September 29, ISM. ] JOUENAIi OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



247 



Thus, then, the method of growth will be as follows :— 

 Let us suppose the plants are now in your possession ; and 

 if not, the sooner persons desirous of growing them do pos- 

 sess them the better. They may now be kept in a frame, 

 to which abundance of air is admitted, in some sheltered 

 place facing the north, throwing the lights up on every 

 favoui'able occasion, but closing them at night, and taking 

 great care that not a drop of rain reaches the plants. Water 

 carefully and frequently, according to the state of the weather, 

 with either rain water or water that has been exposed to 

 the action of the atmosphere. The Auricula is a particulai- 

 flower, resenting ill ti'eatment, and therefore in these little 

 matters requiring care and thoughtfulness. Early in October 

 they should be removed into their winter quarters, which 

 should be in fi-ames facing to the south or south-west, and 

 water should be more sparingly supplied ; as the days become 

 shorter, the sun has less power, and the nights are conse- 

 quently colder. It is well between that time and Chi-istmas 

 to look over the whole collection occasionally, to remove dead 

 leaves, to brush off any aphides that may be on the plants, 

 and to stir the sui-face soil a little. During aU favom-able 

 weather air should be freely given ; and at night, no matter 

 what the weather may be, they should be careiully covered 

 vip. Frigi domo makes about the best covering : it is warm, 

 very dm-able, and easily managed. The condition of the 

 pots must determine the amount of watering. Some will 

 dry much quicker than others, owing to the pots being 

 fuller of roots, and consequently capable of absorbing more 

 moisture ; but in no case allow the soil to become soddened, 

 which is most injm-ious to the well-being of the plant. 



In the first week of February the time for top-dressing wiU 

 have arrived; and on looking at yom- plants you will per- 

 haps wonder how you are ever to obtain a bloom from them. 

 Leaf after leaf has been plucked off, and the aspect of the 

 plants has been gradually becoming worse ; but if a good 

 heart be there you may look hopefally on. For top-di-essing 

 I use simply well-rotted cow-manure two or three years old, 

 and silver sand. Shake off as much of the sui'face sod as 

 can be done without disturbing the roots : this will be about 

 to the depth of 2 or 3 inches. Replace with the top-dress- 

 ing, which should have been passed through a sieve, and 

 then gently water with a syringe, taking as much care as 

 possible not to wet the heart of the plants. They will soon 

 begin — after a few waterings, which shoiUd be done carefully 

 — to exhibit their sense of the change of diet and treatment. 

 No convalescent from a hospital will do so more than they ; 

 and in a mouth the change is quite wonderful. The trusses 

 win now begin to appear*, and the plants may be removed 

 to their blooming-quarters. Where it is practicable a bloom- 

 iag-stage should by all means be erected ; and where there 

 is a good collection there ought to be enough to have the 

 blooming-stage well sxipplied with effective plants. It is 

 well, where the trusses are over-large, to thin out the pips 

 with a sharp-pointed pair of scissors. Not less than seven 

 pips ought ever to be shown in my opinion, and as many 

 more as wiU consist -with the elegance of the truss. 



As they go out of bloom, if you do not wish to save seed, 

 pinch off the heads. Be careful about green fly, and leave 

 them in a north aspect until the end of Jiily or beginning 

 of August, then repot. My compost consists of about one- 

 third each of rotted cowdung, loam, and leaf mould, with 

 some silver sand. I do not, as I have said, shake out all 

 the earth, but examine carefully the root. If the tap root 

 is too long I cut it, and rub the cut with charcoal powder. 

 AU offsets should be taken off, and if large put singly into 

 pots ; if small, round the edge of a pot, three or fom- as the 

 case may be. Water with a syringe or fine rose, and then 

 retui'n them to their summer quarters to make theii' second 

 growth. If they show symptoms of blooming pinch off the 

 flower-stem carefully, water sparingly until the roots ai-e 

 beginning to start again, and then proceed as before. With 

 this attention a stock may be kept in good health, saving 

 those occasional mishaps which will occur, and much enjoy- 

 ment be had in the culture of this exquisitely neat and 

 peculiar flower. — D., Deal, 



and one after another of the old suburban nurseries are 

 compelled to retire before the genius of the hod and the 

 trowel. I have just seen the announcement of another of 

 these disheartening instances. The Homerton Nurseries 

 (Mr. J. Fry) are to be disposed of unreservedly on the 30th 

 inst., the gi-ound being required for building pm-poses. A 

 few score of fresh chimneys wUl, therefore, add then- smoke 

 to the difficiilties, ah-eady more than enough, of floricultxire 

 in those parts. I am induced to call the attention of the 

 readers of the Journal to this sale, fi-om the opportunity 

 seldom to be met with, of acquiring plants of unusual size, 

 and of favourite kinds, in specimenFuchsias, especially stand- 

 ards, large Azaleas, and Camellias, all for bond, fide disposal. 

