296 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[October, 



enough roots to rapidly absorb all the moisture 

 they get, and speedily ask for more, " crocking " 

 is not necessary. 



After potting, the plants should be well wa- 

 tered and kept in the shade for a few days. If 

 they still show signs of keeping a wilted appear- 

 ance long, it may be as well to pick off a few of 

 the leaves. Some things of not too tender a 

 nature can be kept in cellars for spring. 

 The bedding geraniums are often treated in this 

 way. The leaves and softer parts are cut away, 

 the whole tied in bunches, and hung up. At 

 times the cellar is rather dry for this, and then 

 some moss is packed in among the roots, 

 and kept a little damp. 



Plants for blooming in windows or conserva- 

 tories are looked after soon. The Chinese prim- 

 roses are among the best for this purpose, and 

 indeed the whole primrose family is excellent, 

 provided the rooms in which they are to flower 

 are not too warm. They are all nearly hardy, 

 and would sooner have some frost than great 

 heat. The old Auricula is a great favorite with 

 English plant growers for early spring flowers, 

 but has to be kept in sunk pits in the cool over 

 summer in our climate. Few care to take this 

 trouble, but it is worth all it costs. It belongs to 

 the primrose fomily, and we give an illustration 

 in order to make it better known. 



AURICULA, 



There are some very pretty additions to the old 

 primrose family of late years in cultivation, of 

 which the Primula japoniea, P. involua-ata, and 

 P.farinosa are now well-known examples. After 

 all there are few prettier things in this class than 

 the varieties of the old English primroses under 

 the names both of Polyanthus and Oxlip ; 

 of these there are singles and doubles. The 

 white ones especially are in great demand by 

 florists. The double ones known are generally 

 of the old single stem or primrose class. Mr. M. 



Vilmorin, of Paris, who was on a recent visit to 

 the Centennial Exhibition, tells us that they 

 have in France a peculiar double one. It is of 

 the " Hose in Hose " class, and must be very 

 beautiful and give an increased interest to this 

 tribe of plants. He gave us the following sketch 

 of it. 



DOUBLE POLYANTHUS. 



Hanging-baskets which have been in piazzas 

 or under trees all summer, will need to be taken 

 to the parlors soon. Many take out and reset 

 at this season under an impression that the soil 

 is exhausted ; but a much better way is to let 

 them alone, and sprinkle a little very well de- 

 cayed manure among them. 



There are but few things in the greenhouse 

 that will require special treatment at this time. 

 Camellias and Azaleas, as they cease to grow, 

 will require less water ; but it is now so well 

 known that moisture is favorable to growth, and 

 comparative dryness favorable to flowering, 

 that we need do no more than refer to the fact. 



Bulbs for flowering in pots should be placed at 

 once. Four or five inch pots are suitable. One 

 Hyacinth and about three Tulips are sufficient 

 for each. After potting, plunge the pots over 

 their rims in sand under the greenhouse stage, 

 letting them remain there until the pots have 

 become well filled with roots, before bringing 

 them on to the shelves to force. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



DESTRUCTION OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS BY 

 GAS. 



BY E. MASON, DETROIT, MICH. 



During the winter of 1874r-5, a large number of 

 valuable plants were destroyed or damaged by 

 gas in the greenhouse of Tap] in <fe Davis of this 



