1870.] STATICE RATTRAYANA. 539 



ing it small often makes it dirty, and the dirt so collected will show 

 itself when the ice is used. The carts employed in bringing it to the 

 house should be thoroughly cleansed before being so used. 



The house here takes about sixty loads ; and by using four carts, 

 six horses, twelve men, and two boys, we manage to fill it in two days 

 when ice is plentiful. In addition to their usual pay, plenty of beer 

 and bread and cheese is allowed the men and lads employed. We also 

 use about a load and a half of straw — the mass of ice is thoroughly 

 encased in it ; and when the ice settles down into a mass it is well 

 trodden by the feet and beaten down with a large wooden mallet. 



The whole cost of filling our house may be estimated at <£7. A 

 few years ago, when we had to bring a good deal of the ice from a 

 large horse-pond a half-mile farther off, the cost of filling it was three 

 or four pounds more, but the ice was never fit to place on the table. 



William Plester. 



Elsenham Hall Gardens. 



STATICE RATTRAYANA? 



How often do we meet with this splendid plant in a wretched state, 

 where it neither does credit to the grower, nor gratifies the taste of 

 any one accustomed to behold it in a thriving condition ! Pitiable, 

 unhealthy-looking objects, flowering wonderfully well it may be, but 

 not as the reward of good, kindly, and judicious treatment. Such 

 miserable subjects never become the glorious specimens they would 

 under different and more favourable conditions. As I have been some- 

 what successful in the culture of this most useful decorative flowering- 

 plant, I will endeavour as concisely as possible to detail my mode of 

 treatment. There are two general principles that I would put promin- 

 ently forward at the commencement, which if acted upon will lead to 

 success with this plant. 1st, It is a gross feeder; 2d, It must be 

 kept constantly growing — there must be no sudden checks, otherwise 

 the effects we too often see will be produced. 



After the plants have begun to grow in spring is the proper time 

 for taking cuttings, which I insert singly in thumb-pots, and plunge in 

 bottom-heat up to the rims of the pots. I shade during sunshine, and 

 maintain a close moist atmosphere, which must be given until they 

 show signs of being rooted. So soon as the roots appear at the sides 

 of the pots I at once shift them into 4-inch pots, using a compost of 

 two parts good fibry loam, one partcow-du ng well decomposed, and 

 one part leaf-mould, with a little silver sand added, placing a few 



