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The Horticulturist and Journal 



ball of soil is not allowed to get dry, or the 

 growth will be weak, and some of the plants will 

 die ; in fact, allowing the plants to get very dry 

 is the cause of more deaths among Heaths and 

 Azaleas than anything, besides it is astonish- 

 ing the number of waterings required to soak 

 through a thoroughly dry ball of roots ; in 

 fact, in some cases, it is difficult to moisten it 

 at all, without placing the plants in a tub of 

 water ; it is especially so if the plants are 

 grown in the light peaty leaf mould so gene- 

 rally used by the Belgian and German florists. 

 We have soaked plants from six-inch pots in a 

 tub of water for twenty-four hours, and then 

 found the center of the ball dry ; this was the 

 case with fresh imported plants. 



CanielHas. — Any Camellias, in tubs or 

 pots in which the soil is sour and roots poor, may 

 be shaken out after flowering, and repotted into 

 clean pots, with good drainage, and placed in a 

 warm, shady part of the house, to be syringed 

 frequently and kept rather dry at the roots until 

 growing freely; they will usually make good 

 growth and flower well the following season ; 

 but as a rule, it is preferable to pot Camellias 

 as soon as the buds are set ; but in the case of 

 unhealthy specimens, the season is then lost ; 

 any plants grown too large, or out of shape, 

 may be cut in as soon as the flowers are over ; 

 in fact, no plant stands cutting better than 

 the Camellia, and it is necessary to use the 

 knife freely when plants are in full vigor. 



Palms. — See that Palms receive abundance 

 of water, and if any of the plants are intended 

 for planting outside in summer, they must be 

 kept cool for that purpose, for the foliage is 

 tender, and even the hardiest will suffer from 

 the change ; it is best, if possible, to prevent 

 these making any young leaves until they do 

 so in the open air ; many varieties do well 

 and are splendid plants for pleasure ground 

 decoration, if prepared for that purpose ; but 

 when the plants are required for greenhouse 

 decoration, and large plants are required as 

 quick as possible, then no class of plants will 

 stand more heat and moisture ; and it is 

 astonishing in how short a time a small plant 

 will develop into a fine specimen; this mag- 

 nificent class of plants have been neglected. 



until recently, in this country, but in a few 

 years they will be as popular as they have 

 been in Europe for a long time, and will be 

 employed at every grand display by every one 

 of cultivated taste. 



Ixoras. — Those cultivators who have a house 

 kept at a temperature of not less than sixty de- 

 grees at all times, should grow a selection of 

 Ixias ; they are a beautiful class of tropical 

 evergreen shrubs, which flower at all seasons 

 of the year, and the plants, when well grown, 

 are handsome when out of flower, but it is in- 

 dispensable to grow them in peat. We never 

 saw a satisfactory Ixora potted in loam ; like 

 most other hothouse plants they are liable to be 

 infested with insects, but are worth all the 

 attention required ; these plants are standard 

 exhibition plants in England. 



Anthuriuin. — Another indispensable 

 plant, even in the smallest and most select 

 collection, is the Anthurium Seherzerianum ; 

 this plant is seldom without flowers ; the same 

 flower will last for three months ; it is a plant 

 of the easiest culture, and insects seldom trouble 

 it ; until recently it has been high priced both 

 here and in Europe, but now it is cheap 

 enough to suit any pocket. The ladies need 

 not be frightened by the long name, for 

 although the plant does not possess any Eng- 

 lish name, I have no doubt the extraordinary 

 shape and brilliant scarlet color of the flower 

 would suggest to many to name it the Fla- 

 mingo flower. 



(Jape tfaitniiues. — See that Cape Jasmines 

 are free from insects, or the beauty of the plants 

 is spoiled ; this is one of the plants, that if there 

 is a bug, scale, or red spider in the house it is 

 sure to find it out. A ready plan to clean 

 these plants when at rest, is to mix up a 

 strong dose of whale oil soap, about one ounce 

 to a gallon of water and add about a large tea- 

 spoonful of kerosene to the gallon, and dip 

 the plants in the mixture ; work the shoots 

 well about in the mixture to wet every part 

 and shake off or lay on their sides to drain for 

 one hour, and if thoroughly done, there will 

 not be an insect left alive, and the plants will 

 not be injured ; if there are many plants to 

 dip, it will be necessary to add a portion more 



