Apiil 9, 1SC8. ] 



JOURNiL OF HORTIOULTUKE AND COTXAaE GARDENEll. 



277 



three-quarters of an iuoU of clean sand, pour warm water on 

 it, stir up and give it a alialce, and drain off the water till tbo 

 sand is linn enougii for tliu uuttiui^s to stand in. Next pull 

 the cuttiuii« off the plants, not cut them off, and stick them in 

 the sand, the largest in the centre. The saucers I use are 

 4 and 5 inches in diamoter, and hold from twelve to sixteen 

 cuttings. Plunge them to the rim in a hotbed or propagaiioK 

 case, where the bottom heat is from 70' to 80', and the cuttings 

 will bo lit to pot-off in ten or twelve days. They should then 

 bo potted into 'i-inch pots. Mix equal parts of rotten dung 

 and loam with a little sand, riddle it through a half-iuch sieve, 

 and use the largest for drainage and the line for potting with. 

 Keep the young plants in a warm house till the roots show 

 at the bottom of the pots ; they will then be fit to shift into 

 4 or 5-inch pots, using the same kind of soil. Kept in a cool 

 place, such as an orchird or Pea^h house, they will be fine 

 plants for bedding-out by May. 



A few plants grown in larger pots will form fine subjects for 

 decoration in-doors, and cuttings afterwards. The cuttings will 

 not want watering during the time they aj'e striluag ; merely 

 sprinkle them through a fine rose in favourable days. 



In turning out tlie plants, strike the edge of the saucer on 

 the potting bench to loosen the aand, so as not to break the 

 roots. 



Not one cutting out of fifty will fail to strike root by this 

 method. I am aware that striking cuttings in sand and water 

 is not new, having been fully described by Sir. Beaton four or 

 five years since as practised extensively by Mr. Kidd, of Bushy 

 Park. — J. T. Crked, Gardener to F. Swaraviek, Esq., Whitlimj- 

 ton House, CItesterJield. 



SNAICES AND ADDERS. 



Can any of your readers inform me whether there is any 

 means, by poison or otherwise, of destroviug or driving away 

 snakes, and especially vipers ? My g.Tjrden is infested with 

 both; and it is scarcely possible, owing to the viciuity of a 

 pond and shrubberies, with stony ground and thick under- 

 wood, to clear their hamoits. — H. B. 



[We are not able from our own eTrperieuce to advise you as 

 we would wish, but were wo so situated we would, poison some 

 frogs and strips of fresh meat, and lay them carelessly and 

 liberally in the haunts of the vipers aud snakes. We recollect 

 of a case, but not so bad as yoru-s, and where, also, there was 

 a small piece of water, about which and the lawn close to it 

 they became a dangerous nuisance. In spring a few heaps of 

 stones were thrown together, leaving open interstices between 

 them, in which moss was lightly pluced. As expected, the 

 snakes made these heaps their home, and when they became 

 pretty well colonised, a fire of brushwood, with snlphnr sprinkled 

 on the wood, was placed round them, and huudrede were thus 

 destroyed. We shall be glad if some correspondent will give 

 better information and advice.] 



EMIGRATING, 



XouE correspondent, " W. T. G." (see page 201), draws a 

 very dismal picture for intending emigrants to the British 

 North American colonies and the TJuited States, a picture 

 enough to deter the most stout-hearted of the ill-paid English 

 gardeners from attempting to better their condition by emigrat- 

 ing to that country. 



Without disputing anything " W. T. G." has said, I wish to 

 draw the attention of intending emigrants (of course I mean 

 my brother horticulturists and farmers), to a British colony, 

 where the cultivator of the soil will find very few of the long 

 list of drawbacks detailed by " W. T. G. ;" I mean Queensland, 

 one of the Australian colonies. There the emigrant need not 

 fear the uprooting of his Vines and fruit trees in winter, as 

 frosts are unknown in that favoured country. The climate 

 vei-y much resembles that favourite resort of our invalids, 

 Madeira, being only a few degrees warmer in summer and a 

 few degrees colder in winter. The soil and climate are admir- 

 ably adapted for the growth of all tropical aud subtropical 

 plants. The following is an extract fnim a book written on 

 Queensland by the Eov. Mr. Wight in 18(11 : — " On the same 

 farm yon may see growing Maize, Peas, Potatoes, Oats, Coffee, 

 Sugar Cane, Arrowroot, Ginger, Flax, Cotton, Peaches, Oranges, 

 Apricots, Figs, Mulberries, Grape Vines, Pine Apples, and 

 Bananas. All these may be seen growing to perfection in the 

 open air, and under ordinary treatment in the neighbourhood ' 



of Brisbane. Land is cheap ; you can have your pick of the 

 agricultural reserves for £1 an acre." 



