84 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



treated as a greenhouse plant. The leaves are pinnate, forming lovely 

 pendant plumes of cream-white and green, the white of the leaves and 

 branches predominating frequently much beyond the green. The best 

 mode of cultivating it is to pot from the open ground in autumn, 

 transferring them to a cool house until early spring, when they may 

 be placed in gentle heat where the air is rather humid. Water 

 copiously after signs of growth are apparent ; little water is required 

 in winter while yet the plants are dormant. What useful plants are 

 Rockets, too, when grown in greenhouses ! Of the double Purple and 

 double French-white, I have something favourable to announce. The 

 duration and size of their grand spikes and flowers are what surprised 

 me most, emitting and filling the air with the odour of the Stock over 

 three months without a semblance of seediness in leaf or flower. 

 These, like the intermediate Stock, ought never to be absent in spring 

 and summer. All they require in a cultural sense is a roomy pot and 

 loam rich with old cow-manure. Clumps lifted from the borders in 

 autumn and placed in a greenhouse, good drainage, along with rather 

 rich feeding by manure-water from the period vigorous growth com- 

 mences until the first blossoms open, sum up their wants. 



There are many other plants of equal interest which must stand over 

 for the present. A. Kerr. 



SUCCESSION PITTES WITHOUT BOTTOM-HEAT. 



It is the most usual plan in the cultivation of the Pine-apple through 

 all its stages of growth to have it subjected more or less to bottom- 

 heat. The practice is so general that it would lead many to infer 

 that they cannot be grown in any satisfactory manner without it. 

 This summer I tried a house of successions as soon as potted, placed 

 upon the surface of the bed, the same as a lot of ordinary plants — say 

 Geraniums, for instance — the largest ones at the back, and altogether 

 just as thick as they should have been placed at the time. When the 

 plants were thus set, some observers had their doubts about their suc- 

 cess, but I felt confident that they would do well enough ; and I am 

 glad to say that they have done well, and to my entire satisfaction. 

 By the time that the plants became too thick, more room was afforded 

 them, and I can say that I never saw a lot of plants grow better. In' 

 this state, the plants require water oftener, but they can be better fed, 

 and the plants are much surer to be kept in right condition at the root 

 with a little extra attention. If any one has thought on the above 

 plan, and not seen it carried out in practice, they can rely on the above 

 being a faithful description. Robert Mackellar. 



Elvaston Castle. 



