CULTURE OF STANDARD PLANTS. 



must either be on feet, or propped up with bricks, or blocks of wood, to let the air go 

 freely underneath them, and the water that comes through them run away. If there be 

 any portions of the tree so bare of shoots as to spoil the appearance, inoculate a few buds 

 here and there, of the same kind as the head already worked, for nothing is more unsight- 

 ly than a decided deficiency in the head or bush, nor is there anything much more easily 

 rectified by means of budding or grafting. This attention, bestowed on old trees that are 

 now so many emblems of idleness, in old establi.shments, would soon change their aspect; 

 for once in sound wholesome compost, instead of the filth once recommended,they would grow 

 vigorously, and soon bloom. Choose March for the operation; it is on all accounts the 

 best month. As the general culture of the Orange, forms the subject of a treatise already 

 written for this work, we shall not enlarge upon the management now, but we strongly 

 recommend all who possess such specimens as we have mentioned, to kill them, or cure 

 them, directly. 



Daphne Tndica Odorata. — This beautiful and highly odoriferous plant, is one of the 

 most neglected subjects in cultivation: a good specimen is as scarce as a Queen Anne's far- 

 thing; and he is a lucky man who ever possessed one, if, indeed, he be not lucky who has 

 ever seen one. Its habit of growth is, perhaps, the very worst that can be imagined, if it 

 be neglected; and we never saw a large one that was not so. Its general growth is with 

 naked stems that will not support themselves, with a bunch of short branches towards 

 the end, too thick to grow well; and three out of four of the bunches of flowers on old 

 plants, are deformed or cocks-comb like, and so crowded that the flowers cannot open. 

 Young plants may, however, be grown better, if properly worked, and carefully managed; 

 and when a specimen can be got not too long in the legs, and with half a dozen bunches 

 of bloom, it is not only pretty, but of exquisite fragrance, and tolerably lasting. "We 

 have tried to bring old plants into shape and decent growth, until we are almost tired. 

 There is but one proper remedy, and that is to cut them down; but this will not always 

 answer; sometimes they will not break, and the plant is lost; at other times we have 

 been more successful. We now, when we get hold of an antiquated specimen, with its 

 crooked stems bending in all directions, and its bunches of green at the ends, sink the pot 

 in a pit, lay some of the branches, and inarch others on spurge laurel, and so make it at 

 least answer the purposes of propagation. If it breaks near the bottom, so much the bet- 

 ter; because, when we release all the layers and grafts from the old stock, any little 

 growth there is greatly strengthened, and we make the most of it. We have, in some in- 

 stances, found them break well all after the branches were cut back to a few inches from 

 their base; and when we saw how they were breaking, we have been able to preserve as 

 many shoots as would make a good bushy plant, and rub off or cut away the rest. In 

 growing them, they must not be excited; the slower they grow the better, so that they 

 do grow. A cold pit is the best protection, because it keeps off rain, or admits it, accord- 

 ing as it may be wanted or otherwise, and it can be made to keep off frost, without want- 

 ing fire heat. The soil for these plants should be loam from rotted turves, two-thirds, and 

 one-third equal proportions of cow-dung or horse-dung thoroughly decayed, and turfy 

 peat. These should be chopped, and rubbed through a very coarse sieve, that would let 

 a bullet through. In cutting down old plants, or before submitting them to the process of 

 laying or inarching, they should be turned out of their pots, and put into larger ones; but 

 if they are to be cut back at once, the}' may be root pruned if necessary, and for this pur- 

 pose a good deal of the ball must be removed, and, as soon as it is changed, the plant, or 

 the stool of the plant, should be placed in a house of rather warmer temperature 

 common green-house, for eight or ten days. There are many good nurseries, at 



