62 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
way, the aucubas will flower about the third year; but long before that time—that 
is, when they are about two years old—the sexes may begin to be distinguished by 
the males haying a large oval-conical bud on the top ; the females, on the contrary, 
at the same time have a very pointed one, scarcely visible. 
A Harpy Brcon1a.—Messrs. Freebel, of Zurich, have issued a coloured plate of 
Begonia Frebellii. It is a tuberous species, which will probably prove hardy in the 
South of England or on the West Coast of Scotland, at any rate with a little pro- 
tection. It flowers freely, bearing trusses of erect scarlet flowers, and may be con- 
sidered a valuable acquisition. 
Tue MancnesTeR BoTanicaL AND HorticuntvraL Soctery is burdened with a 
debt of £6,000, and efforts are now being made to raise a sum of money sufficient 
bof its extinction, The subscriptions promised up to the present date amount to 
3,000. 
Lear Ornaments FoR Winpow Screrns. — The following may afford 
amusement and pleasure to those who take a delight in domestic decorations :— 
An exquisite transparency may be made by arranging pressed ferns, grasses, and 
autumn leaves in a pane of window glass, laying another pane of the same size 
over it, and binding the edge with ribbon, leaving the group imprisoned between. 
Use gum-tragacanth in putting on the binding. Itis well to secure a narrow strip 
of paper under the ribbon. The binding should be gummed all round the edge of 
the first pane, and dried, before the leaves, ferns, etc., are arranged, then it can be 
neatly folded over the second pane without difficulty. To form the loop for hanging 
the transparency, paste a binding of galloon along the edge, leaving a two-inch 
loop free in the centre, afterwards to be pulled through a little slit in the final bind- 
ing. These transparencies may be either hung before a window, or, if preferred, 
secured against a pane in the sash. In halls a beautiful effect is produced by 
placing them against the side-lights of the hall door. When the side-lights are 
each of only a single pane, it is well worth while to place a single transparency 
against each, filling up the entire space, thus affording ample scope for a free 
arrangement of ferns, grasses, and leayes, while the effects of the light passing 
through the rich autumnal colours is very fine. Leayes so arranged will preserve 
their beauty through the whole of the winter. Screens of this kind haye lately 
been advertised in London, in which the ferns, etc., prepared by a peculiar process, 
are guaranteed by the inventor to retain their yerdure for years. 
CuLtuRE oF THE OnION.—The best soil to grow onions in is a rich, deep, 
strong, and loamy one, and the best manure is deodorized night soil mixed with 
pigeon or fowl dung. The beds should be marked ont early in November, and laid 
up in rough ridges so as to expose the soil to frost. If large onions are wanted, 
some guano should be sprinkled on the bed in February. This should be raked 
in, and in a fortnight afterwards the seed may be sown. When guano is used, the 
seed ought never to be put in before a fortnight’s time has elapsed, otherwise the 
guano will kill the seed; but after a fortnight it is safe to sow it. During June 
onions are much tronbled with the maggot. The grub which does the mischief is 
white, shiny, and cylindrical; it measures from a quarter to halfan inch in length ; 
it eats its way into the heart of the onion and destroys it. As the fly lays its eggs 
within the leaf-sheaths of the plant close to the ground, any noxious top-dressing 
not injurious to the plant, may be used to keep the fly ata distance. The best 
remedy known is a heavy top-dressing of soot, and it is astonishing what a large 
quantity can be used without injuring the plants. Nothing equals a top-dressing 
of soot for carrots when attacked by maggots deposited by the carrot fly. As the 
onion will root down from eighteen inches to two feet, deep trenching and plenty of 
manure are necessary, and will be found the best preventatives of the vermin that 
destroy the onions. 
EXHIBITIONS AND MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY. 
3.—LinnEAN Socretry.— General Meeting at 8 p.m. 
16.—Royat Horricunrurat Socrery.—Meeting ef Fruit and Floral Com- 
mittees, 11 a.m. ; Scientifie Committee, 1 p.m. ; General Meeting, 3 p.m. 
17.—LinneEan Socrery.— General Meeting, 8 p.m. 
26.—Royat Boranic Socrery.— General Meeting, 3.45 p.m. 
