THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 13 



Ardisia, Stenocarpms, Tetrachea, Tristanea, etc., will require a por- 

 tion of sandy loam — in many oases about equal parts ; and where 

 the habits, etc., differ materially from the heath, only a small por- 

 tion of peat-earth will be required, and a compost may be made a 

 little rich by the addition of well-rotted dung. 



Almost all Cape and other bulbs, as Sparaxis, Ixia, Gladiolus, 

 Tritonia, etc., thrive best in a mixture of light, rich sandy loam, 

 leaf-mould, and a little peat. 



Shrubby and herbaceous plants, with luxuriant roots and 

 branches, as several species of Myrtus, Jasminum, Hibiscus, Her- 

 mannia, Heliotropium, etc., require rich loam, lightened with leaf- 

 soil, without any portion of peat. 



Plants with powerful roots, and but slender heads, as Veronica, 

 Senacia, Scutellaria, Huellia, Maurandia, etc., require a light, sandy 

 soil, mixed with a small portion of leaf-mould and very rotten dung. 

 At the time of potting, always lay plenty of broken potsherds at 

 the bottom of each pot, to give a good drainage. 



It will be seen that these directions do not allude to either 

 orchideous, succulent, or aquatic plants. Many of the orchidea? 

 require a portion of decayed wood mixing with the soil ; others grow 

 in damp moss ; but these, being chiefly stove-plants, will not flourish 

 in a room. There are several species, however, that thrive very 

 well both in the greenhouse and in rooms, as Arethusa, Calopogon, 

 Dendrobium, Oplirys, etc. The soil suitable for these is a mixture 

 of about equal parts of light sandy loam and peat. Very little or 

 no water must be given when they are not in a growing state. 



Succulent plants of all descriptions require very little water, and 

 in general are very easily managed in rooms. Many of them thrive 

 in a mixture of sandy soil aDd lime rubbish, as Aloe, Cacalia, Cactus, 

 Aizoon, etc. ; others grow well in a mixture of equal parts of light 

 sandy loam and peat, as Coris, Cotyledon, Mesembryanthemum, etc. 

 The proper soil for the Geranium is half rich, rotted manure, a 

 fourth fresh yellow loam, and a fourth of equal parts of good garden 

 mould and leaf- soil. 



Aquatic plants, as Villarsia, Actinocarpus , etc., generally do well 

 in a mixture of peat and loam, and require to be constantly kept in 

 a wet state. Indeed, the best way is to place the pot in a deep 

 pan, or feeder, which should always be kept filled with water. 



Bulbs of most sorts flourish in rooms with less care than most 

 other kinds of plants. Hyacinths should be planted in autumn. 

 In preparing pots for them, select such as are about four inches 

 deep and three inches wide, put a little rotten dung in each pot, fill 

 each pot up with light, rich soil, and plant the bulbs so shallow, that 

 nearly half tbe bulb stands above the soil ; plunge the pots in the 

 open air, and cover them six or eight inches deep with rotten bark. 

 During spring take them out as they are wanted to bring into flower, 

 and set them in the window of a warm room, where they will be 

 fully exposed to tbe sun. Those who do not possess a garden may 

 set the pots in a cellar or outhouse, or in the corner of a yard, and 

 cover them with light soil or sand, until they are wanted to bring 

 into the room to flower. When the leaves begin to decay, after they 



January. 



