THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. ]27 
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hay bands after the end of November, for exposure to severe frost may result in con- 
siderable injury to them. When the canes can be removed from under cover, the 
Black Hamburgh is preferable. The Yucca mentioned usually produces its flower- 
spikes in the autumn; and if you are desirous of preserving the freshness of the 
flowers until the last, protect the spikes from frost by means of canvas, or some 
other light covering. The season of flowering is not under the control of the 
cultivator. 
M. §.—We are not acquainted with the plant referred to, and are therefore quite 
unable to assist you. 
GARDENING UNDER Drrricutties.—I should be glad to hear your opinion of 
the following case:—l have urder my charge a piece of land—kitchen garden—- 
which is somewhat peculiarly situated, being surrounded on the south by a bank of 
sand and chalk 130 feet high, on the east by a continuation of the same bank, 150 
feet high, on the west by the same bank, 70 feet high, crowned by a thick belt of 
trees, and lying open on the north only. The land is in extent about a quarter of 
an acre, and consists of one part pebbly chalk, one sand, and two parts of dirty 
black clay. Last year it was well trenched and manured, and cropped with peas, 
beans, savoys, and parsnips: the two former were a total failure, and the two latter 
very poor. I am ata loss to conceive what course te adopt with the land, so as to 
render it productive, and I shall therefore be glad if you or any of your subscribers 
ean give me any assistance. I may add that the upper soil is only two feet in 
depth, having as foundation a bedofehalk. In summer the place is like an oven, and 
in winter like an icehouse.—H.J. [The land is injuriously hemmed in and the quality 
is bad, but last year was not a good test of its capabilities, for in very many beiter 
places peas and beans failed. The following will probably give you fair returns 
for your labour—potatoes, vegetable marrows (aided with manure and water), 
New Zealand spinach, kidney beans, tomatoes, maize (for cooking green), onions. 
The land is not suitable for brassicas, or celery, or peas, You might try cucumbers 
and melons on ridges, with a fair prospect. | 
Lomanta Gipea.—J.H.C.—This fine fern requires good stove culture, and will 
not iook well for any length of time by any makeshift method. A little sun will 
not hurt, nor, indeed, will a little sun hurt any fern except it be one of the hymeno- 
phyllum or trichomanes class ; but it loves shade, and must have warmth. Having 
given your plant a shift, we advise you to leave it undisturbed all through the 
coming season, and to let it have the warmest place that can be found for it with shade 
and atmospheric moisture. Towards the end of the summer it may have abun- 
dance of light and air with advantage, but should be encouraged to make a free 
growth first. 
H.H.R.—One of the shoots of the Cissus produced last year should be pruned 
back to where quite firm, and a young shoot trained along the roof in the desired 
direction. The brown rooty substance is natural to the plant referred to. The 
Polypodium should grow freely in the position mentioned ; possibly there is not a 
sufficient depth of soil, and the plant is in a starved condition in consequence. 
Eranthemums may be obtained at all the principal nurseries, and probably you may 
be able to obtain the species mentioned in your letter by making inquiries of some 
of the nurserymen in the metropolis. Iron stakes are in every way suitable for 
rose trees. Selaginella apoda is very difficult to keep in first-class condition through 
the winter, because of its liability to damp off. It should be kept comparatively 
dry from October to March. Selaginella involvens and S. helvetica are perfectly 
distinct. The former is of a decumbent creeping growth, and the latter is rosulate. 
APonoGETON Distacuyon.—/. H. §.—This pretty aquatic is of the most simple 
culture, and although it grows vigorously and flowers abundantly in the greenhouse 
or stove, it is quite hardy. We would, however, advise you to grow it in a large 
flower-pot, made water-tight, or in a deep pan, and place it out-of-doors during the 
summer, and in the winter remove to the greenhouse, when it will continue to 
produce its flowers, but of course less freely than when vegetation is more active. 
It shonid be put inte pots of a size proportionate to the size of the individual plants, 
with good turfy loam to root into. When potted place them in large flower-pois 
that have been made water-tight, or in pans deep enough to allow of about six 
inches of water above the rim of the pots. If the pans are very deep, it will of 
course be easy enough to bring them near the surface by standing them upon 
inverted flower-pots. Of course the pans could be only partly filled, to bring the 
April. 
