fairly started, turn them 

 out of their pots, carefully reduce their balls a little, and put them 

 into pots a size larger, returning them to the same quarters. They 

 will soon grow rapidly, and if inclined to become straggling, pinch the 

 points out of the young growths. AYhen they come into full bloom, 

 cease syringing and give more air, and nearly every bloom will set. 

 By autumn they make splendid plants, loaded with fruit almost as 

 large as Cherries, and are most useful for ornamental purposes of every 

 description. 



THE AUCUBA. 



Another grand berried plant for winter decoration, — for many of 

 these, besides their fine clusters of bright berries, have foliage almost 

 equal to Crotons in richness of colouring. When grown in 6-inch pots, 

 they are most serviceable dinner-table plants, as well as very effective 

 in vases, baskets, and on conservatory shelves. When past their best 

 in the spring, the best way, when larger plants are required, is to shift 

 into larger and well-drained pots, using the same soil recommended 

 for Solanums. Plunge them out of doors in a sheltered situation, but 

 where they can have plenty of air and full sun. By plunging a few 

 male plants amongst them, and using a camel-hair brush when both 

 blooms are in a proper condition, there is little difficulty in getting a 

 good set of berries : sometimes the male blooms are open when the 

 females are not, in which case preserve the pollen in tinfoil paper, by 

 which means it can be kept for a long time, and the female blooms 

 impregnated with it as they expand. Attend to them very carefully 

 throughout the summer with water, and when the weather is dry and 

 warm let them be well syringed at least every other evening, and in 

 autumn they will be fresh and beautiful in leaf, and well studded with 

 berries. 



SKIMMI\. 



S. Japonica and S. oblata are very useful little berried plants, and 

 neat small bushes can be grown in small pots, and do good service in 