 There is also a collection of seedling Fuchsias, never let out, 

 some of them double and novel, well worthy the attention 

 of connoisseurs in such matters.— W. D. Price, Homerton. 



Specimen Fuchsias, Azaleas, &c., at the Homekton 

 Nursery. — The building mania appears to be as destructive 

 to floriculture in the neighbourhood of London as ta Paris, 



HAEDY AQUATICS. 



(Contimied from page 226.) 



With regard to the plants that are to occupy the aqua- 

 rium, it rests entu-ely with taste to say whether it shall be 

 planted with those that have white or yellow flowers only, 

 or Avith such as afford a variety of colour'. It may be 

 white with Nympha3a alba, or yellow with Nuphar lutea, 

 or many colour's by selecting from the list of aquatics to 

 follow. In any way an aquarium cannot be other than an 

 oddity as a centre, but by no means a despicable one ; yet 

 it should be planted in accordance with the laws of harmony 

 and contrast. The white Water Lily is second to no aquatic 

 for forming a good centre of white ; but the plants in the 

 beds around should have flowers of a different colour, so 

 with yeUow, and so on. If the basin be planted with one 

 species only it is not necess.ary to form it into tei-races ; but 

 it should be pretty nearly of a regular depth throughout, as 

 much as circumstances wOl allow. Three feet is deep enough 

 for either of the aforesaid Lilies, and 1 foot 6 inches quite 

 shallow enough. Neither of them appear above water, but 

 their leaves float on the surface, still ha\dng one of the 

 florists' highest recommendations — " the flower is borne well 

 up above the foliage." I certainly should plant but one 

 species only, or, if many, such only as would attain their 

 gi'catest beauty when the remainder of the design was 

 arrayed in splendour'. 



But we have arranged for plants of different heights, and 

 must find them. Well, here they are in flower-garden 

 order : centre, Nymphaa alba, Hydropeltis pm-piu-ea around 

 it on the first step— the flowers are of a reddish-purple coloiu- 

 — and Nuphar pumila at the outside or edge, which wOl be 

 improved by having Myosotis caespitosa planted on the 

 margin of the water all round. It is not necessary to adhere 

 to this arrangement, for there is ample variety of habit and 

 diversity of colour in aquatics, so that by having but one 

 of a species a large number may be grown in a limited space. 

 However, where anything like effect is desired, the basin 

 had best be planted with^Nymphsas in collection, Nuphars, 

 Alismas, &c., for it is difficult to get aquatics to gTOW as even 

 in height and outline as bedding plants. As far as regards 

 fish in small aquaria, a few gold fish are an embellishment, 

 but fowls have no business in such a place. 



A stone basin is a good substitute for a olay-puddled 

 aquarium but by no means equal to it, for the plants derive 

 noui'ishment from the clay which they can never do fi'om 

 stone ; besides, the stone basin is much more expensive than 

 a puddled one. The basin may be formed of cement, which 

 may be done by firmly ramming the bottom after it has 

 been dug to the required width and depth, and it cannot be 

 rammed too hard, and then placing a layer of lime-riddlings on 

 the bottom and ramming it .as hard as the soil; 'on this is 

 spread with a trowel a layer of mortar an inch thick, formed 

 of equal pai'ts lime and finely-sifted ashes— the dust that 

 passes through the riddle. This is allowed to dry, and if it 

 has been well-wrought and put on quickly it will not crack. 

 On this again a coat of Roman cement is laid an inch thick, 

 which is formed of cement one half, plaster of Paris a quarter, 

 hme finely sifted a quarter, with sufficient water to make it 

 of the consistency of mortar. Blood instead of the water 

 will render the concrete harder. A cheaper way is to use 

 equal parts of flnely-powdered lime and calcined marl, or 



