is either difficult of cultivation, very expensive, or that continues in bloom but a short 

 time and furnishes but few flowers. 



Before closing these remarks, allow me particularly to direct the attention of the 

 amateur to the importance of keeping the plants free from insects. Fumigate fre- 

 quently with tobacco stems for the Green Fly, and examine closely such plants as are 

 most subject to the Mealy Bug, and kill them with the point of a very sharp stick. 

 They most frequently lurk in between the leaf and the stem. In this way you can in 

 a minute or two rid a large plant. 



[ We commend this excellent practical article to our amateur plant-growers. From 

 our own experience in a severe climate, we can testify to the importance of the points 

 referred to in the construction of the house, location of furnace, and the use of outside 

 .shuttere, &c. Here we cover all our plant-houses; some with light board shutters, 

 easily lifted off and on, some with straw mutts, and some with both. AVe have also, 

 in our propagating-house and hot-house, a canvass curtain, that is let down under the 

 glass at night, and affords great protection. We intend to say something on this point 

 hereafter. We hope to hear from D. R. K. frequently. — Ed.] 



PROPAGATION OF THE DOUBLE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



EDWARD DECKEE, GAEDENEE TO J. Q. JONES, ESQ., NEW BEIGHTON, STATEN ISLAND. 



Now is the time to commence preparing a stock of this most beautiful and indispen- 

 sable winter and spring flowering plant. We suppose you are already in possession of 

 an old plant or two to commence operations on. Such being the case, prepare as many 

 small sized thumb-pots as you have cuttings ; also prepare the following compost — two 

 parts well decomposed leaf-mold, one part good turfy loam, and one part silver sand ; 

 let the whole be well mixed before using, as on this a great part of your success depends. 

 Having the above requisites prepared, with a sharp knife take your cuttings off close 

 under the second joint from the parent plant, leaving the lii-st joint to supply you with a 

 second crop of cuttings ; fill your pots one-third full with broken crocks or charcoal, 

 and the other two-tliirds with the compost ; with a small stick make a hole in the 

 center of each pot, placing a cutting in each and filling the hole with silver sand ; gi\ e 

 a small quantity of water to settle them firmly ; then place your pots under a bell or 

 hand-light in the warmest part of the green-house, and with a little attention to 

 watering and ventilation, in five or six weeks you will have strong, chubby plants that 

 will amply repay you for the little extra care you may bestow on tliein, in the profusion 

 of flowei-s they will give you the following season. As soon as they have filled the cut- 

 ting pots with roots, give them a shift into pots two sizes larger, adding at the sann^ 

 time a few handfuls of well pulverized charcoal to the compost, which will have a very 

 beneficial effect in keeping the roots in a sound and healthy condition through the hot 

 sunmicr months. Keep them in the green-house, as near the glass as possible, till the 

 middle of May, shading in bright sunshine, when they may be placed in a frame facing 

 north until the middle of September, and then should be finally shifted into 

 ing pots, two sizes larger than their last shift, returning them to their old 



VOL. V. 2d 



