1880. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



41 



ing, I beg to say that I have had a great deal 

 •of experience with it, leaving it uncovered in 

 the coldest winters in the most bleak situations, 

 and always finding it perfectly hardy." 



[We have never seen the plants our corres- 

 pondents are discussing, to know if they are 



distinct from the old Chinese Privet, Ligustrum 

 lucidum, — of which we suppose L. ovalifolium to 

 be a 'variety. As with our correspondent the 

 Chinese Privet is quite hardy about Philadel- 

 phia, we should be glad to see specimens of 

 kinds under the names in dispute. — Ed. G. M.] 



Greenhouse and House Gardening. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



This is the season when manj- things will re- 

 quire repotting. Many have a set time and 

 season to do this ; but some things require re- 

 potting at various seasons. The best time is just 

 before they are about to make a new growth. 

 Camellias, Azaleas, and many plants, for in- 

 stance, start at this season. It is not necessary 

 to repot as often as some think, especially if 

 bloom, and not very large specimens, is chiefly 

 wanted. If the pot is very full of roots, and the 

 plant growing weak, it may need repotting. 



In potting, see that some provision is made 

 for allowing the w-ater to readily escape, by put- 

 ting broken crocks over the hole. Use soil 

 rather dry, and ram it firmly about the old ball. 

 Prefer pots only a little larger, to very large 

 shifts, as less liable to accidents. Trim the 

 plants in a little, if unshapely, to encourage the 

 new growth where wanted. 



Many who have but small houses and wish to 

 have a variety, are troubled with valued plants 

 becoming too large. To keep them low% as soon 

 as the plant has matm-ed its growth, cut it down 

 as low as may be desired. As soon as it shows 

 signs of breaking forth into a new growth, turn 

 it out of the pot ; shake or tear away the old ball 

 of roots, and put it into a small pot as it can be 

 got into, and when it grows again, and fills the 

 pot with roots, repot again as before. 



Sometimes the plants get '' sick," which is 

 known by unhealthy, yellow leaves. This is 

 usually by over- watering, generating a gas, or 

 as gardeners term it, a " sourness," destructive 

 to the roots. The remedy is to cut the plant 

 back a little, shake out the soil, and put the plant 

 in a small pot with new soil, and place the plant 

 n a hou>e only moderately warm, and which is 



naturally moist, so that the plant can live for a 

 while without requiring much water. It will 

 generally recover. 



"Window plants are as much appreciated at 

 this season as at any time of the year. There 

 are few things more beautiful than the old classes 

 of roses— the Bourbon and China. We have 

 seen some beauties in windows recently, and 

 wonder they are not more grown. In another 

 case we saw a handsome Chorozema cordata. 

 Usually, Australian plants do not thrive in our 

 climate, but this plant was simply plunged in 

 partial shade in summer, rewarding the owner 

 with its pretty brown and purple butterfly-like 

 flowers all winter. This, and many other win- 

 dow flowers, are liable to sufterfrom the minute 

 insect known as red spider. Very minute whit- 

 ish green spots on the leaves usually indicate 

 the insect's existence. It is best to lay the 

 plants on their sides, in the open air, and treat 

 them to a powerful syringing with strong soap- 

 suds, and while still damp, sprinkle a little sul- 

 phur on them from a pepper box. Red spiders 

 do not hanker much after sulphur. Sometimes 

 window plants suff"er from mildew, and sulphur 

 is a good remedy for it also. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



DATURA ARBOREA. 



BY H. J. PURDY, SEXECA FALLS, N. Y. 



I send you to-day by mail, a flower for name, 

 together with some leaves from the plant. 

 Please inform us through the Monthly what 

 it is. The tree is a "soft hard-wooded" plant, 

 and looks capable of attaining a large size 

 were it furnished with pot room to grow. The 

 blossom always opens first in the night, after 