After what I have said, I need only say that I would advise 

 all ciU-tivators of tlie soil, tliat think of emigrating, to go to 

 Queensland. I may add that the colony is rich in minerals, 

 and gold is found abundantly in the northern parts. — J. 



[ The only comment we shall offer are the following lines, 

 written by an emigrant : — 



*' Come, boys, I have Bomethinff iA> toll 3'ou ; 



CoDLU noai'. I woiUd whiaper it low — 

 Vou nro tliinkiuK itf luaviji;; tho homcbtead - 



DoH't be in ii hurry to go ! 

 " You tiilk of till' minus of .-Vustralia— 



They're ^voalthy in Rold without ilonbt ; 

 But, ah 1 there is gold in tlie soil, boys, 



If only you'll shovel it out. 

 The mercantile trade is a liaaard, 



ThQ goods aro first biah and then low ; 

 Bettor di(< tlio old soil a while longer — 

 ■ Don't bo iu a hurry to Ko ! 

 " Tho p-eat busy West has imlucemcnts, 



.\nd so hiiK tbo busiest mai't ; 

 But wealth is not made hi a day, boys — 



Don't be iu a hurry to start ; 

 The bankers and brokers aro wealthy, 



Thoy take in their thoaaands or bo — 

 Ah ! think of the frauds and dtioeptions — 



Don't l>e in a hurry to go ! 

 " Home soil is the safest and surest, 



Tbo orehards are loaded to-day. 

 You're as free as the air of tho mountains. 



And monarch of all you survey. 

 Better stay on that soil a while longer. 



Though profits come in rather slow ; 

 Remember, you've nothing to risk, boys — 



Don't be iu a hurry to go : '' ] 



A WORD FOR AMARYLLIS CULTURE. 



Amongst plants really worthy of cultivation there are very 

 few more deserving of patronage than the Amaryllis family ; 

 occasionally we see a solitary plant in flower, but we hardly 

 ever find these plants grown iu quantity, or in proportion to 

 others. We see in collections dozens of Azaleas, Pelargoniums, 

 and kindred plants, but seldom a fair proportion of Amaryllises. 

 I often regret that this omission should be so general, because 

 wherever a good collection is kept, and well bloomed and 

 judiciously mixed with other conservatory plants, the Ama- 

 ryllises contribute a peculiar stateliness and diversity *hich 

 enhance the beauty of the collection. 



It is not, however, in the spring solely, that plants of this 

 charming family develops their beauties, for they can be had in 

 bloom all the year round, by a little adjustment of rest and 

 action. I needly hardly say that if they are fit associates for 

 Azaleas, aud are undimmed by the dazzling brilliancy of these, 

 their presence must be always welcome. 



In point of colour there is a wide field for selfietion. From 

 Reticulata rosea, a chaste white, most delioaitely pencilled 

 with faint rose, we may select still higher amd brighter colours 

 in the Vittata and Marginata venusta section, white and scarlet. 

 From these we may pass on through the Jolmsoni section, 

 and find ourselves in company with the self-eoloured ones. 

 Amongst these may be found a brilliant and most beautiful 

 array of colour, from orange to the darkest maroon. Some of 

 them are most dehciously sweet, quite equal to a>ny flower in 

 cultivation in point of aromatic perfume. 



When a very fine display is desired, from two to six bulbs 

 should be planted in one pot. If the bulbs are equal in point 

 of size, and have been grown aud rested similarly, then when 

 started into growth, most probably ever)' bulb will send up a 

 flower spathe, and very often two spikes to each bulb will be 

 the result. We have often produced ten spikes in one pot, with 

 from four to seven blooms on each, and when such a display is 

 secured and well developed, there is hardly a plant of any de- 

 scription that can surpass the Amaryllis. For lai'ge conser- 

 vatories, and for contrasting with Azaleas. 1 can recommend 

 specimen Amaryllises. Like other plants, their real worth can 

 only be estimated when seen as above grown. They are, never- 

 theless, very effective in single bulbs. 



I find it a good plan in iiractice to treat them liberally. 

 When potting I give good shifts with plenty of drainage, and 

 use turfy loam and leaf soil in equal proportions, with a small 

 mixture of peat and sand. They should be started in heat, 

 when in bloom placed in a coole'r atmosphere, and when out of 

 bloom they should have more heat, and exposure to sunshine, 

 gradually withholding water as the plant completes its growth. 

 It should then be allowed to go gradually to rest, removing the 



